Ok, so I wanna buy a Nautique but ........

[tourpro]

I plan to mostly wakeboard behind my new investment with a fairly welfare budget in mind compared to a lot of you. Keeping that in mind, what do you guys and gals recommend?

I really like the '91 ski nautiqes body style, interior and guages but I keep hearing the 2001 hull provides far better wakes for boarding.

I've seen some 2001s re-done looking really sweet too but how do you qualify the work that was done?

Does adding weight to a '91 produce an effective wakeboarding wake? I know in the '01 Moomba outback it didnt. Sure the wake was bigger but mushy.

We used to pull 6 tubes at once behind a Moomba from the factory pylon. Can you pull any tubes from the tower? if so, how many?


Any help would be greatly appreciated. BTW, you guys have awesome looking rides.

[Andrew]

RE: Ok, so I wanna buy a Nautique but ........

i would HIGHLY recommend the 2001! i'm in the middle of a complete reconstruction, and by the time i'm done i will probably have as much $$ put into it as a 91 would cost, but i wouldn't trade my 2001 (that is completely torn apart right now) for a mint 91.......... i just love this boat, and by the time i'm finished, my 2001 will have just as many "extras" as an 07 210...... it throws a wonderful wake stock, and an INSANE wake with about 1500lbs of ballast

[Laptom]

RE: Ok, so I wanna buy a Nautique but ........

The '88 and '89 Ski Nautiques 2001 models will have the updated dash like the '91 Ski Nautiques.
If you mostly wakeboard, go with the 2001 model, but the '91 can have a decent wake too. I always enjoy these wakes!

[WakeSlayer]

RE: Ok, so I wanna buy a Nautique but ........

The 1989 Ski Nautique 2001 has the best boarding wake of that era, hands down. I had a 90, and I could never get close to the 89 wake no matter how I weighted it.

[sanddragon2004]

RE: Ok, so I wanna buy a Nautique but ........

I think the 2001 is a great hull, im not up on all the years but i think the 82-89 or something like that.

correct craft from what i have witnessed so far has impeckable quality. plus these boats are really simple to work on.

the borg warner transmissions they put in them and the pcm engines are bulletproof designs when takein care of and not abused. I had an old 79 mastercraft with the same setup with over 1900 hrs with no problems what so ever.

these things are so easy to wrench on and repair and parts are pretty easy to come by relitively speaking.

[tourpro]

RE: Ok, so I wanna buy a Nautique but ........

Will the '88 and '89 Nautiques still have wood floors?

Are there any things to look out for that normally haunt these boats if they're not cared for?

I see a lot of people re-finishing these boats, is it cost effective?

[MNSuperAir]

RE: Ok, so I wanna buy a Nautique but ........

The stringers have wood until the '93 model year. I had a '93 sport that produced a great wake also. sold it for $12k

[82tique]

Re: RE: Ok, so I wanna buy a Nautique but ........

I see a lot of people re-finishing these boats, is it cost effective?

Is anything about owning a boat cost effective?

Yellow_Flash_Colorz:

[Andrew]

RE: Re: RE: Ok, so I wanna buy a Nautique but ........

good point on the wooden stringers!

i haven't seen any problems with mine yet, but most 2001 owners will either see the boat sold or the stringers replaced. that simple fact right there could possibly compensate for the wake trade-off. replacing stringers is a pretty big job and can be pretty costly.

[WakeSlayer]

RE: Re: RE: Ok, so I wanna buy a Nautique but ........

The thing about the 89's is that they have the frist year of the 1.23:1 gear reduction transmission. Anyone feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the wake is a bit different because of that and the way the motor is mounted more level in the boat.

[tourpro]

RE: Re: RE: Ok, so I wanna buy a Nautique but ........

Well the sport doesnt interest me because I dont like walk thru and I hate people sitting in front of the driver (read, "me")

I really prefer the looks of the '93ish years to the '89s but what ... if anything can be done to produce a solid wake board wake?

Obviously the answer to this CAN be subjective so I'll give you my personal reference points.

J craft = nothing you can do, no wake ... ever, and the pull ? ha ha ha ah ha. Whatever.

Moomba Outback = not weighted it sucks, weighted is meh at best. Pulls nice and strong

Nautique 2001 = somewhat weighted and BAM! Title wave 2 feet high, lotsa pull.


The 2001 in this lineup is at a local ski school. Its about an '84 and is not well looked after. I know for a fact it has sat in the dock on the lake floor with leaky shaft seals and a dead battery. This kinda stuff makes me wanna puke. Mind you, their 2002 SN has 2000 hours and looks like crap too.
Its horror stories like this that make me concerned about the purchase.

[MNSuperAir]

RE: Re: RE: Ok, so I wanna buy a Nautique but ........

Not sure how much a barefoot Nautique is but they don't have an open bow and produce a huge wake.

[niagararob]

Tourpro, if you have more time than money get a cheaper 2001 and fix it up. i downloaded some pictures off of "CorrectCraftfan.com" and it was helpful in preparing for what i was in for. this will also allow you to gain a better understanding and appreciation for this remarkable boat. if you want the boat for this summer, find something thats decent enough to get you through this season. tubers can still be pulled from the lifting ring located at the rear. these rings are made to suspend the entire boat. there's a web site dedicated to this model alone. www.the2001.com .

[TRBenj]

Re: RE: Re: RE: Ok, so I wanna buy a Nautique but ........

The thing about the 89's is that they have the frist year of the 1.23:1 gear reduction transmission. Anyone feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the wake is a bit different because of that and the way the motor is mounted more level in the boat.

Youre right about the transmission- the 1.23 debuted in '89. In addition to the gear reduction it incorporated a down angle, allowing the motor to sit more level. It doesnt have any effect on the wake, though.

The 90-96 Ski Nautique hull has a decent shape for wakeboarding (unlike the 97+). You can make it decent sized by adding a lot of weight. It wont match a similarly weighted 2001 though- that hull is 6" or 7" narrower.

[WakeSlayer]

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Ok, so I wanna buy a Nautique but .....

I also owned a 92 Barefoot Nautique V-drive. Killer wake on that, however with a single skeg, it did not handle particularly well when weighted down.