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Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-15-2013, 7:09 AM Reply   
Finally got the new boat in. For this season, I had a hard time deciding between a Malibu LSV with surfgate and a Recon Edition Axis A22. Ultimately, I elected to buy the LSV for two reasons: (1) my dealer had an LSV build slot that was much earlier in the season than her available A22 slots; and (2) my family really wanted a surfgate equipped boat. It was a tough decision, because the A22 I spec'ed had the LS3, Z5, sound pack III, etc. To get in the same realm of price, I had to go with the standard 350 motor on the LSV and no Z5 (sure, I could have just added those options, but my boats are paid for up front, and I didn't want to have to go into savings - I set a budget and wanted to stick to it). My concerns regarding the motor and bimini; however, were calmed after spending a weekend on a friend's LSV in late fall last year. He has the 350 and the Torque prop on his LSV. His boat planes out fine with 750's in the rear, factory ballast, wedge and 700lbs of lead in the nose. The set I took behind his boat was one of the best I had all season. The wake was very similar to my old A22 wake. Admittedly, the A22's wake is a bit thicker and has the potential to get a bit bigger, but, at my age and skill level, I just don't need anything more than I can get out of an LSV with the standard motor and Torque prop. That set convinced me that I'd be happy with an LSV even without the big motor option. (Yes, I'll burn a bit more in gas cruising around with the Torque prop, but I plan to buy another standard prop to swap out on the rare occasion that I have a planned boat cruise of notable distance).

In regard to the bimini, the guys and Malibu and Commercial Sewing have been working together to come up with an easier to open and close, and much sturdier, standard bimini option. What they came up with is known as the "Slider Bimini". I have had z5's for the past 4 years. I love the utility of the z5 and the size of the shade. Plus, I have historically HATED flimsy, hard to fold and open, standard biminis. The slider bimini takes all of 2 minutes MAX to deploy (a bit more to put stow simply because you have to deal with fitting the cover over the canvas. Seriously, you just unzip the cover, flip the rear hoop over the tower, slide the bimini forward in its tracks, and lock the two rear legs in. That's it. I was told (by a bu owner who has a Slider) that you could tow with the bimini up as long as you're not on the interstate. I tested that out this weekend. I towed with the bimini up at 55mph for about 20 minutes. Not a shake. Not a flap. It was just rock solid. When deployed, this is by far the sturdiest, most ridged standard type bimini I have ever seen. I like the fact that it is over the tower, yet it is still big enough to provide a lot of shade. As you can see from the pictures, it was drizzling yesterday on our maiden voyage; yet, we were still able to have lunch on the table and not get wet due to the coverage provided by the bimini. I may ultimately have the wife sew surf pockets on the bimini. No, the Slider is no z5. Man, I love a z5.... But it is a very very very good #2 option. I am looking forward to taking the boat out on a sunny day and at least having the option of not having a huge shade over me so I can get some sun in the driver's seat.

There are two slight drawbacks of the Slider bimini. The first is that, if you are using a Samson mirror arm, and your mirror is not folded to the side, you have to push the bimini forward somewhat when it is in the closed position so it's not tucked tight against the front tower hoop in order to allow room for the mirror arm. Not a big deal, but it's something to consider when option for a tower mirror mount or a windshield mount. I ended up getting both the Samson arm and the PTM windshield mirror mount. I'm going to try both and see which I like best. I'm starting off with the tower mount. The second issue with the Slider is that, due to fact that the bimini rests against the front tower hoop, you can't fold the tower as far down as you can with the other types of biminis. This was a non-concern of mine, because I don't fold my tower. I mean, I NEVER fold my tower. However, a lot of people do, so I thought I'd mention it. It is my understanding that they are coming out with a quick release system, which will allow the bimini to rotate out of the way or slide off quickly so you can still fold your tower all the way if you are storing your boat in a garage or something. Once you install a Slider; however, you will see that, by removing two little set screws, you can side the entire bimini off as it is currently designed, and fold the tower flat. (BTW, I was able to easily mount and remove the bimini by myself from it's brackets - 1 man job). You'd just need to keep the right size allen wrench in your boat bag. Ultimately, I give the Slider Bimini two big thumbs up. It's no Z5, but it's a hell of a lot cheaper.

