I love the nature of this blog because nothing is off limits. I can pick a topic I love and write about it.
Today, I am talking about boats. I acknowledge that I don't have the most vast or detailed knowledge about them, but let me tell you, I love boats. And more specifically, old ski boats.
There is something special about sitting behind the wheel of an old ski boat and letting the engine warm up early in the morning. The motor growls and progressively gets louder as you push down on the throttle. It settles into a steady rhythm and if you listen long enough, you can tell where the needle sits on the tachometer just by listening to the engine's tone. Most of my experience comes from driving Ski Nautiques from 1978-1999 with Lightning towers or Skylon high poles. The newer models have direct fuel injection, but nothing beats the growl of an old Ford 351 or Chevy 350.
There are two boats that I love the most to drive. The first is a Ski Nautique from 1985. It is the boat I spent the majority of my time in when learning how to pull skiers, kneeboarders, wakeboarders, and banana boaters. The boat features a wrap around passenger seat that flips up and a different paint design than the 1984 model. The boat throws a very nice wake for wakeboarding, especially when you have the back weighted down. For some reason, I feel the safest when driving this boat. She is big boned and I love it. Her deep hull slices through the water so nicely and she turns on a dime. Call me a big fan of the '85 Ski Nautique
The other boat I love to drive is a Ski Nautique from 1982. It differs from the '85 slightly. Its 3 years older so the paint design on the outside is different. This boat had the option for a Chevy 350 and I absolutely love the way she sounds. The driving experience is a little different, but not by much. She throws an even wake and drives through chop pretty well. The passenger seat is a two person bench but you could squeeze three if you really wanted. The hull design is pretty much the same as the '85; they are both dubbed the "2001 model." The 2001 hull design debuted in 1982 and was kept until 1989.
I consider myself fortunate to have the experience of driving these awesome boats.
