2007 Malibu VTX Wakesetter for slalom waterskier?

[jordan]

I am thinking about buying a 2007 Malibu VTX Wakesetter because the price 5k or so under what its worth but I am very concerned about the size of the wake as I am a slalom waterskier. I thing the hall is a wake hull but the seller is not sure. I know my kids and I will wakeboard but I want a nice flat wake to cut across on my slalom waterski. Am I going to be very dissapointed in this boat in that regard if the hall is a wake and not a dimond? We are fresh water boaters.

I have been told "the wake hall wake was massive 30+ it is ski able but it wouldnt really be fun" so that could be the deal breaker for me on this boat, great price or not as I ski at 32-34 mph.

The owner told me they would take 38K for it. Here is the seller add for the boat.

Willing to part with my boat. 07' Malibu VTX Paid 73,000.00 Letting go for 45,000.00 All the bells and whistles! Only 50 Hours.

Closed cooling system, premium sound, Lights on tower, upgraded tower speakers, perfect pass! Heater, Wakeboard racks. Comes with all the life vests, Huge Tube and tow ropes, swim deck with door access to wedge. Comes with 1 Wakeboard. The boat is Blue, Black and White. Also comes with replacement Tribal decals for side of boat or add to your truck to match your boat! This is a steal!!!

Please give me some advice......

[CedarLakeSkier]

I am thinking about buying a 2007 Malibu VTX Wakesetter because the price 5k or so under what its worth but I am very concerned about the size of the wake as I am a slalom waterskier. I thing the hall is a wake hull but the seller is not sure. I know my kids and I will wakeboard but I want a nice flat wake to cut across on my slalom waterski. Am I going to be very dissapointed in this boat in that regard if the hall is a wake and not a dimond? We are fresh water boaters.

I have been told "the wake hall wake was massive 30+ it is ski able but it wouldnt really be fun" so that could be the deal breaker for me on this boat, great price or not as I ski at 32-34 mph.

The owner told me they would take 38K for it. Here is the seller add for the boat.

Willing to part with my boat. 07' Malibu VTX Paid 73,000.00 Letting go for 45,000.00 All the bells and whistles! Only 50 Hours.

Closed cooling system, premium sound, Lights on tower, upgraded tower speakers, perfect pass! Heater, Wakeboard racks. Comes with all the life vests, Huge Tube and tow ropes, swim deck with door access to wedge. Comes with 1 Wakeboard. The boat is Blue, Black and White. Also comes with replacement Tribal decals for side of boat or add to your truck to match your boat! This is a steal!!!

Please give me some advice......

Jordan,

I must not be reading your post correctly. Your willing to part with your '07 VTX to buy.... another '07 VTX? Here's my advice... Don't do it. Also, you should have a pretty good feel for what the slalom wake is like if that's the case.

[srab]

I am thinking about buying a 2007 Malibu VTX Wakesetter because the price 5k or so under what its worth but I am very concerned about the size of the wake as I am a slalom waterskier. I thing the hall is a wake hull but the seller is not sure. I know my kids and I will wakeboard but I want a nice flat wake to cut across on my slalom waterski. Am I going to be very dissapointed in this boat in that regard if the hall is a wake and not a dimond? We are fresh water boaters.

I have been told "the wake hall wake was massive 30+ it is ski able but it wouldnt really be fun" so that could be the deal breaker for me on this boat, great price or not as I ski at 32-34 mph.

The owner told me they would take 38K for it. Here is the seller add for the boat.

Willing to part with my boat. 07' Malibu VTX Paid 73,000.00 Letting go for 45,000.00 All the bells and whistles! Only 50 Hours.

Closed cooling system, premium sound, Lights on tower, upgraded tower speakers, perfect pass! Heater, Wakeboard racks. Comes with all the life vests, Huge Tube and tow ropes, swim deck with door access to wedge. Comes with 1 Wakeboard. The boat is Blue, Black and White. Also comes with replacement Tribal decals for side of boat or add to your truck to match your boat! This is a steal!!!

