Mastercraft... Maybe?!

Hi All,

Trying to get my first boat. My price range is just about 10k right now, maybe a little more if I do a loan, but trying to avoid it. I'm having a hard time finding any good Nautiques in New England. Also trying to avoid wooden stringers.

I realize this is total Sacrilage, but I'm considering a late 80's Mastercraft Prostar 190:
http://nh.craigslist.org/boa/1644733719.html
I've talked to the guy and it sounds like he's taken care of it, even thought it's listed in South Shore MA, it was actually used as a NH fresh water boat. I guess it did log a fair amount of barefoot hours, bad for the engine?

My only Nautique options are this SN Open Bow that would have wooden stringers but looks to be in good shape:
http://www.adirondackmarine.net/listingdetail.php?boatid=151

Also considering this V-Drive BFN, but super keen on the v-drive, but actually, just cause I'm not familiar with them. Thinkig the 454 could be a little excessive for my needs but the boat appears to be cherry and shouldn't have wood stringers:

V-Drive BFN in NH

This one has caught my eye, but I'm nervous, not knowing what to look for in older SNS:
http://nh.craigslist.org/boa/1611674870.html

I'm also looking at a very nice condition 1993 Sport Nautique with 300ish hours and also a very decent little SN 176, I think a 1997 year, but that owner is a little aloof. He's not currently listing the boat.

My ideal would be a 1993 and later closed bow 196 with less than 600 hours or so. Total pipe dream? Should I wait, should I just accept a loan? Are any of these boats not as bad as I'm thinking. The v-drive BFN is starting to grow on me if it's not already gone.

If you're a barefooter the BFN is the choice. If not ,I'd go with the 92 open bow or the 93. You and your family,friends will love the Open Bow.

Well, my parents' have a place on a pretty small lake in NH. The lake never gets too bad as far as chop. It gets a little rough at times, but nothin' at all compared to lake Winni etc. I think the low freeboard is ok. In fact, CC Mustangs, Tiques, Early Malibu Responses etc. are common and do fine there.

I mostly like to slalom, but I'm not quite at a level where the best wake as far chasing buoy's is a huge deal. I'm a bigger guy so I just want something with a lot of pull. A four cylinder stern drive won't quite cut it, but I'm getting to the point where I'm looking at some 4.3's. I do wake board a little, but again, don't need the perfect wake at this point. I'm more concenred about reliabiliy etc.

If you saw a nice one in NH for 12ish, I'd definitely like to see, haven't come accross it.

Stay away from the older Mastercraft's, the ol Stars and Stripes are pretty boats, 83-86, but they are made so much different than Nautiques. Even the 2001 models handle water and are built different. As the other guys have stated, there are many great BFN or open bow's out there for you and the family. Check out this site, there are plenty Nautiques for sale. Good Luck!

81nautique wrote: skicat2001 wrote: Stay away from the older Mastercraft's, the ol Stars and Stripes are pretty boats, 83-86, but they are made so much different than Nautiques. Even the 2001 models handle water and are built different. As the other guys have stated, there are many great BFN or open bow's out there for you and the family. Check out this site, there are plenty Nautiques for sale. Good Luck! They're made different??? Yeah, they don't have wood stringers!!! Not a bad boat and you can find one very reasonably priced. I'm not going to get into a MC/CC arguement here but that statement is just too broad to be taken seriuosly.

Thanks Brian.. I knew they where made different, but as an opionion Correct Crafts just are better boats, all around. I have always been attracted to the older CC and the old Mastercrafts, but even the model he is looking for in the late 80's, I put a Nautique up against it any day.. [;)]

as for the 92 it depend how it was cared...I did mine 92 strigers last years.but well my boat sunk in 2002..and I think that was the mayor reason of water intrusion!!!

I think I share you view point, M3Fan, as far as worrying about stuff. I think I'd rather not have too.

One other thing I thought of is sort of "apprenticing" with someone who's doing a stringer job, that way I'd know how to do it and could pick up a boat for cheap. There WAS an older SN advertised around Boston where the guy came right out and said the boat needed stringers and he was looking to unload it.

I don't want to discourage you from taking on a project. I really enjoy the projects myself. However, if you don't get a lot of enjoyment from the project, you will be money ahead to keep your search open till you find a boat with good solid floors and stringers, or buy a 93 and later model. They are out there. You just have to be patient.

BKH

Who made Ski Supremes and American Skier? In my opionion the only boats made better that Correct Crafts is Sanger, or Malibu.(Would never buy one though!) But Correct Crafts from the older style boats are just more solid and provide to many pluses than the others. From the late 70's to the early 90's, I love them Correct Crafts..

Ski Supreme and American Skier were each made by companies of the same name. Supreme has changed hands but is still in business, though I don't think they build many units. American Skier went out of business a few years ago. They were bought by a guy who changed the name to Elan. I don't know if they are still in business.

Sanger builds a solid hull. They still use wooden stringers. Fit and finish on the Sangers is not nearly as good at CC or some others in my opinion.

Malibu builds a pretty high quality boat now. However, during the 80s, Malibu was just starting out. They were building a price point boat at that time. Quality wasn't even close to the CCs of that era. The Malibus of the early 80s, also had a fairly hard wake.

BKH

PM AWSA Article

This was that article about the AWSA review I was talking about. It's a great shot of an early 90's open bow Ski Nautique as well.

93 Malibu Echelon was the first boat that Bu made with all fiberglass construction. I don't know when they did so with their other model boats, but I'm almost positive that the Echelon was the only one in 93.

I've been recently chastised for worrying about the look of boats. As I said in another thread, I could live with an ugly color if I got a really, really good deal. If I'm paying top dollar, or even market rate, then I want a color I like.

Don't be impatient. It's only March. In the next 4 to 6 weeks, folks will be pulling boats out of winter storage, and you'll see a lot more on the market.

BKH

I found it. 93 Echelon was first. Phased in others next year.
All boats by 95. The Bu owners site is themalibucrew.com.

BKH

bkhallpass wrote: I found it. 93 Echelon was first. Phased in others next year. All boats by 95. The Bu owners site is themalibucrew.com. BKH

Is that there site like we have ours?