Best used versatile boat

[gaclaassen2016]

I am in the market for a used boat. I am looking for a boat to slolam behind 75% of the time and wakeboard behind the rest of the time. I would also maybe like to get into wakesurfing. I would like a boat that seats at least 6 people. My budget is $40,000 and would like it to be newer than 2005 if possible. I have a 1993 Mariah that is starting to get worn out. I don't know much about the newer boats, so any input would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[6balls]

I would look for a Malibu Response Lxi with tower and wedge...and I'm not necessarily a Malibu guy perse just would seem to check your boxes. A Mastercraft Prostar 197 with tower may work, too, but thinking that if you want to surf the wedge may be the way to go without having to screw with ballast tanks granted you have some "crew ballast" so to speak.

It may help your feedback from ballers to know the level of slalom and wakeboard skill of you and your typical crew.

[mbabiash]

2008 response lxi with a power wedge and tower. Zero off on that year as well.

[gregy]

If your willing to deal with ballast bags the 197 will through a huge wake. Slalom wake, I think, is better on a the response.

[gaclaassen2016]

Thanks for the responses! We are more of recreational skiers that ski on public lakes. It doesn't have to have a boat I can surf behind I just thought I might try it out if I had a boat with the capabilities.

[Chef23]

Anything that you will want to slalom behind I think you are going to have to put some ballast in to surf behind. I think either the Response LXI/TXI or a Prostar 197 would be good fits for what you are looking to do.

[rodltg2]

malibu sunsetter worth a look

[Fatroll]

If you are looking for an alternative to malibu. I have a '03 Nautique 206. There are newer models of 206s out there up to 2009. We slalom (beginners to -35 off), barefoot, kneeboard and wakeboard. I had a "plug and play" custom sac plumbed for the area of the backseat for board sports. I also plumbed a semi-permanent one under the floor up front. I use a extended pylon with skylon wakeboard rack when wakeboarding and have an adjustable boom clamp for barefooting and "learn to ski" clinics. I also like that I can make the wake small for kids wakeboarding. They can work on being aggressive to the wake and work on fundamentals. So, it's not perfect for any of the disciplines but very good for everything. Good surfing would be a challenge but if you are looking for a good surf boat, you will sacrifice skiing and footing. Frankly, there are enough people getting sucked into surfing, you will probably find plenty of friends to drag you surfing. As for room, there is a walk thru open bow and getting a jump seat is a nice addition for extra seating that can be removed.

We went with this model because of the versatility in a 20 ft nautique (brand loyalty here) for our growing family. I would assume similar modifications could be made to a MC 209

[TFisher]

I think 206 sacrifices slalom wake. Love nautiques, but for that era malibu is the better open bow slalom boat. No idea on surfing behind either.

[The_MS]

The 206 was every bit as good of a slalom wake as the 196 and was better then the LXI.

The LXI does give you the Wedge for boarding so that may be the decider.

[andjules]

+1 for Malibu Response w/ a wedge for slalom/wakeboard combo. As others have said, finding a slalom-able boat will mean a fair bit of ballast for surfing, but it certainly can be done.

[Waternut]

Sounds like everyone already beat me to the Malibu Response option. I have a 2000 Response LX model with walk over bow and manual wedge. I thought the walk over bow would be a problem but people climb up there just as fast as if it were a walk through.

 

I absolutely love the wedge because I typically end up switching between boarders and skiers multiple times ever outing and it's quick. No more waiting 5-10 minutes to fill bags and empty them. However, the wedge alone is not enough to surf behind. I was able to keep up with the boat at around 9.5mph and 2 people in the back corner but that's all I could do. Maybe with a couple extra people in the back, it would be possible but I haven't cared that much to try again.

 

With your budget though, you can definitely find an LXI that's 2005 or later that has a power wedge. The power wedge may be able to dial in a bit more wedge at lower speeds to give you a casual wakesurf wake without ballast though.

[swc5150]

Don't buy without testing out a Nautique 206. Not only do they ski great, but the bow is huge, and you mentioned the need to carry 6 people. There's no wedge, but you could put a fat sack in the trunk to weigh it down for surfing. The LXi is a really nice boat, but I think you'd find the fit and finish of the 206 a notch higher as well.

[Fast351]

If you're 75% slalom, you're definitely going to want a mid engine, not a V-drive, (and that's coming from a guy that owns a Nautique SV-211) although it depends on how hardcore of a slalom guy you are. If you only freeski on a lake it might work for you.

