TXI - end of the line?

[LXRBarefooter]

59 minutes ago, jjackkrash said:

The profits are directly tied to the so called "fluff" and "bling" and ski boats, as they sit, are the lowest profit boats these manufacturers make.  None of the current manufacturers have any interest in making even less profit per boat and I seriously doubt there are any new manufacturers looking to jump into this niche market.  The current choice is the ski boats they make now or no ski boats.  There is no going backwards.  

And because of that corporate need to drive ever increasing profits they’re pricing themselves out of the slalom boat market. Who the hell wants to pay $100k+ USD or $180k+ AUD on a new slalom tug from the factory?!?!?

[Woodski]

18 hours ago, LXRBarefooter said:

ome people just want the Tradesman pack not the Limited with all the bells and whistles when they buy their next pickup. All the fun none of the fluff. 

That experiment has been run numerous times - tends to end in failure of the 'budget' model boat.  That subject beaten to death over on BOS with several examples.  Only success I can recall was '96 Response intro on same hull as Echelon at a lower price point.

 

17 hours ago, LXRBarefooter said:

And because of that corporate need to drive ever increasing profits they’re pricing themselves out of the slalom boat market. Who the hell wants to pay $100k+ USD or $180k+ AUD on a new slalom tug from the factory?!?!?

The price escalation and customer drooling (on this site) over the ever bloating surf/wake barges belie the thought of keeping boat prices down, the manufacturers have obviously determined plenty of buyers for high priced tugs.  Your typical promo boat (when they were a thing) was typically loaded, not a stripper.  

All that is unfortunate for the budget conscious 'new' boat buyer that really only wants a simple slalom tractor.  

[Jhucke]

1 hour ago, Woodski said:

That experiment has been run numerous times - tends to end in failure of the 'budget' model boat.  That subject beaten to death over on BOS with several examples.  Only success I can recall was '96 Response intro on same hull as Echelon at a lower price point.

 

The price escalation and customer drooling (on this site) over the ever bloating surf/wake barges belie the thought of keeping boat prices down, the manufacturers have obviously determined plenty of buyers for high priced tugs.  Your typical promo boat (when they were a thing) was typically loaded, not a stripper.  

All that is unfortunate for the budget conscious 'new' boat buyer that really only wants a simple slalom tractor.  

Sad but true. Personally I think it is primarily because the new boats barely do anything better than the old ones. What would a budget slalom boat cost, like $75k? Some cases that is still literally 10x the cost of a 90s prostar. Even if retrofitting a ZO engine into an older boat, its not even close to that cost. Why upgrade? The new ones barely even have a backseat anymore.

[85 Barefoot]

On 2/23/2024 at 1:20 PM, Jhucke said:

Sad but true. Personally I think it is primarily because the new boats barely do anything better than the old ones. What would a budget slalom boat cost, like $75k? Some cases that is still literally 10x the cost of a 90s prostar. Even if retrofitting a ZO engine into an older boat, its not even close to that cost. Why upgrade? The new ones barely even have a backseat anymore.

Eh, they drive better, have far better spray wakes are certainly arguably better, power delivery is certainly better, particularly for certain events like jump. I mean I’m not saying you need a new boat to run 38 off, but there are certainly improvements that have come through the years.  

[Rack]

On 2/23/2024 at 10:20 AM, Jhucke said:

Sad but true. Personally I think it is primarily because the new boats barely do anything better than the old ones. What would a budget slalom boat cost, like $75k? Some cases that is still literally 10x the cost of a 90s prostar. Even if retrofitting a ZO engine into an older boat, its not even close to that cost. Why upgrade? The new ones barely even have a backseat anymore.

I agree with the above,

My 1992 Sunsetter has done everything I had asked it to do. No Bells or whistles, I love the sound of this boat. It still looks and runs like new. 

Malibu and others have produced thousands of DD three event boats that can still perform at very high levels for a fraction of what you will pay for a new one.

Maybe the used boat market itsn't dead yet.

 

[solorex]

Case in point why I still have a Malibu Tantrum... haha.  I am like $16k canadian "all in" over the past 14 years of ownership and that includes me completely redoing the entire interior last year.  Thing runs like a top and is the perfect slalom boat and still turns heads.  It boggles my mind the cost of new boats these days.

[Sethro]

Not only did Malibu extend the partnership with the Australian Nationals to 2030, they continually aired an advertisement during the Australian Nationals hinting at a redesigned TXi for 2025. At the end of the ad with very dark pics of a direct drive boat touting stronger, smarter, cleaner, better, they said….You spoke. We listened. TXi ‘25. 
 

Anybody have any insight?

[oldjeep]

9 hours ago, Sethro said:

Not only did Malibu extend the partnership with the Australian Nationals to 2030, they continually aired an advertisement during the Australian Nationals hinting at a redesigned TXi for 2025. At the end of the ad with very dark pics of a direct drive boat touting stronger, smarter, cleaner, better, they said….You spoke. We listened. TXi ‘25. 
 

