M235 Review - Bandwidth Warning

[Cipro]

He is close to 6'2 ...just me in boat...stock ballast, wedge at lift...he likes the room lift gives...prefers longer wave to the steep one. 

 

[IXFE]

6 hours ago, 3sport said:

All you that have LSVs and VLXs and have had an opportunity to demo the m235 - do you now have wake envy??

I've demo'd the M235... at the factory under ideal conditions with 550 PnP bags and wedge in "lift" position (factory guy swore this was best setup, but the wedge position still baffles me).

At that time I hadn't taken delivery of my '16 LSV and my dealer had a M235 in my favorite color scheme... They even call it the "IXFE edition" so it would have been relatively easy to switch if I were so inclined. There are a dozen reasons I didn't do it, but the point is I could have and might have entertained the idea IF the demo had blown me away. 

while it's a super nice boat, I didn't come away from it thinking I needed to own one. In my case I think the bar was set too high with all the hype. I expected more out of the wave. Kind of like going to a movie everybody has been raving about... you'll probably be disappointed if you believed all the hype.  Same here... maybe the wave is marginally better than my LSV, but the order of magnitude better is not what you might think, IMHO.

Heres a summary of my demo... nice wave but not materially better than my slammed LSV wave.  You can read my full comments w/ pics & video here:

 

@Cipro Can you clean up that lip?  That would drive me nuts.  

Edited June 1, 2016 by IXFE

[teamerickson]

I wonder how the M235 would do listed?

[-BS-]

10 hours ago, UpperleftWake said:

I took a few of the crew members out. Here is a snap of @Wakesetter67 surfing behind the M235. 

2016 Malibu Boats M235 by Mason Obray, on Flickr

Thanks Upperleft!   That boat is a beast.  I've honestly never been inside a boat that nice!  So many cool features.      (<---- that's champagne btw) 

2 hours ago, teamerickson said:

I wonder how the M235 would do listed?

Yeah, we wondered that too actually, but just kinda ran outta time.  I would LOVE to try it.  With that much displacement right out of the box??  Whew.   Maybe even try a gated/listed combo?

9 hours ago, 3sport said:

All you that have LSVs and VLXs and have had an opportunity to demo the m235 - do you now have wake envy??

From what I remember of last years LSV, the waves were fairly similar (regular side).  No ground breaking difference IMO.  But that's a little unfair because that was with an LSV with like 550's PnP......vs..... the M with no PnP.......which is probably groundbreaking for those looking for zero effort/easy setup. 

 

My thoughts on the regular wave:  Crazy firm & wide transition and trough.  (Great for spins. Great for cruisin'.)  Low angle upper transition & soft lip.  (Bad for gathering speed, bad for airs, bad for pump driven boards/riders.)  Super flat wave at the back of the boat (as you can see in the pics).  No power at the back of the wave (that was surprising).  The overall shape of the wave was way too flat for my taste with 2 passengers, full ballast, max wedge.  That said, the shape improved dramatically with only 2 additional passengers.   I have to believe that with some added weight (which the M has plenty of room for) you could get a really nice regular wave. (depending on how much weight you wanted to throw in there).

Goofy wave? Didn't ride it (And with my skill level on that side, I'd never offer an opinion anyway).  That said,  I've gotta admit that it had a really clean, nice shape right out of the box!

Edited June 2, 2016 by -BS-

[Cipro]

Yes...i can clean the wave up. its a speed issue. easy to do actually. 

if you are smart enough to know how to setup a 23LSV and slam it, you will get a wave similar to the M235. I love my boat, but as I mentioned in the cons, cost is a huge issue.  @IXFEis so right....its about expectations. 

 

23/25/22/24 owners do NOT need wave envy. Get on the water, enjoy time with family, and do not sweat what is really not a material difference..

 

Just one guys .02

[IXFE]

I think we're all a long way from understanding how to get the most out of the M235. It's just too early. 

I wonder what would happen with more wedge, (to give the wave more vert), more speed (to get some length back), and more weight (just cuz I feel like it). 

Just because it does surf well w/out sacs doesn't me we should. 

[-BS-]

Totally agree^.   More weight! More weight! More weight! 

[BadgerBoater55]

Just saw on twitter Jake Owen picked up his new M235, not surprised he went with a funky color scheme.  Doesn't look half bad though!

 

[IXFE]

19 hours ago, -BS- said:

Totally agree^.   More weight! More weight! More weight! 

It's what we SG guys do... or hadn't you heard?

[UWSkier]

49 minutes ago, BadgerBoater55 said:

Just saw on twitter Jake Owen picked up his new M235, not surprised he went with a funky color scheme.  Doesn't look half bad though!

 

That boat needs some vapor blue flake!

Holy freeboard.  I bet it hurts to fall off of that thing.  Like an aircraft carrier.

[Cipro]

Saw the pink M at the factory last week. It looks better in person. 

[shawndoggy]

50 minutes ago, Cipro said:

Saw the pink M at the factory last week. It looks better in person. 

I hope so.  That one will not be fetching top resale dollars.  

[ahopkins22LSV]

2 hours ago, shawndoggy said:

I hope so.  That one will not be fetching top resale dollars.  

I don't think Jake Owen cares

[BadgerBoater55]

15 minutes ago, ahopkinsTXi said:

I don't think Jake Owen cares

Ahop beat me to it.  I would be shocked if he didn't have a good connection at Malibu anyways.  

[Badger]

I was feeling really old that I had no idea who Jake Owens was, thinking he was some wakeboard guy.  After looking him up and realizing he's a country music star, I no longer feel bad.  I'd much rather hang out with the POD guys.

