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Response LXi Wakeboarding


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I'm wondering if the Response LXi wake is suitable for decent recreational wakeboarding - my gut feeling is that it is since I see a lot of boats well equipped with tower wedge but I'd like to see some actual pics and thoughts from people who use the boat for boarding.

Thanks in advance.

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I've been behind a few - the wake sucks for wakeboarding, even with a tower and wedge. ...and fatsacks and 10 people it still sucks. Malibu did a really good job makeing a great slalom boat.

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I'm wondering if the Response LXi wake is suitable for decent recreational wakeboarding - my gut feeling is that it is since I see a lot of boats well equipped with tower wedge but I'd like to see some actual pics and thoughts from people who use the boat for boarding.

Thanks in advance.

I would call myself a recreational wakeboarder and I think the wake on my RLXi with the wedge are good enough to get me hurt. With about a 50' line I can easily clear the wake and get sufficient height to scare myself. Then again, I'm a slalom skier and any height off the wake is bad.

When I board, I have fun with my boat and don't wish that it had more wake.

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Define "decent recreational wakeboarding"?

You will get mixed opinions on this. If your coming from a waverunner then H#!! yeah - it rocks! If your coming from a VLX (which is in your profile) then it is going to suck @$$. Point is the wake while smooth and consistant is very small compared to other Malibu (and other mfg) wakeboard boats. Just cause someone puts a tower on the boat doesn't mean it's got a good wake. A lot of the skiers are doing it for: 1) resale value, 2) for more space in the boat - racks, 3) cause it looks cool and chicks dig it, 4) to pull barefooters and tubers off it.

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I'm wondering if the Response LXi wake is suitable for decent recreational wakeboarding - my gut feeling is that it is since I see a lot of boats well equipped with tower wedge but I'd like to see some actual pics and thoughts from people who use the boat for boarding.

Thanks in advance.

I would call myself a recreational wakeboarder and I think the wake on my RLXi with the wedge are good enough to get me hurt. With about a 50' line I can easily clear the wake and get sufficient height to scare myself. Then again, I'm a slalom skier and any height off the wake is bad.

When I board, I have fun with my boat and don't wish that it had more wake.

I'll go along with skisix@38 the wake is just fine for most recreational boarders I know. I can jump wake to wake, heel and toe side and 180's heel side with a 55 foot rope. I also board behind a Supra Launch and a Tige 21v and yes the wakes are not as good, but I don't ride that much better behind them either.

aneal000: A good Wakeboarder should be able to ride behind any boat and adapt, just like skiers need to behind different boats, that why he's good.

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aneal000: A good Wakeboarder should be able to ride behind any boat and adapt, just like skiers need to behind different  boats, that why he's good.

Who's talking good wakeboards here? I would agree with you 100% that a good wakeboarder can adjust to different wakes, but that is kinda off topic, not to mention that arguement is weak. Look at cable parks they don't have any wakes and the guys still seem to do just fine. So why design a boat to make a wake at all since it's obvious from watching riders go big off of no wake - right? You don't get it, sorry.

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Hitting a little too close to home there huh? Dude, I've rode behind at least 5 different RLXi's from 03-05 with and without wedge, with and without tower, with and without 800 pounds of lead. And all I come away saying is Malibu knows how to make a great ski boat cause the wakeboarding wake sucks! Come on, quit trying to rationalize your purchase, it's not, nor never was meant to be a wakeboard boat. It freaking won waterski towboat of the year for slalom skiing, not wakeboarding. But hey you enjoy your 50' rope W2W jumps! No disrespect, just the industry is headed a certain way for a reason.

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Dude; sounds like my 9 year old, and I don't have to rationalize my purchase. The RLXi is one of the best all around boats out there. The question was "is the Response LXi wake is suitable for decent recreational wakeboarding", and yes it is. Our opinion on what is recreational wakeboarding must be very different, and we all what opionions are like, right. I don't believe the industry is heading in the direction of making one dimensional boats, or why would there still be a ski pylon in a wakeboard boat.

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With trepidation I will weigh in here. I really wouldn't say that the Response LXi is one of the best all-around boats out there, just like I wouldn't say that the Wakesetter VLX is one of the best all-around boats either. Can you board behind a Response - yes you can, just like you can ski behind a Wakesetter VLX, but it is not going to be very satisfactory in either case. A more truly all-around boat would be the Wakesetter LX, or the XTi or the 21LSV in the Malibu line up.

