Final Update: The Ten Thousand Dollar Sport Nautique Has Arrived
I don't normally post links to for sale boats despite wanting to a few times - mostly to mock. But today I saw this 1989 Sport Nautique for sale on eBay. The Buy It Now Price is $9999.00.
Welcome to the era of the $10,000 used Sport Nautique.
I am sure that has already happened here and there but I am now officially claiming it as here. And with that there is no better budget option, specifically for wakeboarding. It is an option that balances paying good money for a good boat.........but not too much. $10,000 is a perfect sweet spot. I am really happy for people entering the market with this sort of option. It is going to be rare for now, but not long-term. Year by year there will be more $10,000 Sport Nautiques entering the for sale market, and that is fantastic.
What's so special about the Sport Nautique?
I'm glad you asked. If you look down the corridors of wakeboarding history, you'll see a common legendary player in many legendary films, photos and riders' back yards. The Sport Nautique was the boat of choice for early trend setters like Greg Nelson, Dean Lavelle, Scott Byerly and Gregg Necrason, and received plenty of exposure this way alone. The length, beam, open bow, and general design heritage led riders to choose the Sport Nautique because it was the highest quality (almost singularly so) large inboard on the market. It was also more accommodating to not only large groups of people, but to ballast weight in the form of water bags, lead and concrete ballast (ah we were so crude back then). Add a tower to the Sport Nautique and you have your coveted Air Nautique. See where I'm going with this?
The Sport Nautique's run (or Crossover 216 as 2008 Correct Craft marketing literature indicates) began in 1989 and has not yet ended. It has seen several design changes (big ones for 1993 and 1997), mostly to the interior, but some hull changes were made along the way after Bill Snook first designed it. You need to be happy about the $10,000 Sport Nautique because it was a common denominator during an era when wakeboarding was progressing at an incredible pace. In some ways it was all we ever needed, and professional wakeboarders can undoubtedly do the same run behind a properly weighted Sport Nautique as they could behind a brand new, $70,000 wakeboarding-branded boat. If a pro rider flew to some remote island for a paid clinic and upon arriving at his or her destination learned that a Sport Nautique was available instead of a beat-to-death outboard, they'd breathe a gigantic sigh of relief (click here for an exception to the above and general display of professionalism under poor boat-related circumstances ). Also, the fact that it exists today tells us a tale about the longevity of the boat.
The $10,000 Sport Nautique should be of particular interest to my good friends in the wakeboarding community who seriously consider spending $10,000 on 82-89 Ski Nautique 2001's. Some of you know I run The2001.com and have a deep-seated love for the 80's era Ski Nautique and many other Correct Craft models. But I cringe at folks asking $11,000 - 13,000 and more for 2001's and cringe even more melodramatically when people actually pay it. I've learned to avoid the classifieds sections on some of my favorite Web sites.
We'll edit this once the auction is over but presuming this boat, like most New England boats, is a low-hour well-kept example. This one is from Connecticut and the total hours are not listed in the auction where they should be but a photo shows 157 hours on the tachometer. Why so low? Original engine? I don't know. With a few questions like this answered I'd almost buy it sight unseen if I was a buyer (and that's sort of how eBay works anyway)
Happy Bidding!
** Update **
- It is the original engine.
- It has a single axle trailer.
- I bid.
- I was outbid.
- I lost.
- The $10,000 Sport Nautique sold for, yes, $10,000.
May 31, 2008
Shaun Murray's Detention 2012 Review Coming Soon!
Straight from Shaun Murray's PR representative, our review copy of Detention 2012 arrived at The Wakeboard Report office today.
Boom.
With a set of rainy days forecasted for this weekend and the water at a painful 59.4 degrees last weekend (which I rode in sans wetsuit by the way you southerner crybabies who whine at 73 degree water), I will likely be watching this puppy and living vicariously through Ambassador Murray instead of actually wakeboarding this weekend. Finally I'll be able to dial my off-axis 900 in my mind! I am getting so close.
So, the full review is coming soon but first I'd like to extend a big thank you to Shaun Murray and Bill Byrne Public Relations for the love.
