2013 Malibu Rumor

[Nitrousbird]

Count me as one who doesn't want a gravity fed ballast system. Malibu, keep doing what you are already doing! I like the ability to hit a pre-set button and have 4 individual tanks fill to the exact amount desired, especially since our group has a wide variety of rider skill sets. Combine that with the auto-set power wedge and you really do have a set-it and forget-it wake without having to work to find the clean spot. With Malibu's new fast fill pumps I'm sure the fill times are even shorter now.

Not everybody wants two big tanks that are either full or empty. I'm sure you could play with switches while moving to try and drain the tanks to half full, but what if you weren’t watching the gauges or didn’t time it right? Then you just drained all your ballast and have to stop and drop the rider to fill back up and try again. That sort of fiddling does not appeal to me at all. What if you want to add weight just to the nose? Then you are stuck putting bags on the seats and throwing pumps over the side. That totally defeats the purpose of the gravity fed system considering the time/hassle involved.

What if you want to add more weight to one side for surfing, as many with pure-vert systems have stated they do? Then you are throwing pumps over the side, or plumbing in electric ballast pumps anyway. Again, completely defeating the purpose of the gravity system. I doubt many really prefer to surf with just stock ballast compared to the monster wave you can get with extra ballast. I also don't like the very shallow seat height that results from having those big tanks located where they are.

I can see how a gravity system has advantages for some people, but I feel Malibu’s system is just more capable for a majority of users.

Just my 2 cents.

You could make a gravity fed system automated quite easily - either on a time-based setup or having a water flow meter on each intake. Would still be a more simple and reliable setup than a pump setup, and adjustments willl take far less time than a pump setup. You could fill and empty the tanks several times in the amount of time it would take pumps to fill that kind of weight.

Pumps would be required for the nose - which is why I suggested a hybrid system. How is it okay for an all-pump boat to have pumps for the nose, but not a gravity fed system to have pumps in the nose?

If you want to have more weight for surfing, you simply just fill the tank for that side of the boat. If you need more than 1200lbs on one side, then I guess you would need to add bags like every other boat out there along with pumps - like every other boat. I'm not seeing the disadvantage vs. a pump setup. Gravity = speed and simplicity, two things you want on the water.

[Fman]

Count me as one who doesn't want a gravity fed ballast system. Malibu, keep doing what you are already doing! I like the ability to hit a pre-set button and have 4 individual tanks fill to the exact amount desired, especially since our group has a wide variety of rider skill sets. Combine that with the auto-set power wedge and you really do have a set-it and forget-it wake without having to work to find the clean spot. With Malibu's new fast fill pumps I'm sure the fill times are even shorter now.

Not everybody wants two big tanks that are either full or empty. I'm sure you could play with switches while moving to try and drain the tanks to half full, but what if you weren’t watching the gauges or didn’t time it right? Then you just drained all your ballast and have to stop and drop the rider to fill back up and try again. That sort of fiddling does not appeal to me at all. What if you want to add weight just to the nose? Then you are stuck putting bags on the seats and throwing pumps over the side. That totally defeats the purpose of the gravity fed system considering the time/hassle involved.

What if you want to add more weight to one side for surfing, as many with pure-vert systems have stated they do? Then you are throwing pumps over the side, or plumbing in electric ballast pumps anyway. Again, completely defeating the purpose of the gravity system. I doubt many really prefer to surf with just stock ballast compared to the monster wave you can get with extra ballast. I also don't like the very shallow seat height that results from having those big tanks located where they are.

I can see how a gravity system has advantages for some people, but I feel Malibu’s system is just more capable for a majority of users.

Just my 2 cents.

Amen! I agree with you... the quad ballast is awesome and so user friendly. It so nice to be able to add 300 lbs just in the center of the boat if desired. My 9 year old boards with the center ballast full at 19MPH and wake is perfect for him! I too like how you can completely customize your ballast system with the Maliview. 45 seconds compared to 3.5 minutes is not a big difference when you have to put your board and vest on, hook up rope, etc... and having to drive the boat to empty the tanks seems lame to me. Hit "Go HOME" option on Maliview and your empty in a few minutes, regardless if you are sitting around or driving the boat.

Edited February 5, 2012 by Fman

[Pistol Pete]

A 247 MXZ would be incredible! Imagine the room and the wakes......

I heard there's gonna be a 2012.5 257 MXZ.

[Malibudude]

Pure vert. ?

No pur vert system is planned, just a larger capacity of the current setup.

[Cory]

No pur vert system is planned, just a larger capacity of the current setup.

This is good news in my opinion. What will be the new capacity (enough to surf with stock tanks...)? Will this increase be for all wake setters (e.g., including the VTX), or limited to just specific models?

