Best Malibu V drive for short line slalom

[32off]

Hello Crew

I have asked this question of the forum before but I wanted to confirm before I start my search. I am looking for the best v drive for slalom skiing. I am not wake boarding but our family got sick of the cramped space in my beloved 04 sunsetter lxi.

I have an 01 sunsetter vlx as the best because that was the only year of that hull, but those are hard to find. Any other contenders? I felt that the 04 lxi had a great wake especially at 36 mph shortline.

Thanks for the help.  Ski free or die

[oldjeep]

Sunscape or VTX (With diamond hull)

Edited August 10, 2020 by oldjeep

[Eagleboy99]

How short?  One thing in the newer boats is the tower could interfere with your line.  Although new VTX videos show a sweet slalom wake but the rope definitely touches.

[Brad B]

You need a diamond hull boat. Although we mostly surf with our 2003 WS23LSV - the last year of the diamond on the WS23LSV - once we dumped all the ballast, anything over 30 mph has a slalom course worthy wake.

[32off]

I guess I will have to do more homework to determine the exact years that are best. The less weight the better.. I am skiing at 28-36 off 

[ahopkins22LSV]

What is your budget? The new VTX is really good at those line lengths. Here is me skiing ours:

 

[UWSkier]

Does it need to perform course duty? If yes, VTX with removable pylon would be a good idea for tracking. I move my dad's 01 VLX around a fair bit in the course (but I'm big). 

The 02-04 Sunscape 21 LSV skis the same as the 01 VLX. You might also find some wakesetters in those years with diamond hulls as that was an option. 

[oldjeep]

3 minutes ago, UWSkier said:

Does it need to perform course duty? If yes, VTX with removable pylon would be a good idea for tracking. I move my dad's 01 VLX around a fair bit in the course (but I'm big). 

The 02-04 Sunscape 21 LSV skis the same as the 01 VLX. You might also find some wakesetters in those years with diamond hulls as that was an option. 

There is also a Sunscape 20 LSV which is basically a VTX - without a tower in most cases.

[32off]

I am big as well and it may see the course but I don't want a soft pull so VTX is better? When did they make the vtx? 

[oldjeep]

6 minutes ago, 32off said:

I am big as well and it may see the course but I don't want a soft pull so VTX is better? When did they make the vtx? 

If you want the removable center pylon that started in 2013 in the VTX - same year that surfgate became available.

[UWSkier]

12 minutes ago, 32off said:

I am big as well and it may see the course but I don't want a soft pull so VTX is better? When did they make the vtx? 

Well, it's not outboard or stern drive soft, but it's not as firm as my Response with Zbox.  I think the '01 VLX would be firm enough for you if you put PP with Zbox on it.

[32off]

ok. I am looking at older boats due to budget. Are any of the older VLX's prior to 01 any good? The sunscape is a couple hundred pounds heavier than a vlx so I am guessing the wake is not quite as good for slalom?

[UWSkier]

16 minutes ago, 32off said:

ok. I am looking at older boats due to budget. Are any of the older VLX's prior to 01 any good? The sunscape is a couple hundred pounds heavier than a vlx so I am guessing the wake is not quite as good for slalom?

'01 VLX is the only one on the diamond hull.  I'm not sure how the Sunscape 21 LSV is realistically that much heavier than the '01 VLX.  It has one additional small seat and the dash is a little bigger.  Maybe the more rounded deck adds material but even that I can't see being a lot heavier.

[rakr]

I am kind of entertaining the same thing (although I don't ski short line), moving from a '13 VTX to something older 02-04 Sunscape LSV. I think I read the 04 Sunscape LSV (or Wakesetter with the Diamond Hull) added the gorilla fins that helps with tracking.

Also in my research (looking at pics), it looks like the 02 and 03 Sunscapes have the taller non-movable pylon. I don't think that would affect slalom performance that much, but it looks like it is about 12" taller than the rear pylon on my VTX, and it looks like the same thing on the 04, which you can drop the pylon down so it is under the sun pad vs. being permanently extended. I don't know if the retractable pylon was an option or not.

Edited August 10, 2020 by rakr

[32off]

got it. Thats what I thought.  Looks like my search may take some time. With covid all the boats are selling pretty quickly. 

[32off]

I think I can add the retractable pylon to an 01 VLX.  I am seeing that some 01 vlx's had the wedge and some didn't even have the mounting bracket...

[UWSkier]

Not sure if I'd want the retractable pylon.  They tend to get stuck a lot and it's harder to get a boom to work on one.  Gorilla fins I've never skied behind or driven.  Would like to know much difference they make.

[32off]

I will have to experiment with it. I wish they put 3 fins on the vlx so the pull would be more like an inboard. I can tell a big difference when skiing with the PP turned off so having only 2 fins could make a difference.  