[Pnwrider]

30 minutes ago, Badger said:

I was feeling really old that I had no idea who Jake Owens was, thinking he was some wakeboard guy.  After looking him up and realizing he's a country music star, I no longer feel bad.  I'd much rather hang out with the POD guys.

The two first names wasn't a dead giveaway? 

[Bill_AirJunky]

1 hour ago, Badger said:

I was feeling really old that I had no idea who Jake Owens was, thinking he was some wakeboard guy.  After looking him up and realizing he's a country music star, I no longer feel bad.  I'd much rather hang out with the POD guys.

You are old. Even I know who he is from the wakeboard videos he did several years ago.  

A couple of M235s at work today. 

[saxton15]

Those seats must get hot like frying pans.  But I'll take it!

Edited June 3, 2016 by saxton15

[BadgerBoater55]

9 hours ago, Badger said:

I was feeling really old that I had no idea who Jake Owens was, thinking he was some wakeboard guy.  After looking him up and realizing he's a country music star, I no longer feel bad.  I'd much rather hang out with the POD guys.

He is actually a really cool guy. While he is a country guy, he is so focused on life on the water.  Before he releases each album he takes it out on his boat and sees how it fits on the water.  When I was in Nashville last year he took me surfing behind his 23LSV and he let us have a sneak peek of his new album due out this July, I had no idea albums took that long to finally come out! Even if country music isn't your thing, he is a down to earth person just like many people on here and can light it up on the water!  

I don't listen to POD much, but they would be cool to hangout with too!

Edited June 3, 2016 by BadgerBoater55
Added content

[shawndoggy]

2 minutes ago, BadgerBoater55 said:

Before he releases each album he takes it out on his boat and sees how it fits on the water. 

He keep being like "nope, dangit, that one sucks too.... better try again."

[Cipro]

Someone needs to get Jake a set of http://shop.domednumbers.com/ and just mail them to him. I have seen 3 Malibu plant boats on the water and I think they get the numbers from Ace Hardware or Walmart's Mailbox number section... /smh

[pkh]

What? No billet aluminum table??!!!

Here's a few interesting things I noticed from my demo:

1) When you are sitting in the drivers seat and the boat is not on plane, you have the feeling of being pointed down at the water. Its not bad, just I'm guessing the way its setup. It does give you good visibility.

2) Out of the box the goofy wave looks money like all Malibu boats, very steep and clean. The regular wave had some wash in it like you can see in some of the pics. We tried listing it slightly but there is a spray that comes off the surfgate on opposite side that gets worse the more its listed. Both problems could probably be solved with more weight in back (I only tried stock weight.)

3) The wave has a bit more oomphf to it than my LSV, like the Centurion I demo'd it has a lip that has substance rather than a soft rounded lip that you carve off the top of. Hoping Malibu carries this into their other boats as I think the biggest complaint about surfgate wave is it is a bit wimpy even when its big (at least on regular side.) 

4) Bling is the main theme of boat, its tasteful bling, but bling all the same. Things like the powered slideout wind dam in the front, I mean its neat but, necessary? Other things like the fuse panel and finished under dash area are actually really nice and functional, I'd like to see in the "cheaper" boats. Someone said bling vs. function comparing M235 to G23, I think maybe its true... and whats up with no in-floor cooler? That's my favorite G feature...

5)  The interior actually seems (and I think is) a bit smaller than the LSV.. behind the driver seat there is no popup rear view seating its just a big bench. I noticed too with these taller freeboard boats they can feel a bit claustrophobic inside, safer though I am sure.

I'm glad I didn't like the boat too much, I really like my LSV and am hoping I don't find anything better anytime soon (especially not something this expensive.) I'd like the demo the 16 G23 and see how the wave stacks up, I really like the Centurion but can't get over the crappy dash area. Malibu has the best console by far!

[-BS-]

I feel like we rode 2 different boats PKH! 

I thought the wave lacked "oomph" and had a washy soft flat lip.  The only part of the stock wave I was impressed by was the  firm, wide trough.  It was so firm & flat that spinning was ridiculously easy (I rode away effortlessly from my first couple 3's & 7's) 

* and I'm not trying to be mean, I REALLY liked the boat!! And like I said, I think these issues could be dramatically improved with PnP

 

anyway... Different strokes for different folks I guess.  I was just surprised by your thoughts on the wave 

 

 

[pkh]

I was just comparing to my wave which is a 2015 LSV, I should have put that out there first... the wave on my boat has a clean lip but its rounded and a little soft, you carve over it instead of into it, the M seemed to have a bit more of a lip to it, but dunno I am not the expert so I will stay out of it... I think with PnP and tuning it could be great like you said (are we disagreeing about something? I can't tell)

I rode a RI217 two weeks ago that I will humbly say had a better wave than my boat (it had PnP and some lead and was super dialed in.)

One more nit picky thing: Malibu is offering factory Seadek now which is great, but the hatch is still the plastic handle variety while the other manufacturers are offering nice locking metal latch style hatches, also the main floor access is still the big panel with all the stainless screws... the area around the panel gets jammed with crumbs / leaves / etc. and can only be cleaned by unscrewing the stainless screws which eventually strip. 

 

Edited June 4, 2016 by pkh

[Cipro]

As a follow up to the review I wanted to mention the interior and the heat issue. Knoxville hit 100 degrees yesterday, and the seats did indeed get hot hot...was no big deal as we just threw towels where we needed to, but I did not want you guys who get 100 routinely (pretty rare around here) be surprised when the seats burn your biscuits. 

All that to say I would not have changed my color choices.