Please give me some advice......

I find it extremely difficult to believe that the current owner does not know if his boat has the cut-diamond hull or the wake hull. I suspect that he just doesn't

want to admit that he has a wake hull because he senses that you are interested in the cut-diamond.

Check the post here: hull differences. (Blue/white boat is diamond hull and yellow/black boat is wake hull.) It's pretty easy to tell the difference if you know what to look for. Have the seller send you a picture from behind the boat looking forward.

If you are a serious slalom skier, I don't think you will be happy with the wake hull. Do a search (scroll to top of this page for "Terms of Use,"

then scan to the right on that same line and click on "Search") for diamond hull. Lots of great information on this topic.

Oh, and welcome to the site!

Edited January 25, 2009 by srab

[jordan]

I am thinking about buying a 2007 Malibu VTX Wakesetter because the price 5k or so under what its worth but I am very concerned about the size of the wake as I am a slalom waterskier. I thing the hall is a wake hull but the seller is not sure. I know my kids and I will wakeboard but I want a nice flat wake to cut across on my slalom waterski. Am I going to be very dissapointed in this boat in that regard if the hall is a wake and not a dimond? We are fresh water boaters.

I have been told "the wake hall wake was massive 30+ it is ski able but it wouldnt really be fun" so that could be the deal breaker for me on this boat, great price or not as I ski at 32-34 mph.

The owner told me they would take 38K for it. Here is the seller add for the boat.

Willing to part with my boat. 07' Malibu VTX Paid 73,000.00 Letting go for 45,000.00 All the bells and whistles! Only 50 Hours.

Closed cooling system, premium sound, Lights on tower, upgraded tower speakers, perfect pass! Heater, Wakeboard racks. Comes with all the life vests, Huge Tube and tow ropes, swim deck with door access to wedge. Comes with 1 Wakeboard. The boat is Blue, Black and White. Also comes with replacement Tribal decals for side of boat or add to your truck to match your boat! This is a steal!!!

Please give me some advice......

Jordan,

I must not be reading your post correctly. Your willing to part with your '07 VTX to buy.... another '07 VTX? Here's my advice... Don't do it. Also, you should have a pretty good feel for what the slalom wake is like if that's the case.

I do not have the boat yet. I dont have a feel for the wake for a slalom ski from eather the wake or the dimond hall. But I did conform the hall on this boat I am going to buy is a wake hall.

[DONTW8]

You're gonna get lots of different answers.

For the best compromise between water skiing and wake board use a Direct Drive boat with the Diamond hull would be best. If you want an all around ski boat an Mastercraft Prostar 209 / X9 or a Direct Drive Sunsetter may be your best choice.

The V-Drive boats are much better for Wakeboarding but if you're skiing behind a Direct Drive now you won't enjoy the V-Drive wake.

[ed obermeier]

V-drives do not make good slalom boats. Period. If you want to futz around on a ski in open water at slower speeds you can do that, as long as you don't charge the wake too hard (unless you like hang time on a slalom ski...). If you're at all serious about slalom you DO NOT want a V-drive. Regardless of what the advertising says.

Ed

[skurfer]

Having a couple v-drives that I "ski" behind regularly in open water I agree with Ed on all but one point. If you want to survive the experience you need to be going fast not slow. I routinely ski behind a Tige' 20V and occasionally behind a VLX and 36mph is the speed you want. Both boats are still a little stiff until you come all the way in to 35-off and then very abruptly its flat as a table top.

So the punch line there is: If you're going to ski behind v-drives come right up at 36mph and 35-off and hold on

I open water ski behind a 05 X2 sometimes. Usually at 22 off and 32 MPH. There is a bump, but not too bad. You would suggest moving in front of the bump to 35 off? Please forgive my stupidity. What color is that?

