help with final boat decision

ok i know ive posted here a million times asking which boat to get i change my mind almost every week on which one i like the most, hopefully this thread will help me make my final decision my 3 choices are mastercraft x30 or the new x45 or malibu wakesetter lsv thanks for the help

also please post any pics of boats or wakes

I have riddin behind the Malibu LSV a couple time and the wake is insane with 3600#'s. This boat has awesome storage and a lot of space for the peep's.

I haven't rode behind the X-30 or X-45 but I have rode behind the new X-star and the X-2 and am very impressed with both.

The 3 boats you are looking at are great boats and I think you will be very pleases either way you go.

Good Luck

Personally I'd go for the LSV, I like the boat and wake better than the X-30 and it'll cost you less. Don't think anyone can give you a real opinion on the X-45 as it's not out yet and you'll probably have to wait until next season to get one.

X-45, best boat out there.

what makes you say that paul, my main concern about that boat was i think it would have a really wide wake

mike when you say 3600#s are you including the 1000 from the wedge

The X-30 has a very wide wake and is a tough boat to sink. i.e. You need to add lots of weight to get a decent sized wake. If boarding is your #1 reason for getting the boat stick with the wakesetter or X-45.

Michael yeah that is including the wedge. Between stock ballast, sacs, wedge and lead.

michael, i'm 16 and we recently got a new boat, and i sure as hell didn't get to pick which boat we got, i got to influence the decision but i sure as hell don't have 40,000+ for any boat, how is it that you, a 15 year old have the decision here on which boat to get. i aint gettin pissed at you or anything, but i don't care who you are or how much money your parents have, the 50,000 plus that you would spend on any of those boats is a lot of money for a 15 year old to make a decision with

Guys,
I was just kidding about the X-45. I have never even seen one.

curtis, this boat is not only for me its a family boat, however i am the only serious wakeboarder in the family and my dad is to old to do it so he tells me to research and find the best boat for the family as well as the best wake for me, i know about a hundred times more about boats than my dad because i do so much research so he trusts the info i give him

whit what do you know about the x45 and it would seem like it would have a really wide wake because its so big

Ok, I looked at one. I think it would be a great family boat. Unless you are planning on going pro, it should have more than enough wake for you. I have heard that the X-30 doesn't have that great of a wake. I would go look at the 45 and the Lsv and see which one you like more. I know from reading posts on here that the Lsv has a great wake.

thanks paul

I stopped by ski world yesterday and asked about the x-45. They haven't seen one yet but it will be a 24.5' boat with the same bow arrangement as the x-star and x-80. It's just a size in between. sounds like a cool boat.

I beleive the X-45 is actually 21.5' with a 3' swim platform? So it should be smaller than both the X-Star and the X-80. The price point is supposed to be low 50's. Not sure about the width of the boat.

The Maristar version of the boat has a split sunpad with a walkthru area. Never been a big fan of the walkthru--hopefully there will be an option for a full sun pad.

whit how sure are you that its 21 ft long with 3 ft platform and what do you think i should do lsv or x45

The walkthru area can be covered with intior pads, they come standard just like an x80. The cockpit on the x45 is longer than the xstar.

o yeh and on the malibu illusion tower where would i mount my fusion speakers

ok just got off the fone with the malibu lady and heres the price she gave me with these options and the colors i want are below
8100 425hp engine
wakeboard pro
wedge
6 xplodes
transom remote
bimini
deph finder
heater
flush kit
docking lights
and bolster seat


final price 57,000 is that good

Wow--is that for a 2005? $57K seems like a lot to spend on a Malibu--especially when you take into account the loss of value and difficulty when reselling a Malibu. If you can come up with $5K more and want to drive to NC--you can buy my '04 X-Star. (My X-Star has every option available from Mastercraft except the walkthru seat and has two sets of tower speakers and rear lights...)

I think that is a good price. I don't know about NC but resell and difficulty of reselling is not an issue in California. Malibu is one of the top boats to hold their value. Suprised at you Whit. You don't normally seem like a basher. I demo'd both the MC X-2 and Malibu WS VLX and put a deposit on the X-2 but after see the plushness and room in the VLX went with that. Still like the X-2 but......and it was even less expensive. THe wakes are both good. Just my 2 cents.

whit do you have a pic of your xstar and what do you and jr think about the 8100 i was wondering if i should get the hammerhead or corvette because i dont know how that 8.1 ltr will suck down gas

Not a basher at all... was just saying the price seemed a little high. Lots of friends have Malibus and I'm very good friends with the local Malibu dealer in our area. I believe Malibu has the most new boat registrations in the eastern half of North Carolina for the last two years.

