Mastercraft X14

Getting ready to pull the trigger on a Mastercraft X14 and was looking for some pictures and owner input on options.
Thanks

Sully

im looking at the same boat. i would love some info as well

hey i have a 2009 x-14. just ask and ill do my best to provide u with answers...sorry but i dont have any pics.

I've spent some time in it and did NOT like it.
combined the worst for V-drives + worst of D-drives

You might want to think about waiting. On the MC forum there are pictures of a X14 V-Drive!

http://www.mastercraft.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?t=26318

What do you mean Nick. The boat shares the same hull as the 197, just bigger. It is definitely for someone who is more into skiing than wakeboarding it is a great boat. I was just talking to Chris Sullivan and he was thinking about it for his next boat. It is a much better ski boat than the X9. It has snap-out carpet and feels huge for a boat that has a good ski wake. I sold 2 of them last year when I worked at the MC dealership and both customers love the wake.

you get an engine in the middle = suck

climbing over and around people to get to the back of the boat or getting in after skiing = suck

it doesn't really look like there is any place to add ballast without making it the most cluttered boat in the world = suck

We have done all the research, I like to ski, son likes to wakeboard. Our local MC dealer is the best so it will be a MC. Currently have a V-Drive but don't like the ski wake hence the DD drive.
Looking for input on the VDIG or go to normal dash with Zero-off. The other question I have for X14 owners is regarding the trailer. Did you go with MC trailer or ???.
Thanks

Sully

Yeah get a SV 211 so you can porpoise up and down all day long in a skiiny no room boat. The X14 drives like the 197 but is a lot bigger. Great wake for skiing very small and soft vs 211's larger harder wake. The ballast full does not give you a wake of a vdrive but is good for beginners to intermediate riders.
If you dont mind the DD the X14 is probably one of the better crossover boats. No crossover boat does great on both sides.
The MC trailer is nice fits like a glove.
Oh and Nick,

Awwww peaches. i'm out of this one.

A d-drive is just going to be a little cramped compared to any v-drive -- no one wants that.




okay billy, you vs. me, Supersport vs. X-2....head on crash - winner take all

you don't want that. some people care about other things ahead of that.

Sully, an X-14 always gets a V-Dig because it has the ballast tank monitors, depth gauge and the like. The V-Dig also houses Perfect Pass.

I'm not 100% sure but I believe if you opt for Zero Off it replaces the gauge right next to the V-Dig unit which is your analog speedo and V-Dig is still included.

I've seen some ProStar 214 dashes with the Zero Off unit and the standard multi gauge speedo in the middle but I've only seen them on boats with out ballast.

sully,
why not think about an x-1? If you like to ski, and he likes to board...that boat can truely give you best of both words w/o the "hump" taking up all of the on-board space.

not sure what an '09 x-14 (assuming full of the good stuff) goes for out the door, but it can't be much higher (or lower) than the x-1.

or are you just ruling out the v-drive all together?

X1 would be a good boat. Get your kid the v-drive. He will love you more.

Seriously how much do you all slalom? (not sully)
I'm going to assume you mostly wakeboard, and that's what you know.

Why are you trying to talk him out of a boat he wants, and did research on? A Malibu Response would be better than any other boat for his needs anyway, but he wants an MC.

If Sully is serious at all about slaloming, an X-1 or any V-drive is the WORST freaking thing you could suggest. You can get a decent, ridable wake for most wakeboarders out of direct drives. You cannot make the wake of a v-drive smaller. Well, the X-14, or Prostar 214 (which looks better) actually can produce a decent slalom wake, has an extra seat that allows for more people legally, and can come with an internal ballast for riding. I'm sure most would throw in some extra sacks for a bigger wake. If the slalom wake is important at all, a V-drive is not even a possible suggestion.

The "hump" means its better anyway, and much more versatile.

edit to add ~
and Sully to answer your question, the two 214's that I saw had the V-dig, and Zer0-off, and one of them even had PP Stargazer as an addition. The ZO should just replace the analog speedo as was stated.

(Message edited by behindtheboat on October 08, 2008)

a-dub,
not sure where you are getting your facts, and im not trying to "talk him out of anything", but if you are doing research, why not do exactly that RESEARCH. The x-1 is one of the only v-drive boats that is actually AWSA approved, so to be honest, to you suggest it being the "WORST freaking think you could suggest", according to RESEARCH it would actually show to be a good suggestion.

as far as the assumption that majority of the time i wakeboard, yes that is true. but for you to say that suggesting a v-drive that is AWSA approved is a bad idea..just makes no sense.