Anybody have any insight?

They also make boats in Aus - correct?

[23LSVOwner]

17 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

They also make boats in Aus - correct?

Yep.

[Sethro]

And they’ve had specific models in the Australian market not available in the USA. Hopefully, the TXi isn’t one of those in the future. 

Edited April 1 by Sethro

[Woodski]

Over on BOS it was mentioned Malibu aired an ad during Moomba that indicated a new for ‘25 TXI coupled with extending OZ tourney sponsorship through 2030.  Great news for skiers.

[Jhucke]

Skiing aint dead.

[oldjeep]

6 minutes ago, Jhucke said:

Skiing aint dead.

No, but it and ski boats are getting there

[Woodski]

It seems that skiing has a better lifeline in Europe and OZ / NZ compared to the niche aspect of 3 event in the US. 

The economics of the propulsion fluids required may be a key reason, so are we one gas price spike away from a mass conversion back to skiing? .  If we are, there will be a bunch of very sore 'ex surfers' when they take that first ride on their new water ski .

If skiing is truly headed to it's deathbed, there is an amazing amount of new equipment (skis in particular) investment being made by suppliers and available to the masses, well okay the 150 skiers in the USA:-)  New skis from Goode, HO, KD; hardshell binding development and supply by Reflex, Goode, Edge; a new rope / handle company in S lines; more slalom buoy options, etc.  Add to that the Prostar update in '23, Malibu touting (via "Bu Australia) a new TXI and CC having 2 slalom boats in their lineup.  If the unabated stream of potential and approved legislation continues to impose reasonable behavior on the surf crew, investing in the ski market may not be a bad plan.  Skiing is certainly a niche sport, on my lake the drop in participation over the decades is noticeable and society trends have pushed skiing away from public waters over to private lakes hence making it invisible to most.

[85 Barefoot]

On 4/1/2024 at 1:49 PM, oldjeep said:

No, but it and ski boats are getting there

I don;t know why you say that.  Look at kids divisions at nationals.  Not far off par with numbers 20 years ago.  

[oldjeep]

15 minutes ago, 85 Barefoot said:

I don;t know why you say that.  Look at kids divisions at nationals.  Not far off par with numbers 20 years ago.  

You and most people who care about tournaments conflate the people who participate in them with the total number of skiers.  "Normal" people are not skiing any more.

[85 Barefoot]

1 hour ago, oldjeep said:

You and most people who care about tournaments conflate the people who participate in them with the total number of skiers.  "Normal" people are not skiing any more.

If ski sales are any barometer, ski manufacturers would disagree.  There’s still about 400 ski boats sold a year.  There’s plenty of people still skiing recreationally.  Same as the 90s?  Of course not.  

[Jhucke]

2 hours ago, oldjeep said:

You and most people who care about tournaments conflate the people who participate in them with the total number of skiers.  "Normal" people are not skiing any more.

Hot take of the day right here. 

Edited April 12 by Jhucke

[footndale]

Regina Jaquess, arguably the greatest female water skier of all time, announced today that she has signed with Nautique Boats, ending a two-decade relationship with Malibu. The 39-year-old is the current world record holder in slalom, setting her most recent mark last year at the Malibu Open.

https://www.baselinewaterski.com/news/jaquess-signs-with-nautique-ending-two-decades-with-malibu-boats/?fbclid=IwAR04bI27NuvxL0YkpHReyAdDPEHNR7CASCi-s2ltQZyrZaThNgYrNyjdy5k

The main skier behind a Malibu is switching. If Malibu isn't pulling tournaments then she would switch.

Edited April 15 by footndale

[UWSkier]

Malibu 3 event is dead in the US.  Will continue to live on overseas.

[85 Barefoot]

One “team” skier left…Thomas Degasperi.  

[oldjeep]

56 minutes ago, 85 Barefoot said:

One “team” skier left…Thomas Degasperi.  

Sponsors - Malibu and Tommy's

 

[Woodski]

It was not that long ago that a record setting 5@41 helped by some R&D to the TXI along with a few other PB's at the Malibu Open, and now less than 6 months later we are seeing major storm clouds for the brand, sad.

[85 Barefoot]

1 hour ago, Woodski said:

It was not that long ago that a record setting 5@41 helped by some R&D to the TXI along with a few other PB's at the Malibu Open, and now less than 6 months later we are seeing major storm clouds for the brand, sad.

Joel Poland set a new overall WR if I’m not mistaken.

[UWSkier]

22 hours ago, 85 Barefoot said:

Joel Poland set a new overall WR if I’m not mistaken.

Yep. Two WRs went down in one weekend behind the TXi last year. I can't recall a tournament ever when WRs in two separate categories were broken at a single tournament behind the same boat. 

So by all means, let's kill it and keep making obnoxious tanks that everybody else on the water despises.