As you can see, I with with the PTM Edge mirror for this season. I poked fun of this mirror pretty bad last year when it came out. I just didn't see how anyone could justify the price of these things. However, (here's where I pull my foot out of my mouth) after seeing a few in action, and using a few of these high end mirrors while pulling friends, I had to have one. They are just soooooo much clearer and provide such a larger field of vision than a standard mirror. Look, my little girls are starting to want to ride and/or want to ride on a tube or something by themselves. Spending a few extra hundred dollars to be able to see them better is worth it. We all spend a ton on gas and gear and a boat to ride and watch our family/friends ride. It's worth a few extra hundred to see the action a bit better. I have to hand it to PTM. They make a great product. Whether you get a the billet or standard backed PTM mirror, it's still a great option.

The trailer - ooohhhhhh the trailer. Boatmate hooked it up once again. Why did I get a triple, you ask? Well, there's probably not a justifiable reason. I mean, it looks pretty damn cool. There's that. It also tows freaking unbelievable on the interstate and stops like it's got a drag chute on it. I keep my boat at my house. I trailer it several times a week. My commute to the ramp is not all that long right now, but my wife and I are debating moving to a neighborhood that will require us to tow the boat up and down a very very long and steep roadway that goes to the top of a nearby mountain. If we move up there, the trip to the ramp will be 3x as long, and will require me to be on the brakes a lot going down the mountain. I drive a Yukon Denali, not a F-5000 Super Ultra Duty twin screw 18 inch dual smokestack exhaust dump truck brakes equipped diesel. I liked the fact that a triple has an extra set of brakes, and some extra traction to help me keep under control on the descent down the mountain. If I don't move up on the mountain this season, well, at least the trailer will be great for towing to tournaments and events in Knoxville and Nashville this season. Seriously, this trailer tows like a freaking dream. Now, I read up a bunch on triples before buying this one. All I read was "It's sooooo hard to turn." "I thought about turning and one of the wheels fell off my triple." "You have to buy tires once a week." "If you miss your exit, don't even think about turning around, you have to drive around the circumference of the earth to get back to your exit." Mew Mew Mew. Look, let me tell you, when I picked up this boat from the plant, the first thing I did was test out the trailer to see how bad it was going to be. Honestly, I don't know where people get this garbage about a triple not wanting to turn. This thing turns fine. No problems at all. Zero.

Boatmate did exactly what I wanted with the trailer, and gave me great advice as to some options that I went with. Owen Shelton and Mark Gibbs are awesome to deal with. Those guys, time and time again, have gone the extra mile to make sure that everything with my trailers has been perfect. This is trailer number 6 from Boatmate for me, and it's my favorite one yet. My favorite feature? The transom steps. My 4.5 year old can use those steps and get on and off the swim platform from the ground by herself. My wife, who used to always make me put a towel down on the wet swim platform so she could sit down on it and hop onto the ground (so as not to get her butt wet), can now easily get on and off the back of the boat without interrupting me wiping down the boat after a day on the water. Is this somewhat minor? I guess. But for those of us who have kids, parents, etc., it's niiiiiiiice to have those steps. The clear LED's and runway lights are sweet. The Fulton jack is beefy. The new tongue assembly/hitch (I forgot to get a pic of that - I will) is much nicer and user friendly than the old style. All in all, I'm stoked. The boat fits perfect, tows perfect, and looks exactly how I wanted it to. Thanks Boatmate!
Attached Images
                        

Last edited by chattwake; 04-15-2013 at 7:19 AM.
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-15-2013, 7:10 AM Reply   
The Stereo: Unfortunately, my cost cutting measures affected my stereo (at least at this point - I may upgrade later if I feel the need to and get some private tuition paid first ). I stuck with the factory Fosgate 6.5 interior speakers (8 of them) and 12'' sub, as well as the factory Fosgate amps. I focused on the tower instead. I went with a Sinister SD2 amp and two pair of Rev10's on the tower with the G3 tower mount. I also installed a WS420 (you can see it mounted to the right of the steering wheel in one of the pics below. Let me tell you, installing this stuff was a chore. I had no idea that you had to completely disassemble each of the Rev10's to mount them to the tower, much less take the rear G3 hoop halfway off. If I hadn't been too tired from working for 14 straight hours on the boat, I'd have done a full writeup on the install with pictures and everything. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. For you guys who pay to have this work done, trust me, your stereo guys earn what you pay them. the hardest part was figuring out how to wire the ws420. I crawled under the dash looking for the RCA cables to tap into and couldn't find any. It took me a while to realize that there is no head unit in this boat. I still don't know where the RCA's start. I ultimately had to just take the RCA's out of one of the inputs for the cabin speaker amp, extend it by 25 ft, and run it, along with three more 25 ft cables, power, ground and acc wires, from the OB compartment around the front of the boat, up under where the anchor light is, back around and underneath the dash area. 25 zip ties later, two coathangers, and a bunch of fiberglass in my hands and arms, you can't see any wires and everything was in place. I have yet to really crank the system up, as I don't want to give my neighbors a heart attack and I had the kids/wife on the boat with me this weekend. However, I can tell you that it sounds amazing at 1/3 volume. The Rev10's are just absolute beasts. There is so much bass and mid it's unbelievable. Oh, and I simply LOVE how the speakers are mounted up and to the side so you don't have to worry about banging your head on them.

