Wakeboarding Magazine - Virtual Test Drives.

They are getting more and more detail... with some good shots of the wake... and some seemingly better critique on the boat and the handling...

Most of the Companies had their MSRP pricing...

Some things seemed like they were misprints...

Love the Malibu 23LSV for $60's... Supra 24SSV $60's... Most of the bigger boats seemed to be $55-$60... but I was wondering what is up with the Epic 23V showing over $70K... (This must be a misprint?!?!)

It was only a couple of years ago that were hoping to see this fully loaded boat hit the market at $50k... or $10k lower than the Big 4 or 5... but now it is looking like $10k more...

You would think that going from PCM... to Volvo... now to Merc... that the price would have dropped... obviously... Merc must have been a much more expensive engine choice.

Overall... all the boats look great... Like the WakeCraft... seems like a good bet for a smaller boat...

My favourite is still the fit and finish in the Svfara's... if you ever get to see one in person... just sit in it... enjoy the leather like feel... and the quality craftsmanship... it is truly amazing...

It will be an interesting year for boat sales... we wish you all the best...

Now lets hope Santa puts a boat under the tree for all of you!!!

The LSV's MSRP isn't a misprint. And the 247LSV starts at $72K. Isn't that how much MC is asking for their 22 foot boat?

Kinda nice that WBM puts so much effort into this guide each year. Also, Kevco mentioned in his blog that their Boat Buyer's Guide is gonna be 180 pages and it'll be a separate magazine, but packaged along with the February issue. He says the issue should be arriving early December, so since it's mid December now it should be here in a few short weeks!

I got mine yesterday.

I agree HeHateMe. I think each year they do a better job. Few inconsistencies but nothing significant (pcm zr6 are 390 hp, and the racks are inward swivel on wakecrafts). But all in all awsome job and great wake perspectives now.

^^ That's funny cause the ZR6 is 375 hp in every other boat that uses them.

ZR6 has bumped up specs for 2008 to 390hp.

Here are some figures... from what is posted online...

Priced lowest to highest for a 23-24ft boat...

Supra 24SSV - $59,900
Svfara SV3 - $61,900
Mailbu Wakesetter 23LSV - $63,810
Epic 23V - $72,500

That Supra for under $60k is looking like sweet price points for Supra...

I read the 07 specs in the mag my bad.

Look at the acceleration numbers on the 210, fastest I saw with the 390 hp ZR6!! 4.7 & 6.5, X-1 is 4.8 & 6.4

(Message edited by lionel on December 18, 2007)

Nu Bu the funny thing is that I have the 07 with 375 and the boat on the test drive is my buddies and he has the 08 with 390 propped the same with the same weight and when wot next to eachother no difference in speed. We didn't comare hole shot though so that may be when you notice the extra 15. Like I said in the other post not significant.

Speaking with my MB dealer last month, apparently the ZR6 was upped from 375 to 390 in anticipation of new emissions requirements in '09, which will bring it back down to 375.

(Message edited by dan.smith on December 18, 2007)

I just wish that they would put in a little more honest opinion into it. Maybe they could have a team of non-sponsored riders give their opinions as to not make their advertisers mad at them...

We all know that each boat has some good AND bad points...

would be nice to see them put the boats through the paces like they do with cars.

set up a course to drive the boat through.. get the same rider to go behind the boat with factory ballast, do some tricks and critic the wake, etc.

come along way since they started.

.......just got mine ...very nice......the web site is even a little more detailed with boat depth and height of tower etc......

.....I did find it interesting how boats have changed......back when the original x star came out it would have been a core boat.....today the x-1 is classified as recreational.....which to me listening to the forum many would still say today that the x-1 throws a mean wake ...which it does!....so I am not to sure of the classifications.....they have the new 210 nauti as a core boat and it has only got slightly bigger....

Their "classifications" probably just tell you where the boat is in the manufacturer's line of boats. The X-1 is now MC's "budget boat," so it wouldn't make sense for them to give it a "core" classification even though many of us here absolutely love that hull.

I agree with scott.

