First Surf Boat Needing Opinions

[lakeguy21]

Hey guys, as the title mentioned I'm looking to buy my first surf boat... I learned to surf behind an 08 23 LSV with a power wedge no gates though... So obviously I know this is the Cadillac of surf boats but with my budget I'm finding myself looking at VLX Wakesetters...  I've read more mixed reviews than i even know what todo with. So my question is bottom line can the VLX be made into a good surf boat? 

[MNNewb]

What years?  what's your budget?  Can you get into the 2013+ with Surf Gate?  

[TicTac]

If you are comfortable sharing your budget, I suspect members of the forum could help guide you a bit better.

My only experience on a wake boat was a single outing last year and it led to buying a 2021 LSV 22. That one outing was on a 2012 VLX owned by someone that has a long history of ocean wave surfing and a few years of wake surfing. He seems to be very happy with his setup. But I can't say whether he's done something like add lead ballast.

Are you thinking new or used? Depending on your situation, financing a new LX (the design with the hybrid pickle/v hull) might work for you as my understanding is that it's really meant to be a value choice for the Malibu fan. In terms of used, my sense is that you may lose some of the newer digital goodies but still be able to get a great wave.

[rothoveb]

You may not be thinking of one this old but here are pictures from a 2005 VLX and a 2007 VLX (my current boat).  I would hope that the newer VLXs would provide an even better wake but we have no problem getting something very surfable.

[PNWoke]

Vlx is decent.  I’d definitely go for 2013+ (2015+ even better), for the surf gates and updated controls.  You are so close to the end of this season I would probably wait and see if lower winter prices can take the edge off your budget and get you into something nicer for next season.  

[jd8181]

On 8/20/2021 at 7:15 AM, rothoveb said:

You may not be thinking of one this old but here are pictures from a 2005 VLX and a 2007 VLX (my current boat).  I would hope that the newer VLXs would provide an even better wake but we have no problem getting something very surfable.

That wave looks nice. Can you tell us more? Wedge? Ballast etc? 

[SOcalSurfer]

Just sold our 18 22 vlx and that thing put out an awesome surf wave. We ran 200 lbs of lead, 150 in the bow and 50 in the observers storage. 10.6-10.8 and wedge 2 down from lift. We had a wave that folks who own mastercraft x23, nxt, tige 22rzx and a nautique 22 and have said ours blew their waves out of the water.  So much so the family that owned the tige went and traded their tige in for a new malibu this year. Is the vlx the best wave, no way, but it is a damn good one for the price.

If i were you though, i would look into a new axis if you wanted something new for the same price.

[rothoveb]

On 9/15/2021 at 1:22 PM, jd8181 said:

That wave looks nice. Can you tell us more? Wedge? Ballast etc? 

On my current boat (2007) there is quite a bit of weight...I added the wakemakers piggyback system to the rear tanks so in addition to having all 4 tanks built-in tanks filled at 1250 lbs (actually the boat didn't have the bow tank but I installed one myself - thanks to liljohn's writeup), I also fill the piggyback bags at 100%(~800 lbs) and 50%(400 lbs) depending on what side we are surfing.  I also have a few other old school bags that are filled with a pump thrown over the side.  I always fill the 500 lb Sumo bow bag in the bow and depending on how many bodies are in the boat there is another 400 lb bag that is sometimes used in the walkway and an 800 lb Ronix bag that get placed on the side being surfed when there isn't much human weight.  I typically have the power wedge 2 clicks up and I also have a homemade wakeshaper stuck to the side.  I think the picture with my grandson riding was all the built-in tanks, wakemakers only partially filled since he isn't that heavy and the bow bag filled.

It would be nice to have surfgate and some of the newer features but I have a hard time swallowing the accompanying price of the boat they are attached to...I bought my boat for $36,000 about 4.5 years ago.  It now has a little over 900 hours on it and has worked out great and been a workhorse .  Oh yeah, I upgraded the prop to an acme 1235 when I bought the boat.  I had upgraded the 2005 VLX I had previously with the same prop and was really happy with how it handled the extra weight so I stuck with it.

Britt

[Maas]

I've got a 2012 VLX for sale 350 hours on it that will go toe to toe with just about any boat for wake.  It's shocks people who come on the boat