WaterSki Magazine

If you're an avid waterskier at the tournament level — or you aspire to be — and you want to practice behind the same ski boats used in competitions, your next ski boat is on this list. These four ski boats — the Malibu Response LXi, MasterCraft ProStar 197, Moomba Outback and Ski Nautique 196 — are all tournament-worthy models that excel for competitors looking for top performance in shortline slalom waterskiing, with the ability to pull all three events...

Boat Review Nautiques' signature ski machine set the standard for ski boats decades ago, and that trendsetting DNA is alive and thriving in the 2009 Ski Nautique 196. With a fully custom wake that can be fine-tuned for slalom, tricks and jumping with Nautique's Hydro-Gate control system, this three-event specialist is so versatile that it's the official tow boat of the IWSF World Water Ski Championships...

BOAT REVIEW We see the storied Ski Nautique 196 as being at the pinnacle of three-event skiing. It’s unbelievable in all categories and pulled the 2007 World Championships this past summer in Austria...

1. Ski Nautique 196 (See local dealer for base price; skinautique.com) "My boat is equipped with Zero Off and PerfectPass. The Ski Nautique just drives unbelievably, and it's got the best slalom wake in the world...

BOAT REVIEW The Ski Nautique 196 is one boat whose reputation precedes it as it slices down the course. As the official towboat of the IWSF World Water Ski Championships, this legendary three-event specialist is one of only a few boats you'll find in this guide that features a closed-bow design...