A Few Random Thoughts

[SunriseH2OSkier]

Good data on the sound, any reported before & after 0-36mph time, or time through the course from a dead stop? Then we could verify the 'no loss of power' claim, at least from a practical perspective.

[Malibudude]

Mark, Silent Rider is an option available from the factory.

Didn't know they were that advanced in 1994. guess the Echelon really was a top notch boat..... i find out new things every day about it. lol.

The Echelon put Malibu on the mark, who knows where the company would be today without that boat.

I've got them, too...so they were still an option in '02. Which reminds me of a story...

I went to the Malibu dealership because I was at a ramp one day helping a friend lauch a sailboat when a Sportster left the dock and the sound out of that exhaust was magical...

So at the dealership, they had a Sunsetter LXi, and on my test drive I was shown the Silent Riders. I told the salesman that if those were mufflers, they would have to come out or I wasn't buying the boat! I wanted that V8 growl.

He told me to listen to the boat first while I waited on the dock and he left, and if I still wanted them gone, they'd take them. The Silent Riders (not quite an appropriate name) are still on my boat.

Ironically, if I were to order a boat now, I'd get every sound surpression option available.

Funny how things change....

Well Michael, after listening to you for several years, the wife probably does think the Sporty is quiet.

Slalom Frog, here is an insert for you to consider: inline silencer.

Also, you may be interested in the following thread. We are all waiting for some concrete results, but Jerry seems to have poured the concrete around his ankles. Too busy at work, yada, yada, yada. Silent Ride exhaust thread.

So true....

Well Michael, after listening to you for several years, the wife probably does think the Sporty is quiet.

Several? The poor woman's been putting up with me for 17 years. (married for 15)

Why she said yes is anyone’s guess....

[Woodski]

The Echelon came out in '93 with the SV23 hull that was the breakthrough slalom hull for Malibu. Best wakes in the business along with being a great barefoot boat. Those were popular disciplines in that era. The Echelon was also a fully loaded, high end boat with all the bells and whistles. As the price point crept up, the Response came in at a lower price point with the same hull. The Euro F-3 was the underling for the Response, the Sportser filled that role for the Response. The Response LXi is basically the Echelon reborn.

Silent Rider mufflers are much quieter than the inline version, but only outside the boat or really on shore. The straight through standard mufflers have pretty much the same dB inside the boat. The silent rider was available in '93 on the Echelon. The interior noise on these boats is mostly the engine itself transmitting noise through the engine box, not the exhaust noise. There is little isolation on the engine mounts so the engine transmits lots of noise through the hull itself.

[Mike00LXI]

I've got them, too...so they were still an option in '02. Which reminds me of a story...

I went to the Malibu dealership because I was at a ramp one day helping a friend lauch a sailboat when a Sportster left the dock and the sound out of that exhaust was magical...

So at the dealership, they had a Sunsetter LXi, and on my test drive I was shown the Silent Riders. I told the salesman that if those were mufflers, they would have to come out or I wasn't buying the boat! I wanted that V8 growl.

He told me to listen to the boat first while I waited on the dock and he left, and if I still wanted them gone, they'd take them. The Silent Riders (not quite an appropriate name) are still on my boat.

Ironically, if I were to order a boat now, I'd get every sound surpression option available.

Dude, you do realize I have a patent on the word magical on this site, right??? Don't be stealing on my groove.

[VinRLX]

The Echelon came out in '93 with the SV23 hull that was the breakthrough slalom hull for Malibu. Best wakes in the business along with being a great barefoot boat. Those were popular disciplines in that era. The Echelon was also a fully loaded, high end boat with all the bells and whistles. As the price point crept up, the Response came in at a lower price point with the same hull. The Euro F-3 was the underling for the Response, the Sportser filled that role for the Response. The Response LXi is basically the Echelon reborn.

Silent Rider mufflers are much quieter than the inline version, but only outside the boat or really on shore. The straight through standard mufflers have pretty much the same dB inside the boat. The silent rider was available in '93 on the Echelon. The interior noise on these boats is mostly the engine itself transmitting noise through the engine box, not the exhaust noise. There is little isolation on the engine mounts so the engine transmits lots of noise through the hull itself.

Very interesting read. A couple of thoughts:

Noise level inside the boat is the most difficult to address. The motorbox insulation is the only thing that does so. Or is it?

Silent Riders, down turns, STE tips, etc, seemingly only affect sound level from shore. I've heard Malibus, MasterCrafts, and Correct Crafts pull away from the dock. The Malibu is the loudest, including Sunscape w/V-drive and standard (Silent Rider) mufflers. Or so it sounds to my ear. The only louder boat on the lake is an older Supra.

I'm wondering if installing inline silencers aft of the motor, before the mufflers, will quiet the noise level inside the boat. It would more than likely have a positive effect on the volume in the back seat--especially from the 'vent' above the cup holders. This would certainly be desirable, but unfortunately the majority of noise at speed comes from wind.

