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When will we see a new hull for the VLX/LSV?


Cory

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The current V25 wake hull was released on the LSV in 2004, then on the VLX in 2005. This hull has remained in use on these boats till the present day and will continue for MY 2013. This seems to be a fairly long run on this hull design. Any ideas when a new wake or surf (V27 surf???) hull will be released?

I'm guessing MY 2014 will be a dash update for the VLX and the LSV similar to the VTX this year while the engineers really focus on hull/surf gate design. Perhaps a new hull for the VLX or LSV will be ripe for MY 2015. Since the V25 wake hull was probably developed somewhere during 2001 thru 2003, they probably did not give any thought to wake surfing when designing the current hull. I've seen interviews with the Inland Surfer founder where he states that the reason they prefer Centurion is due to its deeper V, relative to other inboard boats, giving a much better surf wave.

With surf gate, Malibu is clearly taking aim at wake surfing (finally). From my understanding, surf gate was developed via trial and error (not mechanical engineers crunching technical fluid dynamic equations to arrive at an optimal design). As such, surf gate probably has room for improvement in the years to come and that improvement will likely require re-designing the shape of the hull to optimize its fluid dynamic interactions with the actuated gates. I would imagine, the size, shape, angle, etc. of the surf gates would have to be designed in cooperation with the next hull to optimize the wave making function. Perhaps a deeper V is in the cards??? Now that surf gate negates the need to lean the boat, is a deeper V still advantageous? I'm guessig this kind of R&D will take at least until MY 2015.

When do you think we will see a new hull for the VLX/LSV?

Edited by Cory
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This is an interesting post. I've been thinking about this too. Wondering if there is a new hull coming makes me wonder when I should jump out there for a new boat. What else can they change except for a Deep V unless it is a little chine mod for Surfgate and I'm not sure we need a Deep V. The next few years will be make it or break it for Surfgate. Hopefully after a bunch of customers get the boats and have real world experiences with it, it will only get better.

One thing I worry about is Malibu getting away from the Ski hulls. I'm sure that other parts of the country get more ski boats but there are only a hand full sold here locally. I don't recall the last time I saw anyone on our lake waterskiing on an advanced level. I don't want Malibu to get too focused on the Wakeboard & Surf crowd with all the hype those events get. Malibu has a deep tradition in the ski comps, hoping the remember where they came from.

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With my buddy's Enzo, we really don't lean it that much to get a great surf wave. He even fills the starboard side tank to weight the rear down to get a nicer wave. So, not really sure what the Surf Gate is gonna do to the shape of future hulls. Can't wait, it means new stuff to play with.

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Changing hulls to a deep v would be a disaster, IMHO. The flat bottoms are what gives you:

* rampy wake shape with smooth transition (as opposed to steep)

* clean wake as low as 17mph

* Porsche like handling

* less side-to-side sensitive

* skiable wakes

* less drastic lean when surfing

If people want deep v, there are plenty of boats out there with it. But I don't think Bu should join them.

I've had both of these... Trust me when I tell you that the one I have now is tons more versatile.

BuvsMB.jpg

Edited by IXFE
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Though still the V25 hull, the VLX did change in '09 hull wise going from a 98" beam to a 100" beam, which is a but of an impact on surface area the boat is running on.

As long as that hull is selling well, I doubt they are overly concerned about replacing it.

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Malibu built a completely new VLX hull in 2009. It has a similar shape to the 2005-2008 hull in the rear but it was still a completely new mold and it does put out a slightly different shaped wake. Some prefer one over the other, I like both! It also solved the chine lock issues the earlier boats can have when weighted down. I'm guessing they will go at least 5 years before designing/building new hull molds for a particular model again, especially with all of the new models and features they have been introducing.

Edited by Brett B
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Changing hulls to a deep v would be a disaster, IMHO. The flat bottoms are what gives you:

* rampy wake shape with smooth transition (as opposed to steep)

* clean wake as low as 17mph

* Porsche like handling

* less side-to-side sensitive

* skiable wakes

* less drastic lean when surfing

If people want deep v, there are plenty of boats out there with it. But I don't think Bu should join them.

I've had both of these... Trust me when I tell you that the one I have now is tons more versatile.

BuvsMB.jpg

Do you know if the Enzo's have the negative characteristics your talking about? There're supposed to be the best for surfing.

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"Supposed" is the key word. I have had folks note that my sacked out VLX could hang with an Enzo. Not quite as large, but the push was still there when in the wash. It's all about tons of extra weighT.

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Do you know if the Enzo's have the negative characteristics your talking about? There're supposed to be the best for surfing.

I have never been in an Enzo, and I don't know what its hull shape is. I believe they have a deep v (similar to the MB above), and if that's the case, then I would think the laws of physics apply to them just like everybody else.

I have had both boats in the picture above (Bu VLX vs. MB TWB), and I think the Bu surfs better with stock ballast than the MB. Oh sure, the MB has more stock ballast and the wave is tall, but the Bu wave is cleaner, longer, and easier for me to stay in the pocket (I think that means the push is better). I'm no surfing expert. I just know what I like better.

I have not surfed the VLX sacked out yet, but that's my plan for next season. I've talked to many who say it's highly underrated.

Edited by IXFE
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