Attn Skiers - need your opinions/reviews..

[Bikeman]

I'm looking at buying a 2002 Air Nautique several states away and need input on what the slalom wake is going to be like. Can you guys rate it/compare it to the only other wake I'm familiar with, a 1995 Prostar 205 (which I guess is very comparable to a 95-98 or so Mastercraft either 205 or 190). I'm just not in a position to drive several hundred miles to find out its twice as big as the one I'm on now. Please help !!!

Thanks!
Chris

[skinautique]

RE: Attn Skiers - need your opinions/reviews..

much better than a 205 mastercraft. a lot softer and easier to cross.

[Bikeman]

Re: RE: Attn Skiers - need your opinions/reviews..

much better than a 205 mastercraft. a lot softer and easier to cross.

please help me understand how a boat that weighs over 2900lbs when fueled can put out a smoother or smaller wake for sking as opposed to a boat weighing 300-400lbs less? Maybe I should qualify, I'm an open water skier who gets bounced around by the second "trough", when crossing the wake. I'd love to overcome this - do you think the '02 Air Nautique hull will produce a smaller trough? what do you normally ski behind?

thanks a ton for the insight, this is a pretty large decision for me.

[bkhallpass]

RE: Re: RE: Attn Skiers - need your opinions/reviews..

Bikeman,

The answer is technology. Hull design, prop choice, fin placement, etc. This is why the 02 Air/Sport can put out a bette ski wake than even the ski nautiques or prostars of the 80s which weighed quite a bit less. The designers have worked on ways to reduce spray, reduce the size of wake, soften the wake that is there, reduce the size of the rooster, etc.

I agree with skinautique, I think you will find the wake to be smaller and softer than the 95 205 Prostar.. But, this is a big investment.
Ski it and have the discipline to decide for yourself. If it isn't what you want,
go home and keep looking. Maybe you can look around your lake and get someone to take you for a pull behind and 02 before y ou make the drive.
Or, perhaps you can fly in and try it out before you make the drive.

If you are in Northern California, I could arrange to get you a pull behind a buddy's 02 air.

BKH

[skinautique]

RE: Re: RE: Attn Skiers - need your opinions/reviews..

sorry I left a short answer. I was on my way to the lake. bkhallpass hit some really good points. One of the big things is that there is no "trough" behind this boat. It is a smooth table all the way across. Another feature that CC has been famous for is a "soft" feeling wake. When you cross it, it has a foamy feel to it so it doesn't give you that extra kick when you slice through it. I hope this helps. It was mentioned before that you should ski them first. This is true and by all means, you should.

[Bikeman]

Re: RE: Re: RE: Attn Skiers - need your opinions/reviews..

sorry I left a short answer. I was on my way to the lake. bkhallpass hit some really good points. One of the big things is that there is no "trough" behind this boat. It is a smooth table all the way across. Another feature that CC has been famous for is a "soft" feeling wake. When you cross it, it has a foamy feel to it so it doesn't give you that extra kick when you slice through it. I hope this helps. It was mentioned before that you should ski them first. This is true and by all means, you should.

I really appreciate everyone's input - the only boats in my area of the lake are either X-Stars or mid 90s MC/CCs. I work in technology, so I believe in the advancements made possible by CAD and so on. I have been searching for someone in my area just this weekend via googling ski clubs in hopes of getting hooked up with a comparable boat. I'm definately trying to find one to ski behind first - but you guys have given me an expectation of what I'll find when I do get that pull.

thanks again,
Chris

[skinautique]

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Attn Skiers - need your opinions/reviews

where are you located?

[Bikeman]

Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Attn Skiers - need your opinions/rev

where are you located?

live in Birmingham, have boat at Smith Lake on the Jasper side.

[mrese]

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Attn Skiers - need your opinions

There are several folks on this site from Huntsville to Mobile that have various AIRs. They may be able to accomadate you. check out the "Nautiques in your area" on this site.

