Correct Craft Sport Nautique/ Air Nautique
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Staff Less than a decade ago, the Skurfer was a novelty item. Today wakeboarding is the fastest-growing water-sport in the world, and an entire generation of riders is discovering new ways to land ever-bigger moves, launched from ever-bigger wakes.
Laptop Battery Several years ago, some of the world's top riders discovered that Correct Craft's roomy Sport Nautique put out some of the best boarding wakes in the business, not only in terms of size, but also in shape, definition and firmness. Before long, the Sport Nautique was known as the boat of choice for high-end wakeboarding.
Staff There is no question that Correct Craft is the elder statesman of the inboard industry. Started in 1925 in Orlando, Florida, the company originally built small utility boats, becoming the largest supplier of boats to the U.S. Navy during World War II. It purchased the first fiberglass inboard from Leo Bentz in 1960, which eventually became today's Ski Nautique. 1997 Nautique is joined in the Correct Craft family by the Ski Nautique Open Bow ( bow), V.
Thinkpad Correct Craft's design team was hip to the evolving needs of the board generation, and several world-class riders were invited to help design the next generation of wakeboard tow boat. First up was a small tweak to improve slow-speed maneuverability and handling. Small steps were added to the hull chines, providing greater stability without altering the wake characteristics.
Staff When it was introduced in 1997, Correct Craft's Air Nautique broke new ground and set new standards for wakeboard tow boats. For '99, Correct Craft has once again raised the bar with a new hull design that not only enlarges but also enhances wake shape. Dubbed the Total Wake Control (TWC) hull, this new bottom will be featured on the 1999 Air Nautique Pro. "The industry has been slapping on extra weight on top of hulls designed to produce no wake, then marketing that product as a wakeboard boat, " says Correct Craft marketing vice president Larry Meddock. "What we did was design a hull especially for wakeboarding. By addressing actual hull design instead of methods for simply adding weight, we were not only able to improve the size, but also the shape of the wake."
Microsoft The next task was to create a wake enhancement system that uses a safe, manageable method to load the boat's stern without resorting to aftermarket water bags or weights. The Correct Craft solution was to add an integrated water ballast tank (their Launch Control System) that is filled by the running motion of the boat and uses gravity to drain. It proved to be a straightforward way to add some 400 pounds to the hull without the hassle of pumps, extra wires, or bulky weights and bags that would clutter the transom area.
Staff - No matter how good a skier you become, you will never be too good for the Sport Nautique. ranked slalom champ rated the wakes among the best in the business, and professional wakeboarders are equally complimentary of the boat' air potential. When the boat is equipped with the new Correct Craft Cruise system, end pulls.
Laptop Computers A high-profile 43-inch pylon was added, but despite the growing popularity of extra-tall pylons with front stays, the Correct Craft team felt that there was a better, safer way to provide an ultra-high-angle pull. And thus was born the Flight Control Tower (FCT), a proprietary four-point arch that places the tow rope more than 80 inches above the floor of the boat. The tower can be folded down or removed for storage and towing, and provides the driver with an unobstructed view both forward and behind.
Staff bow class, the Sport Nautique hits on virtually every mark in the performance and comfort categories. Slalom is every bit as good as you'd expect from Correct Craft. Wakeboarding The Sport Nautique is the official boat of the Wakeboard Worlds. At a previous test, the Sport Nautique had few peers when it came to tracking and storage. There' seek. Buyers can also order a jump seat to fill the center walkway. New finish work is second to none.
Laptop Computer The FTC had other advantages. It became an attachment point for awnings, sound system speakers and storage racks, freed up the center of the boat for improved passenger access, eliminated the "sling shot" effect a flexible pole created, and kept the boat from rolling sideways against hard pulls.
Staff One problem common to wakeboarders is that when they perform high aerial maneuvers, they pull heavily on the ski rope, causing the tow boat to rock and wag its tail. This creates an uneven wake, which is less than ideal for wake boarding. Enter Air Nautique, a new tow boat from Correct Craft. Designed to create an even, uniform wake, the Air Nautique is equipped with the Flight Control Tower, an elevated tow pylon mounted to the boat's gunwale. And because it' mounted, the boat won't sway or pitch as do boats with ordinary elevated tow pylons.
Desktop Computer Given that wakeboarding is typically a social sport, in which everyone brings his or her own board and gear, space became the inboard tow boat's final frontier. Fortunately, the Sport Nautique was already ahead of the curve, having plenty of storage under the front lounge and a 14-cubic-foot stern locker that can hold two boards and a bunch of gear.
Notebooks With the tower and tanks in place, and bold new graphics on the side, the new and improved Sport Nautique was ready to take on a new identity as the Air Nautique. And that's how it came to us for the '98 tests.
Lenovo In the name of fairness, we pulled a full round of slalom passes just to prove the hull is as capable as ever. Then we turned it over to the boarders - and finally had to insist they give it back.
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