CLOSE
Sign up to get news on contests, pro events, new products and special offers.
WATERSKI MagazineFor everyone who thought the Nautique was beyond their grasp, Correct Craft created the Ski Nautique 176, which came to the 1998 test sporting an optional package that turns it into the Air Tique.
The Nautique 176 was created to deliver thoroughbred Nautique performance in a smaller package. Riding on a compact, 17-foot-6-inch hull, it is able to deliver nimble acceleration and strong-pulling muscle with a cost-effective 260-hp PCM V-8.
Not only does the 176 maintain the distinctive styling of its legendary namesake, it is built to the same exacting standards, using the same top-quality materials. The dash pod sports dual Airguide speedometers and full Teleflex instrumentation, while the tilt wheel connects to Correct Craft's proprietary rack-and-pinion steering system.
Hull, deck and stringers are made from leading-edge composite materials and feature a transferable limited lifetime warranty. The interior is covered with 28-ounce performance-enhanced polypropylene carpet that is stain-, mold- and water-resistant, while all-composite seat frames are finished with premium-grade tear-resistant vinyl.
Seating for six is enhanced by the redesigned engine box, which creates a significant increase in usable deck space and passenger legroom. Also new for 1998 is the optional rear seat, which can be removed or raised to form a sun deck with storage beneath. Secure storage is found in the fully finished bow locker.
The Air Tique version of the 176 includes not only a new graphics package, but also a 43-inch Teflon-coated pylon. With the stern seat raised, there is also room for a water ballast system, giving aspiring boarders all the tools they need to get serious.
Given Correct Craft's long-standing tradition of towing excellence, you would expect any boat bearing the Nautique name to provide superior three-event wakes. Which is exactly what the 176 hull does.
Our slalom skiers found low wakes with minimal spray. With top speeds in the mid-40s and six-second acceleration to 36, there's plenty of power for competition-level course work and even barefooting.
With a driver and observer on board, tracking and throttle control are good. Our skiers felt that passenger loading and aggressive pulls by heavy skiers can have a greater effect on towing performance than would be the case on larger boats. If you're a heavyweight going for a personal-best shortline pass, stick to a three-person team. But if it's Junior trying to get six at 30 mph, go ahead and invite the relatives.
Move the rope to the top of Air Tique's two-position pylon, add a fat sack and just enough friends to stay within the boat's 1,000-pound load capacity, and you're ready to start working on your inverted moves.
Ever since the wakeboard movement caught fire, Correct Craft has maintained that it is not just the size of the wake that counts, but also the shape. Even with the stern loaded, the Air Tique cannot match the mammoth wakes thrown up by some of the big V-drives or specialty boats such as the Air Nautique,
but it does provide aspiring boarders with a firm, well-shaped wake with an ideal height and width for learning and perfecting basic to advanced moves.
The combination of Correct Craft quality, three-event versatility and wakeboard aptitude makes the Ski Nautique 176/Air Tique a prime choice for aspiring skiers or riders looking to join the Nautique family.