The ballast system install was fairly straight forward. When you are ordering 750's for your LSV, make sure you get the ones with the 4 ports (two on the bottom of the bag at each end). I did not do this. I got a standard bag with two ports on the top, which are about 6 inches from the sides of the bag, and one on the bottom of the bag that's really build into the side/bottom of the bag. To make these bags work, I had to flip them upside down, because my 13 LSV has the high flow system. This system uses 1 1/8 hose. It has one fill hose that connects to the top of the bag and two (2) dump hoses that attach to the bottom of the bag (this is why you need the bags with 4 ports, because those have fittings on each side of the bottom corners of the bags). I had to attach the dump hoses to the ports that would normally be on the top of the bag and run the fill hose to the port that would normally be on the bottom. Whatever, it works. I love the Fly High bags btw. I went with black this year, because I always get a laywer of scum on my gray ones.

I'm stoked. As I get more familiar with this boat, and its capabilities, I'll post up some more thoughts. For now, I can tell you that I love the heated driver's seat. I love the fact that I can hook up my Iphone and Ipads to the blue tooth wireless interface and play music through the stereo without having to fiddle with any wires. I'll probably like the prefect pull bluetooth app, but I haven't figured it out yet. Most importantly, I know I'll love the wake and the surfgate wave. My wife is usually the dedicated surfing driver (because I'm either riding or coaching from the transom). She hates driving the boat when it is listing heavily to one side. She's a good driver, but with our old boats, she sometimes still had issues turning the boat when listed hard to one side and avoiding those rollers/picking up the rider. With surfgate, that's a problem of the past. The boat is sooooo much easier and safer to drive at idle speeds, because it is sitting flat in the water. Also, it's just safer in general for my kids, because there's a flat floor or seat for them to sit on at all times. With surfgate, my goofy footed friends will not feel like it's so much of a chore to let them surf anymore. No more wasting tons of time pumping in and out ballast and moving bags and people around to to let them get a set.

In the end, I'd like to thank my dealer, Marine Outfitters, in Charleston, Tennessee. We've all seen countless threads started by somone who's debating buying one boat or another. The comment is almost always thrown out there having a good relationship with your dealer is key. This importance of this factor simply should not be underestimated. Joyce at Marine Outfitters has made every transaction I've had with her smooth, easy and problem-free. She knows her boats, knows her vendors, and knows how to treat her customers. When I went to sign the papers and cut a check on Friday, she talked to me for 45 minutes straight about my kids, my work and my wife. I'm not just a number or a sale. To her, I'm a friend. She cares enough to want to know about me and my family. Anyone who has dealt with the folks over at Marine Outfitters will say the same. I hope that each of you can find a dealer, and support a dealer, who does business like Joyce.

Well, I've just wasted 1.5 hours of work, which means I'll be here late tonight. Let me know your thoughts, and I'll answer any questions that you might have. If anyone has a newer malibu, and wants some advice on how to install any of the ballast or stereo stuff that's in my boat, pm me and I'll be glad to give you some pointers that I learned.

