MC or Nautique

[sportnautique200or226]

I know Nautique is better but pros and cons?

[TxJole]

Nautique
Pros its made by Correct Craft

MC
Cons its not made by Correct Craft

[sportnautique200or226]

Hahah you are right but mastercraft seems more comfortable. However the bow's shape is really bad I think.

[TxJole]

Have you test drove both?

[sportnautique200or226]

I have just tested Nautique but I have been in Mastercraft as well.

[ClemsonDave]

which boats?

[TxJole]

The only reason I would think a MC is more comfy is the thickness of the vinyl. Nautique has better seating options. I also like the MC board rack clamps, but not the spinners.

[wawasee]

I know Nautique is better but pros and cons?

Glad to see you are ok after the earth quakes out in Turkey. Don't even mess with MC. You know you want a Nautique.

[swc5150]

MC makes a solid boat, but if you're still looking at the 200V Nautique, they really don't have anything competitive. There's the 214V, but it's a big and weird boat. Drive both, and you'll understand what I'm talking about.

One thing I did notice from my family owning 6 Prostars over the years... every one of them seemed to give birth to random screws and nuts, that would roll up into the footwell. I never did find out where they came from!

I can't comment on the new X boats, but the Prostars ride like absolute crap over anything other than smooth water. Part of the reason we switched to CC was the kidney/boob pounding ride the MC's dished out.

Without starting a bash fest, our family has no interest in going back to MC - pending some huge improvements.

[ccs]

sportnautiue - -

Ive detailed one here before my lifelong experience with competitive "ski boats" (started competitve skiing at age 8 all the way through college having gone on a full 3 event scholarship) - point is I have been in and behind Mastercraft's, Nautique's, Malibu's, Moomba's, Brendella's, Centurians and just about everything else they've made - -

So as not to take up paragraphs of space on here and bore you to death - here's the absolute best thing I can tell you (if you can find it) - -

Go find a 5 year old mastercraft with 500 or so hours on it and and then find the same in a Nautique, 5 years old or so with around same hours 500 give or take - - ride and drive both of them, feel how tight or loose they seem, listen to the amount of rattles and queekes and creeks and flex in the boats....

Without a doubt, based on my personal experience after being in hundreds of tournament ski boats, you will likely find that there is simply no comparison - - I am willing to bet that you will find the Nautique to be tighter, quieter, more solid feeling, less rattles, less noises etc etc etc....

I have always owned a Nautique - except for a brief period where my wifes parents gave us a 1988 Mastercraft anniversary boat, which we kept for about 3 years....while I appreciated to be given such a gift, there was absolutely no comparison of the two boats (MC vs. CC)...

In the end it will come down to your personal preference as you are the guy that has to write the check for the boat - but I have taken much advice from the members of this forum, as I believe it all to be genuine, so for my 2 cents, the clear and overwhelming decision would be to purchase the Nautique model that fits your needs.

[Chexi]

Nautique
Pros its made by Correct Craft

MC
Cons its not made by Correct Craft

Ok Joel... Now I know I have to meet you on CC someday. You and I have the same sense of humor.

[TxJole]

I'll be on it every weekend after winter. My place is on the backside of Enchanted if u can't find us on the water. Just park and walk up.

[east tx skier]

One thing I did notice from my family owning 6 Prostars over the years... every one of them seemed to give birth to random screws and nuts, that would roll up into the footwell. I never did find out where they came from!

I'l be those screws came from the bulkhead between the driver's footwell and the under-the-observer's-seat storage (or walkthrough depending on model of pro star). My father-in-law's 205 has little screws and sink washers falling out all the time.

On my SN, the only thing that falls off are the nuts holding the combing pads in place (and I even doubled them up).

[swc5150]

That's got to be it! There were always sink washers on the floor with them. Mystery solved after all these years...thanks Tex!!

[DanielC]

The studs that hold the coming pads to the inside gunnels on the Correct Craft boats attach to the plastic support for the upholstery from the inside, and are installed before the upholstery is put on the plastic part. The stud needs to have a little pressure pulling it to secure it to the plastic panel, and as the nut pulls the coming panel tight, it usually holds. If you try to replace the "normal" nut with a nylock nut, as soon as the nylon hits the end of the stud, before it is tight, it twists the stud loose from the coming pad, and you cannot tighten it any more.

The cure, put the coming pad on, and use "normal" nuts. Tighten them snugly, but not too hard,
After the nuts are installed, get some RTV rubber (Silicone Seal) and put a small dab of it on your finger, and smear it on the stud, right behind the nut.

The RTV will hold the nut, but if you ever want to remove it, it can be easily done.