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WATERSKI MagazineThe ProStar 190 is not only MasterCraft's premier competition inboard, it's an industry benchmark against which all others are measured.
Changes or updates to the 190 are always followed with great interest, and the 1999 model year will once again provide plenty of fodder for dockside discussions and Internet news groups.
The 190 has undergone subtle upgrades to the running surface with the addition of Hydro Rails, but the big news is a radical restyling of the topside and interior. As part of a massive retooling and redesign process, MasterCraft utilized automotive design techniques to update the 1999 line, then incorporated materials and methods borrowed from the automotive and aerospace industries in the manufacturing process.
Clay modeling techniques were used to reshape the deck, resulting in an interior with 12 percent more usable interior space. The sculpted driver's seat is redesigned for superior lumbar support and comfort, and a new molded arm rest is positioned for optimum arm comfort and the most natural throttle grip at skiing speeds.
Other upgrades to the driver's area include a thermo-formed accessories bin under the armrest and the all-new Command Center instrument panel, which is fitted with high-visibility electromechanical gauges and high-precision, easily calibrated speedometers.
The passenger seat, glove box and dashboard were redesigned for greater comfort, convenience and function, while the engine box takes a radical departure from inboard tradition. The sculpted fiberglass cowling features a two-piece design with dual hatches, which allow the top half to lift independently for routine maintenance or the entire structure to lift for full engine access.
Running surface tweaks include a refinement to the Dual Plane rudder, which now incorporates the same fin angle as the prop shaft and the new Hydro Rails which created a slightly wider running surface at the transom increases lift and reduces rooster tail. Both the Hydro Rails and the new rudder will retrofit on 1998 model 190s.
The other big news for the new 190 is the standard-equipment 330-hp Vortec MX MAX power plant, which is the industry's most powerful multi-port engine. Also available are the 340-hp Corvette LT-1 engine and the Cadillac Northstar power plant, a MasterCraft exclusive.