Last edited by chattwake; 04-15-2013 at 7:20 AM.
Old     (iShredSAN)      Join Date: Apr 2012       04-15-2013, 7:38 AM Reply   
WOW! That boat is simply beautiful... and congrats on another sweet vessel!!! You never disappoint and your taste in color, options, etc, fits mine to the tee. Maybe one of these years I will buy your "old" boat at the end of the season... Well done
Old     (scotthons)      Join Date: Mar 2010       04-15-2013, 7:47 AM Reply   
I couldn't get past the beauty of the boat to read your novel, but I am sure you have eveything dialed in. So clean looking! Congrats!
Old     (Dmac420sj)      Join Date: Mar 2012       04-15-2013, 8:14 AM Reply   
^^^lol it was very detailed. Congrats man that's a bad ass boat!
Old     (FunkyBunch)      Join Date: Jun 2011       04-15-2013, 8:26 AM Reply   
Congrats Chatt boat looks awesome. and as always you provide a great service to the community for your write ups. Look forward to hearing about the wakeboard wake and surf wake.
Old     (mattgettel)      Join Date: Jan 2009       04-15-2013, 8:27 AM Reply   
Again, sharp boat. Good work.
Old     (migs)      Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: SF Bay Area       04-15-2013, 8:30 AM Reply   
classy! awesome as always CHatt
Old     (ripr)      Join Date: Mar 2002       04-15-2013, 8:30 AM Reply   
Great Lookin' Bu!!
Old     (tyler97217)      Join Date: Aug 2004       04-15-2013, 8:39 AM Reply   
Very nice and yeah the trailer is just sweet!!!!! Nice work boatmate!
Congrats!
Old     (Nordicron)      Join Date: Aug 2011       04-15-2013, 9:04 AM Reply   
Nice write up! You and the family will certainly enjoy. One question though? Why did you opt for a tri axle trailer? Could have surely saved some money only going with double, which coulda been put into the boat.
Old     (spencerwm)      Join Date: Feb 2009       04-15-2013, 9:23 AM Reply   
Amazing looking boat. Great work
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-15-2013, 9:26 AM Reply   
Ron, as I explained, I thought the triple would help with braking and tracking when decending a steep grade. Also, when I do tow the boat any distance, it's on the interstate at 70 mph. Triples tow very will on a long straight away. Lastly, it looks badass.
Old     (markj)      Join Date: Apr 2005       04-15-2013, 11:08 AM Reply   
Man, that can't be cheap buying a new boat every year. Do you keep them outside what looks like your shop or are they kept inside? Nice looking boat.
Old     (stephan)      Join Date: Nov 2002       04-15-2013, 11:09 AM Reply   
Always been a fan of the all white boat. This one really takes the cake! And that triple axle looks baller.
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-15-2013, 11:22 AM Reply   
Mark,

That's an extra driveway that was poured next to my garage. Currently, my boat stays either next to my house, on a friend's lift, on my in-laws covered dock, or in my garage. It kind of floats around depending on how we use it.
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-15-2013, 11:22 AM Reply   
Small - thanks man. I also am a big fan of the storm tooper look.
Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       04-15-2013, 12:35 PM Reply   
Looks awesome Chatt! I know you spent a ton of time already installing the stereo and are ready to just start enjoying the boat but when you get a chance, you should line up the Rev10 grills.

I never really paid attention to mine until Tim pointed it out to me! Get someone to help line them up or you'll drive yourself crazy hopping in and out of the boat.

I love my Sinister amps on the Rev10's too! The bass really seemed to open up.
Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       04-15-2013, 12:40 PM Reply   
Ok, looking at the pics again closer, I noticed that they are lined up with the tower which looks fine but might look better if they were vertical.
Old     (jonblarc7)      Join Date: Jul 2006       04-15-2013, 12:53 PM Reply   
One of your better looking boat and that's saying a lot.
Old     (boardjnky4)      Join Date: Dec 2011       04-15-2013, 1:00 PM Reply   
looks dope. 3 axle trailer is super overkill but it looks mean!
Old     (WakeDirt)      Join Date: Jun 2011       04-15-2013, 1:00 PM Reply   
Damn......Well done
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-15-2013, 1:02 PM Reply   
TJ. I installed those speakers in the middle of the night, after a pitcher of sangria, after being sunburned as hell, after chasing a 4.5 year old around all day who was trying to "help" me, after lugging batteries, cables, etc. etc. etc. around everywhere. Honestly, I was so tired that I didn't even read the instructions on how to mount any of this stuff. I just started taking stuff apart until it started going back together. Bluntly, I'm surprised that I didn't mount them up backwards or something.
Old     (riddick)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-15-2013, 1:28 PM Reply   
Congratulations man! Heck of a trailer! I love the all white and brown interior.
Old     (viking)      Join Date: Sep 2009       04-15-2013, 1:31 PM Reply   
I love all white boats and yours definitely stands out with that 3 axle Boatmate. Nice set-up all the way around!
Old     (wakedaveup)      Join Date: May 2012       04-15-2013, 1:35 PM Reply   
Mark Gibbs at boatmate is a great guy, that trailer looks awesome Chatt and congrats on the new boat! Great write up as always too.
Old     (psudy)      Join Date: Dec 2003       04-15-2013, 1:50 PM Reply   
Very fine boat Chatt. Look forward to seeing it more in the boat bun thread.
Old     (fman)      Join Date: Nov 2008       04-15-2013, 2:26 PM Reply   
Love it! That trailer is insane.... enjoy your summer Chatt and congratulations!
Old     (cwb4me)      Join Date: Apr 2010       04-15-2013, 2:51 PM Reply   
Chatt boat looks great! Very clean.The triple axle trailer is awesome looking!Enjoy it.
Old     (sandm01)      Join Date: May 2010       04-15-2013, 3:05 PM Reply   
great looking boat...