Comments? | TrackBack (0)May 29, 2008
The Nightmare Wake Boat of My Dreams: The Wake Dragon 9000
I make no secret that I think things have gotten pretty off-course in terms of wake boats and what 
#1-Pay for their new wake boats and #2-Receive in terms of a wake. Despite common belief, wakes can in fact be photographed, and thus demonstrated as large, and while I am not a Naval Architect, I bet they can scientifically be measured too. This is not Bigfoot or an the Abdominal Snowman that we're talking about after all, it is behind us every time we hit that 20-26mph sweet spot and at that point all you need to do is turn around and snap the picture.
It seems that the focus has gotten away from the actual wake, and yet I still see countless instances of people bragging about their phenomenal brand-new wake boat that cost them $70,000, and then make the mistake of showing the wake. Whoops! I have certain loyalties to Wakeboarder.com, their advertisers, and the people that post there, so generally I need to hold my comments to myself. But clearly making the best wake is not the top priority it would seem, in some instances, for some wake boat manufacturers.
So I have decided that The Wakeboard Report's new entrepreneurial venture is in boat building, since all we're really apparently after is accessories - and as for the wake, heck, to a person who has never seen a wake before, I am pretty sure I can convince them that the wake on the WAKE DRAGON 9000 has the best SHAPE ever. Today we introduce the WAKE DRAGON 9000! It comes with everything that our focus group tests have determined a wakeboarder wants.
F e a t u r e s
Best shaped wake ever
As for size - well - just open the valves on the built in, chrome ballast "tanks" that the boat sits on and get all the ballast you need. That will make the wake bigger - promise.
Awesome Graphics
Your choice of Buzzsaw plate, tribal star, or Alien spaceship logo (reflective tape on alien spaceship logo, add $250 USD).
LED-enhanced swim platform and glow-effect rubrail
Find the boat in the dark, incase that ever comes up.
3 articulating mirrors arms
Each flip up to reveal an LCD screen.
Rope retractor with on-boat landing platform
Never fall again. Never need to. Hit the retractor and slide back on board for a beer and a slice of quiche.
GPS/Lowrance Satellite Navigation and Triangulator
Does not interfere with rope retractor.
Personalized nameplate
Suggested names "Sshyeah" "A-ite" "Aquawesome" "Melted Ice".
Storage Tubs.
17 storage tubs actually. People are apparently bringing their entire record collection onto their boats now. Why leave your stuff at home when you can load it up onto your WAKE DRAGON 9000.
Comes with Manta Ray Flying Tube
Come on. Stop it. Just stop. You know you wanted to try one of those things.
Super Loud Hi-Fi Stereo System
You will win those on-water SPL contests, FINALLY!
Stereo details:
- 8 Infinity 6x9s powered by 2 600 watt Planet Audio 4 channel amps
- 3 18" Planet Audio subwoofers
- Alpine CDA-7995 head unit with remote
- Two 7" LCD Screens in upholstery with PS2 mounted in bin
- 7 Street Glow Neo-Blue Neons throughout boat....4 under seats, 2 in front console, and one in the port of the sub box
- Stock throttle removed and covered with flamed plastic with red light and skull knob
- 4 Street Glow strobe lights and 4 APC strobe lights throughout the pontoons...sorry - ballast tanks
- Blue Plasma Lights in Highs and lows
Dual Axle Trailer on 22's
To match your cliche white Yukon/Tahoe/Denali which ALSO rolls on 22's
Taking preorders now for our 2007 North America release. One of our prospects is already offering the following testimonial:
I think the wake dragon 9000 is the most extreme wake boat out there.
Indeed! And it isn't even out there yet.
Comments? | TrackBack (0)May 20, 2008
Semi-Exclusive Photos of the Correct Craft Super Air Nautique 210 Icon Edition
Please enjoy these moderately exclusive photos of the Correct Craft Super Air Nautique 210 Icon Edition, Scott Byerly's new pro model courtesy of Correct Craft's marketing department. We were sent these last week and thought they were exclusive, promptly added our watermark, then found them elsewhere. No worries! Thank you to Correct Craft all the same.
