1987/1986 Ski Nautique Stern Seat

Andy - On the base model, the rear seat was just a block of foam covered in vinyl. This would be easy to replicate if you are looking for a boat without a rear seat.

It is a huge block of foam... If I were to rebuild I would build a storage bin below and use a thinner piece of foam as the seat. The existing one is about 8 inches tall. There's also a back rest that snaps to the back.

If this is your first boat and it's an 80's Nautique, have you checked the stringers and floor for rot?

Take a look at this thread and the video in the first post.

Also, look for delaminated fiberglass, obvious cracks, soft spots in the floor, exposed wood. If this is a boat you haven't bought yet, send us a link or pictures so we can give you some opinions and guidance.

The 87 says it was always stored indoors or on a covered lift. If this is the case, it may very well be rot free. It is on a Mastercraft trailer, which isn't a problem just something CCFans notice. Maybe because it was always stored on the lift and the trailer was out in the elements.

The 86 doesn't have any pics or much information.

Obviously, the price of the 86 is more appealing, but that $3000 quickly turns into $5000 if you need a stringer job.

Test drive them both and try to get more information.

Also look at this FAQ post and the few links to what to do when buying a used boat.

that would be awesome if I just had a seat like the base shown in your image. Is that $100 or $1000? How do I go about building or getting it built? Can you buy it used like car parts at a salvage yard?

thanks for all the advice. I need to examine the stringers and do a better inspection.

I have seen the 87 but not 86 yet. All things being equal, they both have 1100 hours and no back seat. I would take the cheaper one.

$3K seems pretty cheap for a working motor and good hull even if the rest is rotten, no?

agrohe21 wrote: thanks for all the advice. I need to examine the stringers and do a better inspection. I have seen the 87 but not 86 yet. All things being equal, they both have 1100 hours and no back seat. I would take the cheaper one. $3K seems pretty cheap for a working motor and good hull even if the rest is rotten, no?

Depends on how much your time is worth and if you have the patience and room to do this work. Stringer replacement, if done properly, is said to be $2000 and 200 hours of work. Once you have the engine out you may discover other issues or things you want to improve. Do you have a garage where you can do this over an extended period of time? If you are dedicated, you can do it over the winter and be ready for next year but it is a big project.