I concur on the wetsounds speaker install. it took me forever and a day to figure out how to take the icon8's apart to install and in the end, the 4 on my boat don't line up right. tim pointed it out and told me how to fix it, but in the end, it adds character to the install... and they sound just as great as if I had lined them up
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-15-2013, 3:17 PM Reply   
Thanks Robert. I appreciate the compliment.
Old     (polarbill)      Join Date: Jun 2003       04-15-2013, 4:33 PM Reply   
I like it but think you should ditch the Wakesetter graphics. Would look cleaner.

I am interested to hear your experiences on having the triple axle trailer. I just have a hard time believing it will help much at seeing as it is only a 4000 pound boat or so. You can admit it to us. You mostly got it because it looks cool.
Old     (kimper)      Join Date: May 2008       04-15-2013, 4:34 PM Reply   
Beautiful!!!! Very very close to the awesomeness of my new boat!
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-15-2013, 5:48 PM Reply   
Brett it's more like 6k I think. Yes I mostly got it because it looks cool.
Old     (jrw160)      Join Date: Oct 2006       04-15-2013, 6:09 PM Reply   
Where's the woodgrain steering wheel?
Old     (MattieK27)      Join Date: Mar 2010       04-15-2013, 6:28 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by chattwake View Post
Brett it's more like 6k I think. Yes I mostly got it because it looks cool.
Nice boat as always.

But come on, 6k? You usually are pretty honest on your posts, but I highly doubt Malibu lists a weight 1900 lbs off from real life on their web site. (4100 lbs)

I would say have fun replacing 6 tires, not just 4; but you don't keep them long enough for that to be an issue.

I would also like to know where the wood grain wheel is, you're slipping man...
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-15-2013, 6:53 PM Reply   
The wheel is not a direct bolt on. I'm going to have to figure that one out. I just got the damn thing Friday, ease up! Hahahaha. Ill look to see where I got the 6k figure. Hang tight.
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-15-2013, 6:56 PM Reply   
http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/...the-other-day/

