Date: 4/3/03
Author: David Williams and Casey Quilter

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MasterCraft X-Star Production Photo Gallery
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The legend and mystery surrounding the 2003 MasterCraft X-Star is getting out of hand. We first started hearing about this unorthodox-looking creation during the summer of last year and it made one of its first appearances at the Wakeboard Expo in Orlando last September. Since then, despite or because of it's slow migration to market, there has been enough industry chatter about this boat to keep many winterized wakeboarders busy through the off-season and then some.

Much of the hype was generated by MasterCraft themselves as they made a big marketing push on this boat toward late summer and early fall. Since it's now April of 2003 and the boat is just starting to come off the production line, some would say that their hype was premature. Others might call it a genius marketing ploy because of the publicity, some good and some bad, that it has generated as people await the arrival of the new model.

I've heard a lot of crazy rumors as to why the boat has been delayed. The bottom line is that MasterCraft just needed to spend more time than anticipated to get the hull and a lot of specialized accessories just right. It also took them some extra time to get the molds on this new hull to behave the way they wanted. The last thing they wanted to do was rush production and put out a sub par vessel.

So now the X-Stars are rolling off the production line and WakeWorld has the exclusive photographic proof. As of this writing, in addition to the four prototypes that have been touring the country since last summer, 24 X-Star production models have been finished and they will be producing a total of 90 for this model year, which ends in July. According to MasterCraft, all of the production boats have been pre-sold, meaning a consumer has put a deposit down on each boat.

The X-Star has been intensely tested by MasterCraft team riders including Parks Bonifay, Zane Schwenk, Andrew Adkison, Maeghan Major and others as well as Pro Tour driver, Travis Moye. If you're not one of the 90 that have a deposit down on a new X-Star, you can check out the boat, wake and riders at one of the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour stops. You can also find out more about the new X-Star when WakeWorld gets to spend a day testing one later this month. Stay tuned for that.

So without further ado, here is a look at the X-Star production process at the MasterCraft factory in Tennessee. Click on any of the images to see a bigger version in our MasterCraft X-Star Production Photo Gallery.

MasterCraft X-Star Production

Deck Mold Gelcoat: Every MasterCraft starts with a flawless mold. Boats are built from the outside in, so when you see a deck or liner in lamination, you must visualize the mold turned inside out and upside down. This X-Star deck mold has just been waxed and moved into a gelcoat booth. At the time this picture was taken, the deck had not yet been sprayed. For those that are unfamiliar with gelcoat, it's the outermost layer of resin that gives a boat its color.

Deck Mold Core Material: After the deck has been gelcoated, barrier coated and been laminated with the first layer of fiberglass (skin stage), it is then sprayed with a core material. Every hull and liner goes through a similar process. The core adds additional strength to the part without adding a lot of additional weight. Resin is heavy.

Transom Lamination: This X-Star hull is in the build stage of lamination. It has already been gelcoated, barrier coated, gone through the skin stage and sprayed with core material on the vertical surfaces. Now MasterCraftsmen are hand laying additional layers of fiberglass to the transom area and hand rolling any air pockets that might be present to prevent cracking.

Hand-laid Fiberglass: Now these workers are applying a dense layer of woven fiberglass to the hull. This process is laborious and expensive, but MasterCraft believes it's superior to chopper gun applications. They also feel it helps control the strength to weight ratio, resulting in a more consistent product.

Liner Gelcoat: The new X-Star has a different liner design that incorporates linear stringers and horizontal bulkheads. This design gives the hull bottom superior strength and is compartmentalized to hold ballast tanks and a fuel cell. This saves room in storage spaces. MasterCraft gelcoats its liners to give them the same quality finish as the rest of the boat. This liner is waiting to be fiberglassed.

