Hull info ski nautique vs sport nautique

[hyperlitep]

Hi im new to the form and i want my next boat to be a nautique. I just dont know what one. I really like the sports the open bow is nice, but im getting into skiing and I know the ski wake cant be nearley as good as the ski nautique. Input is appreciated. Also if someone has a timeline of changes made from 1990 to 2000 that would be awsome!


P.s. I now have a 1991 american skier legend

[swc5150]

If you're looking for the best ski wake with an open bow, look for a 1997-2000 Ski Nautique open bow (SNOB). You'll get the incredible TSC hull, and both the open and closed bow hulls are identical. The downside is that the open bow area is a play pen, and not your conventional open bow of say a 206. The sport is a nice boat, but not what you're looking for in skiability. Also, I'd recommend buying one with the GT-40 motor, as it's one of the best inboard motors ever produced. The good news is, most SN's in that era came with them.

[Quinner]

For the closed bows, which are generally less $$$
90-96 NWZ Hull - of that era 90-92 have a wood stringer system, which could be a problem if original
97-01 TSC Hull

98-02 Sports have the same hull which makes a decent slalom wake, just not as good as a SNOB or Ski

The Nautique site or Correctcraftfan site have brochures for all those model years in their reference sections, great source for additional info.

[DanielC]

The SNOB's and Ski Nautique hulls in 1997 to 2002 are not identical. The engine and helm on the SNOB's are shifted aft about 8 " to make room for the open bow. The 1997 SNOB also has a dry weight of 2475 pounds, the Ski has a dry weight of 2340.
At trick skiing speeds, the SNOB does ride noticeably bow high compared to the Ski. Because of the increased prop shaft angle, the boat does handle slightly different in reverse.
I have a 1997 Ski Nautique, with 2,426 hours on it. In 1997, I joined a show ski team that had another Ski Nautique, with the GM engine in it, and a SNOB. Drove all three boats enough to be familiar with them. In 2000, one of our members got a 2000 Ski Nautique.
I also spent a lot of time with a friend who had an 2002 Air Nautique, with the 305 GM engine.

In 1998, the tachometer was changed to a bottom swing scale. Made the tach easier to read through the steering wheel. I think 1998 also gave you the burlwood dash and steering wheel option. The rear seat design was also changed, but the 1997 and 1998 both have a completely removable rear seat. 1999 saw the introduction of the 502 cubic inch, 430 HP Python engine. I am not sure on the rear seat design on the 1999 Ski Nautiques.

In 2000, somebody decided it would be a good idea to "upgrade" to digital Teleflex gauges. also in my opinion, the traditional side stripe was changed to the ugly "N". The digital gauges were not an upgrade, most have been replaced by now, and since the hour gauge was incorporated in the faulty tachometer, you do not know how many hours are on the engine.
Also the rear seat was changed again, so the seat back could be lifted up and open a small storage place behind the rear seat, but to do that, the gas tank was moved under the rear seat, and went farther forward on the floor, and removing the rear seat did not open up the floor space inside the boat.

The 1998, through 2002 Sport Nautiques (or Air Nautiques) are still very good slalom boats. The 2000 and later Sports still have the same digital gauge issues from 2000 on.

[JoeSki]

My 2 cents.....I own a '98 sport and have a friend that owns a '04 ski Nautique. I ski both boats on a regular basis. I am a 28off 34mph skier and my buddy is a 32off skier and I would say the SKI has a softer wake but not that much smaller. To me the biggest difference is from the drivers perspective, the SKI handles better in the course. If it was up to me, I would own SKI, however with a wife and 2 kids, the sport gives us a little bit more room and still a very solid tow boat.

[swc5150]

The SNOB's and Ski Nautique hulls in 1997 to 2002 are not identical.

I know the helm is moved back on the SNOB, but the actual hull is identical to the CB (TSC). I'm surprised to hear the engine is moved back 8" in the SNOB. After all the time I've spent in both, I never actually noticed that. Must be due to removing the rear seat.

[mdvalant]

The SNOB's and Ski Nautique hulls in 1997 to 2002 are not identical. The engine and helm on the SNOB's are shifted aft about 8 " to make room for the open bow.