[UWSkier]

I don't think a third tracking fin would help the V drives a ton.  Pylon location is the bigger thing.  When I'm pulling a heavy skier behind my Response, I don't need to counter steer quite as much because the pylon is right above the fins so the boat doesn't "twist" or yaw as much when the skier hooks up.  On the VLX, I have to steer MARGINALLY more, because when the skier hooks up, it causes the boat to yaw a bit.  The tracking fins stay planted pretty well, but because the pull is behind the fins, which are the pivot point, it tends to rotate a little.  You need to think of the rudder as the third tracking fin on the V drive.

All that is to say, you get used to it.  And I wouldn't rule out an '01-03 because of the tracking fins.

[rakr]

In looking for a few minutes it looks like PP with Stargazer would be the preferred speed control for that era of boats? 

[32off]

I am on the hunt for an 01 vlx. That will be the best wake and  I have a set of etx exhaust manifolds with a pair of vortec AFR aluminum heads from another motor.  The rear of the boat will be about 150lbs lighter.  That should help me get to a quality slalom wake while having more room in the cabin. If motor has high hours I have a good friend who owns a machine shop and I could do a nice motor that would run great.  I may generate another post to see if I could do a 1:1.20 ratio tranny....that would be cool. 50 mph v drive...

[UWSkier]

16 minutes ago, 32off said:

I am on the hunt for an 01 vlx. That will be the best wake and  I have a set of etx exhaust manifolds with a pair of vortec AFR aluminum heads from another motor.  The rear of the boat will be about 150lbs lighter.  That should help me get to a quality slalom wake while having more room in the cabin. If motor has high hours I have a good friend who owns a machine shop and I could do a nice motor that would run great.  I may generate another post to see if I could do a 1:1.20 ratio tranny....that would be cool. 50 mph v drive...

With some fast-burn aluminum heads, you might get to 50 MPH already with a 381 prop.  My dads is a 48 MPH boat with the standard Monsoon and that prop.  Not sure if his is just a burner or what, but it rips my 250 lb butt out of the water like I'm not even back there, and can happily surf with wedge and 2000 lbs of ballast at a remarkably low 2300 RPM.  It's faster than my Response with the same engine for sure.

[Nitrousbird]

1 hour ago, 32off said:

I am on the hunt for an 01 vlx. That will be the best wake and  I have a set of etx exhaust manifolds with a pair of vortec AFR aluminum heads from another motor.  The rear of the boat will be about 150lbs lighter.  That should help me get to a quality slalom wake while having more room in the cabin. If motor has high hours I have a good friend who owns a machine shop and I could do a nice motor that would run great.  I may generate another post to see if I could do a 1:1.20 ratio tranny....that would be cool. 50 mph v drive...

Or get one like mine equipped with the LS1.  Aluminum block, heads and composite intake.  Zero issues pulling a skier out regardless of prop (well, it can be an issue if the driver is heavy handed).

[Joeprunc]

@32off I'm assuming due to your tag name you're no joke cashing buoys and I also understand the need for a versatile boat for the family.  But from what I've seen and researched, a VTX is a great boat for that...but if you don't ski the course.  Seeing how much rope wrap with a the removable pylon, or how much wagging of the dog you would get with skiing from the rear pylon I think skiing the course anything shorter than -22' would be a challenge for skier and boat driver.

A fellow club member is going through the same dilemma, we have a MC dealer out here, and we demoed a NXT20.  They swore the wake was awesome for skiing...but once you get in the course, changing speeds, and rope lengths reality sets in....and yes it was a task driving the beast through the course (felt like driving a RV through a Starbucks drive-thru).  He passed and is continuing to make due with his DD.

If skiing the course is a must, I'd urge you to ski test what you think you want before buying.  If you primarily ski open water, then I agree with all the statements above, and think the 01 LVX is the way to go.

The other boats to put on your list (if you are willing to accept a DD with more seating):

-MC X14 with a DD, never skied it, but it always intrigued me.

-Malibu XTI weird seating and no rear ski locker storage, but a decent ski wake I've skied this boat into -28' @34 mph (with <10 gals of fuel) 

 

 

 

  

Edited August 10, 2020 by Joeprunc

[32off]

I won't be skiing the course with the VLX. We have a response for the course. I need this for open water, aggressive 28-36 off at 36 mph pulling a 6'4 230 lb skier on the high end and my other family members who all fall in the smaller range. I have driven a v drive in the course and its a nightmare if you have anyone who can pull behind the boat.  What is happening is we are ending up with 4+ people in the boat so space is becoming more important and if you load up a LXI or response in the nose you kill the wake anyway.  DD boats are the way to go but I am just trying to see if I can find the needle in the haystack combo where I can get a nice wake while having some room...