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new boat or modify?


skobliska

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I have an 06 23 LSV without a tower or a balast and I'm considering either upgrading to a new one with surf gate or buying a 20VTX with a surfgate or adding the ballast and tower to my 23 LSV. I'm a recreational skier that lives on the water and has three kids and we all want to surf and wake board as well as ski. I've been looking at the 200 Nautique and the 210 Super Air. The wake I get with my 23 LSV for skiing for my purpose is fine but I don't want a larger one for skiing. The nautique dealer suggested that the 2013 210 SA would give me a better wake for skiing than my Malibu. I'm not sure which direction to go. Any feedback would be great.

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I suggest doing a cost benefit analysis. Find out how much the tower and ballast would cost, then compare it to the difference. If you want a G3 and factory hard tanks you are looking at some $$$, also do you want to put tower speakers + racks? It can get expensive quick.

210 for skiing I am not buying it, they are great wakeboats but I don't see it being any better or worse than any of the bu's.

If you go new look for one with a diamond hull, surfgate, and all the goodies: VTX, VLX, or LSV.

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Stay with your 06 for one more season. It is predicable that the 2013 Surfgate models will show us all over the season how reliable the system is and even better the price of the 2013 will decline as model year progresses towards the 2014.

If you add a couple sacks to the 06, that should keep both you and the kids happy through the season.

Adding a tower should be about $3000 to $3600

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Adding a tower should be about $3000 to $3600

Also consider the price for a new cover (cost and hassle) if you go this route. May not be a lot, but it could cause some aggrevation.

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Plus G3 is closer to $8,000 I think before Bimini, speakers, racks, mirror, etc. you could easily be $12,000 after tower with accessories and ballast.

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I would modify. You can always buy a newer used boat later at a considerable saving. Buy a starone tower, you will get alot of this money back when you do sale. Have someone locally modify the cover you have. Cut holes, add flaps, add zippers, should be around $150. JMO

Scott

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Plus G3 is closer to $8,000 I think before Bimini, speakers, racks, mirror, etc. you could easily be $12,000 after tower with accessories and ballast.

It would be better to go aftermarket. The Samson Blade tower is a great alternative that still gives you that distinctive Malibu look and feel.

IMG_2003.jpg

blade_2.jpg

  • Like 2
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Just looks at the cost difference alone. New wakeboats are PRICEY! Say you could sell your boat for 40k. To replace it with another 23' Wakesetter, you are looking at likely 75k+. I also think you would find the VTX to be too small.

You don't have to spend a fortune and get a G3 tower. The Samson Blade shown above is a great looking tower (some people love the Titan towers...in my opinion they are strong and ugly, though the T3 is the best looking out of the Titan towers). If you are willing to modify the boat yourself you will save a lot of money.

That Nautique dealer is trying to sell you a boat...of course it will ski better than your Malibu. He will probably tell you it will last longer, have better resale value, make you more desirable to women, and get you a promotion at work if he thinks that will get you to buy a boat from him.

Edited by Nitrousbird
  • Like 1
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I have an 06 23 LSV without a tower or a balast and I'm considering either upgrading to a new one with surf gate or buying a 20VTX with a surfgate or adding the ballast and tower to my 23 LSV. I'm a recreational skier that lives on the water and has three kids and we all want to surf and wake board as well as ski. I've been looking at the 200 Nautique and the 210 Super Air. The wake I get with my 23 LSV for skiing for my purpose is fine but I don't want a larger one for skiing. The nautique dealer suggested that the 2013 210 SA would give me a better wake for skiing than my Malibu. I'm not sure which direction to go. Any feedback would be great.

I say the VTX is out you have 3 kids what about when they invite the friends you need all the room you can get (Vdrive). I would upgrade the LSV you can do everything you what with it. If you do up grade why would you buy anything other than a Malibu. In your case the only good reason to upgrade is to surf and surfgate is the way to go for safety as you do have 3 kids. For new I would look at a new sunscape they have a Diamond V25 hull ( this is what you have now) best of all world if you went 21.6 on the boat size it may even have a little better ski wake. Just my 2cents

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I say the VTX is out you have 3 kids what about when they invite the friends you need all the room you can get (Vdrive). I would upgrade the LSV you can do everything you what with it. If you do up grade why would you buy anything other than a Malibu. In your case the only good reason to upgrade is to surf and surfgate is the way to go for safety as you do have 3 kids. For new I would look at a new sunscape they have a Diamond V25 hull ( this is what you have now) best of all world if you went 21.6 on the boat size it may even have a little better ski wake. Just my 2cents

I agree with your assesmant. Do you know much about the surfgate? I would want to wait a year or two before buying surfgate anyway. How is it safer?

Now I just need to find a good company that will install the tower, star gazer system, and the ballast system in the Midwest.

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If I was in the market for a new boat (im not) I would even consider ordering one sans G3 and put the blade on it. I really like the looks and I have never been one to follow the herd. I would like my boat to be different. But thats just me.

If your boat is doing fine for you now I would put a blade on it and modify. Going to a 20' boat might prove to be disappointing if your used to a 23'.

Edited by Ruffdog
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If I was in the market for a new boat (im not) I would even consider ordering one sans G3 and put the blade on it. I really like the looks and I have never been one to follow the herd. I would like my boat to be different. But thats just me.

The Blade is a nice tower, but it is no G3 - one of the best towers in the industry. But the price pill is a hard one to swallow buying a G3 tower outright.

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The Blade is a nice tower, but it is no G3 - one of the best towers in the industry. But the price pill is a hard one to swallow buying a G3 tower outright.

You might be right I have no direct experience with the blade. It looks well built and usually Samson stuff is.

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If you go with replacing it do you have your heart set on a brand new one...? What if you sold yours and get one similar in year and size just with the factory tower and ballast. Maybe a $5k difference or so and you don't have to put all the work in on it...just my .02

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If you go with replacing it do you have your heart set on a brand new one...? What if you sold yours and get one similar in year and size just with the factory tower and ballast. Maybe a $5k difference or so and you don't have to put all the work in on it...just my .02

I dunno, going from a "known" to an "unknown". Personally I wouldn't do it. In other words he knows the history of his current boat but what if the previous owner didn't maintain the new one. You'd just have to be careful I guess.

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I dunno, going from a "known" to an "unknown". Personally I wouldn't do it. In other words he knows the history of his current boat but what if the previous owner didn't maintain the new one. You'd just have to be careful I guess.

Thats kind of the mindset with buying any used boat....but yes i agree you would need to be careful. Just a thought.

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Ok, from how you talk one day you will upgrade so don't go all out on the tower the boat resale will be great with just about any tower. If you are looking at upgrading later I would keep the ballast cheep as I could too and we will help if you want to do it your self. I am a fan of the blade. I like VLX Fixation idea if it is in your budget. I love this boat but thats just me.

http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index.php?/topic/40282-2008-wakesetter-23-lsv-47500-price-drop/

Another thing your question about surfgate do a search and you will find many post about it.

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When you add a tower and ballast tanks you will add weight to the boat which will change the wake, something to think about. A way to test the effect would be to ski behind your boat with low and full fuel tanks to test the effect. That will give you some insight on the effects of those modifications on your boat.

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