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A24, M220, MXZ24, M240 - Which is best for surfing and wakeboarding?


Edstygar

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I am looking for a high performance surf and wakeboard boat. Which is the best for both? Which is the best value? Should the 23MXZ be included I have only been on the 24MXZ and it was one of the better surf waves that I have been on, which includes X23, X22, Fi23, G23, and G25. I need a big surf wave my 250lbs and good wakeboarding wake for my son to do his flips and spins. Thanks!

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This depends on what percentage of the time you would be wakeboarding versus surfing.

Of the one you listed I would say the 24MXZ is the best blend of performance but the new 25LSV may have them all beat in every category. 

The x22 is really primarily a good wakeboarding boat but not surfing. I do hear good things about the Xstar though and it is tough to beat the G23 for wakeboarding.  Centurions are not the best (middle of the road) for wakeboarding in general and in my own experience. 

After doing lots of analyzing boats the manufacturers that offer the most value fr your dollar in a decent premium boat are Malibu and Supra.   I hope that thoroughly confused you even more...  lol

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21 hours ago, Gene3x said:

This depends on what percentage of the time you would be wakeboarding versus surfing.

Of the one you listed I would say the 24MXZ is the best blend of performance but the new 25LSV may have them all beat in every category. 

The x22 is really primarily a good wakeboarding boat but not surfing. I do hear good things about the Xstar though and it is tough to beat the G23 for wakeboarding.  Centurions are not the best (middle of the road) for wakeboarding in general and in my own experience. 

After doing lots of analyzing boats the manufacturers that offer the most value fr your dollar in a decent premium boat are Malibu and Supra.   I hope that thoroughly confused you even more...  lol

Looks we are going with the M220, good reviews and best match for us. I wanted a centurion, my wife wanted the BU. We demoed most of the boats, including the G’s and X’s and the Centurions match or have better waves (surf and wakeboard) than most at half the price. 

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Of all the boats you mentioned that is a good choice.  Just keep in mind it is significantly smaller on interior seating than all of the others.  Also i happen to know from personal experience that if you load it up for wakeboarding and put the wedge past 3 at speed it will porpoise the front of the boat.

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I would add that one of the best boats for surfing is one that is running consistently enough to actually surf on a regular basis.  That means a reliable boat, but more importantly great dealer service.  If you live in the Dallas Metroplex, buy Malibu at WSA if you want both. 

I have been on my 1st wakesurf ordering journey for a few months now.  WSA consistently answered my questions, changed my order numerous times, and were genererally awesome.

Numerous people on my lake report the same, and added told me to expect consistent dockside service if your willing to pay a little extra cash.

I know several friends on my lake that own 2022 Centurion 245 Ri.  All are die hard centurion fans.  However, one has ridden with the other two all spring/summer because the boat has been in and out of the shop all spring/summer.  The other  two did not have such problems, but due to lack of dockside service they have to put the boat on the trailer and leave it at the shop for numerous days for even the most basic service call.  Small service dpt. and have to drive all the way to Fort Worth.

I cannot comment on Supra service and reliability.  So I won't.

I have heard generally good things about Nautique.  But have heard one local story of a blown engine and months of waiting with no resolution in sight.  Evidently, PCM is only provident a couple replacement motors for warranty replacements annually.

I don't know about the dealers in other parts of Texas and the US.  But if you live in the DFW metropolex, go Malibu.  

 

 

 

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Rode the new 25LSV yesterday.  And by rode I mean did what these boats are meant to do, wakeboard.  It is the absolute biggest wake I have ever been on.  And yes I have been on many including a G23 and G25 but not an M240.   Also the wave is also bigger than anything I have ever been on.  Full disclosure I did load it to the M6 limit which tool quite awhile to get on plane.  extra 500lbs of lead and a 1000 lb sack in the middle of the floor to simulate passengers.

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2 minutes ago, NWBU said:

I’m hoping to demo an M220 soon too. Were you riding one that was fairly dialed in? 

All ballast full and PW at 4 or 5, 5 adults in the boat and full tank of gas, no additional weight. It wasn't terrible, the wave was super clean and long but lacked power and drive. Would have been fine for someone that weighs 140 lbs but as a resident of the 200+ club I need a more powerful wave with some ummph. I was just expecting more from a 6200 lb boat. IMO, it rode really high in the water and the back of the hull is almost flat so maybe that has something to do with it.

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That's weird. I have spent a few hours behind a M220, and a couple days behind both a 24 MXZ, and a M240. I've never surfed a LSV series. 

The push, and length from the M series boats was on another level from my 22 MXZ, and my friend's 24 MXZ. So much so that I placed my M220 order yesterday. 

I'm 6'1" 180, and my surf buddy tops 220. We both loved the M series waves. I did find that both M boats did better at higher speeds, with lighter rear ends, and when  ballasted heavy to the surf side. 

Our 240 setup was 12-12.5 MPH, 100% front and mid. 75% surf-side rear, and 50% off-surf-side rear. Wedge was adjusted through the day as we burned off fuel. 

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2 hours ago, bigskydoc said:

That's weird. I have spent a few hours behind a M220, and a couple days behind both a 24 MXZ, and a M240. I've never surfed a LSV series. 

The push, and length from the M series boats was on another level from my 22 MXZ, and my friend's 24 MXZ. So much so that I placed my M220 order yesterday. 

I'm 6'1" 180, and my surf buddy tops 220. We both loved the M series waves. I did find that both M boats did better at higher speeds, with lighter rear ends, and when  ballasted heavy to the surf side. 

Our 240 setup was 12-12.5 MPH, 100% front and mid. 75% surf-side rear, and 50% off-surf-side rear. Wedge was adjusted through the day as we burned off fuel. 

