GregDavis

Have good friend, Just finished college, will be moving to Iowa City to take teaching job. She skied on U. Cinn. water ski team. Awesome young girl. I told her I would help her find some ski partners to ski with near Iowa City. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you Greg Davis 407-617-3417

Don't need pp, not going to use boat for slalom course skiing.

Thanks so much Hucklefin, I've had PP, when it first came out n 1997, and through the years until 2006, when we switched to Zero. I'm very familiar, with both systems. I have a 2022 Ski Nautique, for serious skiing. I just purchased a 1997 Nautique as a 2nd boat for pulling grandchildren and recreational skiers, I had never heard of steadypass. Humm. but I think steady pass, would be just fine for the 1997 Nautique. Thanks so much appreciate the input.

I have never heard of Steady Pass, anyone have any info on this system and maybe contact info? Thanks so much.

I would like to purchase a perfect pass system. for 1997 Nautique 351, carbureted. Please contact me 407-617-3417 Thank you Greg Davis

1997 through 2001 had the same wet surface. 2002 through 2005, had same wet surface, 2006 through 2009 had the same wet surface. All of these Ski Nautqiue ski great, and drive and track great. 2006 they added the hydro gate and changed a few minor things on wet surface. Actually 2002 through 2005 drive and ski better than 2006 through 2009.

I would love to hear from some slalom rated boat drivers.

Trying to determine what the ideal boat path width should be. INSIDE BOAT GUIDES TO INSIDE BOAT GUIDES. Seems like the tolerance for diameter of boat guides is between 6 inches up to 11 inches. We purchased new boat guides, and they are really nice, quality etc. however barely 6 inches in diameter, thus giving our slalom course a 85 inch boat path. ( INSIDE TO INSIDE OF BOAT GUIDES. There is a tolerance on anchor placement also. I'm thinking the narrower the boat path, the more consistent, and better quality pulls you will get. As a Senior boat drive for over 30 years, I much prefer a very tight boat path. If you had anchors set at minimum and you had 11 inch in diameter boat guides you would have a 72 inch wide boat path. ( which is pretty narrow) .. I'm thinking 75 inch boat path is best.

God speed Marc.

I was just going through some old stuff, and ran across this 4 minute video of the Big Dawg, 2010 first BD under the lights at Okeeheelee. Man, great memories. Those were some fun times. Kind of got goose bumps watching this video. Hope all of my BD friends, and officials and fans of the Big Dawg, have a wonderful Holiday. and MERRY CHRISTMAS. lets all say a prayer for Marc Shaw. Greg

There is a 2017 on ski it again, Closed bow, 6.0, Navy blue, 6 pole Bimini, waterline cover, boat is mint. $53,000.

Nice trailer

Look at Bobs arms. the dude had some guns. I pulled him through 38 off with a 240 hp 1 to 1. on a 1500 foot lake. In 1979 or 1980. lol that was scary. I also instructed Bob how to ride a dirt bike. The deal was, I would teach him how to ride, he would teach me how to ski. Well, he was a good student, and was ripping it on a dirt bike in no time. He was not a good teacher, as I never did get any good at slalom skiing. lol. lot's of good memories riding with B

US Army 1968 1969 Vietnam. 75th support, 1st infantry, Thanks to all those who gave the ultimate. What is happening to our Country is concerning to say the least.

Nate, very well said. I'm impressed. How old are you?

Hey, I'm a hacker, not a good skier, on a very, very, very good day, everything being perfect, buoys small and low, no wind, no back wash, maybe run 35, MAYBE. Usually 3 at 35. I'm Old, and probably couldn't tell the difference ( SKIING behind) any of the Big Four slalom boats. I'm a motor head, drag racer, motorcycle racer, and just like high performance machines. I'm not comparing the Nautique 200 ( 5.3 ) to any other boats except the Nautique 5.7, which I am most familiar with. Driving the 5.3, ( pulling skiers from 30 mph 15 off , to 36 mph 41 off) the boat, is spectacular. ( in my opinion) the power, the smoothness, etc. I can't believe they got that much more performance, out of the 5.3 compared to the 5.7. Amazing.

Was Judge today over at KLP's, Woooo, some great skiing. Place is epic.

Have had 5.3 for about a month. Absolutely LOVE IT. better gas consumption than 5.7, quiet, very powerful, and smooth. Can't believe how much more power it has than a 5.7. Have owned 20 New Nautiques, and 17 new Master Crafts. Pulled CP the other day 4 at 41. My 2016 Nautique 200, is BY FAR, the best tug I have ever driven or owned. Nice job NAUTIQUE.

Looking forward to it. should be terrific. Will be there bright and early.

