A Better View
By Keith Bagley, CorrectCraftFan.com
October 2005
I love the look of the classic mirror on my '86 Silver Nautique. The dash mounted aluminum frame with stainless steel brackets and black knobs define the Nautiques of that era as much as the dual speedometers and ring pylon. However, there are practical limitations to these mirrors and it's the reason why they were phased out by Correct Craft in the late 80's. These mirrors where replaced on nearly all Correct Crafts by the far superior CIPA COMP mirror. This mirror, with a large 7" x 14" convex lens, is available for aftermarket purchase ands a significantly better, and safer, rear view than the original mirror on your older Correct Craft.
Few people know that the 'classic mirror' of the Nautiques from the 70's and 80's is actually an industrial truck
The view from both mirrors
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mirror mounted sideways. You may find similar mirrors mounted vertically on dump trucks and semis. The design, revolutionary in the marine industry at the time, is a very large, flat-glass mirror that had a rock solid, adjustable dash mount.
The problem with the standard mirror on these older Nautiques is twofold. For one, the flat glass mirror does not allow for a full field view of a skier or boarder in tow – especially as they cut outside of the wake to the driver's (starboard) side. And two, whenever there is a second observer in the boat, the view from the dash mounted mirror is complete blocked by the observer's shoulders and head, rendering the mirror useless.
As a manufacturer of high-end automotive mirrors, CIPA entered the marine industry in 1987 as a supplier of rearview mirrors to tournament ski boats. The CIPA COMP and was first introduced on a Correct Craft in that year's Ski Nautique 2001, as a dash mounted replacement for the classic mirror. By 1994 the windshield mounted CIPA COMP was standard on all Nautiques. According to the company, CIPA now supplies mirrors to 100% of the tournament ski boats manufactured in the U.S..
Windshield mount
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The CIPA COMP mirror is approximately the same width as the original Correct Craft mirror but slightly taller and utilizes a convex lens. This lens acts like a wide-angle lens on a camera allowing for a significantly wider viewing area. By design, the driver's rear view through the CIPA COMP stretches to both the right and left-side buoys of a slalom course. In contrast, the range of the original mirror extends from only the left side buoys to about the boat gates – making the driver blind to all activity to the right-hand side of the wake.
The windshield mount for the CIPA COMP (sold separately) allows for an unobstructed view of skiers or boarders in tow, regardless of how many people you have in the boat. This ingeniously simple but sturdy bracket mounts securely to your windshield frame. A few turns of the single knob quick release allows for easy rotation of the mirror below the windshield line, preventing any interference with your boat cover.
After installing and using the CIPA COMP only once, it became obvious why Correct Craft, and all other U.S. tournament ski boat manufactures, have gone with this rear facing mirror. The quality materials, innovative design and exceptional performance make the driver's job much easier, allowing for a safer day on the water.
Views expressed in this analysis are solely those of CorrectCraftFan.com and not those of Correct Craft, Inc.
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The CIPA COMP mirror and bracket are available from Discount Inboard Marine. For more information visit http://www.SKIDIM.com or call 803-345-0996. When ordering, use promocode CCFAN to receive 10% off your order.
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