(Message edited by nwsjake10 on October 08, 2008)

I'll agree with you on the research, my bad. As for AWSA, thats an approval companies pretty much pay for. An X-1, or that hull, has not pulled any tournament that I know of. If he is slaloming through a course at all or has the intention to in the future, a V-drive is a bad idea. It makes no sense that they would even approve a v-drive.

I apologize for jumping out so hard. V-drives are perfect for wakeboarders, but those that want to do other things direct drives can better meet the needs.

What kind of slaloming are you going to do Sully?

The X-1 is not AWSA approved, the X-14 is with a 350 hp engine and 1:1 transmission. This is full on certified for use in any tournament.

Right now no V-drive is rated beyond Class C in a tournament format.

I just checked into it Corey, and other than on MC's site, I can't find where it is approved. MC is blowing a lot of smoke with that claim on their website.http://www.mastercraft.com/boats/features/x1

No one would use a V-drive for any type of slaloming, the wake is too big and rampy, which is why it's so good for wakeboarding.

over 30 the x-1 flattens pretty good

and i know i'm going to get it for this but the x-1 w/o 1500+ lbs sucks for wakebaording

Agreed as well. But for the most part, including my wakeboarding self, not everyone purchasing a new v-drive wake specific boat is going to make sure that it's pulled tournaments..

Hence the current review on the x-15 in this forum, everyone mentioned how great the x-15's wake is, yet to my knowledge (which is not a whole lot) i don't believe it has ever pulled a tournament either...you see where i'm going..



(Message edited by nwsjake10 on October 08, 2008)

sorry fellas, just going by MC's site i guess...if that info is wrong then..well yea.

the x1 is the 205 of the past. its is awsa approved in its direct drive configuration. the motor was moved to the back on the exact same hull for the xstar/x2/x1.

So that hull is awsa certified, only not in V drive form.

honestly, i'm going by what the 2009 website reads, it doesn't say (was awsa approved) or anything so again, if the MC site is misinforming, then shame on them.



7 Things You Need To Know About This Boat


The X-1 hull is best-selling wakeboard hull of all time
The X-1 was originally the first X-Star, created as the official towboat of the X-Games over 10 years ago, and is the boat that pulled world-, pro tour- and X Games champion Parks Bonifay to his first double half cab roll, his first 1080.
The X-1 is an excellent crossover boat – thanks to the X-1’s narrow, clean underside, the wakes are perfect for skiing (AWSA approved) and with a flip of a switch, the ballast fills and the X-1 will churn out its legendary wakeboard wake
The X-1 has comfortable wrap around seating with over 40 cubic feet of storage for all of life’s on-water necessities
The X-1 comes standard with the MasterCraft quality and performance – a feature not found in many other entry level inboard towboats
The X-1 comes standard with tower, board racks and ballast system
The X-1 is a little under 21 feet so it is a perfect fit for those that need to store their water toys in the garage

There's a grey area regarding approvals. Companies pay money to get the boat approved, and then they are put to the actual test to see how far their approval can go. The X-1 can be approved for "Fun" tournaments, or even could be approved for USA Wakeboard competitions. This would give it the approval so that MC can market it as approved, when in reality it can not pull any competitive tournament. Back in the 90's, the Prostar 205 was approved, my family even bought one because of that, yet there was never a 205 at a single competition. Bottom line is, if someone is slaloming anything more than just carving every now and then on the weekends, they don't want a v-drive.

Copied from USA Waterski

This is in regards to Centurion V-drive;

"The following list identifies those towboats successfully meeting the 2007-2008 USA Water Ski Approved Ski Boat Evaluation criteria and guidelines. These boats
do not meet the rigorous performance standards of a USAWS Approved Tournament Towboat but are capable of pulling slalom, trick and jump skiers on
tournament type lakes."