In a few more weeks the 2005's will be arriving and it will be time to sell my boat and get a new ride. I based my comments about the resale value and difficulty in finding a buyer from the listing on flipsell.com boattraderonline.com.

You are right about California being the place to sell Malibus though. The last Malibu a buddy flipped was trucked to Cali. I also think if we were to compare the initial sales price of a boat in NC to one in CA there would be a fairly substantial difference.

Just about every wakeboard boat on the market today is an excellent boat. From Correct Craft to Moomba--all have great points.

I did overlook the 8100 Vortec though--that is a nice engine and will definately bump the price up.

There is much more that goes into a boat than just the price though. Quality of the dealership comes to mind. As does personal preference. My understanding is the only increase in the price of the X-2 this year will be a $600 increase in the trailer price. Sure is wierd to see what was once Mastercraft's flagship boat become their "budget" model.

well i dont know if you have ridden behind this boat whit but if you have how much of a difference between the wakes can u see

The Corvette engine is awesome. I have a buddy with one in his Response and the boat is a rocketship. The only problem I see with the Corvette motor is the 92 octane gasoline that is recommended for the engine. I think, but I'm not sure--the hammerhead is going to be better out of the hole than the Vette motor.

As for the picture:

damn that boats awesome what are you selling it for and how many hours about the bu so which one corvette or 8100

The X-Star.....

Whit....first time I have seen your boat. I think it is the best looking X-Star I have seen. If I didn't have my current boat, I would SERIOUSLY consider your offer. Have to love the metal flake....clean, but just enough bling.

E.J.

Whit

You are so right about the quality of the dealership. That was a factor that push me to Malibu. Not that MC dealership is bad on the contrary they have a great reputation. But so does the Malibu dealer which is only 20 minutes away from compared to 2 hrs to MC. Both great boats and in all honesty the closeness of the dealer really closed the deal. Would have been happy with either.

Whit,
Nice boat. I am curious about how the pickle fork MCs handle ruff water. Are they as bad as the X-2?

do yall think i should buy whits over the lsv

I think your dad should buy whatever you guys decide is the best boat for your family.

I just thought the Bass Star hard loaded for 62 was a smoking deal. I was kidding suggesting you buy it. I would be an idiot to assume I have any idea what boat is right for the leblanc family.

E.J.

ok thanks for the hewlp ej i talked to my dad and he still wants a new boat

Michael--If you have a big heavy boat and are interested in a better hole shot--the 8100 is the way to go. The corvette motor seems to be a better fit for slalom/barefooting boats that are looking for a better top end.

As for the wake of the VLX--are you talking the 23' or 21' version? The 23' suffers the same as all large boats--wide and takes a bunch of weight to sink the boat. The 21' is top notch--one of the best wakes available. The 21' has a much softer transition than say an X-2 or SANTE. Bottom line--any of the boats are going to have pluses and minuses but they all have a very ridable wake.

And tell your dad he is only too old for wakeboarding if he thinks he is... My dad is in his 60's and loves wakesurfing. He is ok on the board but I don't see him ever doing anything more than crossing the wakes.

Paul--the pickleforks do not extend to the hull. Everything that touches the water in the bow is just like a regular boat. The dual bow top deck design basically only improves the bow seating area. With all that said--the new X-Star handles rough water far better then the old X-Star/X-2/205V. There is no comparing the ride of the two boats in rough water. When storms whip up and it is time to turn off the Perfect Pass and race home--whitecaps and slop are not a worry.


And thanks for the props EJ!


(Message edited by Whit on July 17, 2004)

I am currently researching new boats as well to make a purchase at the January boat show here in Oklahoma. My suggestion is that you spend time at both dealerships and take your dad. If you are looking for a family boat, go to each dealership and sit in both boats. Spend some time in each, take a serious look at storage differences in eachc boat, plushness of interior, how roomy each one feels etc etc. Both dealerships here have been pushing me to buy their respective boats and I will take a long look at each to base my decision on. I have sat in both a Mastercract x-2 and x-30, and the Malibu vlx and lsv... just based on the interior i think the edge goes to the malibu. The real test is when I will go out for pulls behind each boat with my dealer, and which dealer will treat me better. This board is a great research for actual boat owners and their real life experiences with their own boats, but i think the main deciding factor is what I feel when i sit in, ride behind, and dealer quality for each boat.

ok thanks