Dash Pod
Custom Upholstery
Spinner Racks
Hydrogate
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May 13, 2008
Correct Craft Super Air Nautique 210 Icon Edition: Scott Byerly Pro Model
The image to your right is of a Super Air Nautique 210, branded as an Icon Edition, honoring Mr. Scott Byerly. When I was at Correct Craft headquarters last month for a very behind the scenes tour and series of interviews (details to come, and on many fronts regarding my trip, I can not yet speak), I did not see this boat did nor did the issue of pro models come up.
Here's another instance where I, as a member of the emerging enthusiast press in wakeboarding, have to be careful with the hyperbole and just report the facts though I do reserve the right to gush over a few things. If you're familiar with this site you know we tend to gush a little about Liquid Force, Helium Wake products, big wakeboard boats and Correct Craft in general. So before we get into anything overtly subjective let's start with what Correct Craft has to say on the matter. From the official press release I received today:
Byerly's custom-designed Super Air Nautique 210 - Icon Edition is decked out with a variety of features that can only be found on this particular boat. Byerly's very own signature Byerly logo is located throughout this 210 including the teak platform and the windshield header. It also sports detailed pieces in metallic fury red and jet black along with the unique Byerly logo embroidered on the upholstery. This 210 even includes LED cup holders and LED grab rails that illuminate fury red. Additionally, Byerly's personal signature is inlaid on the back of his 210 - Icon Edition in fury red which truly places this boat in an exclusive class all its own.
True. And now off comes the "press" hat and on comes the "enthusiast" hat.
Yes. From my perspective Correct Craft has parked it yet again ('parked it' is the newfangled way of saying knocked it out of the park) with this boat and the concept of doing a pro model for such a loyal and deserving athlete. Yes to the powder coated tower. Yes to the skull graphic. Yes to the black deck (good God is that a black deck... does that mean...) Yes to the font used for the Byerly text. Yes to how understated the whole composition is while still making a huge statement. That sounds familiar doesn't it? Good because this is exactly the same reputation that Scott Byerly himself has earned and his likeness is quite well represented with the Icon Edition - Correct Craft has done a superb job of capturing the understated domination for which Byerly is known. I don't know how many of these Correct Craft is making but if you're in the market for a 210 and you don't seriously consider this thing, you're a madman or madwoman.
A big congratulations to Scott Byerly for this much-deserved nod from his long-time sponsor Correct Craft. The press release mentions that this may not be the last Icon Edition we'll see, but we're glad this is the first.
Exclusive photos inbound thanks to our friends at Correct Craft. Please stay tuned.
Comments? | TrackBack (0)May 11, 2008
Our Open Letter to ShelterLogic LLC, Out of Watertown, CT
One of the reasons the site has been slow on the content side is that I started a fantastic new job that has kept me extremely busy, both during the time in which stories roll in, and after hours as well. As I find my footing, the stories will come back in full force, and we'll be back up on our normal schedule. We have some pretty exciting news in the works. Unfortunately, we need to get this item off our back, so we can return to our normal schedule of fun articles.
On with the letter.
Dear ShelterLogic LLC,
We purchased a very expensive canopy/rounded garage directly from your company, ShelterLogic, LLC, out of Watertown, CT in June and immediately began writing a detailed article about it. The article is not only quite detailed and positive, but it is now complete. We decided it is so thorough, that in addition to posting it here on The Wakeboard Report, we would submit it to Wakeboarding Magazine for consideration in an upcoming issue. I have been published in Wakeboarding Magazine before - and had been in talks with Matt Hickman to write a series of consumer advocacy articles. Let's come back to that in a moment.
My round garage was erected in little over 6 hours and was rock solid until portions of the lower base of the structure gave way and the structure collapsed on one side, bending many of the large diameter tubes. As the structure collapsed, the fabric punctured through the tower on my Super Air Nautique but by some miracle no metal made contact with the boat. The gel coat and the aluminum fascia on the boat remained unscathed. We got lucky on that - otherwise this would be an insurance claim. However our $600 canopy, which was assembled by no less than 3 college educated people and appropriately secured to the ground, stood in place for just over 30 days. 30 days. Your warranty goes a bit beyond this time period if I am not mistaken.