Here's the source of the confusion. This guys vlx weighed in at 5900 including the trailer. Sorry. I guess with gas and speakers my lsv is alone is like 4500lbs?
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-15-2013, 6:57 PM Reply   
Duh. I was thinking total weight for towing purposes not for trailer load.
Old     (bryce2320)      Join Date: May 2012       04-15-2013, 7:02 PM Reply   
That boat is beautiful!!! Congrats
Old     (Redleader)      Join Date: Feb 2013       04-15-2013, 7:23 PM Reply   
Beautiful Boat Chattwake! Thanks for taking the time and doing the write-up. I really enjoyed reading it!
Old     (MattieK27)      Join Date: Mar 2010       04-15-2013, 7:39 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by chattwake View Post
Duh. I was thinking total weight for towing purposes not for trailer load.
I just had to give you crap, major envy of the "new boat every year" plan you're on.
Old     (markj)      Join Date: Apr 2005       04-15-2013, 11:01 PM Reply   
Hey isn't there a show where they display all kinds of weird addictions? I think Chatwake could be on it for his addiction to new boat smell. ;-)
Old     (JayManAR)      Join Date: Dec 2012       04-16-2013, 6:49 AM Reply   
Fresh and clean as always. Thanks for the write up. Now..we will need some on the water pictures very soon
Old     (cjh1669)      Join Date: Apr 2005       04-16-2013, 7:37 AM Reply   
Very nice, really like the triple axle trailer. Have to let me know if *** really helps out towing.
Old     (bruizza)      Join Date: May 2009       04-16-2013, 8:19 AM Reply   
Great looking boat once again Chatt!
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-16-2013, 8:19 AM Reply   
I can tell you already that towing on the interstate is awesome. The rig doesn't bounce, sway or wag at all. You can tell its back there and that it's heavy, but that's about it. There is a very steep hill going up into my neighborhood now, and the trailer really does help with braking. I can't calculate or really determine how much compared to my old tandems, but it's nice.
Old     (downfortheride)      Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: SLC, UT 5600'       04-16-2013, 8:28 AM Reply   
Good work Chatt! Huge fan of the all white.
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-16-2013, 8:42 AM Reply   
So I guess the concensus is that all white is alright.
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-16-2013, 8:45 AM Reply   
One other component that I didn't mention is that I am running XSPowerbatteries D3100's again this season. I've had the same damn batteries since 2009. Like my freaking wood steering wheel, those batteries are the only items that I have held onto. I honestly can't believe I haven't killed them yet. I've run them absolutely dead probably a hundred times and beat on them with everything Wetsounds has to offer for the past 4 seasons. I am eyeing the new 7500 series that XS just came out with. I'll need to work on my squats to pick that bastard up though! The D3100's already weigh over 80lbs each.
Old     (LYNRDSKYNRD)      Join Date: Sep 2012       04-16-2013, 9:14 AM Reply   
Awesome looking! It's nice that the triples make a difference in towing, but even if didn't I wouldn't care.....it looks sick! Thank you for sharing with us.
Old     (bass10after)      Join Date: Feb 2010       04-16-2013, 11:01 AM Reply   
bad ass as always sir chatt.
Old     (JamesHawk101)      Join Date: Sep 2012       04-16-2013, 12:51 PM Reply   
I just got the new PTM Edge mirror and have yet to install it on the boat as the boats in the shop. Nice looking boat love the cleanness of the all white.
Old     (ryanw209)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-16-2013, 12:54 PM Reply   
Wow chatt awesome boat as usual! So your running the 4 rev 10's at 2 ohms(620x2) with the SD2 giving each 310w? I've been debating the best way to power 4 rev 10's. Just curious why you went with this setup? I've been looking at the SD2, SD4(340x4) or two syn4's (400w per speaker). Considering these options are only about $100 difference I'm basically considering cost the same.
Old     (wakereviews)      Join Date: Sep 2006       04-16-2013, 1:14 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by jrw160 View Post
Where's the woodgrain steering wheel?
haha, that is the first thing I was looking for when I opened this thread. Nice boat Chatt!
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-16-2013, 4:12 PM Reply   
Ryan,

I went with what wetsounds suggested. They have never steered me wrong. Any suggstions as to where I should set my crossover on the SD2?
Old     (ryanw209)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-16-2013, 4:55 PM Reply   
No idea Chatt... I'm sure your more familiar with audio stuff than I am. Sorry I couldn't help.
Old     (bryce2320)      Join Date: May 2012       04-16-2013, 5:23 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by chattwake View Post
Ryan,

I went with what wetsounds suggested. They have never steered me wrong. Any suggstions as to where I should set my crossover on the SD2?
80hz or a bit lower will b money
Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       04-16-2013, 6:51 PM Reply   
I have found that with the Sinister amps (2 SD6's and a SD2 on my boat), 80hz doesn't appear to be the same as 80hz on other, or more recently, JL HD amps. It appears to be a little high.

I'm not sure if this has anything to do with a certain audible characteristic of the SD amp or if they are just inaccurate. I've been able to turn the crossovers down to nearly 60-65hz where I normally would have them around 80hz.
Old     (lionel)      Join Date: Nov 2005       04-16-2013, 8:12 PM Reply   
I like the old trailer better. J/K Congrats Chatt!
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-16-2013, 8:32 PM Reply   
65 hz it is! Ill report back.
Old     (NotSure123)      Join Date: Nov 2012       04-16-2013, 10:36 PM Reply   
All around just sicknasty! Quick question...I noticed you have a grey boat cover....it reminded me my local dealership mentioned Malibu isn't using the black ones anymore? Due to the rain making the black dye seep onto the interior and was causing permanent stains in brand new boats. I guess there is some truth to this? If so...hopefully others are aware.....?

