Malibu Hull year question

I've searched around a lot for the differences between the naming conventions for Malibu Hulls and read and understood the difference between the SV23 and SV23 Diamond hulls used on VLX Wakesetters, but had a question.

As far as I know, the 2001 VLX SV23 is not exactly the same hull as later VLX's with the SV23 hull. If this were the case then a 2001 VLX would be the same boat as a 2004 VLX (minus the interior and stuff, or course).

I'm not trying to find out the tiny little differences between a 2001 SV23 and a 2004 SV23 hull, rather what YEARS those changes were made (i.e. "Malibu introduced a different SV23 in 2003" or whatever).

Any insight? Sorry if this has already been covered, I couldn't find it.

Thanks,

Danny Simon

http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index.php?autocom=custom&page=tech

Scroll down and you can check the year models specs.

2001 Sunsetter VLX's had the SV23D for diamond where 2001 Wakesetter VLX's had the SV23. After that there were no more Sunsetter VLX's only Wakesetter's. Before that all VLX's had the same SV23 hull.

The SV23 hull is the SV23 hull no matter what year you are talking about. My 1996 Sunsetter VLX has the same hull as a 2004 Wakesetter VLX and current V-Rides.

(Message edited by ttuclint on April 07, 2006)

Clint,

After reading the specs at the link above, I don't think that's quite right. Your 1996 VLX has an SV23 hull with a 93" Beam and an 18" Draft while a 2004 VLX Wakesetter has the SV23 WAKE hull with a 93" Beam and a 20" Draft. These Beam and Draft measurements also don't take into account other changes that were made (I don't know exactly what they are, but I'm sure there were some).

Based on what I gathered from other threads, the SV23 designation does not mean it's the actual same hull, just the same designation so Malibu doesn't have to have 30928409384 hull callouts. Yes, the idea behind each is similar, and they have similar dimensions, but there are discrete differences.

Also, I've ridden behind a 2001 VLX and a 2003 VLX, both Wakesetters and the wakes and handling were completely different. These two boats are definitely not the same thing.



Danny

There must have been a difference in weighting or engines or something because there isn't a difference between the 2001 VLX and 2003 VLX...I am not saying you didn't notice a difference, just that it wasn't from the hull design.

With the exception of the 2001 MY, the Sunsetter & Wakesetter VLX models had the exact same hull from the models introduction in 1996 through 2004. The 2001 Sunsetter VLX had the SV23 Diamond hull, before it was renamed the Sunscape 21 LSV to create a more cohesive naming scheme.

Many boats have used the SV23 hull over the years (from the Sportster to the Echelon to the Wakesetter VLX), so obviously not every model with that hull will perform the name. Malibu's hull designations (at least until recently) had more to do with the over-arching philosophies used in the design. Things such as chine sharpness, strake location and surface area, etc. were designed to create a particular effect based on the speed of the boat. That's where the commonality is between different models that use the same hull.

On the draft measurement thing, Malibu changed how they measure draft around 2004

Typical rule of thumb..

sv23 or sv23w= non diamond wake hull = VLX ('01 exempt)

sv23diamond= skiing= sunscape's

to throw another in the mix, you can order a VLX or a sunscape with alternate hulls as an option

"There must have been a difference in weighting or engines or something because there isn't a difference between the 2001 VLX and 2003 VLX...I am not saying you didn't notice a difference, just that it wasn't from the hull design."

--- how come the draft on a 2001 is 18" and the draft on a 2002 is 20"? If draft is the distance from the waterline to the deepest part of the hull, doesn't that make these two hulls different? Or is draft measured with a certain amount of weight in the boat and there was more weight in the 2002?

trying to clear this up before i look into a different boat.

The top deck of the 21' V-drives was redesigned in 2002, which probably added more weight to the boat, thus increasing the draft.

Rest assured that the exact same hull mold was used on the VLX from '96 to '02 those boats, so they have identical hulls.

This seems to be the problem I am having. The link that shows the draft and beam isn't what I'm looking for, I'm looking for actual hull differences. Jason said that the hull was the same from '96 - '02, does anyone know what the changes were in '03 (or is there a more comprehensive list of this type of thing)?

I rode behind Chris Williams' VLX one day at Castaic a long time ago and the wake was way better than a friend's '01 VLX, and we've had the '01 sacked out every way possible, so I am kind of trying to figure out what year that boat was. It was black with chrome rub rail if that helps any.

I've been on that boat at castaic. He sacked it with 3000+ lbs and asked my and a few people to hop on for extra ballast.

I recall that his boat had the chrome trim on the winshield, but it wasn't the one piece winshield like on the newer 05 vlx. I'm pretty sure it was a 2004. He had put on some trim panels from a chevy truck as transom savers, does that ring a bell?

I don't remember any trim panels, but who knows. I was only on it once. But yeah it was black and white I think with a chrome rub rail. Yeah I don't think it was a 2005 cuz this was at least a couple years ago. Could have been 2004 I guess.

I know it wasn't an 02 (I have one and I would have remembered). It was either an 03 with the new trim, or an 04.

As people have stated, the wakesetter vlx hull has been the same shape until 06.

Is your friend's 01 vlx a sunsetter or a wakesetter? I've seen a few 01 sunsetter vlx's with very few graphics that indicate it is a sunsetter vs a wakesetter. There was a blue and white 01 sunsetter vlx for sale here in socal a while ago.

It could be a Sunsetter I suppose. I always thought it was a wakesetter. What, if any, are the differences between '01 VLX wakesetters and '01 VLX sunsetters? It has MLS, but no Wedge, if that helps any.

The VLX received a new hull when it was redesigned in 2005. Prior to that, with the exception of the Sunsetter VLX in 2001 which used the SV23 Diamond Hull, it was exactly the same.

For more info on the differences between the SV23 and the SV23 Diamond hull, read this article.

01 vlx sunsetter sv23diamond hull
01 vlx wakesetter sv23wake hull

from one of the links above
Sunsetter VLX 21' 93" 18" 2900 Lbs. 10 Persons 35 Gallons SV23 Diamond
Wakesetter VLX 21' 93" 18" 2800 Lbs. 10 Persons 38 Gallons SV23 Wake


diamond hull is not the preferred wake for wakeboarding.

I will have to see if my buddy's boat is in fact a Sunsetter. The fact that it is actually the SV23 Diamond hull would help everything to make sense. That would also explain why his boat handles differently than like an '03 or '04 with the exact same weighting (and it porpoises too). Anybody out there with Wakesetter VLX's fully sacked out have a porpoising problem?

My friend has an 01 sunsetter VLX, but it has wakesetter graphics, built in ballast, tower, etc...He actualy thought it was a wakesetter until we found his registration or some other form of paper work.

Danny-

Don't forget about the addition of Gorilla fins, that will have a drastic impact on handling.

Patrick-

For cost savings, all of the boats were registered under their base model (so that only one model had to be USCG approved). So the fact that some of the paper work (and probably the USCG plaque) say Sunsetter in your buddies boat doesn't really mean that much. He may actually have a Wakesetter, the only way to tell is to look at the hull).

This might help..