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WS 23 LSV


Coach

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I would love to see this boat offered in an Open Bow. I know the sunsport is an open bow so it would be and easy option for Malibu. I don't have the $$$ to buy a 247 and I can trick out the 23 LVS for much less than the 247 would cost me striped to the bone, but I don't need or want a bow ballast tank. I would rather have the storage and walk through. Does anyone else feel this way, and do you think it would be possible to get it built as an open bow?

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You can order a Sunsetter LSV 23 with Wakesetter graphics and options and it will not have the forward bow ballast.

My understanding of doing that creates two problems. One they don't floor mount the ballast tanks but side mount them in the sunsetter, so you end up losing space. And the other thing is the difference in the hulls between the wakesetter (V25 Wake) and the Sunsetter (V25 Diamond). I have looked at that option but still not the direction I want to go. I would rather have Mailbu put the Sunsetter top mold on the Wakesetter bottom mold and wa la you have and open bow WS 23 LSV.

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Will they do that for an extra fee?

I am not sure. I hope it is not an extra fee, because when losing the tank you are eliminating materials not using more. But logic tells me that they will try to charge more if they are willing to do it. I really think it should be and option. Most people have no use for the extra ballast tank up front. The ones that do will order it with the tank, but dimes to doughnuts they open bow version would sell more than the playpen bow. I think the 23 represents more of a family boat in a price range that will take many younger, more agressive riders out of their buying range. Most guys who use that much ballast will be younger and need a boat that can hold their crew, but be limited by price. Families will be buying a larger boat and only some will see the need of the extra ballast, most I am guessing most families would rather use the space and open bow with the option of the bow cushion vs losing storage. JMO for what it is worth

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Will they do that for an extra fee?

Yes, I believe it is an option. - Have you talked to a dealer yet?

IMO you need the bow ballast in a big boat like the LSV. If you really want good wakes you need the bow ballst. There are MANY threads on this board and every other wakeboarding board that talks about people putting ballast in the bow. Having to put a fat sac in a walk through bow would be a much bigger hassle than having the bow ballast installed.

Also, my family - especially the kids - LOVE the full time playpen. It's so much more roomy. If you're going to have a lot of people on the boat - it makes it bigger. More people can sit up there with the playpen. And I've even got a 2 year old. And the seat is low enough/hull high enough that I'm comfortable having him up there with the rest of the kids. It's so much more room, much more user friendly AND if you're doing serious wakeboarding and any surfing at all then you NEED the bow ballast.

I was questionable in the beginning, but if I were ordering again today I'd do it again.

Go ride in one and you'll see what it does for the wake.

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Granted this was an 04 vlx and not a 23 but the under bow storage is not very useful in the boat. It is not as deep as say an I/O and you are very limited to what you can store under the seats. As a wakeboarder the first thing I did on the 04 was throw a sack in the bow. Now in the 05 there is still the same amount of weight but no exposed sack. Working at a dealership every boat that had the bow ballast option has left with the bow tank. I do not feel that malibu would sell more walk through open bows than the playpen style with the ballast tank.

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Granted this was an 04 vlx and not a 23 but the under bow storage is not very useful in the boat. It is not as deep as say an I/O and you are very limited to what you can store under the seats. As a wakeboarder the first thing I did on the 04 was throw a sack in the bow. Now in the 05 there is still the same amount of weight but no exposed sack. Working at a dealership every boat that had the bow ballast option has left with the bow tank. I do not feel that malibu would sell more walk through open bows than the playpen style with the ballast tank.

Had the open bow in an Lxi and in the 7 years that we had it I can't think of only a couple of time that we didn't leave the center section in. The playpen is more comfortable for riders in the bow, kids or the CFO. The storage under the seats was minimal, basically just the anchor, the "ice chest" and the manditory orange life vests. I put my 06 LSV on the sunscape hull (we still do the sunrise ski set) and I wanted the bow ballast for the boarding and the surfing. We have not been disapointed.

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The 23' needs more stock ballast! I think it sucks that the 23 has the exact same amount of stock ballast as the VLX even though the weight capactiy is more in the 23 LSV. Plus, it takes more weight in the bigger boat to achieve the same wake results as the smaller boat so why would you not include more ballast?

Edited by eubanks
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Most people have no use for the extra ballast tank up front.

How did you derive this conclusion?

Most people that are buying a top of the line wakeboard boat want a top of the line wake. The bow ballast tank gives you the wake by allowing the boat to be properly weighted. Without it the wake is soft and peaky.

Either way you should have your dealer talk to Malibu, I believe you can get it with or without.

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Most people have no use for the extra ballast tank up front.

How did you derive this conclusion?

Most people that are buying a top of the line wakeboard boat want a top of the line wake. The bow ballast tank gives you the wake by allowing the boat to be properly weighted. Without it the wake is soft and peaky.

Either way you should have your dealer talk to Malibu, I believe you can get it with or without.

