2007 RLXi

[Sunapee]

No Jack, I did not take it home.... It's Labor Day and the effective end of my season {Fat old man syndrome}. Actually, Peter has a sweet black.white 2006 RLXi at the shop that you may be interested in.

Malibu did the Response justice with this one. Scott nailed it in his recap, I'll try to add a bit of additional info.

Let me start with the infamous windshield that we have been fretting about. It is awsome! No really, I was pleasantly surprised that it is significantly better up close and personal. From the dock, the whole boat has much more pronounced lines (sharp corners, less round-ish?) and the windshield follows suit. The first thing I noticed was how clear the glass was. No doubt better quality glass. THe corners are different, but go well with the look of the boat. I have been very concerned about the holes in the corner braces, seeing that I am in NH and add as much heat to the boat as possible. Even at WOT, there is NO air coming thru the holes. Go figure... As Scott said, it seems an inch or two higher when driving. ON my '06 RLXIi I would almost always sit on the boltser seat, and I had no inclination to do that on the '07 (I am about 5' 10" tall). An issue we have had with the RLXi since it was introduced was the passenger's head hitting the windshield. Not any more!

Although there seems to be more room between the gunwales and the engine cover, there is not (I measured it) I think that this will hold true with many observations that we made in that the boat just feel bigger all around inside and it probably is just an illusion. ANother example of this is the height of the windshield. From the floor, it is the same height as my '06. From the drivers seat is is very different.

My impressions while driving it are it feels more solid, cuts thru its own wake very nicely. Power felt similar, but sounded different. Maybe a tad throatier and smoother. The biggest difference for me was when you powered down. The '06 would do a significant nose drop so it was a couple inches off the water as it slowed down. The '07 comes down very gradually and never got within abut 10 inches from the water The back also comes around faster in a hard turn.

The bow comes down at a much steeper angle and is probably why it no longer has the tendency to submarine. THe transom is also very different. The '06 transom tapers towards the front of the boat from the swim platform down. The '07 drops straight down. This effectively adds to the running surface by an inch or two. Can't translate what effect that would have, but it is worth noting.

Typically I ski the course @ 33 mph - 22 off and am making about 20% of 28 off this time of the season. Today I skied @ 32 MPH - 15, 22, & 28. Each had a softer wake than the '06. I can't say if it was smaller or not, but you have no sensation of the ski hitting it. I came into it a bit forward a couple of times to see what happened and I was fine. That is my biggest issue in the course as I will usually break at the waist when I do that. The pull itself was great. I usually ski with PerfectPass and this had the Malibu Speed Control.

My only real gripes are the side netting (but I am guessing that they can still put that in at the factory if we order it that way) and the trunk's awkward quick access to the top of the gas tank. Maybe Peter can post a picture, but the Cost Guard required quick access to any tank with a built in pump. Malibu 2 pieces of something (wood??) covered in carpet. THey are at 90 degrees to each other and it sits in the floor of the trunk and along the very back of the trunk ('L' shaped) with a hinge on the top edge. Functinal, but it looks klunky.

[SunriseH2OSkier]

Most promising looking pics I've seen so far, Peter! No question that boat looks better if that main panel on the side is the same gel color as the bottom. Not quite sure about the use of the dark grey (?) on the interior though. :hopeful:

One question - is the transom any taller (bottom surface to top of trunk) than in the '03-'06, or is it just the angle of the transom at the bottom that makes it look that way?

[VinRLX]

No Jack, I did not take it home.... It's Labor Day and the effective end of my season {Fat old man syndrome}. Actually, Peter has a sweet black.white 2006 RLXi at the shop that you may be interested in.

I'm sure that boat is VERY sweet, not yet the time for me.

Thanks for all the info and pics, guys. When I clicked Peter's first pic my reaction was, quite simply, "WOW." I like the color scheme on that one. Will, thanks for adding some measurements into the mix. Interesting stuff.

Is the transom more curved than before?

[2 ThumbsUp]

Great pictures and comments...thanks for posting.

[SmoothWaterMan]

That new interior "graphite" stripe was related to me as being "black". As you might be able to tell, it has a definate blue-ness to it. Worth knowing when picking colors.

Transom does have a greater curve to it, side to side.

Will, that connection inspection port is starboard, wrapped in carpet. Shame on you for thinking Malibu might have wood for ANYTHING.

[trreid]

Ok, I'm coming around on this one- with the right color combo. Looking at the windshield, the "frameless" design looks great- clean & crisp at the walk-thru joints & top edge. But the corner posts? Have think that the whole package would have looked a lot better if the "frameless" look on the rest of the w/s was used at the corners. Wondering if the SS posts were a necessary evil to get around an engineering problem of joining the pieces together securely?

[BlastRlxi]

Ok, I'm coming around on this one- with the right color combo. Looking at the windshield, the "frameless" design looks great- clean & crisp at the walk-thru joints & top edge. But the corner posts? Have think that the whole package would have looked a lot better if the "frameless" look on the rest of the w/s was used at the corners. Wondering if the SS posts were a necessary evil to get around an engineering problem of joining the pieces together securely?

Quite possible. I just wonder if they could have done that without making the posts quite so bold. I agree that the hull looks better with the main stripe white. To me, it still has that tri-hull look. The performance sounds impressive, but I still need to get used to the new look a little. Thanks for the great review.

[2 ThumbsUp]

I would agree the corner posts will take some getting used to. I sure wish Malibu could get the walk-thru window to fit/look better. Looks relatively square on the hinge side, but the other side......

[BlastRlxi]

I would agree the corner posts will take some getting used to. I sure wish Malibu could get the walk-thru window to fit/look better. Looks relatively square on the hinge side, but the other side......

