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Sunsetter


JohnnyBlueToes

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Bit of a 'Bu neophyte and need a bit of help. I've been seriously researching boats now for about 6 months and think I have decided on a Sunsetter LXi. Now that I'm shopping I'm coming across Sunsetter LX or just Sunsetter models. I'm clear on the difference between the LXi and the LX on the Response but need an education on the Sunsetter. Can the 'Bu crew help me out?

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Welcome to the site.
Are there any years that are better than others, worse than others, wood stringer issues?

All boats from the Echelon forward are fully composite, so you have no worries there.

Any problematic items to be concerned about?

Nothing across the board, with the possible exception of HDS & even that doesn't have large numbers of failures. These boats are hand built & as such each will its own individual idiosyncracies. I'm sure that CC is the same way.

What motors would be the minimum to go about 44 or 45 for foot'n?

Monsoon, minimum. In the later years you could look at the LS1 or Hammerhead, but there are definite tradeoffs no matter which way you go.

Whats the real diff between Response and Sunsetter?

Size, which directly translates to the wake. On a SV23 Wake hull Sunsetter, the slalom wake is a larger version of the 96-97 Response wake (non-Diamond hull). The '98 & forward Responses built on the Diamond hull are a whole different animal, the Diamond hull providing softer, flatter, smoother slalom wakes (of course the tradeoff is less wake for boarding & surfing). For a breakdown by year of the technical differences between the 2, visit this link: Tech/DIY section

Does anyone surf behind a Response?

There are plenty here that do, but in this case size does matter. The bigger the wave, the easier it is & the larger the sweet spot will be = easier to stay up without the rope.

Is one type of wedge better than another?

The flat Wedge is for Diamond hull boats, the one with the "v" is for non-Diamond hull boats. Don't think of it in terms of "better" but one works better with one hull design, etc.

Even if you don't buy a Malibu, stick around anyway. We have plenty of members with other brands & while they do take a little ribbing, it's all in good fun. :)

Follow the link above to the Tech/DIY section, it will tell you about the hull specs.

I've been learning alot too from the good folks here in the land of Bu.

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Also read the posts in a thread started a little farther down in this area on page 3 titled:

LSV or VLX ... That is the question

You will learn allot about which hulls are better for slalom and which for wake board.

Whatever you do, DON'T get these guys going on Diamond VS Wake Hulls. jk Biggrin.gif

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Hey JBT nice to see another person from Oregon on here and welcome to the site! We have a 99 SSLXi so and its a great boat. Feel free to ask away with any questions that you might have. It has a great wake for skiing, with the wedge and a few sacs it can also throw a great boarding and surfing wake. No ones ever footed behind our boat, but it goes plenty fast for it (around 47-48ish)

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Hey JBT nice to see another person from Oregon on here and welcome to the site! We have a 99 SSLXi so and its a great boat. Feel free to ask away with any questions that you might have. It has a great wake for skiing, with the wedge and a few sacs it can also throw a great boarding and surfing wake. No ones ever footed behind our boat, but it goes plenty fast for it (around 47-48ish)

Thanks for the warm welcome. Everything I've heard is positive about the ski wake on the SLXi which is what I'm most concerned about. It's been a couple years since I footed, but now that I'm getting my own boat hope to get back into it. I'll leave the wakeboarding to the kids. I've heard the drop off from a Response to a Sunsetter LXi is noticable but minimal, can you comment?

Figured I better show my Cougar pride if we were going to start supporting our schools here. Good weekend for us both! Yahoo.gif

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Hey JBT nice to see another person from Oregon on here and welcome to the site! We have a 99 SSLXi so and its a great boat. Feel free to ask away with any questions that you might have. It has a great wake for skiing, with the wedge and a few sacs it can also throw a great boarding and surfing wake. No ones ever footed behind our boat, but it goes plenty fast for it (around 47-48ish)

Thanks for the warm welcome. Everything I've heard is positive about the ski wake on the SLXi which is what I'm most concerned about. It's been a couple years since I footed, but now that I'm getting my own boat hope to get back into it. I'll leave the wakeboarding to the kids. I've heard the drop off from a Response to a Sunsetter LXi is noticable but minimal, can you comment?

Figured I better show my Cougar pride if we were going to start supporting our schools here. Good weekend for us both! Yahoo.gif

I cannot comment on the drop off (I don't even know what you are reffering to) but if it has anything to do with skiing which I am assuming it does I don't know becaus I don't ski. As far as football is concerned there were some great games on Saturday!!!! Yahoo.gifYahoo.gif

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I cannot comment on the drop off (I don't even know what you are reffering to) but if it has anything to do with skiing which I am assuming it does I don't know becaus I don't ski. As far as football is concerned there were some great games on Saturday!!!! Yahoo.gif  Yahoo.gif

"Drop off" isn't used as a slalom technical term here. Just referring to the less desirable wake for slalom on the Sunsetter vs. the Response.

