Review: 2003 MasterCraft X-Star
First Impressions
My first in-person introduction to the 2003 MasterCraft X-Star was at the Wakeboard Expo in September of 2002. All it took was one glance at this boat to know that MasterCraft was definitely going to shake things up in the wakeboarding boat industry. Some may argue for better and some for worse, but none can argue against the fact that they not only thought outside the box, but they appear to have blown the box to pieces.
The look of this boat is so different from the "normal" style of wakeboarding boat that it takes a bit of getting used to. It reminds me of the wakeboard tower when it first came out. Everyone gasped and couldn't talk enough about how ugly it was. But pretty soon the look started growing on people and before long, a boat without a tower became the ugliest thing on water.
The first thing you'll notice is the unorthodox shape of the front of the hull. It incorporates a pickle-fork type of configuration, which allows the front of the boat to have a lot more width. The two points eventually converge to one for a more traditional V-hull shape by the time the hull meets the water.
Also striking upon first sight are the board racks. Again, MasterCraft has gone above and beyond the mundane with a ratchet-style clamping device that is an imposing piece of equipment hanging off the side of the new tower. The tower itself incorporates 3-inch aluminum tubing for an equally imposing look.
The bottom line is that I like what I saw from both an aesthetic and ideological standpoint. I knew that the hull shape would grow on me, along with other boat buyers, and I now think it looks incredible. I also like the fact that I was looking at a vessel that would be providing a little kick in the butt to every other boat company in the wake business. Competition is good and this boat is bound to get the juices flowing throughout the boat industry.
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