So, we contacted you, ShelterLogic, explained the problem and wrote a letter explaining what had happened expecting you to honor your warranty. It seemed a pretty open/shut case to us. When we call and are put on hold, we listen to the tagline and official messaging about your products (800.932.9344). "...That's why we like to think our products are standing between the weather and your world. ". Hmmm... We informed you that we had drafted a glowing review of the product which was to be posted here on The Wakeboard Report, and at several other outlets - among them the submission to Wakeboarding Magazine. Not as a threat - not as ransom, but as a good reason to honor your warranty. I didn't ask for a discount on this product, I walked in, paid, and was poised to give you some fantastic FREE advertising and Google search hits.
Things were looking good at first. We spoke to a nice lady named Candice, sent the required documents to go along with our claim, along with our letter. Maybe that's where things went wrong. You, ShelterLogic went dark - and soon I found out that rather than call me to negotiate a buyback of the materials (some of which clearly could be reused), you called Wakeboarding Magazine. And Wakeboarding Magazine with a new editor (Congratulations again, Kevin) had no knowledge of any work I had done with the magazine in the admittedly somewhat distant past, or was in the process of negotiating/angling for either. Three days later I received a rather curt, but very final sounding email from ShelterLogic's President, Mr. James Raymond. In it, he canceled/voided and basically said "No" to my warranty claim. I am not a lawyer - but is that even possible?
This action put me in a bad light with Wakeboarding Magazine, which I have since remedied. But ShelterLogic, before taking any further actions I would like to offer you an opportunity to make this right. I offered to round up everything I had, rent a Uhaul trailer and lug the remains of my $600 garage to your door. I have received no reply on this. I've sent mail to you explaining the situation with Wakeboarding Magazine and again, have received no reply. As I stated in those email messages I am at this point even willing to meet you halfway on this financially.
I want to work with you on this. As I said in my previous mail I see this ultimately benefiting both parties. Please consider these issues carefully - we do want to work this out with you.
Thank you - you know how to reach me,
Erik Jernberg
Editor - The Wakeboard Report
April 11, 2008
Helium Still Cooling Up Life Jackets Like It's Their Job (Because It Is)
Not long ago we posted about Helium's ability to cool up life jackets like nobody's business. Well, some time has passed and we're sticking to our guns on that one. Why? Well to be quite honest there are about 15 different items we're presently coveting from 2008 Helium Product Catalog and new Web site, but it is "The Daisy" that is stealing our heart this year. Last year it was "The Tuxedo", but we've changed. We've moved on. We're going with something more casual - and we're shopping for a Women's jacket this year because my wife will soon be retuning to the sport after taking this past summer off to recoup after giving birth to our baby girl.
Whoever concepted and designed that jacket deserves a raise. There are real business reasons why making aesthetically pleasing personal flotation devices is a good thing - not the least of which is that it can serve to motivate your customers to actually wear one. Survivalist wakeboarders who like, and wear, life jackets can live to buy more of them.
Helium Wake's new Web site is now available.
We're serious about that Daisy vest. Buy it now for your wife, girlfriend or favorite female and see her look incrementally cooler while wakeboarding upon its arrival (you're welcome).
Comments? | TrackBack (0)April 08, 2008
The Air Nautique Wake Games Returns to Orlando For Its Second Consecutive Year
Orlando, FLA (April 8, 2008) - Correct Craft will once again sponsor the Air Nautique Wake Games which will officially kick off the professional wakeboard season. It will be held at the Orlando Watersports Complex from April 24-27. Correct Craft's Super Air Nautique 210 and 230 models are the exclusive towboats for this event.
The Air Nautique Wake Games is a unique experience in that pro and amateur riders alike are able to compete individually in their disciplines as well as come together to form teams that vie for a cash prize. This is especially exciting for the junior riders who are able to compete alongside the pro riders and contribute to their teams' successes.
