New Nautique Owner in need of good advice

[Motox811]

I just bought my first Ski Nautique and have many questions. I have been boating/water skiing my whole life and am very familiar with how to opperate and care for a boat. However, with the newer technology and being an inboard, I need some help. My "new" boat is a 2001 Ski Nautique 196 and I have listed below some of the specs to aid in answering my questions. In addition, if you have any general advice on this boat I am all ears. Thank you all for your help.

-PCM Boss 5.8 High-Output engine
-Perfect Pass Pro with magnetic sensor for slalom buoys and upgraded paddlewheel sensor.
-Awesome marine stereo with high-end speakers, amps, and subwoofer, iPod integration, remote controls in rear of boat
-Brand new low-pressure fuel pump
-Hot water shower on the transom
-Heater with removable hoses
-Depth gauge, water temp gauge, air temp gauge
-Flush Pro installed
-Keyless ignition/consol opperation

Questions:

1) I understand the concept of using the blower to clear the vapors out of the engine compartment, but do you leave the blower running the whole time the motor is running?

2) The rear of the boat does not have the rings to secure the boat to the trailer, but the trailer has the rings. How do you secure the rear to the trailer? With the lift ring?

3) I want a wakeboard tower but am very sceptical about the "one size fits all" concept. Does anyone know off a "custom" fit tower that is good quality, stiff, available in black and wont cost me my first born?

4) What is the advantage off a 4 blade prop vs a 3 blade?

5) The very rear of the boat does not have a ski rope attaching point, only the center pilon. Can you tow a skier with the lift ring? I want to be able to have more than one other person in the boat while towing a skier.

[HS]

1. After the start up, I think it wants to be on during low speed driving or when idling. owners manual describes proper use.
2. Those rings on your trailer might be eye bolts that are really only meant for tying down a cover, so you might want to check that first. On my last boat, I just used the swim platform brackets with a retractable strap similar to the "boat buckle" brand, which gets boltes to the trailer frame.
3. Others will have to comment on this one.
4. DanielC has the answer here, but I think it goes something like this high speed (slalom) 3 blades are smooth and efficient, low speed with a lot of ballast to get up and moving (WB) 4 blades.
5. No. The owners manual say not to use the lift ring as a tow point, but YMMV.

[swc5150]

A 4 blade should provide a stronger pull / holding power at speed, than a 3 blade.

The best tower for your beautiful SN is free... none;-)

[Motox811]

Thank you for the info. The manual calls those eye bolts "lift rings" and said they are sufficient to lift the boat out of the water or off the trailer; that is why i was wondering about the use for skiing.

The manual is not "clear" on the blower. It says to start it and let it run for 4 min prior to starting the engine, and when at low speed and idling; but not when you should turn it off.

Is there a SN option for the ski rope attaching point for the rear I can buy from them and install?

[NCH2oSki]

Nice looking Ski Nautique, (its not a 196) hope you enjoy it for many years. If you are dead set on a tower, get a new dimensions FCT. Most people think that a tower on a closed bow ski boat doesn't look right, and I tend to agree, but its your boat. I think the Monster mtk doesnt look bad also, and I have a friend with one, its solid. You might look into an extended pylon as another alternative.

You can ski with 4 people comfortably.... 3 in the boat and 1 on the rope. Nothing on the transom is meant to pull a skier. Any more than that and your sort of defeating the purpose of a ski boat....small soft wakes and freight train like tracking.

Dont add transom straps to your trailer. The shape of the hull is like a canoe, and wont fair well with being tied down at the back. You should have a LARGE turnbuckle at the bow that will stop any rocking.

The preferred prop for your boat at reasonable elevations is an acme 422, not sure what it would be if your way up there.

Lots of info on here, so keep asking questions!

[jonfo]

I would buy the factory tower from correct craft. Back in 2000 i bought one for my 1995 super sport and as i remember it was about $2000-$2500 and i installed it in about 3-4hrs. the actual install was easy, but i spent a lot of time measuring before drilling. I think there is also a company named NDS (?) that sells towers close to the nautique factory tower. Btw, the tower doesnt weigh much, it is all alluminum, so it wont affect your ski wake much, and it clears out your the floor of your boat because you can put gear on the racks.

[skiswm]

I see you're in CO, I would recommend using the tie down straps. Take the straps to your platform, there should be metal brackets there, then put the straps down to the hooks on your trailer. With the mountains you travel, stop and go traffic etc I am always a fan of having both the front and back of the boat strapped down. I know some say otherwise, but I have see more than one boat lost because only the strap on the front was done, the driver hits the gas or brakes and the boat goes it's own direction. I.E. inertia=a body in motion tends to stay in motion...a body at rest tends to stay at rest.

[swc5150]

Thank you for the info. The manual calls those eye bolts "lift rings" and said they are sufficient to lift the boat out of the water or off the trailer; that is why i was wondering about the use for skiing.

The manual is not "clear" on the blower. It says to start it and let it run for 4 min prior to starting the engine, and when at low speed and idling; but not when you should turn it off.

Is there a SN option for the ski rope attaching point for the rear I can buy from them and install?

> The lift rings are designed for a vertical load, and are not sufficient for pulling.
> You can shut off your blower when you start using your boat on plane. I actually don't use my blower much at all, which I know is not smart.
> There is no option for rear towing on your SN.