 

My guess is once you start surfing, you'll probably give up wakeboarding for the most part. It's just a more social type of activity, and much easier on the body. For surfing, speed control is the most crucial part, followed by weight. Even with a wedge, you're going to want ballast.

 

I would also take a hard look at an aftermarket version on the NSS system, where a small plate extending from the transom modifies the wake for surfing. Rapid to deploy, and substitutes for sinking the boat to the gunwales.

 

I definitely like the LXi recommendation. I think that would be the best option for what you're looking to do.

[Dacon62]

You can wakeboard behind a DD boat but trying to slalom behind a vdrive is not enjoyable. Had a 20' Malibu VTX with diamond hull now own a TXi. About the best you can get for what your doing. Bigger bow than a Nautique 206. I'm 5'11" and can sit with my legs completely stretched out.

[crashman]

If you've not tried surfing I would try it out before you make it a criterion for your next boat. I think it's pretty boring compared to skiing. I think people like it because you can drink beer while doing it but for my dollar I'll drink beer at the dock instead.

[Waternut]

I agree with @Dacon62 and @crashman . A DD boat can do anything a V-drive can but a V-drive simply cannot do everything a DD boat can. Dealerships will always try to sell the opposite points and they are probably true for the vast majority of people with families that aren't real serious but I'd rather wakeboard than try to ski the course behind a V-drive.

 

Surfing can be fun but for the most part it's a "screw around" sport....something to do when everyone is tired and that's about it. 2-3 minutes and you're bored once you know how to stay with the boat.

[Hallpass]

If @gaclaasen2016 has been using a 1993 Mariah and fairly happy with that boat, participates in recreational skiing and no course skiing, then I would think he would be wildly happy with any of the boats you gents have suggested. Some V-drives might even be fine with him. Just a suggestion. If you ski before you buy, I'll bet the skiing is fine on all of them for what you have described, and you'll choose based upon your preference of layout, fit and finish, color, condition, whatever.

[unksskis]

MC 205 hull

[BLANE-O]

@gaclaassen2016 Im going to chime in to a little different beat than most. We ski in a situation very similar to yours, open water, large lake, recreational skiiers but that is what we love to do most of the time. I can not recommend a Sanger V215 enough, It is a V-drive boat so no it doesn't have the soft wake of a DD, but it is a very manageable wake for aggressive recreational skiing. With the ballast it is a very capable wake/surf boat as well. I get envious every time I get on this site of all these guys with tournament boats running the course, but for us on our lake that is next to impossible/impractical. It is worth a shot to look into the Sanger, the deeper V hull makes getting around on a rough water day 100x better than a ski hull, the are very well built, and can easily be found in the 40k range. Just my $.02 from a slalom duffer.

[supersonicus]

@LakeOneSkier

[ALPJr]

You may consider a Gekko GTR 22

[6balls]

No GTR if on big water...cool boat but lots of water over the bow and over the stern those babies are low and sleek.

[slow]

1999 sport nautique with gt40 tsc1 hull. Skis better than my buddys 206 and is bigger

[Greg Banish]

You might also look at the MasterCraft 214/X14. It's direct drive with a decent slalom wake and takes weight/ballast well for boarding/surfing. I have mine posted for sale right now (a little above your budget), but you could probably find an older one with more hours close to where you're looking.

 

Only Inboards Link to Greg's Boat

[Joeprunc]

I regularly ski behind a SN 206, and own an 06 Response LXi. I and everyone I ski with (including the owner of the SN 206) would choose hands down to ski behind the Response....granted I'm a -15'/-22' skier. I think the 206 wake is probably more comparable at shorter lengths. For your price range I'd look at the second generation Response LXI, the freeboards are higher, and boat is more spacious.

 

It sounds like you're and open water skier, so also take a look at the Malibu Sunsetter LXI, Malibu XTI (23' DD), and possibly the 20' VTX. I've only skied the XTI once, and wasn't all that impressed with the ski wake....but these boats can hold a lot of people, and you can weight them for surfing.

 

 

 

[unksskis]

You don't need to weight one side anymore.

 

ronixwake.com/products/eight3/wake-surf-shaper/

[UWSkier]

How fast do you guys ski? If 34 and 36, a Malibu V-drive on the diamond hull will ski surprisingly well until you're into 32 off or shorter, which you're probably not doing much as a free skier. If you train lots of newbies and frequently pull slalom at 30 or lower, skip the v-drive altogether.