Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

vtx verses txi?


ching

Recommended Posts

That's an interesting question and really comes down to what youd consider "good". VTX bone stock I'd guess is txi's maximum wakeboarding capability. I have a VTX and use it in the course and while its no response, it definitely gets the job done. Prob depends on your line lnegth and speed too. I'd suggest a VTX demo to confirm you're not too disappointed coming from an 02 response.

Link to comment

What level skier are you? Do you ski more then board? As 85 just brought up what speed and line length? We need to know more to give any quality help. The TXI is likely one of the top if not the top ski tug out so you can't go wrong if you are looking for a ski tug with the TXI.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

My parents have a TXi and no question it is great for skiing but I was actually surprised at how good the wake was for boarding with the floating wedge down. If I put a 500 lb sack on the side of the engine it would be surfable but not very far back.

Link to comment

The wakeboard and surf wake on a TXi are simply restricted by lack of freeboard. You'll be precariously close to swamping with a couple thousand pounds in it. There simply is no substitute for displacement, and 500lbs + a wedge aint going to get you very far. I'm not saying you can not have fun with it...

Here's my experience with the ski wakes:

I think the VTX wake may be better for folks learning the slalom course. I can not believe how smooth the wake is at 28mph, 15off. There is a significant hump, but the ski easily stays in the water. At 28mph, it is easier for a beginner to cross the wake with one cut. Only boat I've seen ski better at low speeds is an early 90's MC.

At 32, 34, and 36mph, 15 and 22 off, there are definite troughs. I have not skied the VTX enough to see if my muscle memory figures out the VTX wake, but the ski wake through the course doesn't compare the slalom tractor MCs, Nautiques, or Responses I've skied.

Link to comment

Thanks guys for the great input.Seems the only real way to find out what suits best is with a demo.We have been mainly skiers with an occasional wakeboard but now my son(21 year old} and friends are getting a bit keener on boarding.I still love a top ski so you can see my dilemma.I am keen to purchase a new malibu but like all of us dont want to compromise on quality of wake.So looks like a demo in order and then hopefully I can rest my mind.Thanks for the help

Link to comment

ehhh, that used to be true when people thought a 500lb fat sac gave a great wakeboarding wake. Not so true anymore, especially with safety considered. I'm a slalom wake prima donna. The VTX is not bad at all.

Link to comment

Thanks guys for the great input.Seems the only real way to find out what suits best is with a demo.We have been mainly skiers with an occasional wakeboard but now my son(21 year old} and friends are getting a bit keener on boarding.I still love a top ski so you can see my dilemma.I am keen to purchase a new malibu but like all of us dont want to compromise on quality of wake.So looks like a demo in order and then hopefully I can rest my mind.Thanks for the help

Ching.

My sentiments exactly. I have three Kids, boys 28 and daughter 29. I had to put a lot of thought in to my decision. As with you, we are skiers and also bare footers with a little boarding. The final decision was that I wanted that perfect wake for the best ski. So I bought the TXi. This decision can only be made by you, Good luck with your purchase.

Link to comment

I'am a slalom skier also and not bad is still bad.

That's a little dramatic. some would say the txi wakeboard wake is not bad, so under your logic it is therefore outright "bad", in which case we're not helping the OP much if both are important to him. There is no black and white when looking for a hybrid mix of crossover ability.

Link to comment

I bought a boat that fit the family more. ( My previous boat.) A V drive for a wake for my son and an acceptable ski wake. An open interior for my wife. My son enjoyed boarding as well as friends. He did not advance beyond what he could not have achieved with a wedge and a bag. He went on to collage so in the end I felt I bought a boat that did some for everyone but did not provide me with the wake that was what I wanted for skiing! As soon as my son left for collage I sold the V drive and moved to a full ski boat and have never been happier. I think getting a boat that could take your son to the next level of boarding is something to give a lot of thought to if he is not going to be a member with the primary use of the boat and if you are a hard core or advanced skier your need will suffer big time. I have no idea of your financing but for me I had retired and would have been much better off getting the boat that fit the primary user first! I always looked forward to the days my other two ski buds pulled for the all out ski wakes! I live on a lake and if we are not skiing we are much more likely to jump on the pontoon then the ski boat.