Last edited by NotSure123; 04-16-2013 at 10:40 PM.
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-17-2013, 4:21 AM Reply   
Jesse,

All I know is that Malibu switched their factory covers to grey. I don't know why. However, I'd be surprised if the reason was because dye from the covers seeped into the interior. I don't think that's the case at all. As some of you know, I've owned a bunch of different boats from mastercraft, nautique, malibu and axis. Every single boat that I've owned prior to this one has had a black cover. Every single boat that I've left covered for an extended period of time in the dog days of summer has experienced the same issue, which is that the rear corners of the sunpad have experienced some sort of temporary discoloration. However, a few hours in the sun always cleared these areas up.

My hypothesis is that black covers trap a huge amount of heat. The rear sunpad corner areas is where the covers come into direct contact with the vinyl. It's also an area that faces straight up and gets baked by the sun. The substantial heat probably causes the adhesive in the vinyl to release a chemical, or to permeate the vinyl or something like that. I say this, because if this was a dye issue, I would think that: (a) the cover would eventually fade in that particular area (which did not happen on my boats); and (b) the discoloration would not come out so easily in the sun. Either way, I think it's a heat issue; hence, the grey covers, which reflect much more light and generate less heat.
Old     (cjh1669)      Join Date: Apr 2005       04-17-2013, 8:01 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by chattwake View Post
Jesse,

All I know is that Malibu switched their factory covers to grey. I don't know why. However, I'd be surprised if the reason was because dye from the covers seeped into the interior. I don't think that's the case at all. As some of you know, I've owned a bunch of different boats from mastercraft, nautique, malibu and axis. Every single boat that I've owned prior to this one has had a black cover. Every single boat that I've left covered for an extended period of time in the dog days of summer has experienced the same issue, which is that the rear corners of the sunpad have experienced some sort of temporary discoloration. However, a few hours in the sun always cleared these areas up.

My hypothesis is that black covers trap a huge amount of heat. The rear sunpad corner areas is where the covers come into direct contact with the vinyl. It's also an area that faces straight up and gets baked by the sun. The substantial heat probably causes the adhesive in the vinyl to release a chemical, or to permeate the vinyl or something like that. I say this, because if this was a dye issue, I would think that: (a) the cover would eventually fade in that particular area (which did not happen on my boats); and (b) the discoloration would not come out so easily in the sun. Either way, I think it's a heat issue; hence, the grey covers, which reflect much more light and generate less heat.
It actually is the reason. They've had this issue for years of the dye bleeding onto the vinyl and they went grey to see if it solves the issue. It's not a huge deal, the sun typically fades the stains pretty quickly, but it does freak out people who just bought a brand new boat.
Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       04-17-2013, 8:45 AM Reply   
I was really surprised at how thin the Malibu covers are. I guess it's pretty breathable and easy to stow away compared to others.
Old     (NotSure123)      Join Date: Nov 2012       04-17-2013, 9:24 AM Reply   
ahhh good point Chattwake, and Chris glad to hear there is truth to what I was told. Seems like an all around good call on Malibu's part....and another bonus grey won't fade as noticeably bad as the black!
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       04-17-2013, 10:07 AM Reply   
Ok... Well, several of the covers I had that caused discoloration also had a cotton type backing on the areas of the cover that contacted the sunpad. The cotton type backing was white. It did not discolor or stain. If this was a dye issue, I would have thought I'd see the same stains on that white cotton backing.
Old     (zacharoo)      Join Date: Nov 2005       04-17-2013, 11:05 AM Reply   
Chatt, a stellar looking boat, Congrats. I too will be curious of the cross-over setting. My newly installed SD6 is not blowing me away like I thought it would. I had a syn4 and it was louder.
Old     (wakecumberland)      Join Date: Oct 2007       04-17-2013, 11:20 AM Reply   
Beautiful boat and excellent write up! Now peel off those WAKESETTER graphics and it will be perfect!
Old     (wetsounds1)      Join Date: Jan 2006       04-17-2013, 1:03 PM Reply   
Chat,

Awesome looking boat as always! Shared the photo on our facebook page.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ryanw209 View Post
Wow chatt awesome boat as usual! So your running the 4 rev 10's at 2 ohms(620x2) with the SD2 giving each 310w? I've been debating the best way to power 4 rev 10's. Just curious why you went with this setup? I've been looking at the SD2, SD4(340x4) or two syn4's (400w per speaker). Considering these options are only about $100 difference I'm basically considering cost the same.
Ryan,
The options are as follows. SD2 on the two pair for 620x2 so net 310 per speaker. Or two HT-4 bridged for 300x2 and 300x2. Or two SYN-4 bridged for 400x2 and 400x2. Or if budget allows, two SD4 for 685x2 and 685x2 gained down to net around 400 watts but pick up a ton of head room. You cannot use a single SD4. That would be 185x4 at 4 ohms. The 320x4 rating is at 2 ohms which you cannot get with four 4 ohm speakers.