And here are those approved boats for 2008. As you can see, there are V-Drives, but they are for "C" tournaments only, which means a record could not be set and it is a fun-only tournament. I don't see an X-1 anywhere there though;

Towboats approved for AWSA competitions in 2008 are: Centurion T5, Correct Craft 196, Correct Craft 206, Correct Craft SV211 (approved for Class C tournaments only), Malibu Response LXi, Malibu Sunscape 20 LSV (approved for Class C tournaments only), MasterCraft Pro Star 190, MasterCraft ProStar 197, MasterCraft ProStar 214 and Moomba Outback. The Centurion Falcon and Centurion Falcon V have been certified as USA Water Ski Approved Ski Boats for recreational use only.

I would recommend MC NOT promoting the X-1 the way they are.

(Message edited by behindtheboat on October 08, 2008)

Where I got it from : http://www.usawaterski.org/pages/press_releases/2008/2008ApprovedTowboats.pdf

It's a very grey area, even approved hulls are only approved with a certain engine/tranny configuration and then they are only approved for that year, certification does not carry over from year to year.
http://www.usawaterski.org/pages/TournKit/AWSA/Chief%20Driver/2008ApprovedTournamentTowboats.pdf

While I primarily wakeboard and would buy a V-Drive myself when I started riding, through learning my first two inverts and 3's I rode behind a direct drive because the people I rode with also skied. In their minds it was easier to wakeboard behind a ski boat than to ski behind a wakeboard boat.

"You get engine in the middle=suck" Nick im sure your an intelligent wakeboarder. (I mean that) But do you know much about skiing???? If your a dad or buyer than prefers skiing over wakeboarding as your primary sport of interest can you please explain why having the engine in the middle (direct drive) would suck. That makes absolutely no sense at all. I agree it sucks that you have to step around the engine and its in your way alot, but from a skiing aspect those are sacrafices you make for a tournament SKI wake. Plus the 214 is a bigger boat with the same hull as the 197. It produces an awesome ski wake and if this guy has younger kids who are not tournament wakeboarders why would he even need a Vdrive. Theres still built in ballast on the X14

Agreed that the X1 has a flat wake at 30+ but think about it. If your good enough to be skiing 30+ than you have some serious talent and time on the water. Why would you be in an X1 if your that good of a skiier. I mean these guys skiing professionally ski close to that speed and do not use Vdrive. Now if your considering it for the family aspect and dont mind sacrafice a bit of wake then I retract my previous statements and would say go for the X1. It all comes down to your needs. But if your an avid skiier and the wake is the most important thing to you than nothing can beat a direct drive.

If you can deal with 2 boats get a 1991-1994 MC prostar 190 and get a X1. You would have one of the best ski boats of all time and one of the best wakeboard boats of all time.

Who cares about AWSA approved this site is a bunch of wakeboarders not 3 Eventers. As far as MC saying that on their site, HOLY SH*+ !! STOP THE PRESS WE FOUND A PROBLEM. Who gives a F&*% !! The original ???? was about the X14. Most of you guys with exception of Nick (former show skier)are all one dimensional in watersports, wakeboard only. Most of you couldnt compete in three event if your life depended on it. So why care about AWSA Approved?
The X14 is a great all around boat IF it fits your needs and you like to trick slalom or jump and also on a beginner to intermediate level rider.

Can someone give sully some pics??
There is a reason MC makes more than one boat. It looks like the X-14 fits the needs of Sully's family.
Now lets try to help him out...Pics anyone?

haha, Billy you couldn't be more wrong.

engine in the middle sucks just because it kills the flow of the boat -- hard to walk through, just takes up a lot of space right in the DEAD center of the boat.

if you have a family and your kid is in back, all of a sudden is dangling over the edge you've got something in your path to get to him/her. V-drives = family boats

Not that I'm proud of the showskiing but the 205v is an awesome everything boat -- the ski school I worked at used an X-1 for their boat - we did everything from kneeboarding to skiing to wakeboard and the boat worked great for it all.
I'm not a great skiier but running a course on the X-1 is not a stretch.




1. Add weight = big, nicely shaped wake - easy to add ballast
2. VDRIVE = storage, better "family" boat
3. Up the speed flat wake

Skiing = check
Wakeboarding/surfing = check
family fun = check


If anyone here knows anything about anything its Billy -- that guy has more time on the water than everyone on the thread combined (not just because he is old either) --


get the 214 i'm sure you'll love it.... but I would think the family would like the x-1 better.
I donno the X-15 ski wake but that boat would be great for wake/surf/family --- the trim tab may save the ski wake too

"an X-1 or any V-drive is the WORST freaking thing you could suggest."