MARCUS, YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. WE ARE ALL IN THIS BECAUSE WE LOVE IT, HAVE A PASSION FOR IT, ETC. NOT FOR THE $$ BUT BECAUSE THE LOVE OF THE SPORT. WE ARE TOO SMALL OF A GROUP TO BE FRAGMENTED. ( AS WE ARE TODAY) IN MY OPINION, THE US OPEN, SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE US NATIONALS. WE NEED TO REACH OUT TO THAT 8 YEAR OLD BOY OR GIRL. AS THE PROS REACHED OUT TO YOU MARCUS. VERY WELL WRITTEN, THANK YOU, GREG DAVIS Below is some of what Marcus wrote: The year is 1987. The World has 2,200,000,000 less people than it does today, the Giants beat John Elway in the Super Bowl, Richard Branson makes the first Transatlantic flight in a Hot Air Balloon (2,790 miles) & Freddy Krueger is a serial killer….and a 3 event skier. I remember that Plane flight like it was last year though, because it was my first time in an Airplane. Scared, excited, and eagle eyeing out the window harder than anyone in history…there was soooo much to see!!!! And everything looked unlike anything I’d ever seen before….houses, roads, lakes, mountains….all the stuff I’d already become familiar with in my 8 years of life….but it all looked so different from up here. As we made our approach into West Palm Beach Int’l Airport, I remember looking out the window and pointing to the trees and asking my dad “DAD DAD, look at those trees!!!….they look like pine trees!!??…how is that possible??!” See, on the west coast, in my world, I had only ever seen pine trees in the mountains…where it snows. I knew Florida had neither of those things, so it blew my mind. Okeeheelee Park at Sunset, site of the 1987 US Water Ski Nationals and US Open Okeeheelee Park at Sunset, site of the 1987 US Water Ski Nationals and US Open A couple days later, after my brother competed in his first U.S. Water Ski Nationals, my mind was about to be blown again. Every year back in those days, the Nationals week always finished off with the US Open on the weekend. It was my second year skiing, and I knew all the names of the best in the World…but I’d never seen them ski anywhere other than on TV (remember when water skiing was on ESPN?). The weekend didn’t disappoint. As an 8 year old kid with stars in my eyes….here’s what I remember. These guys were INSANE!!! Some guy no one had ever heard of, Jeff Rodgers, showed up and cranked the shit out of some 1,3,5’s. I remember the rumor being that he’d just started skiing a few years before and ran the slalom course the first time he ever tried it. That, to my little pea-brain, was hard to fathom. And here he was already fighting to beat the best in the World. A West Coast hero of mine, Carl Roberge, ended up tying for 2nd at that US Open, right before my eyes. In 1987 he was the defending Tour champion. (5 years later Terry Winter and I were chasing Carl’s Jr Boys Western Regional slalom record…3 @ 35 off) Andy Mapple Won the US Open that year. I had 2 hero’s before getting to watch that US Open….Bob & Kris LaPoint. They were West Coast skiers, and legends around the World. In 1987 Bob LaPoint won the World Slalom Title at Thorpe Park, London (5th World Title) and won at Marine World (4 Buoy Course) and the MasterCraft invitational. When I left Okeeheelee, I had a 3rd hero: Andy Mapple. I wanted to be out there someday, doing what those guys did…pushing the limits. (*FYI, Kjellander had best performance of 1987 with 4.5 @ 39 at Augusta Tour Stop) I believe it was that same year, interestingly enough, that ESPN decided to broadcast some of the amateur nationals. I remember Boys slalom, and Mark Shaw running buoys with a baseball cap (no Schnitz, you weren’t the first) to keep the rain out of his eyes. I also remember the Mens 3 battle….it was Clinton Knox and Wayne VanWay. They were 2 of the best, and they were polar opposites on the water: VanWay was the first person I ever saw that could slam both his onside AND his offside turns. In fact, I believe he could slam his offside better! It was like watching a grizzly bear getting drug behind the boat. Clinton Knox didn’t do anything,…didn’t turn, didn’t pull…but made buoys. I think he might be Nate Smith’s grandpa or something. Here’s the point: those guys were great skiers,..talented, dedicated, etc. But they weren’t the reason I wanted to become a Skier. The US Open was the seed planted….it was everything I needed as a kid looking for something to hold onto…and it was a pivotal moment in my “career”….the moment that sparked everything that was to come.

Ran across this 4 minute video of Big Dawg in 2009, first year under the lights. Great memories. Good friends, good times. Greg

Hi Matt, Big Dawg has always paid back to 8th place for BD finals. For qualifiers, BD pays back to 4th place. Has always been that way. Greg

I have a 2016 with 5.3, more power, quieter, better fuel consumption and smoother. 654 prop. Fantastic!

Thank you. I will contact Jody

Anyone have any magnets they want to sell? Need about 10, thanks Greg Davis 407-617-3417 gregdavis3@aol.com