That’s more what I was expecting for the M220. Any chance you’re a regular surfer, to give feedback on that side’s wave? I’m going to be able to demo in October as well.

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16 hours ago, bigskydoc said:

That's weird. I have spent a few hours behind a M220, and a couple days behind both a 24 MXZ, and a M240. I've never surfed a LSV series. 

The push, and length from the M series boats was on another level from my 22 MXZ, and my friend's 24 MXZ. So much so that I placed my M220 order yesterday. 

I'm 6'1" 180, and my surf buddy tops 220. We both loved the M series waves. I did find that both M boats did better at higher speeds, with lighter rear ends, and when  ballasted heavy to the surf side. 

Our 240 setup was 12-12.5 MPH, 100% front and mid. 75% surf-side rear, and 50% off-surf-side rear. Wedge was adjusted through the day as we burned off fuel. 

I can tell you that the wave on my 2019 24 MXZ and the wave on my buddies 21 25 LSV are both better than the wave on the 2022 M220 that I was on. Their is barely a weight difference between these three boats so the more I think about I think the shorter length and the fact it rides so high in water must have something to do with it.

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16 hours ago, bigskydoc said:

Our 240 setup was 12-12.5 MPH, 100% front and mid. 75% surf-side rear, and 50% off-surf-side rear. Wedge was adjusted through the day as we burned off fuel. 

I have yet to surf an M240 but at 7500 lbs that is a completely different level than the M220. Simple physics tells you there is no way the M220 is on par with the M240 wave.

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17 hours ago, NWBU said:

That’s more what I was expecting for the M220. Any chance you’re a regular surfer, to give feedback on that side’s wave? I’m going to be able to demo in October as well.

I'm goofy, my son is regular. We both loved the M220 and M240 waves.  We didn't find the M240 wave compellingly enough better to go that route, although the M220 I ordered is in the M240 price range. 

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2 hours ago, Chappy said:

I have yet to surf an M240 but at 7500 lbs that is a completely different level than the M220. Simple physics tells you there is no way the M220 is on par with the M240 wave.

My feet tell me differently, and the four pro surfers that I talked to on the 2 tour stops I went to said the same thing. The M series waves are a class above anything else in Malibu's lineup (granted none of us have been behind the 2022 25 LSV), with the M240 wave being slightly bigger and stronger than the M220. 

To me, the M series waves are revolutionary, compared to previous hulls, but the M240 wave is only iteratively bigger than the M220. 

My son and I actually preferred the M220 wave, and the pros did not disagree. 

It's all subjective though. What I like in a wave may be vastly different from what you are looking for. No substitute for a full wet test. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

The OP asked about the A24 and I'm curious how that compares in others' opinions as well. Surfed an A24 and M220 in the same week (both with stock ballast and factory PnP full), with nobody onboard but the driver. There wasn't a discernible difference to me in the wave, but I was on 2 different lakes and it was a bit windier on the day I surfed behind the 220. I'd say it's possible that the M220 had a bit of bigger pocket, but it's also likely that since it was the second Surf Gate boat I surfed that week, I was a little more familiar with the style of wave and more comfortable in the pocket. (I have a MasterCraft, so I'm used to trim tab style surf waves.) I think I can say that I didn't think it was worth losing the seating space and the extra $80-100k for the M220's wave.

As far as other boats: I was unimpressed by the Supra SL (and found the autowake offputting). Honestly, I felt like the G23 had a better wave than everything else I've surfed, but it's by far the most expensive option I've tried. Going to check out an Ri230 this week.

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On 9/25/2021 at 11:58 PM, lights said:

Surfed an A24 and M220 in the same week (both with stock ballast and factory PnP full), with nobody onboard but the driver. There wasn't a discernible difference to me in the wave....  

I think I can say that I didn't think it was worth losing the seating space and the extra $80-100k for the M220's wave.

@bigskydoc Exactly!

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On 9/25/2021 at 11:58 PM, lights said:

The OP asked about the A24 and I'm curious how that compares in others' opinions as well. Surfed an A24 and M220 in the same week (both with stock ballast and factory PnP full), with nobody onboard but the driver. There wasn't a discernible difference to me in the wave, but I was on 2 different lakes and it was a bit windier on the day I surfed behind the 220. I'd say it's possible that the M220 had a bit of bigger pocket, but it's also likely that since it was the second Surf Gate boat I surfed that week, I was a little more familiar with the style of wave and more comfortable in the pocket. (I have a MasterCraft, so I'm used to trim tab style surf waves.) I think I can say that I didn't think it was worth losing the seating space and the extra $80-100k for the M220's wave.

As far as other boats: I was unimpressed by the Supra SL (and found the autowake offputting). Honestly, I felt like the G23 had a better wave than everything else I've surfed, but it's by far the most expensive option I've tried. Going to check out an Ri230 this week.

The A24 wave is basically identical to the 24 MXZ wave, they supposedly have the same hull.

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26 minutes ago, Chappy said:

The A24 wave is basically identical to the 24 MXZ wave, they supposedly have the same hull.

Hmmmmm.....  Is this true?   Is there a way to verify this?   Did you get this from a factory source?  Do they label the hulls like they used to back in the 2000's?

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7 minutes ago, Gene3x said:

Hmmmmm.....  Is this true?   Is there a way to verify this?   Did you get this from a factory source?  Do they label the hulls like they used to back in the 2000's?

When I was demoing boats in 2019 that is what my Axis dealer told me. Certainly could have changed recently.

Edited by Chappy
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I’ve also been told that by our dealer. Only makes sense. Cuts down on R&D. Plus the A24 and MXZ both had the same freeboard changes made last year.  So seems logical to assume it’s the same running surface. 

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