2003 Ski Nautique 196 Project

[Interjon]

Jeff, thanks for the write-up. I do not know your plans for the 196s. If you end-up intending to sale, be sure to let the community (and me) know, if/when you do.

[NautiqueJeff]

I’ll be selling at least one of them. I’ll keep everyone posted.

[NautiqueJeff]

This boat has no speed control right now.

I am considering replacing the ECU so that I can run ZeroOff. It would be easier to install PP Stargazer and call it done, but a high-end restoration could benefit from ZO, and serious course skiers would love it. I have looked into it a little bit, and it can indeed be done on the 5.0 engine.

Thoughts?

[Interjon]

These boats are in high demand from the ski community. ZeroOff would be worth it, in my opinion, in terms of return versus investment.

[SilentSeven]

+1 for the zero off. I'd also be curious in what exact engine bits need to be updated to enable a zero off. This boat has the PCM Excalibur 330 engine, right?

edit / typo fix.

[NautiqueJeff]

Nope. This one has the 305/5.0L. That's why I wasn't sure if an ECU replacement was an option. I had never heard of a 5.0 that had been converted to run ZO, but I checked with someone more knowledgable than me on this subject, and found out that it will work.

[SilentSeven]

305? interesting. Kinda of an odd duck I would think. Is the 305 a carbureted or EFI setup? Guessing it must be EFI if you can add update things to add a zero off?

Edit / see the engine pic in the initial posts on the thread. 'Pro Sport EFI'.

[NautiqueJeff]

Yep, EFI. This was the base engine on the Signature Edition boats. Pretty rare engine, but from what I hear, it does just fine in a 196. I am actually kind of looking forward to running it. Maybe it'll save me some fuel.

[NautiqueJeff]

I decided to go ahead and return the Amazon bimini top. It is just too tall, and it looks like modifying the height would be difficult due to the placement of the connectors for the other bows. I ordered one from NautiqueParts, and it arrived today. It is a much better height.

[NautiqueJeff]

One thing I haven't really addressed is the trailer for this boat.

I was looking at it the other day, and it occurred to me that the pinstripe on the gray trailer is blue (actually, slightly metallic blue). This is the right trailer for this boat, even though the boats were on the wrong trailers when I picked them up from the camp in Ohio.

Since the pinstripe on the gray trailer is blue, it has me rethinking the colors for the interior of the boat, and the pinstripe on the exterior of the boat.

I was going to do a red main stripe and a gray main stripe, with black piping on the interior, and a red metallic pinstripe on the boat exterior. The bimini top would be black.

Now I am considering a dark blue main stripe and a gray main stripe, with black piping on the interior, and a dark blue metallic pinstripe on the boat exterior. I'd change the bimini top to dark blue too if I do these colors.

Here's the trailer for reference, and no matter what I am not changing any colors on the trailer.

Knowing the trailer looks like this, what would you do with the interior and pinstripe of the boat?

[gun-driver]

If it were mine I would definitely go with the blue and gray, much nicer IMO.

[Scooter G]

Love the red, but got to go with the gun-driver on this one - blue & gray.
Jeff, your Paragon trailer makes that single axle look like a kids toy next to it, lol.
I've got a couple extra Supra boat guide pads I'll send you for the trailer, just to confuse folks, ha.

[Tigerxj]

x3 for blue/gray/black

[gun-driver]

Something like this but with some black

[Scooter G]

I like it! A touch of black would make that for sure.