[NCH2oSki]

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Attn Skiers - need your opinions

I have skied both, and both are quite skiable, as long as your on edge. I dont think you will be able to tell much difference between the MC and the CC. Both have better wakes at 32+mph. I ski behind a 205 more often then my ski nautique, it really makes you work on your position. Lets be realistic, neither are slalom machines.

[Dr.John]

Attn Skiers - need your opin

I have skied both, and both are quite skiable, as long as your on edge. I dont think you will be able to tell much difference between the MC and the CC. Both have better wakes at 32+mph. I ski behind a 205 more often then my ski nautique, it really makes you work on your position. Lets be realistic, neither are slalom machines.

NCH2oSki has valid points. I will say that below 32 there is a noticeable bump (trough?), but so does my buddies MC190 at 30.

I still don't know of a boat that will do both events as well as the Sport/Air DD series. My local ski/wakeboard school uses 3 of them, because they are teaching kids, running camps, etc.

[Bikeman]

Re: Attn Skiers - need your opin

I have skied both, and both are quite skiable, as long as your on edge. I dont think you will be able to tell much difference between the MC and the CC. Both have better wakes at 32+mph. I ski behind a 205 more often then my ski nautique, it really makes you work on your position. Lets be realistic, neither are slalom machines.

NCH2oSki has valid points. I will say that below 32 there is a noticeable bump (trough?), but so does my buddies MC190 at 30.

I still don't know of a boat that will do both events as well as the Sport/Air DD series. My local ski/wakeboard school uses 3 of them, because they are teaching kids, running camps, etc.

My local CC dealer says he has a former camp boat for me, a 400hr 03 Air 206 he's trying to get me in. I'm hoping to actually go ski behind it sometime soon. It sounds like the ideal boat for me if its as clean as he says. I'm hoping to see a slalom wake better thant he 205, although I realize its a dual purpose boat and would not compare to a closed bow.

noticed your M in the pic...I just picked up a new one at Spartanburg in January of this year. Its that time of year to jet to work with the top down, backroads.

[M3Fan]

RE: Re: Attn Skiers - need your opin

You guys are killing me with the ///M3s. Maybe ONE day, if I work REAL hard, or win the lotto, I'll get one... the bad news is the e46 is out and the new one already looks pretty nasty in the preview pics. The good news is by the time I can think about getting one, the E46's will be affordable! Congrats on the car.

[SGY]

RE: Re: Attn Skiers - need your opin

Whoa, whoa, whoa. The 206 does compare favorably to the closed bow 196. And it has a much better wake than the Air Nautique or the MC 205. The wake at 15 off/30mph is as nice as the 196. Wakes above 22 off are equally as nice as the 196. The 22 off wake is a bit bigger than the 196 but still not a hinderance. I've skied the 206, 196, TSC SNOB, TSC SN, MC 2004 and 2005 197, 1995 MC 205, Malibu 2000 Sunsetter LXi, and Malibu 2003 Response LXi, and can honestly say that the 206 is dang hard to beat. Many of my friends have their PB's behind the 206. I know I do.

Frankly, the 206 is not really a dual purpose boat. It's a hard core ski boat with the room of an Air Nautique. However, the TSC2 hull does, at slower speeds have a nice shaped wakeboard wake (not big) for the intermediate boarder/kneeboarder.

[brodie]

The 206 will have a better slalom wake than the 02 air, but it is a smaller boat, about a foot shorter. The Air wake is better than the 205, and it handles better. Nothing will compare to the wake of a 95 PS 190, it is the flattest of any wake ever, but the 206 will be close (the 05 196 isn't even as flat, but overall a much better boat) Between the Air and the 206, the Air will put out a better wakeboard and surf wake, the 206 will have a slightly better slalom wake. If slalom skiing is your main concern, go with the 206, if you want the best combination of ski/board/room, go with the Air. Either way you are looking at 2 fine machines!!!!!!