What did you expect from a wakeboarding forum?

Billy thats funny. Cant speak for anyone else but I learned to water ski for 5 years before I touched a SKURFER. Ya Im young and started early. But to say "one dimensional wakeboarders" or something to that extent is unfair. Just my 2 cents. One thing I could bet my life on is there are PLENTY of good people on this website who could in fact participate in 3 events especially if there life depended on it. Im not discrediting you at all. Honestly you seem to have a TON of knowledge and probably kill it on the water in multiple sports. Im just sticking up for myself and those of us that truly do have a passion in this sport and can do more than just wakeboard. Nick- I definetly agree that the X1 is more of a family boat. Sometimes when people get on here and ask questions they dont fully establish there needs in what there looking for. Like Im about to buy an X14 what do you guys think. Well you cant give credible advice unless you know what the customer wants to get out of his boat. Does he want a family boat? Does he want the best ski wake he can get? Does he want a multifunctunal boat? All these questions should come into affect when your looking for feedback on a boat. Dave I got a camera at work here, but we just sent our X14 to our other shop Id be happy to take some pics of an X7 (which has SOME similarities not but all) Sully let me know if I can help you with some pics. The X7 has the same hull just smaller and doesnt have snap in carpet or the same ballast set up. Plus the X14 has the VDIG as well. (Digital dash display screen)

i didn't mean to start a debate by bringing up the x-1, it was just another suggestion to the box is all..

obviously the guys going to buy the boat he wants, i just tossed that up in the air, and added that it is AWSA approved as a bonus...

(edit) is AWSA approved according to the MC site..

(Message edited by nwsjake10 on October 08, 2008)

I am just going to throw this out there.


The AWSA approval was on past X1's/205V's/X2's?X-star's or whatever the hell MC wants to call that boat. So they just market it still as that. Nothing has changed to the hull, and as mentioned the certification is a money oriented thing not a straight up performance thing. So they are probably going on the once approved always approved as nothing has changed. B/S well..........???????? Marketing is marketing and I can name a million other companies that tweak words to claim things. Is it right???????????HMMMMMMMM????

Pretty much the V-dig and the Zero off has been covered. Sorry don't have any pics but have been in one and ridden behind one(boarding). Not a bad layout for a D-Drive. Though it may require some people jockying to change riders and skiers. We only had 3 in the boat, but it could get tight fast. As far as crossovers in the MC line. If you are doing more skiing than boarding I go X14 all the way......If you are more set on boarding than skiing I would look into X1/X2/X15, but is sounds like you are looking for a more serious ski machine with boarding characteristics.

The 197 can get a really nice poppy wake. My old riding buddy used to weight is with 2 of thouse longe seats on each side of the engine and another one in the walkway. We had to ride a little slower at say 22 rather than our 24.5 behind my boat and also shortened the rope. Still a fun wake to boot with nice landing zones

Would def consider holding off until the release of the '09 X-14 V-Drive. Reviews are looking good for the all around performance of this boat as a crossover ski/wake boat. Also, you may want to consider the X-2 if you are a little more interested in wakeboarding and surfing. For investment and resale I think you will see a better return on the V-Drive model versus the direct drive. The X-2 and X-15 have been the best selling models for a couple of years running now but I think the 14 V-Drive will give a better run for a true skier with its hull. Just my two cents! Best of luck on the purchase, you can't go wrong with Mastercraft!

think about a malibu xti. i have one and love it. its got a decent slalom wake. it also comes with over 1000 lbs of ballast and the wedge which together make a decent wakeboard wake. it sometimes sucks with the engine right in the middle and me as a driver, i sometimes feel left out of the conversation in the back. but, with 23 feet of space it does not feel small to me.

Why even recommend the Malibu? He said he is buying the X14.

if he is buying the x-14 why this thread?

nick, i think because his question was for pics and INPUT from current X 14 owners.

this thread has really gotten out of hand

Reassurance

we were in the same position that you were in and we decided to go with the x14. my dad is a slalom skier and i like to wakeboard. it produces a nice slalom wake and a nice beginner to intermediate wake. And honestly, i dont think it being a dd it that big of a deal. its not like the motor gets in the way of everything like a lot of people are making it to be. so imo i would go with this boat if you are looking for a nice crossover family boat.