About the X-1....If you look at the page where they talk about ballast, they talk about 750 lbs, but the picture clearly shows only two switches; port and starboard which means the test boat probably only had rear ballast or aprx. 450 lbs!! IMO the wake pictures look like there is NO weight in the boat, far from 750 lbs....

in my left over 2004 waterski magazine they had boats in the following catagories which were much more helpful and meaningful. While the job wb magazine did is excellent this could be one improvement for next year.


1.family
2.hardcore ski
3.ski
4.hardcore wakeboard
5.wakeboard
6.multisport
7.big water

I figured the same as Scott. Too much advertising $$ to put the budget boat in the core group even tho it is arguably one of the most core. I mean if you want first and formost a wake and will sacrafice size,comfort,storage,etc then you go with the x1. That core. Even the new 210 sacraficed the wake for comfort.

no centurion tests?

......there are 5 in the magazine

air warrior
avalanche
3 sizes of enzo

i dont understand the epic being listed as intermediate?

I dropped my subscription to WB magazine since It all comes down to who advertises there.
It's by no mean an objetive publication and there's almost never something interesting to read. But hell yeah, pics are cool.

I wonder if Rusty would give a Malibu Wakesetter, Epic, or any other boat for that matter... as good of a rating as his Pro Model X-Star...

I guess if someone gave me a boat... I could find only positive things to say about the boat... and nothing negative... because it would be perfect!

i would think he likes the wakesetter...

he's rode behind chads many times and landed a 1080 behind it

Sorry to be a bit immature, but I can't get past the cover. WOW that boat has a nice rack...I know stupid pun. That's how you sell boats, market them with great equipment.

I personally am very disappointed with the Boat Buyers Guide this year. It def shows that adverstising and $$ get you the ratings. I think the categories for the boats are way off. Some rec and interm boats should def be core boats no matter how you swing it.

While the in-depth factoids and measurements are great, more and more it just seems they are taking what is in the different Mfg brochures and just printing them out with their specs.

I think this years guide is the least helpful for those people who actually look to the guide to figure out which is the right boat for them. While the pics of the wake are nice they seem to have left out the details and characteristics of each boats wakes are are way off on the shapes of others. They also seem to have no description on most of the boats of what kind of wake it produces like say beginner/ advanced/ pro. There are some but most of those are the givens with the X Star and VLX's. Also no in depth looks or description of the actual boats interiors and stand out points. Just the same lame jargon that can be found in there brochures.

No positives and negatives of boats anymore. What gives? I also don't understand how they actually test the boats the do. Do the mfg's give them boats? I don't understand how they can test streamline boats with only the standard 1 tank ballast when 3 are offered and then give it a review. You should have some standards so it is a fair comparison across the board. One that stands out in the Moomba LSV review. They say the wake is small. Well WTF do you think it is going to be like when you run one 400lbs in a humongous 22ft'r. Most know this boat since it's redesign produces pro caliber wakes. Also since when is an Avalanche's wake mellow?

I will also say its all based on the MFG wants..... prime example the 210 being core and the X1 being rec. Those 2 boats are pretty close to being the same not much has changed to the 210. I understand like it has been said MC is not going to put their budget boat in the running, but is it really a budget boat at an optioned one of 60k+? Sure in the MC line that is a steal but it's all about performance....at least that is what it is supposed to be I thought. Also same can be said for a V-Ride I mean thgis was a flagship boat as well. Now you're telling me that this boat's wake is beginner rated? Who decides on which boats get a virtual test drive? Seems to be all the prime MFG's if you ask me. Though the VTD is nice and gets you some great looks into a boat again seems that only the "strong" are let into that elite part.

I can say I used to keep my buyers guide around all year still have a bunch of older ones around that I read on the throne form time to time, but this one will probably see the bottom of the piles. I just feel this was the least informative about all the boats across the line in terms of actual useful info that isn't just factoid and number based straight from the brochures
Sorry for the rant guys, but just had to let it go. I feel better now though

---

quote:

By HeHateMe (hamkj) on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 - 10:05 am:

ZR6 has bumped up specs for 2008 to 390hp.