[wakeboarder3780]

Just so the pro pump crowd understand the gravity fed system a little better as well... The custom filling isn't an issue. For the bow you're always going to need a pump. While I agree the pump system *could* be the solution IMO today it isn't. Have you guys ever had to replace one of your pumps? Maybe you guys pay for service but changing those pumps is a total PITA. You can also fill thousands of lbs of ballast in under a minute with gravity fed, while I sit out on the lake using my pumps it takes me about 10 minutes. Not to mention around fall I have had leaves jammed up in my pump and then it's loads of fun.

For people who ride small amount of ballast (stock and under) and have never had to change a pump I can see where you're coming from. For people like me who typically end up having to put in aftermarket ballast to get the wake I want, gravity fed systems typically come with more stock ballast, and fill in literally a minute or less. I've also had to replace pumps and greatly respect how big of a PITA (and cost) it is.

I assume Malibu will stick with the pump route. I've heard bigger pumps are coming, etc. I think malibu could make the pump system work much better (some are arguing it works the way it is), but the pumps need to become a lot faster than they are now. The thing I worry about is how much it's going to drain my battery by running the bigger pumps when I could simply use enough electricity to open and close a gate.

Sidenote: The current MXZ is 22' even right? If that's the case i really hope they make a 24' version. Anything over 24' and I'd probably have to stay away PP were you serious or kidding about the 257?

Edited February 7, 2012 by wakeboarder3780

[Brett B]

I understand the gravity system just fine. If it fills/drains 2400 pounds in 1 minute, then that is 40 pounds of ballast change every second. Of course you are going to have trouble getting things just right at partial fill levels by trying to time it. If I'm trying to time the switches for 1/2 ballast and look at the iPod for 10 seconds to find my playlist, that's a difference of 400 pounds. I've been on boats that had trouble getting the wake clean, and that level of fiddling is just not what I'm interested in. What if somebody else is driving your boat? It's great if you can master the timing, but if the wake sucks every time you want to ride because nobody else gets it right then that’s no fun. Again, if all you do is ride all-full or all-empty then that's great, a Pure Vert system will be perfect for you.

With the Maliview you hit a preset button, everything goes where you want it in a few minutes while you strap on your board, and you are done. So easy even my wife could do it.

I have had to change a pump before. In fact, on a friends boat one of the pumps stopped working while we were on the water. So I simply closed the thru-hull valves, unscrewed a working pump, and screwed it into the port for the non-working pump, and viola we could still fill/drain all the tanks even though a pump had died. It was so easy we did this for a couple weekends before he had the chance to get the bad pump replaced. I think it's great that Malibu uses the same pumps for all the tanks, and many of them are grouped in the same area with long enough wire harnesses to swap around as needed, even while on the water.

When one of the Pure Vert valves fails, (as all electro-mechanical devices do) then you have no thru-hull fittings to close to isolate that big hole in the hull, and no way to keep on boating with functioning ballast without a trip to the dealer. That will ruin a nice long weekend trip. Have you had to change a Pure Vert valve before? They are located very low in the transom behind the engine. I'm sure they aren't any fun either, and they certainly aren't immune from dying or getting clogged by larger debris as well.

If we are going to compare Pure Vert to Malibu's system, let's compare what Malibu currently builds with what Pure Vert actually builds. There is no flowmeter-equipped PureVert system currently in existence, and if there were it would have terrible reliability in dirty lake water. They also don’t have a timer automated system. Even if they did Mastercraft has timers for their ballast, and just about every post I see about it on the Mastercraft forum is about how much they hate it and want to know how to eliminate it. Malibu's current ballast system also does not take 10 minutes to fill, it closer to 2-3 minutes with the new pumps.

Pure Vert is a cool approach, but it’s not the right solution for everybody. It may be faster to fill the stock tanks, but it is less capable and scalable than Malibu's approach.

[MARiley]

A 247 MXZ would be incredible! Imagine the room and the wakes......

ew.

[Pistol Pete]

PP were you serious or kidding about the 257?

I think they're gonna announce it at the boat show where they're unveiling that Canadian edition boat.

[Malibuzer]

I will be there for the opeing of the Canadian Edition and I can let you all know if there is anything else that is announced. Should be a great day tommorrow!!

[rennis]

I think they're gonna announce it at the boat show where they're unveiling that Canadian edition boat.

Due to anticipated exchange rates, the Canadian 257 will actually be a 253.

[Pistol Pete]

I heard it will have a power retractable swim plat form so that the surf wake is perfect.

[Living the Dream]

I also heard they are making a convertible top for the 2012.5 267 LSV

[Steve B.]

Ha, hopefully it will have "(explative)" laser beams or torpedoes or some other ill tempered gadgets !

