Best Malibu V drive for short line slalom

[UWSkier]

20 minutes ago, 32off said:

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... 

Let me put your mind at ease.  This is the '01 SSVLX at 34 MPH with 4 adults and all their ski gear in the boat, with over 1/2 tank of fuel.  Rope length 28 off.  It gets better as you go shorter and/or faster.  This is a hand-throttled boat also.  If I added PP and Zbox, it'd be an even firmer pull.  As you can see, I have no issue generating width (other than my crappy form).

https://photos.app.goo.gl/iFWTkGkEh9Cvr3B47

I have quite a few vids of the wakes behind this particular boat, from my 120 lb sister skiing 15 off at 30 MPH, to myself 36 MPH at 32 off.  The above is a pretty accurate representation of the "worst case" wake you'll experience at your personal speed and line length choices.  22 off stinks, but that stinks on every boat.  Other than that, it's a really good choice for your use case IMO.

Only thing with this boat vs your SSLXi is you'll get slightly more spray into a headwind at 32 and 35 off, but it needs to be a fairly decent headwind at that...

 

Edited August 10, 2020 by UWSkier

[32off]

That is a VERY helpful video. That wake is VERY good for a v-drive...NO doubt.   THANKS!!!

 

[Joeprunc]

https://www.ski-it-again.com/php/skiitagain.php?endless=summer&topic=Search&category=Boat_BoardSurf&postid=56651

 

A days drive to this one.  Not sure if its the diamond hull or not.

[UWSkier]

13 minutes ago, Joeprunc said:

https://www.ski-it-again.com/php/skiitagain.php?endless=summer&topic=Search&category=Boat_BoardSurf&postid=56651

 

A days drive to this one.  Not sure if its the diamond hull or not.

Definitely is a Diamond.

[Nitrousbird]

23 minutes ago, Joeprunc said:

https://www.ski-it-again.com/php/skiitagain.php?endless=summer&topic=Search&category=Boat_BoardSurf&postid=56651

 

A days drive to this one.  Not sure if its the diamond hull or not.

Diamond but whomever orderded that thing was afraid of checking options on the order sheet.  No wedge, no factory tower (not sure how good whatever on it is/isn't), single axle trailer, no PP, looks like no heater, no Lowrance depth or multi-function gauges, fixed bow light (though they paid for docking lights, go figure), etc.  Add to that the dated color scheme and very visible cover snaps = I'd pass on that @ 27k even though it looks clean.

[32off]

So in 01 the sunscape and sunsetter were the exact same hull? Diamond?  I agree it seems odd that they don't have many options...Sunscape shows to be 300 lbs heavier in the manual...

[32off]

So, the sunscape is better for wakeboarding 500 pounds heavier than the sunsetter vlx and it is almost 2 feet longer.  VLX still the way to go.. at least for what I am looking for.

 

 

[JasonK]

I test drove and slalomed a green 01 VLX Diamond hull before I bought the Response. The water was totally blown out, but the slalom wake was really nice. I passed on it bcuz it had issues.

[UWSkier]

23 minutes ago, 32off said:

So, the sunscape is better for wakeboarding 500 pounds heavier than the sunsetter vlx and it is almost 2 feet longer.  VLX still the way to go.. at least for what I am looking for.

 

 

In '01 the Sunscape line started at 23 feet and the Sunsetter VLX was a 21 footer.  In 2002, the Sunsetter VLX was redesigned and renamed to be the Sunscape 21 LSV.  It skis the same as the '01 VLX.

[Joeprunc]

1 hour ago, Nitrousbird said:

Diamond but whomever orderded that thing was afraid of checking options on the order sheet.  No wedge, no factory tower (not sure how good whatever on it is/isn't), single axle trailer, no PP, looks like no heater, no Lowrance depth or multi-function gauges, fixed bow light (though they paid for docking lights, go figure), etc.  Add to that the dated color scheme and very visible cover snaps = I'd pass on that @ 27k even though it looks clean.

Good eye.  I was just browsing for a TXI and saw this in the mix.

