I jumped ship today - initial new boat review (X2)

[shicks6]

Beautiful Boat! Congrats!

[bamabonners]

So, you going to replace that red X2 with a charcoal one then? Or just leave it off?

Going to see how much it is to go with silver, white, or gray. May go naked!

[ericinpa]

Beautiful boat and I hope you get some time to enjoy it. I looked at Mastercrafts before I bought my LSV and honestly say it was a tough choice. If I hadn't had the horrible MC experience before (2 boats ago) I might have leaned on it a little more. Stay on top of your dealer for warranty items as I'm sure you will.

Again good luck with the new boat!

[Sride]

A fire pull handle....how bad a** is that! Love it.

[skurfer]

MC is using both floats and timers for their ballast systems now. The new murphy system uses both inputs to keep tract of ballast levels and allows for piggyback "learning". Timers are also user adjustable again now. The only year, that they skipped floats, was 2012.

Wrong on the 2012's. I just sold a 2012 X-15. It had floats. They just weren't plugged in

[Fman]

Have you owned a mastercraft and a malibu of the same era? I don't think you have. From my personal experience the mc design, fit, finish, materials and quality of the mc are superior than the malibu.

On new boats I can only go by second hand experience so I can't really comment.

I have never owned a MC, but I have spent a lot of time in the X-15. There are some things I really like about MC, and they are also things I do not care for. I prefer the plush interior of the Malibu, surfgate, power wedge, G3 tower, quad hard tank ballast, overall look and extremely versatile wakeboard wake the wakesetter series offers. Just my opinion, I hope his X-2 treats him well, but I do not think the X-2 compares to the VTX in options and what it offers you while riding behind the boat.... and being behind the boat is what its all about.

[bamabonners]

No, the MC does not have surfgate, wedge, or quad ballast. However, it DOES have a nice clean wake that will do everything we need it to do, Zero Off standard, reversible pumps, bow storage, better driver visibility, a place for a hard sided cooler, a waterproof glovebox that actually stays closed, a sturdy bimini that is easy to open and close, hinges on all seats, and a dash that is more pleasing to the eye than the VTX.

FMAN, surely you could appreciate the list above because you have complained about most of these items on your past Supra and Malibus. This time, I chose to buy a boat that already had all of those items instead of doing the work myself. The X2 performs and checked more boxes for us than the VTX. Not knocking the Malibu VTX, it just didn't check as many boxes in the 20 foot market for us this time around.

[TrickyNicky]

FTR, are the ballast hard tanks or bags?

[bamabonners]

Hard tanks

[TenTwentyOne]

Wrong on the 2012's. I just sold a 2012 X-15. It had floats. They just weren't plugged in

You little son of a......

That's 100% Correct. My X25 was the same way. They didn't use them though

[skurfer]

You little son of a......

That's 100% Correct. My X25 was the same way. They didn't use them though

What a waste...No wonder MC's are so expensive

[Fman]

No, the MC does not have surfgate, wedge, or quad ballast. However, it DOES have a nice clean wake that will do everything we need it to do, Zero Off standard, reversible pumps, bow storage, better driver visibility, a place for a hard sided cooler, a waterproof glovebox that actually stays closed, a sturdy bimini that is easy to open and close, hinges on all seats, and a dash that is more pleasing to the eye than the VTX.

FMAN, surely you could appreciate the list above because you have complained about most of these items on your past Supra and Malibus. This time, I chose to buy a boat that already had all of those items instead of doing the work myself. The X2 performs and checked more boxes for us than the VTX. Not knocking the Malibu VTX, it just didn't check as many boxes in the 20 foot market for us this time around.

I can appreciate all your needs, and yes many of those you mentioned are definitely items that will be nice to have taken care of... just to clarify, I don't think any Malibu is a perfect boat, they definitely all have there pro's and con's... the bottom line is its your money and what you are looking for in a boat. I really like MC, I hope your new X-2 treats you well, its a great looking little boat... and I hope its everything you hoped for. Will be interesting to get a review of the boat from you after putting 50-100 hours on it.

[bamabonners]

Thanks Fman, will do!

I will say this, it doesn't handle like the VTX. That will be missed... LoL!

[Indyxc]

Bama, I really hope your X2 is everything you want in a boat... but comparing apples to apples, the X2 does not seem to have near as many features as the VTX.