[skurfer]

You my boy Blue

[mrothwell]

V-drives do not make good slalom boats. Period. If you want to futz around on a ski in open water at slower speeds you can do that, as long as you don't charge the wake too hard (unless you like hang time on a slalom ski...). If you're at all serious about slalom you DO NOT want a V-drive. Regardless of what the advertising says.

Ed

Having a couple v-drives that I "ski" behind regularly in open water I agree with Ed on all but one point. If you want to survive the experience you need to be going fast not slow. I routinely ski behind a Tige' 20V and occasionally behind a VLX and 36mph is the speed you want. Both boats are still a little stiff until you come all the way in to 35-off and then very abruptly its flat as a table top.

So the punch line there is: If you're going to ski behind v-drives come right up at 36mph and 35-off and hold on

Not true guys. I've had 2 DD's and skied many others. I now own a VTX on the Diamond and it compares very favorably to the DD's. No, it's not a response wake, but I would put it up against my 99 SSLxi any day. I have no experience with the wake hull, but the Diamond skis very well above 30mph. I have used it in the course several times, and have no issues what-so-ever. I'll take the room and flexibility over the minimal wake difference of the DD.

[hattric73]

We have an 08 VTX, with the Cut diamond. It is a very, very good ski wake, especially for a V-drive. I dont think anyone is going to argue that V-drive is going to compete with a Response but, the VTX with the cut diamond has a very impressive wake...in fact it is pretty impressive in skiing, wakeboarding, wakesurfing, etc etc..

[Matt_Alger]

I doubt the guy paid $73k for the boat. It doesn't even have the power wedge (see swimp deck with door access to the wedge). Also, I saw closed cooling, has it been in salt water? Since the owner doesn't know about the hull, I expect it is the Wake Hull. If he is willing to take $38k it probably is still a good deal, but I would question the honesty of someone who said they paid $73k. It may have listed for $73k but I doubt they paid that for the boat. It brings up the question of what else are they hiding?

I have the cut diamond hull on my VTX. It is good for open water slalom. I would keep at 34 mph or more and as little weight in the boat as possible but do add some to the front. A friend of mine who does nothing but slalom consistently runs 35 off in the course at 36 mph. His comments were at 22 off it was a significant bump but beyond that the bump seems to disappear. I am sure he will take his CC196 over my VTX for slalom but he was very impressed. In his opinion it was better than the Tige 20i (a Direct Drive) that he also skis behind.

With all of that said, you do give up slalom performance. However, it is a significantly better wakeboard and all around boat than my '96 Response with much more room. If I had unlimted funds and unlimited storage area, I would buy 3 boats: A 23' Wakesetter, A Response LXi, and a Sanger DXII. However, if I have to live with only one boat it is the VTX with the cut diamond hull without a doubt.

To give you an idea of where I am coming from, my personal waterskiing preferences are probably fairly evenly split between barefooting, slalom, and wakeboarding depending on the day and conditions.

[jordan]

I doubt the guy paid $73k for the boat. It doesn't even have the power wedge (see swimp deck with door access to the wedge). Also, I saw closed cooling, has it been in salt water? Since the owner doesn't know about the hull, I expect it is the Wake Hull. If he is willing to take $38k it probably is still a good deal, but I would question the honesty of someone who said they paid $73k. It may have listed for $73k but I doubt they paid that for the boat. It brings up the question of what else are they hiding?

I have the cut diamond hull on my VTX. It is good for open water slalom. I would keep at 34 mph or more and as little weight in the boat as possible but do add some to the front. A friend of mine who does nothing but slalom consistently runs 35 off in the course at 36 mph. His comments were at 22 off it was a significant bump but beyond that the bump seems to disappear. I am sure he will take his CC196 over my VTX for slalom but he was very impressed. In his opinion it was better than the Tige 20i (a Direct Drive) that he also skis behind.