ICBW, but I don't believe "the Response came in at a lower price point with the same hull." It was a new hull that year, the diamond.

[SmoothWaterMan]

Jack, it's true.

The Echelon was way ahead of it's time. It was loaded up full of standard features that only compared to other boats that were "President's editions". The downfall of the Echelon at that time was it was too far advanced, and therefore too expensive. You could buy basic models of competing brands (more well known at the time) for the same or less.

The Response therefore was really an answer to this. Take all the best parts of the Echelon (SV23 hull, etc), remove the options, square off the observer seat, simplify the vinyl appointments in stitching and design, and go head to head for every 3-event skier you could find. The year was 1995, and the momentum had started.

The Echelon was the first Malibu that was all glass and had the SV23 hull. The Euro F3 was played second string to it. In 1995 with the introduction of the Response, the Euro F3 faded into extinction although we did keep the Flightcraft Sportster for a few years, until the Response sales simply drove the FC Sportster away. The Tantrum was popular, but owners wanted more so the new Sportster was born, a re-made Tantrum hull with new top deck and interior. The Echelon was gone now due to the Response having all options available for it, but it wasn't until 1998 that it got a Diamond hull. This was 3 years after the introduction. 1999 introduced a Trunk on it, and voila, you have today's Response. (and LX)

The Response LXi is really an outgrowth of the Echelon LX (walk-through open bow Echelon) of 94-95 era.

And oddly, all the features of today's boats are direct decendants of that loaded 1993 Echelon that was too expensive at the time, with options few saw the need for.

Peter.

[VinRLX]

See? I know just enough to get me into trouble, but not enough to get me out.

[NorCaliBu]

Dude, you do realize I have a patent on the word magical on this site, right??? Don't be stealing on my groove.

Ummm, If it's rights to a word...it would be a trademark .

See? I know just enough to get me into trouble, but not enough to get me out.

What? You think we didn't know that?

[meb885]

Jack, it's true.

The Echelon was way ahead of it's time. It was loaded up full of standard features that only compared to other boats that were "President's editions". The downfall of the Echelon at that time was it was too far advanced, and therefore too expensive. You could buy basic models of competing brands (more well known at the time) for the same or less.

The Response therefore was really an answer to this. Take all the best parts of the Echelon (SV23 hull, etc), remove the options, square off the observer seat, simplify the vinyl appointments in stitching and design, and go head to head for every 3-event skier you could find. The year was 1995, and the momentum had started.

The Echelon was the first Malibu that was all glass and had the SV23 hull. The Euro F3 was played second string to it. In 1995 with the introduction of the Response, the Euro F3 faded into extinction although we did keep the Flightcraft Sportster for a few years, until the Response sales simply drove the FC Sportster away. The Tantrum was popular, but owners wanted more so the new Sportster was born, a re-made Tantrum hull with new top deck and interior. The Echelon was gone now due to the Response having all options available for it, but it wasn't until 1998 that it got a Diamond hull. This was 3 years after the introduction. 1999 introduced a Trunk on it, and voila, you have today's Response. (and LX)

The Response LXi is really an outgrowth of the Echelon LX (walk-through open bow Echelon) of 94-95 era.

And oddly, all the features of today's boats are direct decendants of that loaded 1993 Echelon that was too expensive at the time, with options few saw the need for.

Peter.

See when i was looking for a boat last season my Echelon totally fell into my lap by accident... i was looking at some older mastercraft prostar 190's cuz thats what i had always skiied behind at camps, and in recreation with a few friends who owned them...... I was looking ideally for something EXTREMELY affordable and low hours/well taken care of....i dont plan to be able to (i want to) upgrade for quite some time so i wanted something i would NEVER look at and say "damn, why didnt i get ______ instead"

First of all, the people at watersports marine (the local MC dealer) are IDIOTS. I walked in saying i wanted to look at used prostars because im on a pretty tight budget, 1st thing he tried to sell me was a 2005 X Star...... i'm like ok..... to me in excess of 40,000 is NOT a tight budget.... then they tried to sell me a 2003 PS 190 Stars/Stripes Anniversary Edition.... UHHHHHH DO YOU NOT GET IT?! Every Mastercraft i looked at was more disappointing then the last. Finally 1/2 kidding i was like "ya know....u guys are a pain in my a**, i think theres a malibu dealer around here somewhere....u obviously dont deserve my business" went to Skiers Pier (like 4 miles away) and went in plain and simple.... "i really want a nice boat but ive accepted the fact that i can't get anything new or even 'slightly used' i have a pretty tight budget and i dont know if u guys can really help me" 1st thing was i got the general manager of the shop AND a sales guy talkin to me..... made me feel special right off the bat. They grabbed their inventory book and showed me a '99 Response LX saying it was the best deal they had on the lot at the time.......i had no choice but to be blunt and tell them it was out of my price range..... all of a sudden the GM comes back and is like "hey how bout that black and white 94 echelon? is it still back there?" Apparently the boat had come in as a brokerage deal, had not even been water tested or inspected yet.... he tells me the asking price and immediately stumbles over the number printed on the sales worksheet..... says the price can't be right..... comes back and says the price is 11,495 but he would be asking about 16-17k if it was his boat to price..... 126 hours, not one crack in the vinyl (except under where the back seat pushes in and u cant see it.), Computer still works fully, EFI..... The list goes on.

