Echelon question

I have a paid off 96 Malibu Echelon (closed bow)with every option available at the time (monsoon being the most important). I use a skylon now and want to get a tower, wedge and some ballast. I'm wondering if I should sell it and find an open bow ( sunsetter or ps 205 ) equally loaded with a tower and ballast system or is it worth me adding the tower etc to my echelon. I guess I want to know if anyone owns or has ridden behind an echelon or older response with the SV23 hull ( not diamond )that has a wedge and ballast and what they think. I've had a sunsetter before and don't mind the smaller boat. I am just interested in the wake characteristics at this point. Thanks

The smaller foot print of the Sportster, Response and Echelon hulls make them easier to sink, which leads to great wakes.

The problem is, as I'm sure you're finding, you loose most of your space to ballast and gear and people.

Your boat will make a great wake (just about as good as the Sunsetter), the real deciding factor comes down to usability. Don't upgrade if you are fine with the space you have now (adding a tower will help open things up too), but if you find things crowded, and wish you had more room for people and storage, an open bow would be a wise move.

lucky you have a closed bow i got a 93 and when my dad will finally decide to losd it down it will be so easy to swamp it. we hav tooken on a good three inches of water throughout the whole boat and turned the bow into a swimming pool. Wedges on ecelons require you to rip out the gas tank for the plate to be put on so it would be hard for a wedge but then there is alway fat sacs and lead. Just have fun trying to legally sink your boat. Email with any questions i know my boat wakes very well even though we have never had ballast in it

I have three friends that all have or have had Echelons. The boats make great wakes. The key to your statement is that it is paid off. I can't see droping the coin for a new boat. I personally hate open bow boats. The closed bow is the way to go. You lose all of you storage space with a open bow. No where to put amps, subs, like jackets and all the other crap you need and want to keep dry. As for the wedge that would be a total waste of money. I have a friend with a sunsetter and we never use it we just add sacs. I would put a tower on your boat, a Titan or Boss, then I would plumb in a balast system. I am actually looking into a 130 gallon tank that should fit in place of the back seat. It costs around 500 but should add 1150 pounds with the wieght of the tank and the water in it. The one guy I ride with adds around 1500 in the back and 350 to the front and the wake is really nice. If you get a tower get the board racks, that will get everything off the floor and outside the boat which will make for a lot more room on the inside.

Stan, I can make you a custom made tank to fit the rear seat area for less than $500. Let me know if you're interested

how much for a tank

Charley-

It depends on the volume of the tank. All of our tanks are custom made to the customers specifications, so the final price will vary. I'm familiar with Malibu's, so I know approximately how big that tank would be.

If you would like a quote, or more information, please contact me.