X2 is missing:

-No surfgate

-No quad tank ballast (1250 lbs)

-No power wedge

-Smaller beam width

-G3 Tower (just my opinion, but I like it better than any MC tower)

Are they using throttle by wire now on the new MCs? I know my brother in laws X-15 shifts like a tank, I like his boat, but there is a lot of plastic components in the boat...

Did you actually compare and test drive both of them? actually wakeboard and surf behind both boats?

I can compared for you an 06-08 Era X2 and the same era VTX, for anyone that is interested, since I shopped both boats. Honestly, I was about the buy a VTX and that got sold out from under me, and the next boat that came up that I liked was the X2.

1. Surfwave: No surfwave on older VTX, so the X2 and VTX surf wave is about a wash.

2. Quad ballast thanks- VTX definitely has more ballast. Minus is the front ballast tank takes away your storage. Stock ballast capacity: VTX

3. No power wedge on X2: Not a fan of the wedge, so that is personal preference. I never used it on my malibu.

4. Tower: Pre 10 VTXs comes with the Illusion, which is GARBAGE. X2 tower easily wins.

5. Beam width: 98 vs 96 inches. True VTX is bigger on paper, but the gunwales are thinner on the X2, so the X2 feels like a bigger boat on the inside, especially with the picklefork.

6. Tower Racks: Integrated spinning board racks with clamps on X2. Far superior than anything on VTX.

7. Ballast system: Jabsco reversible on X2 with easily scale able plug and play, vs aerorator on VTX. X2 ballast setup is much better, except timers (07+ boats).

8. Dripless shaft seal: Not sure what years this showed up on VTX. Always on X2.

9. Dash layout. Much better and higher quality on X2 vs vtx. Solid billet CNC aluminum throughout.

10. Handling: Much better on VTX. Due to deep-v x2 kinda handles like a barge.

11. Rough Water Ride: X2 rides like an off shore racing boat. Deep v just cuts through large waves.

12. Wakeboard wake: Very similiar, but in my experience of my few rides being the x2 now, the x2 wake is cleaner, more consistent with side to side weight, but not as big stock.

[nyryan2001]

+ the X2 has a sexier looking engine

[TrickyNicky]

Thanks Indy that was a good little summary. FTR the VTX has been the same since conception in '07. At least the hull.

I can compared for you an 06-08 Era X2 and the same era VTX, for anyone that is interested, since I shopped both boats. Honestly, I was about the buy a VTX and that got sold out from under me, and the next boat that came up that I liked was the X2.

1. Surfwave: No surfwave on older VTX, so the X2 and VTX surf wave is about a wash.

2. Quad ballast thanks- VTX definitely has more ballast. Minus is the front ballast tank takes away your storage. Stock ballast capacity: VTX

I am still amused by the fact people compare stock ballast, really certain boats just need more ballast. It should come down to stock wake performance, not ballast capacity.

3. No power wedge on X2: Not a fan of the wedge, so that is personal preference. I never used it on my malibu.

4. Tower: Pre 10 VTXs comes with the Illusion, which is GARBAGE. X2 tower easily wins.

I THINK I've come to realize the illusion is fine...until you put stuff on it, than it suffers big time. Would love a G3

5. Beam width: 98 vs 96 inches. True VTX is bigger on paper, but the gunwales are thinner on the X2, so the X2 feels like a bigger boat on the inside, especially with the picklefork.

6. Tower Racks: Integrated spinning board racks with clamps on X2. Far superior than anything on VTX.

No doubt on this one, curse you bungees!

7. Ballast system: Jabsco reversible on X2 with easily scale able plug and play, vs aerorator on VTX. X2 ballast setup is much better, except timers (07+ boats).

Still don't undrstand why this is always looked at as an advantage when it's OEM. My aerators have worked great for years, never had problems, never winterized.

8. Dripless shaft seal: Not sure what years this showed up on VTX. Always on X2.

I think this has always been an option. I could be wrong.

9. Dash layout. Much better and higher quality on X2 vs vtx. Solid billet CNC aluminum throughout.

Haven't seen it but I can believe you, on quality at least. layout I have no issues.

10. Handling: Much better on VTX. Due to deep-v x2 kinda handles like a barge.

11. Rough Water Ride: X2 rides like an off shore racing boat. Deep v just cuts through large waves.

12. Wakeboard wake: Very similiar, but in my experience of my few rides being the x2 now, the x2 wake is cleaner, more consistent with side to side weight, but not as big stock.