I almost hate to post this .....
The X14 is going to be our next boat.
We have made this decision as a family after demo'g the X1 and X14. Don't care for the pickle fork, that crosses off the X2. X15 won't fit the garage (and yes we actually tried one). In theory we could wait for the X14V but from the pictures I have seen I don't really care for it. Plus it's a new boat and we would want to wait a year two for them to get the bugs out.
I was looking for some differn't pictures for color ideas and ideas for "must" have options. before we order.
Thanks for everyone's input.

Must have:

Spinner board racks --- sooo nice

Tower speakers - from mc or after market are a must

Underwater lights are cool

Depending where you live - heater

agreed with everything nick said.

Skip the mastercraft speakers. Get wetsounds installed aftermarket. Heater is a nice option if you like an early morning ski. I would get the MCX. Bimini is nice. Since you ski I would get the Ski rack for one side. There is no room to store a ski in the boat other than under the observers seat if I remember correctly. I would skip the Mastercraft cover. In my opinion they are junk. I would buy a Rankin, Evolution or similar Sunbrella material cover. The shower is nice, but not needed. Binding blaster is a huge waste of money.

The spinning board racks are standard on the X14 I believe.

(Message edited by polarbill on October 08, 2008)

you dont like the mc cover... i think ours works very nicely

The skarkskin covers are crap. I use to work as a salesman for mastercraft. My friend had his X45 at my house all summer and the Mastercraft dealer had an X2 at our house all summer as well. The only way to keep water off them is to use poles. The sharkskin also tears easier than Sunbrella. I have a Rankin and my roommate has a Malibu with a custom sunbrella cover. Even at twice the money they are worth every penny. No poles to deal with, they fit tighter and last longer.

I really don't understand spending 60k on a boat and skimping on the main item that keeps your boat clean and dry. Unless you put your boat in a garage every night get the custom sunbrella cover.

(Message edited by polarbill on October 08, 2008)

"I almost hate to post this .....
The X14 is going to be our next boat."
I would most definitely not put it this way. You and your family looked into all the options, and chose a boat that best fitted your needs. Congratulations. In the end of the day, you are buying a world class ski boat and a pretty darn good wakeboard boat too. Buying a new boat is one of the most exciting things that you can do. I hope that you and your family have tons of fun behind your new ride.

Chqwakeborder,
That came off wrong...Very excited about the boat.
Posting ...not so much.

My only statement and its pretty much meaningless is you do yourself a disservice not looking at other brands and giving them a drive. I understand being stuck on a brand MC,cc,bu etc. Many people are shocked when they try out these others. Either way your getting a well made boat from a reputable company. The only real negative I see is resale value on DD are not as good on V Drives and harder to sell ask any dealer or check out boattrader

Sully,
Just make sure you get the "AWSA Approved" sticker on it.

As far as my one dimensional statement I deal with a lot of pros and its amazing how many of them looks like tards even on a kneeboard its funny as hell. Very few of the pros Parks, Zane, etc. are kicka$$ in all events. Zane is probably the most talented guy on the water period. For example when CWB did their poster here the guys tried to do the 3 pyramids using two skis but couldnt do it, so they put their boards on and did fine. I think its comical to watch these guys struggle with other things when they are sooo incredibly awesome on a wakeboard.


BTW thanks for the compliment Nick but I'm not that smart just old.

I would disagree with Nick's "must haves" wholeheartedly. Those add nothing to the functionality of the boat with the exception of the heater.

I personally don't care for spinner racks as every model I've been around have been cumbersome to use and they're way expensive, especially from MC.

The MC cruise also sucks IMO so I'd spring for PP or similar

Heater

All stereo equipment is cheaper and better to do yourself aftermarket

Transom saver if you go teak

MCX motor

Bimini

Tower mirror

Dual batteries w/ perko - either do it yourself or have it done

These are must have's to go riding IMO.

Spinners are standard on X14 and so is PP.
Cumbersome?

Perfect Pass is standard instead of Zero Off?

hey sully,
happy you made your decision, here are some pics from an x-14 that is for sale the local dealer..it was used as a demo boat this summer and i believe is still for sale..