  • Like 3
Link to comment

You can make a D-drive boat do just about anything a V-drive can, but you can't make a V-drive into a D-drive

ehhhhh not eaxctly....there is a Huge differance betweeen the 2...

Link to comment

I bought a boat that fit the family more. ( My previous boat.) A V drive for a wake for my son and an acceptable ski wake. An open interior for my wife. My son enjoyed boarding as well as friends. He did not advance beyond what he could not have achieved with a wedge and a bag. He went on to collage so in the end I felt I bought a boat that did some for everyone but did not provide me with the wake that was what I wanted for skiing! As soon as my son left for collage I sold the V drive and moved to a full ski boat and have never been happier. I think getting a boat that could take your son to the next level of boarding is something to give a lot of thought to if he is not going to be a member with the primary use of the boat and if you are a hard core or advanced skier your need will suffer big time. I have no idea of your financing but for me I had retired and would have been much better off getting the boat that fit the primary user first! I always looked forward to the days my other two ski buds pulled for the all out ski wakes! I live on a lake and if we are not skiing we are much more likely to jump on the pontoon then the ski boat.

On our cove, many people have done what Sixball did. They are skiers who bought v-drives for the room and for wakeboarding. While most of them still have their v-drives, more and more of them are buying older direct drives to use for skiing. I realize that this isn't always feasible, but it is another option to have one of each.

Link to comment

You can make a D-drive boat do just about anything a V-drive can, but you can't make a V-drive into a D-drive

Except for make a GOOD surf wake, big wakeboard wake, or have any space to move around the boat.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

To OP, you didn't ask about what the definition of ski boat was, you asked about the wakeboarding capability of the txi compared to the skiability of the VTX. I'll try to bring it back on topic.

I currently own a closed bow response and a VTX. If you ski at least 32 and do not have a boat full of people, the VTX will ski better than a response will wakeboard and/or surf for the average person. Yes my response is a closed bow and sv23 not a cut diamond t whatever on the txi. The massaging on that hull for the txi was never for helping wakeboard wakes. The folks posting that a VTX slalom wake which I said was "not bad" who then say that means "bad", are mistaken. "Bad" is a ski nautique 2001. "Bad" is a mastercraft 209. While the VTX won't be confused with a repsonse, its hardly "bad". While the above is simply my opinion, until the people saying saying those things have skied a VTX and wakeboarded a response, I'm not going to go back and forth with them. They're convinced the VTX skis "bad" simply due to layout and I'd hazard a guess not one of them have skied behind one, nor have they tried to build a respectable wakeboard wake behind a response. I've done both. So long as you're not beyond 35 off, the VTX will not hold your skiing back, HOWEVER, a response wakeboard wake will hold you back from progressing beyond the basics.

Link to comment

As a 2012 TXi owner, and someone who skis first and wakeboards only when conditions are not great for skiing, I would offer the following: I am a very basic wakeboarder and have found that wedge down and a couple passengers in the back creates a more than sufficient wake for boarding. I have a few friends who are slightly better than I on a board, but still at the beginner level of tricks- w2w, occasional 180, etc. no flips or anything crazy; they also concur that the TXi wake is sufficient. It is my experience and shared opinion with others that a TXi will not likely move one beyond the advanced beginner level on a board. It does ski amazing though and I would think meet the needs that the OP describes.

Link to comment

First off there is nothing wrong either boat. I have skied about 15 different Responses,LX's, LXI's, TXI's. I have skied 3 different VTX's. I haven't wakeboarded all of the the Responses but have all 3 VTX's. I've been behind a number of other manufactures D-drives and V-drives also. I'm only running 28 off at 34 and an average wakeboarder, but sayings "So long as you're not beyond 35 off, the VTX will not hold your skiing back, HOWEVER, a response wakeboard wake will hold you back from progressing beyond the basics", is just wrong.