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All of the boats you named are pretty good for skiing. The Slxi skis a lot like a Rlx, because they ride on virtually the same hull.

The sunsetter lx would be the worst (of all the responses) and slxi. The "drop-off" is noticeable, but it's not like a sunsetter lx is like a sport nautique or anything.

I think there is a sslxi for sale on here. Check the for sale section.

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The sunsetter lx would be the worst (of all the responses) and slxi.  The "drop-off" is noticeable, but it's not like a sunsetter lx is like a sport nautique or anything.

Be careful what you say we had a 02 Sunsetter lx and it was on the diamond hull.

Edited by tmcb
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We love our 01 SLXi!!! Slaloming is great 34mph 15off. Footing is good for an inboard. Wakeboarding with wedge and ski locker and full gas tank is ok. There is a very noticible difference in sking wakes between the SLXi and the SLX. As far as engine options go with the monsoon if at all possible. Plan on getting a new prop if yours comes with the standard CVP ss prop. They are pieces of s#$% and on my boat made the rooster tail like a brick wall to ski through. If I had it to do over again the only boat I would consider instead of the SLXI would be a diamond hull sunsetter v-drive.

Check the for sale forum on this site. Someone was selling their SLXi in the low 20s

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Welcome to the site. They rated the Response at 1 (world class) and the SLXI at 1.5. Therefore, the wake is going to be a bit wider and larger. As TMCB pointed out they did make SLX on a diamond hull boat in 02', but I've not seen much of them for sale as of yet. I'm on the SLX many times a year and the wake for slalom isn't as smooth in addition the wake from the Response to the SLXI is much closer than the SLX to the SLXI. The SLXI offers more storage and room over both the SLX and the RLX. The wetted surface of the SLXI is the same as the SLX due to the cantilevered trunk with 18 cu. ft. of storage. If I lived on a private course and rarely went out to the lake, I'd get a Response otherwise the 99'-04' SLXI fits my needs very well. IMHO they ruined the SLXI in 05' to big bertha...to big to heavy.

Also the crew is having a weekend on the water in August

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Just my two cents as an '05 SLXi owner:

If you are mostly into skiing, ski on an uncrowded lake, always have experienced drivers at the helm, then go with the Response or an earlier Sunsetter.

If you will split your time between boarding and skiing, have small kids that will want to do everything, will sometimes let a less-than-fully-experienced driver take the wheel to get you out of the water, don't plan on running buoys, and want plenty of storage for your large family, then the '05 and '06 Sunsetter LXi's are a very nice pick.

I bought my first Malibu this year, and this is exactly the decision I made. I looked hard at a Response with a tower and wedge. I looked hard at a used Sunsetter. I talked to many people who have had and sold both. At the end of the day, it came down to wanting a boat that met most of our needs well, but didn't meet all of them perfectly. I wanted the extra storage, extra freeboard, and confidence in a slightly bigger boat so that I wasn't always freaking out when a '26 Sea Ray rolls by. Maybe in a few years, when I have more experience, and the CFO has more experience, and if the kids aren't into competitive wakeboarding, I'll get a different boat, but for now, I'm very happy with my decision. Good Luck! :)

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Does anyone use the Sunsetter LXI (pre 2005 model) in the slalom course?  How does it handle the course?

I skied behind a 99 SLXi once and it had a very nice wake. Thumbup.gif Only problem was...I couldn't blame the boat for my problems in the course. :(

:)

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Does anyone use the Sunsetter LXI (pre 2005 model) in the slalom course?  How does it handle the course?

The original SLXi does a good job in the course. It's slower to plane than the Response so very short setups could be tough. Wakes are not a problem, my PB was behind my SLXi.

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Rumor has it someone else may have a SLXI for sale Whistling.gif Very clean and just added a tower too.

I remember a hint about someone less (LS-One) getting a new boat. If the LS-1 was handed down then that person would be selling their Sunsetter. :unsure:

Biggrin.gif

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Rumor has it someone else may have a SLXI for sale Whistling.gif Very clean and just added a tower too.

PM me with details if the rumors become reality.

Thanks to everyone for the help on this. Think I'm on the right path w/ the SLXi with my intended use.

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Rumor has it someone else may have a SLXI for sale Whistling.gif Very clean and just added a tower too.

:unsure: . . . . . . . . Dontknow.gif

M-Dude - you finally giving in to the wife's demand for a v-drive? Cry.gif

Nope, the boat I'm talking about is located near St. Louis. Perhaps Edwin could snap a few photos.

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Rumor has it someone else may have a SLXI for sale Whistling.gif Very clean and just added a tower too.

I remember a hint about someone less (LS-One) getting a new boat. If the LS-1 was handed down then that person would be selling their Sunsetter. :unsure:

Biggrin.gif

Not a chance. :)

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