Air Nautique vs.Pro Air

What are the differences b/w these boats? Also, in what year did factory ballasts and cruise control become the standard in the Nautique wakeboats?

I agree the Hull is the biggest difference between the two. Both have trunks, both have the availability of the LCS (400 ballast). Also, CC Cruise was available in '98 (I had it in two boats that year).   I owned a '98 Air Nautique, and had a '98 Air as a promo boat that year...in 99, I had a Pro Air as a promo boat. CC spent quite a pile of dough in the R/D of the Pro Air. They utilized what they called a "ramping vent" on the hull that was supposed to make the boat a better crossover boat. At speeds below 25, the idea was that the boats hull would create more pressure on the surface thereby creating a larger wake. At speeds above 25, the ramping vent was essentially "out of play" and therefore the boat would create less pressure on the surface creating a better slalom wake. At least that's the way I understood it (it has been 10 years).

Having the 99 Pro Air at countless tournaments, as well as owning the '98 and having a separate 98 Air as a promo in '98... I logged a lot of seat time in these two boats. The way I saw it, the ramping vent hull of the Pro Air was the equivelent to having an extra 400lbs in the boat at boarding speeds. Not a big deal....but it was there, and it did work at least to that degree.

Unfortunately for CC, the Pro Air never caught on. It does however make a great mid engine crossover boat. The way I see it, they were just a little "late to the party" with the boat. If they had that hull in the 95-'96 timeframe when weighting a mid engine was what we were all doing, I'm sure it would have been a hit. But fast forward to 99 when that boat hit the market, the shift was on to the V Drives....Leaving the Pro Air concept more than a little lonely.