american skier

Thanks Eddie. Do you happen to know the size of gas tank in my 82' American Skier? I never fill it up full so I'm not really sure. I'm guessing between 15 and 18 gallons....

By the way backfoot100 here is a pic of my completely original except platform 92 Legend.



Wetamb

What year is that brown one? pretty sweet.

wetamb wrote: Hey backfoot 100 beautiful boat !! I see that you are a diehard American Skier fan like me. How do you know so much about American Skier? My boat was with Ron Tanis at his shop just south of the old American Skier plant. He actually took me up there to check it out and I have some photos of what is still laying around. What a great guy he was and it was a string of bad luck that brought the company down before Brett Favre bought it and trashed it totally.

When Ron Tanis reopened the Skier plant in LA. I called the plant to see if I could get more info about my boat. Ron himself answered the phone! I was totally shocked. Without a doubt one of the nicest guys I've ever talked with. I ended up talking with him for a couple hours I think. Told me about the history of the company and his involvement up to that point and where he wanted to take the company. Obviously a very spiritual person too. Just talking with him, you could just tell he has a huge passion for these boats and feels like every one that left the plant was his own personal boat. I would love to meet the man sometime. Too bad things didn't work out as he envisioned.

By the way Brett Favre is QB of the Green Bay Packers. Ben Favret was who succeeded Ron Tanis with the Skier plant.

Also, that is a very sweet Skier that you have there. Take care of it and enjoy the benefits. I could only hope that you can enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed mine.

You guys have two great looking, and I figure, great performing boats.
Eddie, how is the wake behing that thing, compared to the BFN's? What engine is in your Skier.
wetamb, that boat is so sharp. When was the picture taken, 1992, or recently?
Lefty

backfoot100 wrote: Without a doubt one of the nicest guys I've ever talked with. I ended up talking with him for a couple hours I think. Just talking with him, you could just tell he has a huge passion for these boats and feels like every one that left the plant was his own personal boat. I would love to meet the man sometime. Too bad things didn't work out as he envisioned. By the way Brett Favre is QB of the Green Bay Packers. Ben Favret was who succeeded Ron Tanis with the Skier plant. Also, that is a very sweet Skier that you have there. Take care of it and enjoy the benefits. I could only hope that you can enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed mine.

Ron was and still is very passionate about boats. After spending some time with him a few months ago, you can tell that it still bothers him what happened with American Skier. He appears upset about what Bret/Ben Favre/Favret(no body really cares about this guy anyway ..LOL) did with the name change to Elan and the poor quality of there boats.
As for the enjoyment, I have been benefiting from it for 15 yrs and I hope to keep it for another 15 !!!

wetamb,

BEFORE?????

Lefty

Wow, that 82' is top notch. I wish I had my American Skier chick emblems on the side of mine. Can you post of picture of the back of the boat?

Nice, and I thought I was the only one around here with an 82'. I'm just loving this American Skier talk.

Where do you guys store your boats in the winter? I'm wondering how picky I should be....

Tull,
the wake is definitely not buttery smooth like a BFN. Excellent for slalom skiing but narrow and a touch turbulent at barefoot speed and line length. Definitely crossable. The wake is small and the lip is a bit rounded at 75' so you can have a tendancy to skate into the wake doing tricks if you don't have good body position. Much more defined at 80'.

The motor is a special production 300HP 350 Chevy or very close to 300HP anyway. Indmar told me that they only made about 50 per year for a three or four year run. Runs pretty well. I put new heads, intake and MSD dist./ignition in about 7 years ago now. The exhaust manifolds are stock, but I polished them to look like they do. It now has close to 1300 hr's. on it.

Wetamb,
it is such a shame to see molds like that just sitting there. Thanks for sharing those pics.

Ultrarunner, did you restore the gelcoat? I am very impressed with the look of that. I thought mine was in good shape. Thanks for that pic. I need that rear sticker. Think I can get it made anywhere?

Mark;
That is one really cool lookin' boat. Awesome shape. Nicely done!!!!

Phil;
You can trace any graphics or letters and take them to any good vinyl graphics/lettering place and they should be able to reproduce them. Just be prepared to pay for them. Can't help you with a rudder.

ultra...That boat is sweet!

Ultra
Nice boat, looks really good for it's age especially with black gel.

Phospher,

Names Travis, and that isnt my Boat, but what your trying to tell me is to not put the tower on my 80 Ski Nautique, when I go through the restore?

I have one that I got from a friend, he upgraded from, and I have thought about putting it on. Depends on the boat, how it looks.

phospher wrote: Can any of you guys suggest a rudder for my american skier?

Phospher: Go to Midwestamericanskier.com and email them. Dan Tanis, Ron's brother runs the site and has many parts for alot of the American Skiers or he can tell you were to get your rudder. Also you can registar your boat there. I think that he is keeping a list going of all of the American Skier owners. Maybe we need to get a site of our own !!!

Wetamb