Pro Air VS. Air

Well did a search on what the differences in wake are on these two boats and couldn't come up with info.

Just most saying the pro wasn't as good with no reasons why. Just said wake sucks no details why.

What do most say? Why is the pro air thought of as not good? Is the wake shape diffferent or does it require more weight? Looking at these two boats and found 2 very clean ones only the pro is much much closer and immaculet. What would you all say?

I know riding behind one is the key, but when one is like 600 mi away it makes it tough. Any thoughts on how to weigh them? I my opinion both boats should throw a gret intermediate/advanced wake with weight.

Kris,
I have a Pro Air because I wanted something I could slalom behind ocassionally. I haven't ridden behind a standard air, but some of the guys that ride with me, also have a 2001 (model) Nautique, and they like the wake behind my boat. At this point I only have the stock ballast.
Most people will compare the Pro Air to the super air (v drive) and the super air has a better wake stock, and most people add weight to those boats to make the wake huge. If you are an intermediate to advanced you can use the Pro Air well, and when you get better, add some extra weight to it to make the wake bigger.
Jack

I never got any good responses either between the 2 boats. Its obvious that a super air will put out a better wake, but I'd like to hear more input as well. My assumption was that the pro air's wake really wasn't an improvement over the regular air, but not worse.

Kris,
I have ridden behind a 2001 Pro Air direct drive, and a 2003 Super Air V-drive. The boats both throw a killer wake. The shape of the two wakes are very similar and when weighted properly I have heard that the Pro Air is nearly the same as a Super. The wakes are both super clean with a good lip. The Super Air just has a little bit of height on the Pro and the wake just feels super thick when you hit it. The Pro Air has about 850 lb of stock ballast and (2) 500 lb. fat sacks, 1 in the belly and one in the back. The Super had stock ballast (unk weight) and 2100 lbs of lead. Basically, with a nautique you cant go wrong. GOOD LUCK, post some pics when you make your choice.

Didn't the '99 and '00 Pro Air Nautique have the TWC hull and the other 'Air' nautique DD's had the TSC (Total Surface Control) hull?

My buddy has a '99 with the TWC and although I haven't ridden behind it in quite some time, I always thought the wake was nice. But, I had only ridden behind DD's at the time.

I don't know why nobody liked the TWC hull and they only made it for a few years.

That being said, I'm not sure why you would want to go from a V-drive to a D-drive.

(Message edited by ripr on August 21, 2006)

as far as i kn ow for hte most part in 2001 and those years. THe super and the pro air had the same hull except one was vdrive and the other dd so yeah just find whatever the vdrive deffinatly has a better wake but alittle more room but to ski behindits a lot harder so just wieght the pro properly

After looking at the '99 and '00 Nautique brochures, I'm going to have to say there was definetly a new hull introduced in '99 (Total Wake Control) for the Pro Air Nautique. Then in either '01 or '02 they went back to the TSC (Total Surface Control) that was originally developed in '97.

The Total Wake Control (TWC) hull ran through 2001 on the Pro Air Nautiques

andy, the pro air had the TWC hull which is discontinued, while the air and SAN shared the TSC hull.

Thanks for the info so far guys. I do know that the 98-01 pro airs had the TWC hull which was supposed to (in theory) cause the boat to ride lower in the water at wakeboarding speeds. That was what the hull was engineered for.

The original/ air hull was the TSC hull. I just have no experience whatsoever with the wake of the PRO AIR. My guess is that it costed nautique too much to change the molds and not enough of a "better" result was achieved so why not just dump it as the Super Air (TSC hull) was killing it so why change it. That is the best logic I can come up with.

NAW
How to go from V- Drive to D-Drive. Price point, additions to the family, and I guess overall lack of use. Just keeping my options open. Gotta have a few ways to go as you know I like to always be prepared(all that training I get just never leaves). In short I can pay cash for used d-drive and own it outright while getting a different or used v-drive would cause a loan. All about having the title w/ no payments as the use has dwindled down from what we used to do considerably. I"m by no means a pro and I'm sure an old sport/air nauty will still get me inverted just need a sac or 2. Just gettin some info in order to base our decision in case we have to as mine has 3-4 potential buyers coming to look at it this week.

I can't help you out with the Pro Air. But I have 2001 Air and I love it! Weighted properly it will throw a pretty good size wake. Never had any major problems with it, can't say enough good things about it. I have an okay wake pic, I think there was around 1200 lbs plus some people. Right now we are weighting it with a full size fat sac in the back locker plus the factory ballast and a full size sac in the middle locker with about 200lbs up front plus people. That's the best way I have found. Alright here's the wake pic, if you have any other ?'s feel free to ask...

I have ridden behind both. There is a difference. The pro air had the TWC hull and the regular did have the tsc hull. Although it seems like you would want to get the one with the same hull as the Super Air, I would say not necessarily. The pro air is built more for wakeboarding than the air. I have had both boats sac'd out and couldn't believe the difference. The pro air threw a much better wake. The Air that I was in had a bunch of weight in it and for some reason just didn't through a very good wake. I would compare it to the 211 of today...which would make it a good crossover boat. So I guess if you are just going to wakeboard, get the pro air. If you want to do both the Air may be a better option.

I have a 2003 "216" which used to be called a Pro Air with the Total Surface Control hull. It has features like lifting strakes and a lip at the back to lift the boat higher for a great slalom wake. When you weight it down, it throws a huge wake good enough for almost anyone but a Pro rider. It’s just not the steep ramp of a 210 (Super Air). The stock ballast tanks are hardly enough to make a difference on most boats. I run fat sacs and bags of metal. My boat is for sale in classifieds btw.

I have to say that the comments above are some of the nicest comments I've heard about the Pro Air Nautique. I almost bought one recently but after doing some research, I am glad I didn't. I researched archives on multiple sites and very few people had good things to say about them. Some things that come to mind, small narrow wake, gas guzzler because of hull design, poor ballast system (something about having to open the engine cover to open valves on each side and the fact that they only empty at idle speed), very tight for space because of a small interior and the fact that it needs to be sac'd out for a decent wake. My conclusions from the hours of research I did was to look for a late ninety's Super Sport Nautique or an early Super air nautique. Of course I've never been behind either personally, so what do I know? lol.

I have ridden behind both Pro Airs and Super Airs. The best wake I have ever ridden behind was a Pro Air. The wake was HARD. It was like hitting a vert ramp. The pop was incredible and effortless.

However, the Super Air I have ridden behind had only stock ballast and several people. If I had my choice I would still pick the Super Air for the roominess of the V-drive vs. a D-drive. The Super Air's wake is badass, too.

an update for you, we went out on my Pro Air, and added 800#'s (1200# + 3 people/1 rider) of sacks next to the engine, and the wake was huge compared to stock. The first time I hit it, I was WAY out of balance and just let go because I was halfway to an invert! The wake was clean and we ran about 23 mph and 75-80' depending on who was riding.
The v drive boats are commanding a premium, and if you can get the Pro air for a good deal, it would certainly make you a good wakeboard boat. Also the TWC hull is designed with a vent and step hull to push the boat down at wakeboarding speeds, isn't this the same tech that Epic is using with their "drop zone" hull?
Jack