The SD2 is the best single amp option. If space is an issue. You can also do something like 2 SD6 and run one bridged for 585x3 and the other with two of the channels bridged on the 4th speaker for 585x1. Leaving 185x4 to run in boats or 585x2 to run subs. Lots of different ways to look at it.

Zacharoo, what do you have the SD amp running? You said you had a SYN-4 and now a SD6. Shoot my an email with your set up and also with how you have it wired. Any pictures you have as well. The SD are insane on power and clarity. and they run very cool. I'll get you fixed up, no worries.

Houstonshark, I have not seen that on the freq but i will test it and see

Tim
Wet Sounds
Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       04-17-2013, 3:14 PM Reply   
Tim, why won't the amps run at 2ohm mono?
Old     (wakebordr11)      Join Date: May 2001       04-17-2013, 5:24 PM Reply   
Chatt, your boat is effin gorgeous brother. I am duly jealous, definitely ranks in the top 10 boats I've seen on this site I'd say...
Old     (hunter660)      Join Date: Aug 2007       04-18-2013, 1:55 PM Reply   
Good looking boat Chatt, but what is up with the steering wheel?



I thought MC's 4 spoke was bad. I hope you are still putting your classic wheel on this boat.
Old     (jarrod)      Join Date: May 2003       04-18-2013, 3:58 PM Reply   
I love that steering wheel. Nothing in the way and unobstructive. The idea is that it's weighted, so that it returns back to neutral with less effort. I never really noticed that part, but I thought it looked really nice in person.
Old     (JetRanger)      Join Date: Feb 2013       04-19-2013, 2:42 AM Reply   
How much is stock ballast on LSV?
Old     (Bamabonners)      Join Date: Jul 2011       04-19-2013, 7:38 AM Reply   
I love the steering wheel.

stock ballast is 1750, if i remember correctly.
Old     (ETrogdon)      Join Date: Mar 2013       04-19-2013, 8:01 AM Reply   
You see stated factory ballast weights all over the place. I've always been under the impression the rear tanks are 200, 500 belly, and 350 bow totaling 1250. Also, if you choose the Great Lakes factory cover it is Sunbrella.
Old     (ixfe)      Join Date: Aug 2008       04-19-2013, 8:47 AM Reply   
I hated the steering wheel too, until I drove it! As previously mentioned it's weighted to return easily to center. Other boats have no center and always look "out of alignment" to me.

Also, the steering wheel is very thick, which feels great in your hand. Almost like a BMW M3 wheel.
Old     (CarFanatic5)      Join Date: Apr 2010       08-07-2013, 8:09 AM Reply   
chat how are you liking the surf gate? Any pictures?
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       08-07-2013, 8:26 AM Reply   
I really like surfgate. It has certainly helped me optimize the small amount of time I have been able to use my boat this season. It rained literally every weekend here in Chattanooga for the first half of the summer. I was out of town four other weekends for work and pleasure. I've been slammed at the office, and have had to work a lot of late nights, so my lake time has been minimal. That being said, it's great to be able to get out, load up all the ballast, drop the wedge, and let everyone who wants to wakeboard take a set and then immediately switch to surfing without having to drain or fill anything else, and without having to move people around. Also, some of my friends ride switch, so being able to flip the wave from side to side immediately saves tons of time. No more 20 minute delay emptying sacs and moving sacs from one seat to another. Also, when it has been just me, my wife and the kids, we feel much more comfortable letting my wife pull me surfing, because the boat is not listing like crazy. Our 2 and 5 year olds have no trouble sitting where the want or moving from seat to seat. Also, it's much easier for my wife to drive the boat when it's not listing hard.

Ultimately, I'll never go back to a non-surfgate boat. We are in the process of selling out house and buying something closer to downtown. That process is going to probably kill a lot of the remaining lake time I have for the next month and a half, so I listed my boat on onlyinboards today (http://www.onlyinboards.com/Details.aspx?ID=39250). If it sells quick, I'll likely just order another LSV or an A24. I'm undecided.

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