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WATERSKI MagazineNumber 9395 had seen it all. The MasterCraft Power LT-1 by Indmar had stood steady through the slalom course for all 10 stops of the 1995 pro water ski tour. Week in and week out, she held speed for the world's hardest-pulling jumpers without complaint. And unlike her predecessors, who “retire” after a tour season to a lucky dealer's showroom, #9395 wasn't ready to call it a career. She was just getting warmed up.
She arrived at Tommy's Slalom Shop in Denver to begin a second career, pulling events such as the Thanksgiving Day Cold Water Classic, BoardFest, the Air Chair Worlds and, ultimately, 56-hour workweeks at the Soda Lakes Ski School. All told, #9395 and the MasterCraft ProStar 190 hull that housed her put 948.7 hard hours on the meter in just over two years. To the average skier, that's about 10 summers of use.
When we heard of #9395's incredible longevity under extreme duress, we decided to test not only the engine, but Indmar's long-standing claim of “Inboard Power for the Long Run.” The evaluation pitted #9395 against a straight-off-the-line 1997 version of Indmar's LT-1. To eliminate the variables of matching engines with identical hulls, we tested both engines in the same boat: the original 1995 ProStar 190 tour boat with PowerSlot (1.5:1 gear reduction transmission), with no modifications.
Did #9395 hold its own against the brand-new block? Did the new engine generate more torque in the midrange, where it's needed for strong-pulling slalom skiers? Had the old version loosened up? Would #9395 be embarrassed in a shoot-out?
If anything, Indmar execs were hoping the old engine wouldn't blow the doors off the new. “It takes some hours on an engine to get it running smoothly,” Indmar president Chuck Rowe said. “Let's see what she'll do.”
And we did. Here's what we found.
HANDLING
Relying on GM's prolific electronic control module (ECM) that controls fuel, air and spark and adjusts the engine according to environmental variables, both the '95 and '97 LT-1s handled respectively. Each required only a single turn of the key to start, quickly settling in at a constant idle rpm. Shore, dock and open-water handling were precise, and we encountered no fuel starvation, vapor lock or significant throttling deficiencies during figure-eights, return-to-skier simulations or aggressive driving. Although we expected the '95 version to have some looseness to its steering and throttle after so many hours of use, we found none. That may not be as much a testament to MasterCraft and Indmar's engineering as it is to Don Pickett and the rest of Tommy's gang, who've taken extremely good care of the ProStar since it arrived in Denver.
At 36 mph, #9395 locked in at 4,000 rpm, while the newer, tighter LT-1 held steady at 3,800. Both engines were extremely reactive to throttle input, and showed no signs of stress at any skiing speed.
At best, the two engines performed identically. Had we never lifted the engine box on the ProStar, it would have been nearly impossible to know which engine was being tested.
PERFORMANCE
The numbers don't lie: The new engine, with a slightly different calibration (upgraded in 1997 to increase horsepower and fuel efficiency), was better off the line and up through 36 mph. The strong-running '95, however, won the top speed war by 0.1 mph.
Even though the '97 block was quicker out of the hole, the differences are slight. Throughout the range of accelerations tested (28-36 mph) the older LT-1 came within a half-second of the new iron. And while these differences look blatant on paper, they're almost undetectable behind the wheel or at the end of the rope. Sure, if they were run side by side, the newer engine would outrun the old. Yet neither drivers nor skiers observed any significant differences in the performance of the two.
So what does it all mean? In this case, the LT-1 and Indmar lived up to the billing “Inboard Performance for the Long Run.” When you buy a high-performance engine like the multi-port LT-1 – with its marine version of the NorthStar distributorless ignition system, high-compression aluminum heads and roller lifters, among other upgrades that add cost – you expect elite performance for the life of your purchase. Fact is, you'd be disappointed if it did anything less. Indmar delivered on its promise.
Plus, there's truth to the fact that if you baby your boat with super upkeep, it will give back when it comes time to sell or trade in on a new model. Our test proved why MasterCrafts with LT-1s continue to hold their value on the used market. With the proper care, there is no reason you can't get out of the boat what you put into it.
Or, think of it another way. If you don't get any better when you ski behind an LT-1, you certainly can't blame it on the engine. – Rob May
