Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

Response LX owner - next boat FXI?


jhardwood

Recommended Posts

Looking for some advice...I am the single owner of a 1998 Reponse LX.  We have absolutely loved this boat.  We barefoot (A LOT) and slalom (A LOT).  We even have managed to surf behind it some.  This boat owes us nothing, has about 900 hours on it, and we are thinking of getting something newer at this time and passing this boat on to someone else.  I want to stay with the Reponse series, something 10-12 years old or newer, and am struggling to figure out the right hull.  LXI, TXI, FXI, year/series, etc.    It seems like there does not seem to be a boat that matches the wakes that our Reponse LX provides...but I am probably not reading these reviews very well.  Today, I got a lead on a 2009 Response FXI, which seems to have pretty good reviews although it was only made for a short time.  Does anyone have experience with slalom and barefoot behind this boat, barefoot beside it (boom), and possibly even surfing?  Any other recommendations for model years and models to look at that will meet our hardcore barefoot and slalom needs?

Link to comment

Thanks Eagleboy99.  I had seen some of his photos, but the videos are no longer uploaded.  I see you have a Response LX.  Ever footed/skied behind the FXI?

 

Link to comment

Weird - I was just looking at them.  You might want to ping Peter Brown  ( @smoothwaterman ) He can give you the low down on footing.  I've never footed behind the FXi.  BTW, the rear vents on the FXI might be an issue with surfing (water ingress).

Link to comment

Hi Sixball, I am interested...good LXI year from what I hear. Can you post some pictures and/or provide some more details on boat?

Link to comment

If I recall correctly, FXI is a V drive. Probably the one variant to avoid as a hard core barefoot / slalom addict.  Your RLX is going to be hard to beat for footing.  LXI and TXI have great slalom wakes, they also foot well.  I strongly suggest trying before buying.

Link to comment
8 minutes ago, Woodski said:

If I recall correctly, FXI is a V drive. Probably the one variant to avoid as a hard core barefoot / slalom addict.  Your RLX is going to be hard to beat for footing.  LXI and TXI have great slalom wakes, they also foot well.  I strongly suggest trying before buying.

Yes it is a V-drive and foots like most  V-drives. :)

Link to comment
10 hours ago, jhardwood said:

Looking for some advice...I am the single owner of a 1998 Reponse LX.  We have absolutely loved this boat.  We barefoot (A LOT) and slalom (A LOT).  We even have managed to surf behind it some.  This boat owes us nothing, has about 900 hours on it, and we are thinking of getting something newer at this time and passing this boat on to someone else.  I want to stay with the Reponse series, something 10-12 years old or newer, and am struggling to figure out the right hull.  LXI, TXI, FXI, year/series, etc.    It seems like there does not seem to be a boat that matches the wakes that our Reponse LX provides...but I am probably not reading these reviews very well.  Today, I got a lead on a 2009 Response FXI, which seems to have pretty good reviews although it was only made for a short time.  Does anyone have experience with slalom and barefoot behind this boat, barefoot beside it (boom), and possibly even surfing?  Any other recommendations for model years and models to look at that will meet our hardcore barefoot and slalom needs?

Do you mainly foot long line or boom? 02-06 Response LXI are better footing boats then later models. Barefooting, are you crossing wakes much? If so you won't like the FXI.

Link to comment

@jhardwood - Your post on the wake quality specifically related to barefooting is spot on.  You are going to be challenged to find a better boat that is as good for both barefooting and slalom, most notably the barefooting quality.  As for slalom, the LXI and TXI are a bit better in my opinion and comparable in many others opinion (wake quality can be very subjective).  If you are simply wanting newer, you may as well add a late model RLX to your mix, or even try to find an LXR (which is pretty much a walk through OB RLX).  Even with those, I would try before you buy, I find my neighbors '07 RLX different to the other Response on our lake.

Link to comment
10 hours ago, Woodski said:

If I recall correctly, FXI is a V drive. Probably the one variant to avoid as a hard core barefoot / slalom addict.  Your RLX is going to be hard to beat for footing.  LXI and TXI have great slalom wakes, they also foot well.  I strongly suggest trying before buying.

FXi is a direct drive version of the 20' V-drive running surface. Basically a widened version of 07-11 LXi hull. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment

Wow, great feedback everyone, and very much appreciated.  Yes, this FXI is a DD, with a little more beam and freeboard than LXI.  Hence, my wake fears. 

@footndale: I do mostly long line barefooting, with 2 foot wakecrossings.

FYI all, i intend to slalom and foot and even surf behind this FXI this weekend, so stay tuned.  One other downer on this boat:  No heater.  That could be a deal breaker already compared to my 3 outlet heater in the LX for those October and April Maine runs.

 

Link to comment
7 minutes ago, jhardwood said:

Wow, great feedback everyone, and very much appreciated.  Yes, this FXI is a DD, with a little more beam and freeboard than LXI.  Hence, my wake fears. 

@footndale: I do mostly long line barefooting, with 2 foot wakecrossings.

FYI all, i intend to slalom and foot and even surf behind this FXI this weekend, so stay tuned.  One other downer on this boat:  No heater.  That could be a deal breaker already compared to my 3 outlet heater in the LX for those October and April Maine runs.

 

If it's the right boat at the right price, don't worry about the heater.  You can put one in yourself relatively easily.  

Link to comment

@woodski:  The LXR is a surprise to me.  I had no idea that boat existed.  Any experience from anyone on skiiing/footing that boat?

Link to comment
26 minutes ago, jhardwood said:

@woodski:  The LXR is a surprise to me.  I had no idea that boat existed.  Any experience from anyone on skiiing/footing that boat?

LXR is basically the same boat as the 1999+ Response LX with a walk-through.  Identical hull.  It has a narrow walk-through to the bow instead of the step-over.  It has the exact same running surface as your 1998 Response.  Depending on the year, the engine might be in a slightly different location by a few inches, which will have a slight impact on the wakes.

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

Ok folks, so that boat fell through and the LX and LXR are tough to find.  I have skied and footed behind neighbors 2009 RLX Barefoot edition.  I am currently looking at a 2012 TXI and a 2016 TXI.  Both seem to have similar hulls before the radical 2017 change?  Any comments/suggestions on look/avoid on 2012 TXI or 2016TXI for footing and slalom?

Thanks to all.   This site is a huge help.

Link to comment

@jhardwood - the 2012 TXI hull change was less deadrise.  I have not had the opportunity to foot behind that era TXI so can't help a lot there.  I would think the wake characteristics would still be very similar, the slalom wakes did not dramatically change with the Gen 1 TXI hull change.

Link to comment

Interesting...I have seen that boat quite a few times on the various sites. New engine part makes me a little nervous, although I assume hydrolock was an issue with the way it was driven, a catastrophic event, or overall failure. Anyone with 2016 TXI experience?  

FYI, I am also in the Northeast so that continues to factor into purchase equation relative to actually getting the boat.

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Hey footndale, I am very close to closing a deal on the boat that you referenced above.  Still a little nervous about buying a boat with a rebuild in it.  Do you have any other history/experience with the seller and his rebuilds.  He seems pretty reputable, but I can also be pretty gullible.

 

 

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...