GlassLok Liner Press: After the liner has finished lamination and separated from the mold, it is cut, ground and pressed into the hull. The hull is still inside the mold, which is wrapped with a steel exoskeleton. During the GlassLok process, MasterCraftsmen apply a chemical bond to the hull, lower it in the liner and ratchet down a press, applying one ton of pressure. While the liner is still being pressed, closed cell expanding foam is injected into the X-Star's stringer and bulkhead cavities. This foam provides strength, rigidity, sound and vibration dampening and flotation. If an object were to breach the hull, the boat would not absorb water and still float.

Liner Finish: This worker is sealing holes where foam has been injected.

Hull Pull: It's finally time to remove the hull from the mold. These workers are attaching hoists to steel backing plates that have been laminated into the hull. Every MasterCraft has steel, aluminum and high-density polyethylene pieces anchored in so that every bolt and screw is not just going into fiberglass.

Hull Lift: It's amazing to see a hull lifted from the mold. It comes out flawless and beautiful. At this point, the X-Star hull will be weighed and holes for the underwater gear will be drilled. The mold in this picture says "X-Star #2," but that doesn't mean it's the second X-Star built. It's just the second of many molds in the lamination rotation.

Drilling & Grinding: In this area, excess fiberglass will be cut away from both the hull and deck. Workers wearing air-conditioned space suits will also grind rough edges and drill holes using jigs and templates. These tools allow every hole to be placed precisely in the exact same place every time to prevent mistakes. This area has a state-of-the-art air induction system that removes dust particulates from the air for cleanliness and disposal.

Finished Hull: This X-Star hull is waiting to be quality inspected. There are quality inspections that take place throughout the lamination process, but this is the most important checkpoint in the lamination building. The boat is not allowed into assembly unless it's perfect.

Quality Inspection: This X-Star is being inspected in a well-lit area designed to duplicate sunlight. Light wands also allow inspectors to visually inspect every cosmetic contour and crevice.

Waiting For Assembly: After the boat has passed a thorough quality inspection, the hull and deck are assembled to make sure the shoebox fit is snug. These boats are waiting their turn to go into the assembly building.

Deck Assembly: Once inside the assembly building, the hull and deck are separated. The corresponding deck runs down the manufacturing line in front of its hull. Over 1000 components are installed in every MasterCraft model at 37 stations along three separate manufacturing lines.

Upholstery Assembly: This MasterCraftsmen is assembling an X-Star bow seatback. Multiple layers of high-density and reticulated foam have been adhered to a polymer substrate and wrapped with vinyl skins. Over 230,000 non-corrosive stainless steel staples are used each week in the upholstery department.

Finished Upholstery: Most of this yellow X-Star's upholstery has been assembled and is waiting on a cart to be installed near the end of the line.

Last Assembly Station: This X-Star has reached the end of the assembly line and is close to being finished. It's come a long way since being gelcoated on a mold. From here it is lowered on a color-matched trailer and towed down to the lake for a boat-test audit.

Final Finish: Look on the floor. This X-Star is about to cross the assembly finish line! It takes approximately seven days to build a boat. MasterCraft is currently ramping up X-Star production to fill backorders, but at least 14 other MasterCraft models must also come through here.

Launch: Every MasterCraft boat is put through rigorous on-water testing after it comes off the production line. Each boat undergoes electronic diagnostic testing and a minimum of 15 minutes of run time on the lake to ensure all components are operating correctly.

Boat Tests: MasterCraft devotes 30 man-hours per day just to running boats on the lake.

More Boat Tests: Two X-Stars are simultaneously undergoing lake testing and validation.

Final Detailing: After completing the lake test, boats then go through final detailing and tower installation.

X-Star Towers: The new X-Star tower tubing is 3 inches in diameter and constructed of aluminum. It's collapsible and is designed with a solid billet legs with machined X-Star logos.

Final Finish Detail: All of these boats, including five X-Stars are awaiting final detail cleaning and shrink-wrap.

Validation: Now it's time to have some fun! Exhaustive validation is an ongoing team effort at MasterCraft.

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