This intrigues me...had no idea that was the case. Do you have any documentation showing that? Most I know were all in agreement they simply moved the dash back along with the driver/observer seats and the engine stayed in the same place. It's obvious in pics the space between the driver/observer seat is closer to the dog house in the OB than the CB.

[DanielC]

To be honest, I have only heard the engine was moved back on the SNOB, compared to the Ski. Do I have accurate pictures, taken at exactly the same angle, with the drivers seat shifted to exactly the same point, no, I do not. Do I have access to engineering drawings Correct Craft used when designing these two boats, again I do not. It is just what I heard, and I used to work at a Correct Craft Dealer from 2001 to 2003. But that does not actually prove it.
If somebody has access to a 1997 Correct Craft parts book, I would think the two different boats would have different prop shaft lengths, and probably two different struts, with a slightly different angle.

I just called a place where I get my boat serviced with stuff I cannot handle. Propeller shaft length, 1997 Ski Nautique, 49 inches, 1997 SNOB, 41 inches.

[hyperlitep]

Thanks great info, my price range will probably limit me to a mid 90's nautique. The gt-40 is a must as well as a tadem axle trailer. Just trying to decide if I really need the open bow.

[DanielC]

This is going to be your boat, not mine.
So, in my mind here are the important pieces of info. In 1997, Correct Craft made a pretty major change, and improvement in the hull. This is the TSC hull. from 1990 to 1996, you had the NWZ hull. The TSC hull was produced in an open bow version, but there are some compromises in it, compared to the closed bow boats. You could also get a Sport Nautique in the years you are interested in.

All three boats will most likely ski better that your present boat does. For the best ski wake for your dollar, you want a 1997 or newer Ski Nautique. This will also probably be the easiest boat to find. If you really want an open bow, you are limiting the available choices. There are more Ski Nautiques than SNOBs, in the years you are looking for. I would guess there are more Sport Nautiques in the years you are looking at, but not as many as there are Ski Nautiques.

But who knows what you might find.

Something else that might help you, try to find somebody's boat you could ride in, and ski behind. That might help make your decision.

[zone 5]

My 2 cents.....I own a '98 sport and have a friend that owns a '04 ski Nautique. I ski both boats on a regular basis. I am a 28off 34mph skier and my buddy is a 32off skier and I would say the SKI has a softer wake but not that much smaller. To me the biggest difference is from the drivers perspective, the SKI handles better in the course. If it was up to me, I would own SKI, however with a wife and 2 kids, the sport gives us a little bit more room and still a very solid tow boat.

You just compared 2 boats with totally different hulls. The sport with a TSC, that isn't the same as the TSC under a 97 Ski, and the 04 Ski, which has the TSC 2 hull. With that being said, for 99% of the skiers out there, it makes little difference. I have skied them both, and found the TSC2 to be a bit softer, but I am not skiing anywhere in the 2 of yours league. You and your friend are skiing a lot shorter/faster than most people buying these boats today.

[zone 5]

This is going to be your boat, not mine.
So, in my mind here are the important pieces of info. In 1997, Correct Craft made a pretty major change, and improvement in the hull. This is the TSC hull. from 1990 to 1996, you had the NWZ hull. The TSC hull was produced in an open bow version, but there are some compromises in it, compared to the closed bow boats. You could also get a Sport Nautique in the years you are interested in.

All three boats will most likely ski better that your present boat does. For the best ski wake for your dollar, you want a 1997 or newer Ski Nautique. This will also probably be the easiest boat to find. If you really want an open bow, you are limiting the available choices. There are more Ski Nautiques than SNOBs, in the years you are looking for. I would guess there are more Sport Nautiques in the years you are looking at, but not as many as there are Ski Nautiques.

This would be my choices also. There were a ton of Sport/Air Nautiques made in the TSC time frame. These give you true open bow boats if you have extra people that you need on the boat. The Ski is the best pure ski boat if all you want is a slalom boat. A lot of the sport/air's out there had tanks and towers giving you more options, and better resale. Nautique made a lot more sport/airs in that time frame than they did Ski's. That was right when wakeboarding was getting really popular and the Ski was almost useless for that, so people took the compromise of the sport or Air (tower/tanks)