opinions please on shopping for a classic
 

I'm looking to buy my first ski/wake boat. Live in Washington. Been scanning online. Looking for a classic in the late '80's to early '90's. Lot's to choose from to the extent its almost confusing, especially not knowing much about any of them. Currently have a couple Mastercrafts and Ski Centurions in my sites which are in excellent condition with new upholstery and rebuilt engines, closed bows 19' to 20'. I've read alot now about the quality of the Mastercrafts, how are the Ski Centurions of same years in comparison?. Also like the looks of a couple '89 Sport Nautiques with open bow 20' to 22'. All are direct drive. I'm sure brand can be simply a personal preference/loyalty factor but would sure value opinions from you guys that have owned these old boats and what you would look for if buying one now. Prices of the ones I like are in the $7k - $10k. Others in the mid '90's more towards $15k but I don't think I want to spend that much for the first one.
My use is family with 10 and 13 yr old kids. Wife and I are mediocre single skiers growing up, been away from it for several years. Both of us want to learn to wakeboard. Kids are green and wanting to start learning how to ski and wake. Thanks in advance.

The MC and Centurion are competition ski boats you will not get much of a wakeboard wake and they are too shallow to weigh down with ballast. The Sport Nautique would be better. The #1 choice for 80s to early 90s would be the Supra Sunsport or Correct Craft Martinique. They are deeper and have larger interiors. There are some Supras for sale on the Supra forum. As with all 80s boats make sure you have the boat checked for stringer and transom rot.

I had an older centurion an 84 to be exact the wake was nice with a 500 lb sack in back the main concern with older boats is dry rot. If you don't mind a drive Portland craigs list has a 93 centurion trutrack 4 for nine grand it has 350 hrs and is a v drive it looks to be in as new condition just enter centurion in the search it would make a great starter boat or any nautique from 89 to 95 here is a pic of my old ride I loved it

I have just the boat for you...

Mastercraft Prostar 205. It is a great ski boat, and it's the same hull as the legendary X-Star, X-2, and X-1.

Here is a SUPER clean one for sale in Oregon with only 161 hours. I'd buy this and put a current X-1 tower on it. It would seriously look just like a brand new X-1 for less than 1/2 the cost. And with ballast bags this boat will throw a huge wake.

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/boa/1812721719.html

http://i50.tinypic.com/5lni2e.jpg

http://i48.tinypic.com/idhapw.jpg

Nice, that MC Prostar 205 is sweet looking. But about double in price to what I think I'll pursue for the first one. The '88 Centurion I'm looking at appears very simiilar to that '84 HH posted above, only blue and $7.5K with new tower, stringers, floor, interior. Another one I'll throw out there for opinion is a '89 Malibu Euro F3, new motor and interior, $7k offer. Going older yet I've found a one owner '79 Correct Craft American Skier in beautiful condition and recent motor rebuild. $6K OBO. Any further thoughts on these?

Heimer

Look at the Supra Sunsport it has a much deeper hull and larger interior . This is a 1989

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...Picture009.jpg

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...Picture008.jpg

If you're interested in a really good wakeboarding wake I would stay away from the CC American Skier. Really, the first *really good* wakeboarding wake hull CC put out was the 1982+ Ski Nautique 2001 (purely by accident, too!).

Don't get me wrong, those CC American Skiers (I specify Correct Craft because Am. Skier actually was a brand later, built on the CC version, if I recall correctly) are nice boats (obligatory warning: the floors and stringers are wood covered in polyester resin, which means the fiberglass is hydroscopic- it lets water through, thus most likely rotting out the wood if the boat wasn't babied) and will serve well, but they're not a *wakeboarding* boat.

I'm in the same boat, so to speak. Looking for my first inboard. I have a 21' open bow I/O and my budget is 15k, would prefer to keep around 10kto not stretch myself.

One important thing is fiberglass vs wood stringers and floor. I'd much prefer to get a fiberglass stringer boat so I know it'll last me a good long time. Wood stringers aren't the end of the world but you have to check them. Easiest way is to pull motor/trans mount bolts and check wood inside with finger/pick/screwdriver. If solid then likely the whole stringer is solid. Soft spots in the floor don't mean bad stringers but warrant closer inspection of stringers. When looking at 80s/90s boats stringers are make or break if they're solid or rotted. Soft stringers may be good enough to get you through a couple seasons but will eventually lead to flywheel/coupler/trans failure as the motor loosens up, and the hull will flex and handle goofy.

Currently I'm going back and forth with several boats owners. One 84 Supra Rider for $4k, another 93 Sport Nautique open bow for $12k, a Mastercraft 205v for $10k, and a few SN2001s in the $4k-$8k range. I don't know what to do. I don't want to spend over 10k but that seems like it'll be 10-12 minimum to get anything with no wood. Could be cheaper in the long run. I also prefer an open bow. It makes life easier on the ramp I use, and is nice when you have more people on the boat. I also was looking at a couple Moomba's in the 11k-15k range. Was going to move on one for 12k but the guy sold it before I could get down south. Unfortunately all the boats I'm looking at that look decent at 2-8 hours drive away. Such is life.

I know CC went to all fiberglass in '93. MC sometime in mid 80's ('84 I want to say for stringers fiber but still wood floor?, don't quote me on it). Tige went fiberglass in 2003. Moomba in late 90's? Malibu in 93' on the Echelon and 95' on all others. Supra you can tell fiberglass or wood by windshield I understand, round windshield is fiberglass, squared at sides wood.

So yeah, any advice on older direct drives would be helpful. Also, my other problem is selling my I/O. Started price at $5k and now at $2.5k and only a couple bites. Get occasional person interested, set up time to see it and no show. Seems impossible to sell a boat, which is problematic as I can't have two boats!! Sorry if I hijacked, but trying to add some info and look for some more info!

That looks more like a supra maurader than a sunsport.
If I had to choose amongst the older boats there would only be two choices for me,the supra sunsport/maurader or the 82-89 ski nautique 2001.If budget allows there are a ton more options but those two are the original budget wakeboats.

Closed bow = Maurader open bow = Sunsport.

Appreciate all the feedback. I'm leaning hard to keep myself at the $8k ceiling which means my target list of current listed boats includes the 88 Ski Centurion, 89 Ski Nautique 2001, 90 Mastercraft 190, 89 Malibu F3 Euro and the 79 CC Amer Skier are the four I am looking hardest at right now. Figure the wife and I just want to get skiing again, us and kids want to leard to WB and can do that on any of these. If we love it and use the boat alot will likely reward ourselves in a few seasons and upgrade to next level of boat. If we fail make time for heavy user I won't feel bad having a $7k boat in the garage getting light use.

Doh, Marauders are closed bow lol. Prime example below. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...akepics005.jpg

holy lensflare batman!!