Steve B.

[blagrata]

Ha, hopefully it will have "(explative)" laser beams or torpedoes or some other ill tempered gadgets !

Steve B.

A pair of .50 cals mounted on that g3 tower would look sweet. Could take out anyone who makes a power turn.

[a92harley92]

Just so the pro pump crowd understand the gravity fed system a little better as well... The custom filling isn't an issue. For the bow you're always going to need a pump. While I agree the pump system *could* be the solution IMO today it isn't. Have you guys ever had to replace one of your pumps? Maybe you guys pay for service but changing those pumps is a total PITA. You can also fill thousands of lbs of ballast in under a minute with gravity fed, while I sit out on the lake using my pumps it takes me about 10 minutes. Not to mention around fall I have had leaves jammed up in my pump and then it's loads of fun.

For people who ride small amount of ballast (stock and under) and have never had to change a pump I can see where you're coming from. For people like me who typically end up having to put in aftermarket ballast to get the wake I want, gravity fed systems typically come with more stock ballast, and fill in literally a minute or less. I've also had to replace pumps and greatly respect how big of a PITA (and cost) it is.

I assume Malibu will stick with the pump route. I've heard bigger pumps are coming, etc. I think malibu could make the pump system work much better (some are arguing it works the way it is), but the pumps need to become a lot faster than they are now. The thing I worry about is how much it's going to drain my battery by running the bigger pumps when I could simply use enough electricity to open and close a gate.

Sidenote: The current MXZ is 22' even right? If that's the case i really hope they make a 24' version. Anything over 24' and I'd probably have to stay away PP were you serious or kidding about the 257?

While boat shopping at the local Malibu dealer, I asked the salesman a question as I was looking in the center access panel of a 2011 VLX. I asked him "How hard is it to replace one of those ballast pumps". He was quick to answer "You'll never have to replace those pumps".

That is 1 of the MANY reasons I didn't buy a boat from him.

[85 Barefoot]

While boat shopping at the local Malibu dealer, I asked the salesman a question as I was looking in the center access panel of a 2011 VLX. I asked him "How hard is it to replace one of those ballast pumps". He was quick to answer "You'll never have to replace those pumps".

That is 1 of the MANY reasons I didn't buy a boat from him.

he was being serious...he never thought someone would attempt on their own

[Pistol Pete]

Ha, hopefully it will have "(explative)" laser beams or torpedoes or some other ill tempered gadgets !

Steve B.

I heard air horns are an option on the 2012.5 267.

[Pistol Pete]

Ha, hopefully it will have "(explative)" laser beams or torpedoes or some other ill tempered gadgets !

Steve B.

I heard air horns are an option on the 2012.5 277.

[Pistol Pete]

Ha, hopefully it will have "(explative)" laser beams or torpedoes or some other ill tempered gadgets !

Steve B.

I heard air horns are an option on the 2012.5 277.

[Armyguy]

Yep something new for next year...gunna be a game changer.

I am considering pulling the trigger on a 2012 VLX but then found these threads. I know you can't spill the beans but I would like to know a partial answer. Will this new thing be able to be retrofitted onto a 2012 or will it be something on the 2013+ going forward? If so, I can wait one more season because I dont want to spend 70k on a boat if there is a "game changer" so to speak going to be released. As long as it can be retrofitted then I am probably not going to wait for the 2013 model. I am dying to get back into a boat, just want to make sure it's the right one. =)

Thanks,

Dan

Edited March 2, 2012 by Armyguy

[nyryan2001]

Dan, exactly why do you want to use your boat for? What do you like to do?

post up and folks will chime in.

[NorCaliBu]

He is serious! Not much info. But Malibudude knows all!

That's an even more ridiculous statement than "lasers and torpedoes..."

I heard air horns are an option on the 2012.5 267.

I heard air horns are an option on the 2012.5 277.

I heard air horns are an option on the 2012.5 277.

Yo Pete, we heard you the first two times.

[Malibudude]

That's an even more ridiculous statement than "lasers and torpedoes..."

Yo Pete, we heard you the first two times.

Ya kinda like taking a month off from social media.....

[Malibudude]

I am considering pulling the trigger on a 2012 VLX but then found these threads. I know you can't spill the beans but I would like to know a partial answer. Will this new thing be able to be retrofitted onto a 2012 or will it be something on the 2013+ going forward? If so, I can wait one more season because I dont want to spend 70k on a boat if there is a "game changer" so to speak going to be released. As long as it can be retrofitted then I am probably not going to wait for the 2013 model. I am dying to get back into a boat, just want to make sure it's the right one. =)

Thanks,

Dan

Can't really give out details, sorry. What is you main purpose going forward? I wouldn't count on anything being backwards compatible.