Back to topic, the TXI's better ski wake out ways the better VTX wakeboard wake. But a test ride is always recommended.

Although I haven't yet matched my PB behind my VTX its not far off and mostly just due to a lack of water time since its winter, but no way is the VTX holding anyone back until they get through 35 unless you're just playing mind games with yourself. 38 off went down last year on my lake behind a SUNSETTER and a VTX is almost identical. Before I blew out both knees wakeboarding I had about ten inverts. No WAY a txi can produce a wake allowing that for anyone without a trick ski background. And yes, I've tried. VTX, easy to do so, and the sky is the limit, literally.

But to be clear, NO ONE can say the txi ski wake OUTWEIGHS the better VTX wakeboard wake because we don't know on which the OP has a premium as the OP hasn't said. If the OP wakeboards a majority of the time, clearly VTX a better choice, if the opposite, your statement is right. Personally, both needs being EQUAL, VTX all week long and twice on Sunday.

Link to comment

ok guys thanks for the feedback regards vtx ski wake -demo looks to be the only way but whats everyones opinion regards txi wake for a wakeboard? I currently have an 02 response with a wedge and its still not more than a speed hump!So whats everyones thoughts on txi with wedge?

Link to comment

OH NO, here we go again. Is this just for entertainment??? It's like feeding animals at the park just to watch their interaction. Everyone has an opinion. Few people are gonna agree because of the interpretation of certain adjectives regarding wakes and what's acceptible etc. Maybe we should look at typical usage of the boat to get the best answer. What's a typical ski/wake outing for your family? Travel distance to the lake? how many people? accomidations at the lake? boat lift? size of lake?beaches or docks available to deposit/retrieve passengers and GEAR or do they all have to ride all day??

The best answer for the boat that suits your needs may be in the correct question rather than the perfect answer. The is NO SUBSTITUTE for a TEST RIDE.

Link to comment

ok guys thanks for the feedback regards vtx ski wake -demo looks to be the only way but whats everyones opinion regards txi wake for a wakeboard? I currently have an 02 response with a wedge and its still not more than a speed hump!So whats everyones thoughts on txi with wedge?

I've never tried wakeboarding a txi, just a response lx, closed bow response , and lxi. Since txi has universally-agreed-to better slalom wakes than any of the foregoing, I don't see how in the world the wakeboarding wake would have been IMPROVED. And you're right about speed humps. So, where does that leave you? I think folks still need to hear your "bias" in terms of whats most important or what you do most, ski or wakeboard.

One other thing not mentioned yet is how critical your speed control is. txi will of course use zero off which you can't get on a vtx. Although the GPS speed control on vtx is good, zero off is more precise and will provide more customization and allow for course timing.

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

Finally demoed a VTX on the weekend.Beautiful boat as youd expect.Considering I ski more than wakeboard I thought the ski wake was acceptable as long as you charged in hard.If you took it easy it made for a tough ride.But more surprising was the ordinary wake for boarding.It was dismal to say the least With wedge and ballast it was nothing more than a hump with no lip or ramp at all So I guess it makes a good crossover so long as you don't favour ski or wake more cos its wake for both is just average - good for beginners maybe but if youre more full on the vtx wont do it

Edited by ching
Link to comment
  • 1 year later...

I am in the exact same spot here. I have a VTX which gets very little use because I ski in the course 90% of the time, and don't board that much. I don't mind the VTX slalom wake, but it's bigger and wider than the SN 196 I usually ski behind. My ski buddies on the lake won't ski behind the VTX so in turn it gets very little use. I'm looking at a TXi with a tower and a wedge, as I think it's a better fit for me and I'll use it more. I'm not a pro wakeboarder so it seems worth it to me.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...