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New guy looking at malibu boats


caleb1234

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Hello,

Been reading the forum for years, and am looking to buy a malibu so figured I would join.

I was raised in a family of slalom skiers. My family doesn't go to the lake very often anymore, but my wife and I can't get enough! I currently own a 1984 MC Stars and Stripes and it is a great slalom boat... IMO. However, my wife and I are in the process of switching from slalom and getting into boarding/surfing. Additionally we have our first child on the way and I feel like we will need to change a few things to accommodate him. We recently ran into a situation that set all of this in motion..... Long story short, windy day, rough water, small boat, pregnant wife aboard...... There was nothing I could do except grit my teeth and ride it out.....

Anyway, wake boarding and wake surfing will be 90% new to me. I've done both behind a friends boat but that's all. The lakes we go to, you usually get about 3 hrs in the morning and 3-4 hrs in the evening of good, slick water. The rest of the time is spent....well honestly.... Hanging out at an island jamming stereos and drinking beer lol...

So this is where I need your help. I feel that malibu makes a fine product. Master Craft is nice too, but honestly I'm not crazy about their wake boats.... So I'm pretty dead set on a malibu Without getting too personal, my wife and I have been saving for some time now for boat, 2010 malibu vlx is in our price range (50k$ ish). So what can I expect from this boat? How is it in chop? Is there another boat I should be looking at? What was different, bad, good, etc etc in 2010 vs now.( besides the surf gate, power wedge II, and screen....)

Please help me, I'll will take and opinion/critique/different view, or anything, That any of you may have. Thanks for reading

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Welcome aboard.

Just based on the hull change from where you are at now to a newer Vlx it will be a huge improvement through the chop.

Last year I jumped from an 01 vlx to a 14' LSV and I don't cringe or grit my teeth as much as I used too navigating the chop.

The wake is solid on that boat for wakeboardeing, as far as slalom it will never be like your current, but still puts out a decent slalom wake.

As far as surfing , you can definitely achieve a great surf able wave but it will be contingent upon the adjustments you make to ballast / DIY Gate upgrades. This site is a wealth of ballast information and you can find several threads that will help you with ideas to set up the wave the way you like it.

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I was browsing onlyinboards the other day and you can get a 2014 VLX for under 70K. Brand new!

That is a phenomenal deal to me and it comes with a 3 year factory warranty.

I would extend the budget and go for one of these.

It is a terrific surf boat and you get surf gate. You won't get SG with a 2010

Malibu will not handle well in the chop. They drive like race cars (awesome handling) but they are terrible in the chop. My X-30 handles the chop like a champ but it doesn't drive as sharp as my Malibu did

Edited by DocPhil
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Love my 2012 which is essentially the same boat. As Stevo said above, night and day better than the stars and stipes in the chop. The best? No. Fill the center tank and it does ok tho. If you don't mind listing the boat for surfing, you will get just as good as a wave, (maybe even better according to some). Not quite as convenient but not worth 20k+ IMO. Wakeboard wake is top notch. I especially like the clean low speed wake for teaching newbs and for my kids. It even skis half decent. A lot of people tried to talk me into an LSV but not once have I wished for more room or a bigger boat. VLX is perfect for me.

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You will not be disappointed in the VLX. It's a great boat and weighted properly puts out an excellent surf and wakeboard wake. It's plenty of room on the interior unless you plan on having more than 11 onboard and if you have a decent size garage you just might be able to keep it at home. I keep my 22 in my garage. It's a little work but worth it.

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I was browsing onlyinboards the other day and you can get a 2014 VLX for under 70K. Brand new!

That is a phenomenal deal to me and it comes with a 3 year factory warranty.

I would extend the budget and go for one of these.

It is a terrific surf boat and you get surf gate. You won't get SG with a 2010

Malibu will not handle well in the chop. They drive like race cars (awesome handling) but they are terrible in the chop. My X-30 handles the chop like a champ but it doesn't drive as sharp as my Malibu did

Already spending more of his money and he hasn't bought a boat yet... You're not wasting any time

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