They agreed to lake test it right then and let me come with..... i fell in love. I think the salesguy had a friend who wanted it or something..... so im glad the owner chimed in.....

Happy to say when i have the money to buy a 2nd boat (i really have no desire to ever get rid of the echelon...) it will be another Malibu (already have my eye on the VTX... hehehee) but that wont be for a very long time..... pay off one before going onto the next.....lol big difference between 12k and 60k too.

Anyone know what the sticker on an 94 Echelon with the options mine has was in 94? i know someone told me i could prob get like 16 for it because of how its been taken care of and the shape its in now....but i wanna know what it sold for new.....just curious.

-Mark

[VinRLX]

See? I know just enough to get me into trouble, but not enough to get me out.

What? You think we didn't know that?

I was talking to Peter and Woodski. You, Michael, can zip it.

[Woodski]

Mark,

I bought my 94 Echelon used but I think I remember the new price at around $25k +/-. You got a great deal on the boat, from a great dealership. Chee Moau at Malibu offers vinyl repair at a very fair price if needed. Note, if the boat has the original Dymex prop on it, update it to an Acme, OJ or even a used stainless CVP to improve performance. You are lucky with the Computron, they have a very poor reliability record, but it has some really nice features. I would like to find the main module if I could, they are out of business.

[Mike00LXI]

Dude, you do realize I have a patent on the word magical on this site, right??? Don't be stealing on my groove.

Ummm, If it's rights to a word...it would be a trademark .

See? I know just enough to get me into trouble, but not enough to get me out.

What? You think we didn't know that?

You got me on that one....

[meb885]

Mark,

I bought my 94 Echelon used but I think I remember the new price at around $25k +/-. You got a great deal on the boat, from a great dealership. Chee Moau at Malibu offers vinyl repair at a very fair price if needed. Note, if the boat has the original Dymex prop on it, update it to an Acme, OJ or even a used stainless CVP to improve performance. You are lucky with the Computron, they have a very poor reliability record, but it has some really nice features. I would like to find the main module if I could, they are out of business.

After my 1st day on the lake..... find my post from august of last season and the prop/drive damage..... insurance paid for a nice brand new Acme 525 or 425 Prop (i cant remember which one) I know i got a great deal, now i just need to cut out the holes where the 6.5" factory speakers are to make my 6x9 Rockford Fosgates fit in.....that and my Alpine amp, and i'll be set to go.

As far as the computron every now and then it will skip a letter or 2 but going up 1 function and back fixes the display..... temp sensors, depth meter, engine hours, gallons per hour, everything still works perect.

I just wish the outside looked.....more flashy..... theres so much black right next to the black rubrail that it jsut like.....blends in....makes the hull look smaller then it is i think..... I want it to be BRIGHT yellow or Orange or something. LOL

[VinRLX]

I just wish the outside looked.....more flashy..... theres so much black right next to the black rubrail that it jsut like.....blends in....makes the hull look smaller then it is i think..... I want it to be BRIGHT yellow or Orange or something. LOL

Take the rubrail off and paint it fluorescent orange.

[Boatman]

I ordered my 94 Echelon in the spring of 94 and the boat show price was $24900 I believe. It has been and still is an awsome boat. But, with the new RLXi it looks like it is up for sale. Seems like a great time to mention selling the Echelon with everyone bragging them up in this thread.

[meb885]

I just wish the outside looked.....more flashy..... theres so much black right next to the black rubrail that it jsut like.....blends in....makes the hull look smaller then it is i think..... I want it to be BRIGHT yellow or Orange or something. LOL

Take the rubrail off and paint it fluorescent orange.

hmm white, black, FLUORESCENT ORANGE, black, light blue, pink, grey stripe accents.. white, just me or does one of these colors not belong.....

Nice try tho VinRLX

Can i change the color of my gelcoat? lol.

I do wanna pull the Malibu logo and the echelon lettering and put as tribal malibu logo there with ECHELON written in the same like broken line font on the back part of the sides that u see RESPONSE on the newer ones....what do u guys think? (i know at least one person will say "you have a rare boat don't make it look like it fits in with the newer ones" but i dunno i just like the way it looks.