Now then what is recreational wakeboarding or skiing? Well that is certainly up for opinion. Hey, if you are having fun in and behind your boat, who cares?

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I think you need to make the decision based on what your primary activity is. If you want to run the slalom course and wakeboard on the side the Response family is your best bet. If you want to wakeboard/surf and slalom in open water a Wakesetter or one of the larger boats is your best choice.

I have a Response and goof around on the wakeboard behind it and have a lot of fun. I will never be doing inverted tricks on it though but it does rock in the slalom course.

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exactly right chef23, although i have seen inverted tricks done behind my response (actually i have done some inverted tricks myself - never completed them, but have done them, and it has NOTHING to do with the wake, just my lack of talent).

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Well said Chef. I know that in the case of my crew, we are willing to try/do just about anything....jacks of many trades, definitely masters of none. Add to that two young kids who haven't decided whether they want to be a skier first or a wakeboarder.

For our clan, the RLXi w/ tower and wedge affords us plenty of options. If my kids go to the darkside in the future, I'll cross that bridge then. For now I'm just glad they want to be out there as much as I do.

Edited by 2 ThumbsUp
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i have a rlxi and it is a descent wakeboard boat. I chase boueys and board; the wake seems to do fine for me doing 360's, getting enough air to go for the front flip and not land. Did I see that aneal is malibu dreamin when it comes to a boat. yayayyaya. i have a tower and a wedge, no it was not for resale, looks but lets say functionality. The boat does not suck as when you say this keep it in regards to the bayliners etc. Stop dreamin about a malibu and join the rush. best of luck on the water.

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Did I see that aneal is malibu dreamin when it comes to a boat. yayayyaya.  i have a tower and a wedge, no it was not for resale, looks but lets say functionality.  The boat does not suck as when you say this keep it in regards to the bayliners etc.  Stop dreamin about a malibu and join the rush. best of luck on the water.

...you got me there blake, I guess if I had any "real" experience with these boats then you might accept my comments?

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Blake your knowledge of aneal is way off....he has lots of experience and in this case a picture does not tell the full story...He has been a long time contributer to TMC and MBO..

Reggie

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I was just considering some options for 2006. Here are a few of my thoughts.

Love the VLX but don't particularly like the size, lack of agility and responsiveness, the extra few inches of draft required, the 5000lb hoist required, etc. This year we spent more time playing with the wakeskate than boarding (which I've never claimed to be any good at anyway but we do have a good time) and my regular boarding partner has a Vride that is just fine for boarding. Do I love the boarding capability and functionality of the VLX? Absolutely. Do I really need all of that capability or can I make use of it? Not likely in this lifetime. One of the things I know I'd miss is the storage space for all of our junk and the ability to load it up and go surfing.

We never have the need to have room for 10 or 12 people on board and if we did I'd probably buy an HK pontoon anyway. I was thinking on the days when we can't get out together on the Vride and it's just the family out on the lake having a good time with the boards or taking the skates out the RLXi would probably suffice and I'd get back some of the things that I enjoyed with a smaller boat.

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With trepidation I will weigh in here.  I really wouldn't say that the Response LXi is one of the best all-around boats out there, just like I wouldn't say that the Wakesetter VLX is one of the best all-around boats either.  Can you board behind a Response - yes you can, just like you can ski behind a Wakesetter VLX, but it is not going to be very satisfactory in either case.  A more truly all-around boat would be the Wakesetter LX, or the XTi or the 21LSV in the Malibu line up.

Now then what is recreational wakeboarding or skiing?  Well that is certainly up for opinion.  Hey, if you are having fun in and behind your boat, who cares?

What he said. The other thing I'll say is that Tony's comment of perspective & where you're coming from is right on as well, the RLXI is going to look really weak for boarding after owning a VLX. But from what you just said, it may not matter anyway, right? One thing to consider may be an SLXI, especially the '04 & older (although the newer ones would be fine for what you described as well) - that may give you a good compromise.

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An RLXI certainly can be used for wakeboarding however coming from a VLX it’ll require better technique to complete the same tricks while other advanced ones maybe difficult at any level. No matter which boat you get if you ski/wb you’ll have to compromise on something to accommodate it all. With that said a DD will give you a better slalom wake but require more weight to get a decent wake. The SLXI is a great crossover boat but still leans toward the slalom skier while the wakesetter (formerly the Sunsetter LX) is a bit better for wb than slaloming with the non-diamond hull not a HUGE difference but enough. The VLX is the best tubing boat period. Tongue.gif

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