Here are some figures... from what is posted online...

Priced lowest to highest for a 23-24ft boat...

Supra 24SSV - $59,900
Svfara SV3 - $61,900
Mailbu Wakesetter 23LSV - $63,810
Epic 23V - $72,500

That Supra for under $60k is looking like sweet price points for Supra...

---

i'm curious, are any of the boats you listed as equipped as the epic is?

This year's guide took a nose dive compared with the guide from last year.

We're looking at 170 pages of pure fluff and nearly a direct copy of what was in Waterski Magazine's 2008 Boat Buyers' Guide. Very disappointing.

The 210 and 230 are "core" and the 220 isn't? The X1 isn't "core". Someone should take them to task for this piss porr journalism.

Wait - Epics aren't really 72 grand now are they? Jesus Christ! On what grounds? Looks like they're soon to be the second short-lived boat called Epic.

(Message edited by boomshot on January 03, 2008)

I'm not sure about the Supra or Svfara but the Malibu prices are without trailer. This is noted directly on their website.

As for the Buyers Guide it great for getting a general idea of sizes and capacities of the different boats. Aside from that it does absolutely jack. But at the same time there is no way any form of media will be able to touch on every requirement we would desire. There are too many factors that play into a buying decision, especially for an educated buyer.

Some are making comments on how these boats are equipped. Bigger motors, heaters, stereos etc...

With fuel prices the way they are... and other financial issues are pressed with...

I would think that buying a good name brand boat with some proven history behind it... ie Malibu V-Ride, Moomba LSV, MC X1....

You can add the little things that you want along the way...

You can get away with a smaller motor if you are running a smaller boat... which usually means... a little less weight to get the comparable wake of the bigger boats with more weight and more engine power...

It may only be me... but if I can get a Malibu or MasterCraft or Nautique at a price lower than some of the newer builders out there... that is what I would lean towards... re-sale value means to much to me...

Boats at the end of the day are money pits... so if I can get as mush as I can on re-sale... I will take whatever I can!

Just picked up my hardcopy of the WakeBoard Magazine's Annual Boat Review Edition...

Over the past few years... it is nice to hear the test riders are really liking the wake shape and size of Svfara Boats. Despite what people think of the ugly Black Scorpion graphic and the cow like interiors of models past... you can't argue with the great reviews...

What truly surprises me... is they are getting great reviews and they are a small little Canadian operation who doesnt have a large advertising budget.

You see little ads near the middle of the magazine... and they get some top notch ratings!

The other surprise... is the test team doesn't talk too much about the Sanger V210's ride in rough water and through double ups. They always say that it handles the double up well... But that is an understament... Sangers ride so smooth through the chop... smoother than any other boat!

Other than that... I agree with most others comments with where some of the boats have been places... Core, Int, etc... seems strange that there are alot of 24 footers in the Core rating...

At the end of the day... you would think Core would be... what the most hardcore rider would want... which is... the biggest nicest shaped wake possible... which in most cases... have been coming out of the 21-22ft boats... not the big 24's.

I would think for family cruising... people like 24's.

They could make different categories...

Multi-Sport, Family, Core, Value Oriented.

If it is a boat review.. then it doesnt matter how the editors rate them...

If it is a boat buyers guide... then make it simple and easy for potential buyers to narrow down their selection and save time when they are out shopping for their new boat.

I believe that the criteria for the Buyers Guide was that boats only qualified as "Core" if the model was the official towboat at a contest of a certain level during 2007. So if a boat with a proven wake like the X1 did not tow an event that qualified, it was listed as Intermediate.

As HeHateMe noticed, Svfara seems to be gaining some respect. 2008 will be their ninth year of building boats. It seems that once a towboat company makes it to the ten year mark, they survive and really begin to grow. I know Svfara is looking for new dealers and their dealer commitments are minimal. There must be a few Wakeworlders out there that want to become President of their own marine dealership

Nice plug JK. See you in Edmonton.... The tall, handsome TEXAN is comin to sling some Tiges. Yeah BABY!!!!!!

By the way, is there a French Maid in Edmonton?