Would I consider a Mastercraft?

[NautiqueJeff]

Here's the flip-down observer's seat.

[gunnin4six]

NautiqueJeff,

Is the flip-down rugged enough? The hinges look beefy, but it looks like it is only supported on 2 edges. Is it supported on the drivers side when it is flipped up?

[BigBald]

can a 1999 Sport be retrofitted with this???

[Dr.John]

Jeff did you Photoshop this! :mrgreen:

[MARK-S]

SGY,
The only time anyone has been in my bow is getting in the boat off the dock. I usually put the windscreen up and it stays up until someone buys the boat. Im a 196 guy that promotes the 206 for those who like the open bow. I would never let anyone in there if I was skiing. Actually just an observer and judge in the observers seats and no more. Im as anal as it gets when it comes to wt and balance. I guess if you wakeboard with the 206 you could have a bow rider, but that would still get in the drivers way. I just dont understand the nessisity for openbows. People say they need them for there familys, but not when rideing around I guess. I know the Pits upfront on the Calabria and the Gecko are deeper than the 206, and may hide the heads a little more out of the way. On the weighted bow thing, I was told by a few pros that your SNOB was a better wake than the closed bow due to the added wt up front. Some used to add 100 lbs of wt to there closed bows to make a better wake. I dont have any experience with the SNOB to confirm.

[SGY]

Mark, you keep on promoting the 206. We need hard core skiers like you saying good things about the wake behind that boat.

I'm with you on the open bow thing. Not a very practical place to ride and a little more dangerous. My little one (5 year old monster) stays next to me. Only the bigger kids get to ride up front. But if I had my druthers, no one would go up there.

[MARK-S]

I love the wake and everything about the boat, but I dont need it. One thing nice about the open bow is the access to the heater. Pop the front seat out, reach under and unscrew. I just pulled my heater in under 10 minutes yesterday. Its almost worth spending the extra $$ on the open bow just to have heater access. I know those cores rust out about every 3 years, so that would be somthing to think about. You cannot beat the wake on the 206. even slow speed 15 offs are small. I still havent skiied behind my 05. Just got cold after I ran my times on PP and found the cracked heater. I will ski it this week.

[MARK-S]

Which brings up another question, why dont they make a closed core heater that has the antifreeze in it? They last forever due to no rust getting in.

[SGY]

Wouldn't you have to install a closed fresh water system to make that work. I've thought about doing that.

You can also buy a bilge heater. It's made by Benasco. Check it out.

http://www.boatsafeheaters.com/compheat.html

Pretty cool. You just plug it in and the thing has an internal thermostat.

[MARK-S]

If I ever go for a long term boat, I would go with somthing like that.

[G-man]

The only reason I would consider another MC is if the dealer could provide better service than my CC dealer. As they say"not going to happen"

[Alan-S]

I grew up on the Chesapeake Bay around "big" boats and still spend lots of time deep sea fishing and running 80-150 miles off-shore. Visibility is very low when operating some these vessels, so maybe I am just used to driving with obstructions, but I would hate not having my OB. I would say I have 1-2 people up there 75-85% of the time. For wakeboarding is a great place to watch the show, its quiet, sunny, it has cup holders, and it makes the wake nice and steep too. As for the 10% field of view that is blocked, you just have to relax, be confident of your surroundings, and follow proper boating right-of-way etiqette. It is not dangerous if you know proper boat handling skills.

[MARK-S]

I hope your not running out 80-150 in a 206. Thats a set of balls. I have had the boat full of water on Lake Minnetonka. Anyway, Do you fish Tuna out of Chesapeake bay? I would gladly trade some private lake slalom time for some albacore fishing. I love tuna fishing and have not done so since my buddy sold his boat in Kona. I hope you have a Fish Nautique at the least.

[Alan-S]

Haha, that would be funny though, I think my 210 would make it about 2 miles out and sink on a calm day, and you would have to pay me about $45,000 to put my 210 in the salt. My mom has a 26' center console with twin 4-stroke 200's that we run around the bay in, fish mostly for striper, blues, and mackrel. We go tuna and dolphin fishing out of VA beach or OBX in friend's big boats.

[MARK-S]

Nice Striper. Man you got it made. A 210 and access to a big boat. Its not fair.