Sport nautique vs Sunsetter vlx
 

I'm looking at a 96 Sport Nautique and 97 Sunsetter vlx. It looks like they have essentially the same layout, possibly a little more storage space in the Malibu. Which one is going to produce a better wake with less ballast?

Supersport nautique ?!
I think one is a v-drive and one is not... .if that is the case - V-drive for sure..... if they're both v-drive supersport (which I am selling ours right now if you're at all close to Wisco)

Cheap plug:
http://madison.craigslist.org/boa/1934333159.html

Both are direct drives, not a super sport.

Hmm, in that case I would go nautique - only because I've had great experiences with them - malibu, not so much

Aren't VLX malibu's v-drive?

Yeah, he must mean a sunsetter LX. I would choose the sport over the sunsetter LX. The sport will throw a nice big clean vert wake with around 1500 lbs.

Bryce you're probably right, I was going straight off the craigslist add, I don't have much experience with Malibu boats.

I think the nautique is the better boat but one nice thing about the malibu is that you can add the wedge, some like the wedge some don't just an fyi.

the sport also has the same hull as the super air, so weighed correctly it will throw an amazing wake. I've got a 97 sport (same hull) and love it.

Thanks for the feedback....now if only the sellers would return my calls and emails I'd be able to make a move on one of these.

+1 for the sport Nautique

Are the Nautique suggestions because people have rode both, because it's better, or just because it's a Nautique?

I skied/rode a Sunsetter LX in 97 for a few years, and have ridden Sport Nautiques, just not that old.

The Sunsetter put out just as good of a stock wake, and I'm sure if you loaded it just the Sport has been suggested, it would be comparable.

Now if someone was to bring up that that was the final year of wood floorboards (not sure about that honestly), then that would be a worthwhile opinion.

Sorry, just seems many people say Nautique, just because it's Nautique. That Sunsetter is a good boat, and just as good of a wake, just not as common.

For Malibu '95 was the year of all composite construction w/ the first VLX coming out in '96. Keep in mind the wedge can be added to any VLX.

Thanks for clarifying. I doubted it still had wood in 97. More of a point it seems people don't know much about a boat their saying isn't as good.

Probably wrong to do, but I was assuming that in 96 and 97, both would have been wood free by then.

Ok just got pics of the interior of the Malibu and it is actually a vdrive, which moves it up to first choice, just need to get price down a little bit.

the V in VLX stands for vdrive.

So is the Malibu a VLX or LX? Because I would only choose a v-drive (VLX) if I were you.

I have a 97 VLX with wedge, titan tower, full ballasts, perfect pass, etc. and the wake is SICK and super clean. I'm not going to knock the Nautique because it is a good boat, but I don't think you can get much better than the VLX that year. Btw, the 97 VLX is the same hull (SV23) as the Wakesetters up to '04 and then the Vrides up to '08. There is a reason Malibu kept that hull around for 10+ years.

You can't go gone either way. Both boats are proven winners.

now this it is a v-drive .... go that route for sure.

VLX...yea the seller's posting had 2 side shots of the boat in the water that weren't very clear, so I couldn't tell the engine setup or mdoel. I have some experience w/ mastercraft and a few nautiques but none of the Malibus so I have no idea which model is which. The nautique is cheaper, but still needs a tower, racks and ballast so I'm hoping the Malibu works out.

to answer you original question...now since the malibu is v drive it will prob be better for wakeboarding and free space with not weight in either. i have rode behind the DD sunsetter. I like the nautique wake much better however i havent been on a vdrive malibu. i did have someone on my 01' Air which is DD and he had been riding behind a wakesetter with wedge. He said my nautique wake was much bigger, and i run about 1000lbs.

but honestly i think you would be happy with either. i wish i had a vdrive....maybe in a couple yrs...

"He said my nautique wake was much bigger"
He was just trying to make you feel good.