With all of that said, you do give up slalom performance. However, it is a significantly better wakeboard and all around boat than my '96 Response with much more room. If I had unlimted funds and unlimited storage area, I would buy 3 boats: A 23' Wakesetter, A Response LXi, and a Sanger DXII. However, if I have to live with only one boat it is the VTX with the cut diamond hull without a doubt.

To give you an idea of where I am coming from, my personal waterskiing preferences are probably fairly evenly split between barefooting, slalom, and wakeboarding depending on the day and conditions.

Thank you for the great advice! I was feeling alot better about this boat for open water slalom after what you told me with your diamond hall but the owner of the boat has confirmed it is a wake hall which puts me back into the unknown again. He also told me that this boat has only seen fresh water. Now I really don't know what to do about this one. Frustated!!! P.S. I grew up in Downers Grove Ill and spent alot of time as a kid on Fox lake.

[MalibuWantToBe]

I doubt the guy paid $73k for the boat. It doesn't even have the power wedge (see swimp deck with door access to the wedge). Also, I saw closed cooling, has it been in salt water? Since the owner doesn't know about the hull, I expect it is the Wake Hull. If he is willing to take $38k it probably is still a good deal, but I would question the honesty of someone who said they paid $73k. It may have listed for $73k but I doubt they paid that for the boat. It brings up the question of what else are they hiding?

I have the cut diamond hull on my VTX. It is good for open water slalom. I would keep at 34 mph or more and as little weight in the boat as possible but do add some to the front. A friend of mine who does nothing but slalom consistently runs 35 off in the course at 36 mph. His comments were at 22 off it was a significant bump but beyond that the bump seems to disappear. I am sure he will take his CC196 over my VTX for slalom but he was very impressed. In his opinion it was better than the Tige 20i (a Direct Drive) that he also skis behind.

With all of that said, you do give up slalom performance. However, it is a significantly better wakeboard and all around boat than my '96 Response with much more room. If I had unlimted funds and unlimited storage area, I would buy 3 boats: A 23' Wakesetter, A Response LXi, and a Sanger DXII. However, if I have to live with only one boat it is the VTX with the cut diamond hull without a doubt.

To give you an idea of where I am coming from, my personal waterskiing preferences are probably fairly evenly split between barefooting, slalom, and wakeboarding depending on the day and conditions.

Thank you for the great advice! I was feeling alot better about this boat for open water slalom after what you told me with your diamond hall but the owner of the boat has confirmed it is a wake hall which puts me back into the unknown again. He also told me that this boat has only seen fresh water. Now I really don't know what to do about this one. Frustated!!! P.S. I grew up in Downers Grove Ill and spent alot of time as a kid on Fox lake.

Well, if you can wait until sometime in May I can give you a first hand review. I recently bought a VTX with a wake hull but haven't been able to ski behind it. I did ride behind a CD VTX and at 28-30 I could not believe how small the wake was, but keep in mind I'm coming from a IO deck boat, so my perception might be off. I just do open water skiing but I do cut hard and the CD was amazing. Now I ended up with the wake hull because I got a great deal. Come May I might be regretting it for skiing, but think the kids will thank me for the wakeboarding and surfing.

If you believe the dealers, everyone (4 different dealers) of them told me that at my skiing speed 28-30 I'm not going to see a difference, that only at 32 and up do you see the CD hull come into play.

Good Luck

Edited January 26, 2009 by MalibuWantToBe

[SmoothWaterMan]

In my not-so-humble opinion the Wake hull is best at 15-22' off, and the Diamond hull is best from 28-39' off, on the VTX.

Peter

[MalibuWantToBe]

In my not-so-humble opinion the Wake hull is best at 15-22' off, and the Diamond hull is best from 28-39' off, on the VTX.

Peter

Peter,

Your making my day. So your saying for us recreational skiers that are skiing with full or almost full line lengths were going to have a decent wake even on the wake hull? I sure hope so.

If not, well I do like to fly.

Thanks