[rakr]

If you want to take a look at that one, I’d get on it. He had someone going to take a look at it soon. I’ve been chatting with him. Haven’t sold my VTX year or it would have been a consideration on my list... pretty clean boat. 

[rakr]

it looks like this might have the diamond hull, but not 100% sure on this era of boat. 
 

https://www.boattrader.com/boat/2004-malibu-wakesetter-21-vlx-7145015/

 

[32off]

I saw that earlier. It is pretty rough for the price. I am not sure if it is diamond or not. Malibu wont answer their phones or return calls and dealers don't know jack about anything past last year.  I spoke with a few transmission companies and they have said they are beyond busy rebuilding trannys from the early wakeboard boat because they were not designed for the extreme loads so I have to consider that issue when buying. Would love to find one without tower....Thanks for sending me the link. 

[rakr]

@32off yeah, the “general” looked pretty rough... also, I heard pop yachts is pretty sketchy to deal with. 

Edited August 26, 2020 by rakr

[32off]

Hey Rakr, is 2001 the only year malibu used the diamond hull on the sunsetter. There is a 2000 out there that looks pretty good...sunsetter vlx

[Woodski]

@32_Off - If you are serious on bumping HP via heads and exhaust manifold, add a cam in the mix to really take advantage of the extra air flow.  A ZZ4 cam works really well to give a bump to the mid and high end and still offers kitten smooth idle quality.  The combo platter of aluminum heads and exhaust manifolds knocking weight down is super helpful in a DD, would be even more effective in a V drive.  (@UWSkier - GM Fast Burn cylinder heads suggestion also work nicely).

[32off]

I am thinking 383 with AFR heads and a good torque cam with a stronger output shaft in the tranny should do the job. I found an engine builder who has done some competition boat motors already so he knows what type of profile is best for the cam. The 383 hammerhead was a dog down low because there was too much overlap in the cam. Rough idle means no torque down low(less than 3000 rpm), although I do enjoy a bumpy idle in a big block....I just need to find my 01-04 vlx in 21 footer...

[dfarhood]

22 hours ago, 32off said:

Hey Rakr, is 2001 the only year malibu used the diamond hull on the sunsetter. There is a 2000 out there that looks pretty good...sunsetter vlx

2001 is supposed to be the only diamond hull Sunsetter VLX. I have seen some listed as 2000 that I'm fairly certain were diamond hulls. I generally assumed it was listed improperly but it is also possible that some late 2000 boats got the diamond hull

I think the chine turn down on the SV23 Diamond above is a bit more obvious in photos than the 20' cut diamond (VTX)

[32off]

ok. It is very obvious

 

se

[dfarhood]

To be fair, it's only obvious if the ad photos are decent... which most of the time they do not highlight this area. I may have stared at way too many transom photos this year 

[UWSkier]

2001 SS VLX is the only one to have the diamond hull as far as I'm aware.  Malibu has done some strange things at times though, such as giving a handful of Echelons in their final year the diamond treatment.  I suppose it's possible there might be some 2000s floating around out there with it.  Would be an extremely rare boat if so.

[rakr]

@32off you find a boat yet? I skied my 2004 for the first time and there is no question the ski wake better than my VTX. I still need to add weight to the front, and I’ll probably remove the wedge to see if that helps. 
 

also I got a set of 1100s and filled them halfway-2/3 up, got a used nauticurl shaper and the surf wave was more than respectable, I easily surfed without a rope. I’ll be adding midship, bow, and pumps this fall. 
 

hoping the boss will approve PP this week after trying to pull me surfing. Surfing at 20 mph is a little quick for me and the wave doesn’t quite form at 6…

[Woodski]

@rakr - I suggest you polish your bribery skills and do your best job at it.  PP is the best investment for a ski boat, lots of reasons its called 'the marriage saver'.

[rakr]

6 hours ago, Woodski said:

@rakr - I suggest you polish your bribery skills and do your best job at it.  PP is the best investment for a ski boat, lots of reasons its called 'the marriage saver'.

@WoodskiI thought I would have been “pre-approved” going from a $60k boat to a  $25k boat, but I was mistaken! Should be able to order this week. We will see!!!