I am sure many would and could use the extra ballast. I just don't understand why the 23 LSV has bow ballast and but the VLX and the 247 LSV don't. I guess I just like my open bow and find it more functional for me. When I look at the price of a 23 LSV and the size I see more families buying the boat than hardcore wakeboards. I understand the funtion of the ballast and see that some will want it but I would limit that to the 16-25 age market and most don't have that kind of money unless it is mom and pop's boat. Don't get me wrong I love the boat, and it wouldn't even be a question if the VLX and 247 both had it, but they don't so I don't see why the 23 does. I am glad many think I can get it as an open bow. Thanks for the input.

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I guess I'm confused, but aren't all LSV's open bow? I thought that the only boat from Malibu that you could even get closed bow was the Response, and they are hard to find.

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I guess I'm confused, but aren't all LSV's open bow? I thought that the only boat from Malibu that you could even get closed bow was the Response, and they are hard to find.

My bad, I mean a full time playpen vs a walk through.

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I guess I'm confused, but aren't all LSV's open bow? I thought that the only boat from Malibu that you could even get closed bow was the Response, and they are hard to find.

Yes they are all open bow, but coach is referring to the walk through style bow as compared to the playpen with the center cusion and the bow ballast tank underneath.

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I guess I'm confused, but aren't all LSV's open bow? I thought that the only boat from Malibu that you could even get closed bow was the Response, and they are hard to find.

Yes they are all open bow, but coach is referring to the walk through style bow as compared to the playpen with the center cusion and the bow ballast tank underneath.

Ahh, that makes more sense.

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Ask your dealer how many they send out with the walk through vs. the full time playpen. My dealer said, as mentioned above, Malibu found that most people were always leaving in the center bow cushion in. So making it a full time playpen wasn't really a concern. If you go to the boat show you'll see all the major manufacturers are offering the playpen option. They do this becuase it is popular.

I'm a lot older than 25 and I love the wake of the LSV. That and the size of the boat are the main reasons I went with it vs. the VLX. If you have kids the playpen is much more family friendly IMO.

It's obviously more wake friendly as well, as mentioned above.

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Just to add to the pile-on, I was concerned about giving up that walk-through leg room when I went with the VLX, but this past weekend, when I looked up in the playpen and saw three friends and my 7yo daughter sleeping peaceably between them all, I wondered why I thought it was going to be such a big deal. Now, I think the playpen is a better configuration, plus you get the ballast (which even some of us 40 somethings like to have).

I know this wasn't your original question, so feel free to not read this. :)

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When I look at the price of a 23 LSV and the size I see more families buying the boat than hardcore wakeboards.

I think you would be surprised. A lot of the "hard core" wakeboarders are getting the LSV these days. With wakeboarding being such a social sport the extra room makes the 23' really nice. Comparing apples to apples (Monsoon upgrade, cleats, etc.) you would also be really surprised at how close the VLX and LSV are (similarly equipped) in price. Plus you can get the 8.1 and throw in 4K+ of ballast in the LSV! Biggrin.gif

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I just checked the spreadsheet I did when we were shopping the VLX vs. the LSV. From a MSRP difference of almost $4,400 the difference dropped to about $3K after equipping them equally. Not as close as I remembered but also not the MSRP difference.

Edited by eubanks
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The 23' needs more stock ballast! I think it sucks that the 23 has the exact same amount of stock ballast as the VLX even though the weight capactiy is more in the 23 LSV. Plus, it takes more weight in the bigger boat to achieve the same wake results as the smaller boat so why would you not include more ballast?

One of the primary reasons I went back to a VLX, and gave up my 23.

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The 23' needs more stock ballast! I think it sucks that the 23 has the exact same amount of stock ballast as the VLX even though the weight capactiy is more in the 23 LSV. Plus, it takes more weight in the bigger boat to achieve the same wake results as the smaller boat so why would you not include more ballast?

One of the primary reasons I went back to a VLX, and gave up my 23.

From the Malibu site

VLX = 3600 lbs

LSV= 3900 lbs

I don't know how much weight is added by the front tank (300 lbs????)

Can anyone give me a reason as to why Malibu doesn't offer the bow ballast on the VLX or the 247????

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Just to add to the pile-on, I was concerned about giving up that walk-through leg room when I went with the VLX, but this past weekend, when I looked up in the playpen and saw three friends and my 7yo daughter sleeping peaceably between them all, I wondered why I thought it was going to be such a big deal. Now, I think the playpen is a better configuration, plus you get the ballast (which even some of us 40 somethings like to have).

I know this wasn't your original question, so feel free to not read this. :)

Nuff said.

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Can anyone give me a reason as to why Malibu doesn't offer the bow ballast on the VLX or the 247????

Huh? The bow ballast is standard on the LSV and an OPTION on the VLX and 247. BTW, I got the bow ballast on my 247.....

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Can anyone give me a reason as to why Malibu doesn't offer the bow ballast on the VLX or the 247????

Huh? The bow ballast is standard on the LSV and an OPTION on the VLX and 247. BTW, I got the bow ballast on my 247.....

I didn't know that. Thanks for the update. I didn't see it on their site, must have missed it. :Doh:

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