Was that a common problem on the 2003's? My 2005 doesn't do that.

[SmoothWaterMan]

Something to consider on the w/s corner posts is that when you add a tower (an illusion x in particular) that w/s goes very well. Take another look at the Wakesetter VTX photos from other threads.

Peter

[SunriseH2OSkier]

That new interior "graphite" stripe was related to me as being "black". As you might be able to tell, it has a definate blue-ness to it. Worth knowing when picking colors.

I definitely picked up on the 'blue-ness' as you called it. Doesn't quite fit on that color scheme, but not too bad.

One thing I definitely notice more is how busy the vinyl pattern is in the bow and back seat. Lots of opportunity for different colors,

this one tends to look a bit too busy for my taste. Might have been better if the graphite was a shade of tan to blend with the other colors.

Edited September 3, 2006 by SunriseH2OSkier

[2 ThumbsUp]

I would agree the corner posts will take some getting used to. I sure wish Malibu could get the walk-thru window to fit/look better. Looks relatively square on the hinge side, but the other side......

Was that a common problem on the 2003's? My 2005 doesn't do that.

Mine does not do that, but never have been extremely happy with the fit/finish on my walk-thru window. Not the cleanest of looks. I have small gaps between the stainless steel and the plastic end caps. Just doesn't look as nice as I would prefer.

[Sunapee]

Just remembered another change. The middle section of the windshield is held down with a strip of velcro that runs top to bottom. No more plastic spin-lock piece. It should totally eliminate windshield vibration along the seam.

[VinRLX]

Hhhhmmmm. I may have to replace my weather stripping with velcro®. I have no vibration, but it certainly would be more convenient for connecting the boom cable, wiping down, etc.

Will, what about when the mid section was open? I don't see any rubber stoppers on the outside.

[Toby]

velcro or dual lock? ive heard of dual lock being quite commonly used in the marine industry, especially larger boats

[Sunapee]

Jack, They have a clear rubber dot on the center glass itself that holds it off the windshield when open.

[VinRLX]

Jack, They have a clear rubber dot on the center glass itself that holds it off the windshield when open.

Ah, cool. Thanks for the reply.

[skisix@38]

Just some general observation from the great pictures.

1. The windshield has much more wrap in it than the 03-06. Look at the top pictures and notice how much gel coat there is between the bow seat backs and the windshield. The little strip won't be a problem for visability.

2. As I look at the pictures from the side I notice they changed the wetted surface area, There is no longer the little step out from the wheel well, on the trailer, to the back of the boat. this would hav to lift the back of the boat some and may be what's responsible for their claim of a softer wake. It would take more HP to push through the water though unless they did something with the chines on the bottom.

[SmoothWaterMan]

Just some general observation from the great pictures.

1. The windshield has much more wrap in it than the 03-06. Look at the top pictures and notice how much gel coat there is between the bow seat backs and the windshield. The little strip won't be a problem for visability.

2. As I look at the pictures from the side I notice they changed the wetted surface area, There is no longer the little step out from the wheel well, on the trailer, to the back of the boat. this would hav to lift the back of the boat some and may be what's responsible for their claim of a softer wake. It would take more HP to push through the water though unless they did something with the chines on the bottom.

In regards to comment 2, while I'm sure it's a wetted surface change with a new hull, the body line you are referring to is on both old and new RLXi's. On the 2007 it is simply much higher up the hull side than on an 03-06 model, but both have one body line below the rub rail.

Peter.

[edwin]

Thanks for the info Peter...what's the ballpark pricing uplift from 2006 to 2007?

[SmoothWaterMan]

Edwin I believe it's only 4-5% more than 2006.

Peter

[VinRLX]

unless they did something with the chines on the bottom.

You mean strakes.

As for the chines, if you look at where they are now it could very well explain the dry bow--more so than a higher deck. Food for thought?

[skisix@38]

unless they did something with the chines on the bottom.

You mean strakes.

As for the chines, if you look at where they are now it could very well explain the dry bow--more so than a higher deck. Food for thought?

Yeah, I mean the little stick me out goobers on the bottom( that 's a technical engineering term so use it carefully and not in mixed company) that lft the boat up and allow the spray to get knocked down.

[shpower]

Got a pull behind the 07 Response yesterday. Chris Parrish was driving. Chris was driving because the boat driver was knocked out just before our turn by a recoiling handle that one of our own on this board was holding only moments before. I'll let him explain himself. The driver did recover enough to get in a few pulls.

The event was held at Indian Lake in Vicksburg MI. Thanks to The Edge for putting it together and Chip who hosted the event at his home. Chris Parrish was extremely nice, enthusiastic and gave us some great pointers.

The afternoon session was called due to weather. For me it was a good thing the afternoon was cancelled as I got a call that my dad went in for open heart surgery....the kind you don't schedule. Don't think I could have taken a pull with that on my mind. He came through OK so far.

Can't say that I was too happy with the wake at 32mph and 15 off. I did not think it was better than the wake on my 01 Slxi. There were a few who made comments as to the wake at shorter rope lengths, and it seemed to improve the shorter it got. Boat handled top notch. No netting was the big gripe. I like the idea for the velcro on the window to the bow. I may have to put that on mine. Lots of talk about how the bow won't take on water due to the new design. We never had to put that to the test.

[NorCaliBu]

Chris was driving because the boat driver was knocked out just before our turn by a recoiling handle that one of our own on this board was holding only moments before. I'll let him explain himself.

Come on. Fess up...We'll go easy on ya...

I got a call that my dad went in for open heart surgery....the kind you don't schedule. Don't think I could have taken a pull with that on my mind. He came through OK so far.

Your dad will be in my prayers for a full and speedy recovery.