What is the best boat for the money?

Not the most expensive but value on these 5 pages or any other site or deal you can help me find my first wakeboarding boat that will be reliable. I will not go earlier than a 1989.
thanks ahead
http://www.correctcraftfan.com/forsa...ow%20to%20High

There are is an unusual amount of early 90's Barefoot and Excel Nautiques. I just recently bought a 1991 Barefoot Nautique which is a v-drive 454, and it is turning out to be the best possible value. The wake it throws with a little extra weight is really comparable to boats that go for $30k +. It's just these older boats don't necessarily have all the features newer boats have (Although mine has a heater, which was a must have for me).

Anyway, I cannot say enough good things about the boat I just bought. The Excel is the same hull, just most have the 351 engine, the 454 was an option with the Excel. If you are looking beyond Correct Craft, I think another great option I considered are the older Malibus, like an older Sunsetter.

I just bought an Excel. How do you have yours weighted?

92 was a crossover year for CC and Supra for composite floors and stringers. If you can get one without wood its a better value. The most costly boat is one that doesn't fit your needs take your time and get the right one.

1992 excel is a good boat.

'89 is a foolish cutoff point. If looking at Correct Craft and you're going to have a cutoff it would be nothing older than a '93, as that was the first year for composite stringers and no wood. Aside from that an '82 SN2001 is the same as an '89 SN2001. Wood is wood. I've seen mid 90s wood boats rotted to mush and falling apart and I've seen 70s wood boats that are solid. How it was cared for plays a big role in how they hold up.

If you're not willing to look older than '89 models then you've just ruled out all SN 2001's except for the '89 2001. The 2001 throws one of the best bang for the buck wakes. I've never ridden behind an Excel or Barefoot so I can't comment on those but the SN 2001 has its reputation for a reason.

Have you seen this chart courtesy of wakeboarder.com?

http://forums.wakeboarder.com/viewtopic.php?t=59748

What about Sanger? http://www.boatparadise.com/boats/ad-148423/

Originally Posted by rexlex01

What about Sanger? http://www.boatparadise.com/boats/ad-148423/

That is a sick boat for $7,800

If that sanger is for real that is one of the best deals i have ever seen.

I am trying to get a hold of them to look at it, but no email replies yet.

$7,800 for a 2000 V210 with Black Scorpion looks to good to be true if the boat is in good condition. If it checks out, buy it now. I have been looking for an older V210 for a few years and haven't seen any under 10K in good condition with the Scorpion.

Originally Posted by badhabit

I just bought an Excel. How do you have yours weighted?

I had 400 lbs of lead in the back and 200 in the front. I took out the 400 and left the 200 in the front and it still is great with 4 people on the boat and full fuel. You have to pay attention to your balance, I think I usually need more weight on the port side of the boat. The lip of the wake can get washed out easily if it's not balanced.

If you are getting something that has wood stringers and deck, I would get something from someone that knows the boat very well, like a 1st or 2nd owner who has had it for a while, AND took care of it. I would never buy a boat that sat in a lake, and I think that it is obvious by looking in the bilge and areas of the boat where water sits.

Someone was wondering what the wake looked like from a barefoot... This is a picture from a 91 Barefoot Nautique. Found here.

Sangers for sure. I got my 98 V210 for 13k in very nice condition. I havent seen a comparable boat within 5k of that price. If that 00 v210 is real buy it now.

Originally Posted by cadunkle

Aside from that an '82 SN2001 is the same as an '89 SN2001

Actually the 89's had some significant improvements.
1. 1.23 Transmission
2. AME5000 Resin-Lighter and stronger
3. SP engine package.-More HP & more fuel effecency
.

Hey thats cool if he doesnt want an 89'...leaves me with more choices when i pick up one this winter.

I may even throw out a finders fee/reward to someone who tracks me down what I'll b looking for!

Just some info on the wood stringer/composite stringer comments:

In 1993 Correct Craft switched to composite stringers and floors, but an area of debate is the Barefoot/Excel Nautiques. That model was built until 1994, but nowhere in any brochure or documentation does it support that they received the 100% composite construction. Every other model in every catalog states composite construction, except the Excel.

There have been many debates on CC websites, and still no definate answer. I guess my point is, don't hold out for a '93 or '94 because of composite stringers, because there is a chance they still are wood. Also keep in mind the excel was for whatever reason was marketed as an entry level boat, which would explain why it didn't receive the upgrade. CC makes a great boat, but there marketing is a bit off. For example, they almost shelved the Supersport before it debuted in 1995 because they thought the interior looked like a bath tub and they didn't know how to pitch it to customers. Just think, one of the best (and accidental) wakeboats ever almost never was because marketing was confused on how to sell it...

That Sanger for sure, only has 170 hours on it, not even broken in yet... Looks to be in really good condition. That's a steal.

Originally Posted by rexlex01

What about Sanger? http://www.boatparadise.com/boats/ad-148423/

Its a scam.... 2000.. open bow.. Fuel Injection... that low of hours.

like this: http://www.powerboatlistings.com/view/4532

Note that I believe Sanger still uses wood stringers. Sanger and Tige were the two last holdouts on wood in the 2000's and Tige switched over to all composite several years ago.Not 100% but I'm pretty sure they're all wood. It is what it is, my boat has wood... Even though I was looking for composite as my cutoff I ended up with a wood boat because I liked the boat and the price was right. Just need to check them out a bit closer to be sure it's solid.

Here goes the wood vs. composite discussion again.

WOOD IS BETTER!

Wood is only better until it ROTS.

The Excel was not the entry level boat, it was simply a boat for people who liked the Vdrive interior, but didn't need the big block. I've had mine for 4 years now, and would argue that it was the sleeper boat in the early 90's line up. CC liked the Vdrive, but the Sport was selling far better than expected so they married the 2 ideas for the Super Sport. Wakeboarding was barely a blip on the horizon in 95 which was about the same time the first compression molded boards hit the market. The SS was simply a Sport Nautique with a different seating configuration.

If there are wood stringers in the 93/94 Excel/Barefoot hulls, they are far less likely to suffer from rot than the direct drives of the 80's. The hull is deep, assuming the bildge pumps are working properly, there is nothing bolted to the stringers that would be remotely close to being submerged. The resins used are also much better and don't allow water to penetrate as easily as the polyester resins used in the 80's. This is why you don't see a lot of rotten Sport Nautiques or even early 90's Ski Nautiques. The rides is smooth and totally dry, you have to try to dip the bow and it's just as solid at 49 as it is at 22.

I don't know if the pics of the above Barefoot wake have any ballast, but they look similar to my open bow Excel although I would say mine is a bit steeper, but my table isn't as flat. That may be do to a little less rear weight, but a little more bow weight changing the running angle of the boat. It's a typical CC wake, very solid, but there is no trough. We hydrofoil and I haven't had many wakeboarders behind her, but I've never had a complaint about the wake and have had people throw everything off of it including mobes.

While I dearly love my Excel, and feel that she is as nice as boats half her age I think the edge might go to a V210 at the same price. Being in the middle of TX though, that's not an option there just aren't any around here unless you want new.