I'm not sure if you need to have Google Books to see them, but you'll figure that out when you click on them 

JQ

It'll be a long evening to get through all of them.

I was in search of an add I remember but never found.  

Right about the time Mastercraft went non-wood, I recall and add by Correct Craft about the benefits in ride quality for a boat with wood stringers.  I never found the add.  Maybe I imagined it.  Do any of you call recall that add? 

JQ

Rebel Skier, I remember the ad, but think it may have been Centurian or Supra, not Correct Craft?

IIRC, Correct Craft didn't bring a boat in 2001 stating they were no longer boat tests, but advertisements.

The Skier in the 1989 issues is just like ours. It taught a lot of kids to ski.  What I really liked about those old Buyer Guides was all the little start up ski boat companies they featured.

It sure is a good thing that none of those startup boat companies from the early 80's ever went anywhere sales wise to challenge or maybe even surpass the old established companies in sales over the years. 

Nor did they come up with any innovations that led to all the ski boats improving because of the competition.

I suppose that how you interpret the tow boat tests pretty much depends on whose Kool-Aid you drink

JQ

I drank Nautique Kool-Aid until 1987 when I was tempted to take a sip of Supra. I think the Comp ts6m was a very influential boat. The sloped bow, slanted observer seat and 'poshness' all seemed to emanate from this design.

The bottom design also seems to have had a lot of influence. Big reversed chines, sharp forward keel, larger 'wetted surface' and more. Some features even found their way into the CC tsc bottom in addition to several other boats.

Yes, the 80's were a bit incestuous, with Mastercraft yielding Supremes, Brendellas, and a few more. Copy a hull design with your own molds, produce boats, risk lawsuits. Fun times.

Sanger

Mastercraft

Malibu

I think I'm missing a company 

I really liked the ts6m.  There was a brand new red and white one for sale by a local small marina.  I would have bought it in a heart beat if I could have afforded it.  I still have a bunch of photos that I took of it.  Ski Brendella made a nice boat, too.  

Sea Ray

My second Supra was an identical twin to yours...red/white '89. Bought it from a stud slalom skier in Alabama...Rafe Armstrong. His Dad met my Dad in New Mexico to get it back to SF Bay Area. 

It was a fantastic performing boat...but then along came a '95 Nautique...

Tim, post pics.  I want to see them.

The bow on the ts6m always reminded me of the crows on Spy vs Spy in Mad Magazine.  

A bit of a story, Bruce, but this time of year, we got nuthin' but time, so here it is.  In 2004 we bought our place down in NC.  My incredibly hip mini-van really wasnt up to the task of hauling the Supra back and forth, so I started looking for another boat, nothing expensive, just something that would do while we were in NC.  At first I thought I might be content with a little outboard like my old Baja, but then I started thinking of our old 66 Mustang and thought that would be fun.  That was when I discovered CCF, when I was looking for a second boat. 

http://correctcraftfan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=86&KW=mustang&title=seeking-6669-mustang" rel="nofollow - my first CCF Post

I found the Ski Tique in Wolfeboro (actually responding to an ad for an Al Tyll)  So I got the Tique and left it in NC.  After about 4 years, I decided it was silly for it to sit in the driveway down here except for the 2-6 weeks we spent down here in the summer, so I hauled it back to MA.  It was a cooler boat than the supra and pulled me adequately, since I wasnt a big ball chaser then, so I decided to keep the boat I could easily haul back and forth and the Supra went away.  After I got back into slalom, I almost had a second thought, but not really.  The Supra was not a great BF boat as it was not very quick. The Tique served its purpose just fine.

  

Jonny Quest wrote: KENO you are correct. Sanger just doesn’t come to mind as I haven’t seen a DD Sanger for many-a-year  Also, Sanger doesn’t seem to care about AWSA stamp of approval as a 3-event boat....but I may have to modify my previous statement to FOUR manufacturers and not just 3.  Kinda sad...

JQ, as of a couple of weeks ago, you might say............"and then there were 3" 

JQ

I toured the factory back then and bought a 1987 Malibu skier which we kept for 20 years but I sold my 78 Nautique to buy that Malibu and I will still tell you the 78 Nautique was a better boat on the water.  The Malibu had a much flatter wake and skied really well but it was not sorted out right.  Turned differently depending on how many people were in the boat.  Build quality was a little less than Nautique.   It was pretty, just did not drive as well.,   My brother bought the Supra TS6M, I think his was a 1988, nice boat, drove really well but it was heavy.  Felt like a sled compared to the Malibu.   I don’t remember it’s wake but it must have been near as good as the Malibu.   I would bet the mid 90”s Malibu was a much better boat than my 87.  By the mid 90’s they had a lot more practice.   I think the first Malibu Skier was 1983?

Per their FB page on Jan 30, it was announced.

You don't have to be a "booker" to read their page

Nooooooooo…..

At the Utah Boat Show last week, only Mastercraft had a DD boat on display. I didn’t care for the bright green Kermit The Frog color scheme, but to each his own.  The local CC dealer said they have had 2 or 3 Ski Nautiques on order for over a year.  Still waiting.  I didn’t talk to the Bu Crew…

JQ

WATCH IT FELLA!!!! 

Team Green-      

 

I love those old magazines.  Great old memories from back when I fell in love with the sport.    

I am sorry to bring your thread back up so late.  I missed it last time.  I met Rafe a few times.  Our University of Mississippi Rebels ski team used his mother and father's private lake in Duck Hill MS.  Their jump ramp is the last one I have been able to ski over.    

The dad that delivered the boat, Ralph, was a top tournament driver.  His mom, Jeffrey is in the Water Ski Hall of Fame.  They were so nice to use college skiers.  Really welcoming to the sport and encouraging.  

In 89 I was offered a job to tow at their summer ski school but came down with the mumps and got pretty sick, and could not go.  One of the big regrets I have because part of the job was to get certified to pull tournaments and taught by a master.  Wish I could go back in time.  

Great memories, though, so thanks for this thread popping back up.  

Yep!!!! Touche' Gary 

I also had an '89 Supra, the 21' closed bow ("Bravura") for 11 years. It was a solid boat, lots of nice details. But some weird choices, like, if the windshield had been farther forward it would have made for a much more comfortable observer's seat. The storage in the bow was gigantic. That boat really liked the GT-40 engine upgrade, too. 

First week of ownership: 

Many good times were had in that boat, and in all those years the only time it needed to be towed was when the (poorly welded) damper plate let go. 

And as of just recently, I guess you can once again say there are 4 companies making DD's  

Limited production, you have to order one, pretty powerful engine, pretty reasonable price in comparison to the others, pretty small market it's aimed at

Good for Sanger for supporting the barefoot market (and kinda building a modern hot rod)

You can dig up details on their FB page.