Damn that is SWEET. Too bad there is a motor right in the middle of it!!! Just kidding that thing is awesome. Is that swim platform as big as the boat. Thats a great looking boat if your looking for a slalom only boat. Any place to hide some sacks for his kids on it?

Yep cumbersome, but then again, I don't find putting a wakeboard in a rack all that challenging. Even if I did find them convenient, I would hardly consider spinner racks that cost a couple of grand a "must have" option.

Its not an option! Its standard. Standing on the side of a boat trying to get the board out of a rack vs. spinning it in, is cumbersome, especially to the ladies and kids. Then dont forget about the rotting bungee cords poppin you in the eye. But hey what do I know? If spinners suck then why has CC and Bu and a few others have come out with spinners as well and those are "Options".

Dude, get worked up about it a little more. To each his own. Personally I'd never pay for them. If there wasn't a market for them they wouldn't sell them.

Not to beat a dead horse, but if PP is standard rather than ZO that will be a major benefit to this boat selling to the "skiing" world. With this boat being approved, it would make it the only one with PP. They are actually doing the boat tests this week, so we'll soon find out if any manufacturer was able to work around the ZO-PP deal. I hope this comes with PP, but I doubt it.

Stanfield, what don't you understand about standard? You don't have the option of getting them. Also, have you ever used the mastercraft spinner racks. There is absolutely nothing cumbersome about them. The stereo with drivers remote, mp3 jack, 4 component speakers, sub and amp are also STANDARD on the X14. Unlike every other company all this stuff is standard on the Mastercraft.

Tampa, There isn't really anywhere to hide extra sacks. The stock dual rear ballast takes up some of the storage and the bow storage is pretty small.

Perfect Pass is Standard.

Perfect Pass is standard and Zero Off is an option. Only Zero Off will be certified for AWSA events.

Standard is just too far over my head, sorry. I don't bother to memorize every boats standard options, I was just speaking in generalities.

I guess things like that are why this d/d boat cost more than similar vdrives. Swivel racks, pp, etc...were all options on mine. To answer the question, yes I've used the MC swivel racks, no I don't think they're worth what MC charges for them. Even if they come "standard", you're still paying for them.

Here's one we had at the boat show last year.

"Unlike every other company all this stuff is standard on the Mastercraft. " - polarbill

Sorry dude, no one touches MB's "Standards" not even MC.
Swivel Board Racks
Zero Off
Bimini Top
Tower Mounted Mirror
Wind Block
Stereo, Sub, 6 Channel amp, MP3 Connection
2000 lb Ballast System.
Dual Batteries w/switch
And a lifetime warranty on just about everything.

Sorry, just looking out.

and how many boats does MB sell a year again...?

Yeah, but with MB you can still get really sweet tribal designs.

Jake, our local MB dealer sells just as many boats as our MC dealer.

Thats right Brett, customers can get whatever they want, if they want a tribal design, they can get it.

Epic comes stock with EVERYTHING .... isn't there only one option. a bimini?

My question is if there is no place to hide ballast and its a ski specific boat why the wakeboard racks as well as a surfboard on it? Should put some ski racks on it or something. Thats expensive for just looks

Tampa, there are extensions that are an option to make the wakeboard racks, ski racks. The 2 X14's and 2 X-7's I sold last year all had a wakeboard rack on one side and Ski rack on the other.

MB is a small family owned company, always has been and will be, they build everything in the same warehouse and take care of their dealers and customers. Yes, I think that MB builds a better boat than MC. I am not into internet bickering, just correcting an incorrect statement, sorry if I bruised egos. The X14 is a very cool unique boat and I am looking forward to seeing the new X14V.

Alan,
I'm sure they do..MB makes a nice boat..but in the grand scheme of things..MC is a MUCH larger company than MB, that produces MUCH more sold boats a year as well..

the standard options on the MB are awesome, no one is doubting that, but the fact that a company like MC, that produces as many boats at they do, provides a large list of standard options is also a huge bonus.

Sully made an awesome choice by going with the x-14, i'm sure he and his son will love it..hope he posts some pics of his new boat.

I thought PP could not be installed by the manufacturer on any boat 2009 and newer? The understanding was that if you want PP, it was an aftermarket thing you have to do, the manufacturer was not able to. That was my understanding of the PP vs ZO agreement. If what you say is true, then there is no reason MC can't put a PP driven boat in the approval tests.