Nice looking boat!

[DanielC]

Blower operation. The "my lawyer told me to say this" answer.
Before starting the boat, open the engine hatch, look and smell for gas fumes, and even if you do not detect any, run the blower for 4 minutes before trying to start the boat. Leave the blower on below cruising speed.

What most people do. Look and smell for gas fumes. Run the blower for a few minutes, then start engine. After the engine has started, turn the blower off. Get into the habit of running the blower briefly before you start the engine, every time. That way, if you get stopped, and requested to do a safety inspection, you pass that part of the inspection. Start the engine without running the blower, and you do not pass the inspection.

I use tie downs from the lift ring to the trailer tie down. The tie downs go out in an inverted "V". Make sure the tie down do not put any side pressure on the speedometer pickups.

I would suggest getting an extended pylon, the ones with the strap that goes to the front of the boat. I do not like towers on closed bow ski boats. If you do want a tower, getting a Correct Craft tower, designed to specifically fit your boat is the next option.
I have skied behind a 1998 Ski Nautique with a Correct Craft tower, and my 1997 Ski Nautique without a tower. I feel a tower does add some weight, but the air resistance of a tower above the boat also adds a pitching force at speed, that has the same effect as adding ballast to the rear of the boat.

A straight 4 blade propeller will have less vibration than a straight 3 blade propeller.
There are many variables in propeller design beyond the number of blades. But the number of blades is the easiest thing to see, so that is what everybody talks about. Propeller diameter, pitch, rake of the blades, progressive pitch, blade shape, overall blade area, cupping, to name a few. Just using the number of blades of a propeller is not all that useful, if you do not consider the other factors.

Getting an extended pylon, or a tower is one solution to being able to use the rear seats. You can fit two people in the front passenger seat. Driver makes three people, skier the fourth. persons five, and six sit on the floor, behind the driver, and just to the rear of the passenger front seat. But five people in a Ski Nautique is not the best wake for the person skiing. My understanding is you can use the rear lift ring for towing one person, but it is designed for a vertical load, not a sideways, or forward and back load. Do not tow an inflatable off the rear ring unless they are a very small child, at an idle. do not tow other stranded boat off the rear ring.

[DanielC]

I noticed you live in Denver, CO. you may want to get a propeller with a lower pitch, to compensate for the loss of power. However, if you take the boat to a lower elevation lake, or sea level, you will have to be careful not to over rev your engine at WOT.
Max sustained cruise RPM, 4200. Max RPM, 5000.

[Motox811]

Great info guys. I am excited to finaly have my own boat. I would drool every time I saw a SN when I was a kid and now that I am a grown kid I have my own. In an earlier reply, it was said this is not a SN 196. If it is not a 196, then what is it?

[Motox811]

Also, where can I find a Correct Craft OEM tower? I looked on the internet and cannot find any place that carries thier tower. I am not a fan of the tower on a closed bow either, but I wakeboard as well as ski so I want the best of both worlds. I have the extended pilon but want the extra storage space as well as the cool factor. I do drive a lot of mountain roads and my Cummins doesnt feel the boat going up the pass so any help keeping the boat in place would be great. Are the rings something that I can add to the boat? I am coming to find this boat is lacking a lot of the small features I was used to seeing in a ski boat. Is that typical of this style?

[drifter1136]

Go to new dimension towers they have a pic of a closed bow sn so you can see what it would look like on yours. We have one of there towers on our 1994 sport nautique and have been really happy with it.

[DanielC]

In 2003, Correct Craft brought out three new boats. The 206, the 216, and the 226. They also decided at that time to give all the boats "number names" The the same hull that in 2002 that was the Ski Nautique, became the Ski Nautique 196. The 206 was a foot longer replacement for the Ski Nautique Open Bow. You could also get a 206 with a tower, and ballast tanks, and it became the Air Nautique 206. Without the Wakeboard stuff, it was the Ski Nautique 206. In a like manner, the 216 was available as the Sport 216, or the Air 216. The 216 replaced a direct drive 21' 2" boat that was a Sport, or Air Nautique.
The Super Air retained the same basic hull through this time period. It was also 21' 2" long, but "V" drive. At the beginning of the 2003 model year, this boat became the Air 210, or the Sport 210.
At this time, it was generally regarded that the wake made by a "AIR" 210, formerly a "Super Air" was the best wakeboard wake around. Get pro riders away from their paid sponsorships, and this is the boat they wanted to rider behind. Incidentally, the hull of this boat was used until 2006 or 2007, I think. This hull was introduced in 1995! It was that good. After a lot of protesting from dealers, early in calendar year 2003, dealers got sent "Super" decals in the same font as the "Air 210" on the boat. We could stop calling the boat "Air 210" and start calling them "Super Air" again. "Super Air" referred to the one boat model.
After this boat was discontinued in 2007, or 2008, that freed up the "Super" name to put on just about any "V" drive boat Correct Craft now sells. So now, "Super" really does not mean anything special.

[Motox811]

So.....my boat is just a Ski Nautique (without any number designation or any other name attached)? I need to know not only for my curiosity but for insurance and my loan as well. Also, the trailer needs to have new stringers and carpet installed. I was thinking of using redwood and a very short napp carpet from HD. Will this be adiquate or is there any specific lumber and carpet i need to use?