At the 2007 Air Nautique Wake Games, Team Murray, led by Nautique pro rider Shaun Murray, won the team competition and Murray took third overall. This year, team riders J.D. Webb, Shaun Murray and Danny Harf will represent Nautique as captains during the team competition at the Wake Games. These three along with many other Nautique athletes will compete against each other along with top riders from around the world.
"We are excited to begin the 2008 wakeboard season with the Air Nautique Wake Games as one of the premier professional events of the year," stated Correct Craft's President/CEO Bill Yeargin. "The Wake Games showcases a unique blend of individual and team competition that can only be found at this event. The Nautique team is proud to be a part of such an interactive event that is fun for the entire family."
Bill Yeargin's blog entry regarding the 2008 Air Nautique Wake Games can be read in the "Nautique Insider" section of the Nautique website at www.nautiques.com.
The Nautique line of boats is produced by Correct Craft, a family-owned manufacturer celebrating 83 years of excellence in the marine industry. Correct Craft, Inc. is known for delivering superior quality product, cutting-edge technology and exceptional service experiences. To see the complete line of Nautique boats, visit www.nautiques.com.
Comments? | TrackBack (0)March 02, 2008
Scott Byerly's 720 From Skurf's Up
Though it is dicey to get a habit of encoding old wakeboarding VHS tapes, several people requested the footage of Scott Byerly landing the first documented 720. As we now have the technology to do this and enjoyed such good feedback from the footage of our Scott Byerly clinic, we thought we'd oblige.
This video was released in 1997 by FLF Films. Please always buy your full-length wakeboarding films and support the industry. If we don't buy these videos, they don't get made. Fortunately for the industry there isn't a strong wake video pirating community. If one exists at all, we are not aware of it. Boardflix.com is where we recommend you buy your videos.
Video Copyright 1997 - FLF Films, presented by Launch Wakeboard Magazine.
Comments? | TrackBack (0)February 25, 2008
Exclusive Footage of a Young Scott Byerly Riding at a Clinic in Massachusetts
Wake size complainers and elitists (myself included), take note of this video pulled from the archives in the basement of The Wakeboard Report tower. I am behind the lens on this, filming in that everlasting format: VHS-C. My good friend Mark was beside me, and both of us were getting close on backside backrolls when this clinic was conducted. The two other gentlemen in the Malibu outboard barefoot boat had never seen so much as a wake-to-wake jump let alone a switchstance mobius.
Note everyone's reactions as Mr. Byerly warms up. The word 'bewilderment' comes to mind. I say about 10 words the entire time, mostly asking people in the boat to move around so the man could have a balanced boat. The rest of the commentary was from some of the other gents on board. I hate the sound of my voice when recorded so I'm quiet for the most part throughout this (you're welcome). You may hear me make a certain colorful comment when Scott lands the first mobius I had ever witnessed with my own eyes. My apologies, Mom. I don't talk like that very often.
The video you're about to see includes some harsh language mostly "holy sh**s" and holy craps, so please check your delicate sensibilities at the door. Please note that Scott is about 21-22 in this video and almost completely devoid of tattoos. For you wakeboarding historians, this was filmed about 2 months after Byerly cut his hair, and about a year and a half before he won the Pro Tour. And about 30 min after this video was filmed, I shared lunch with Scott and watched the man eat about 4 hot dogs faster than I thought was humanly possible. An impressive man both on and off the water indeed.
I have been wanting to get this to you all for quite some time, so please enjoy. I edited and mastered this video as a super high quality AVI, then encountered difficulties both with the length, quality and hosting difficulties for this video. YouTube seemed the best option, but this video is 24 minutes long and YouTube restricts uploads to 10 min segments and I didn't want to cut this up. Google video ended up being the best option at this time, despite the stairstepping and artifacting you'll see during some of the faster segments, and the compression almost completely destroys our wonderful "The Wakeboard Report" logo watermark at the lower right of the viewable area.
I am going to continue to work on this to provide a better quality version and when that happens this post will be bumped to the top. Until then please enjoy this early footage of the legendary Scott Byerly.
