Mastercraft X5 slalom wake

[Guest]

I have really been combing the internet for boats looking for a deal on my first boat before the season shuts off. Most boats have a pretty good review on this site already, but the Mastercraft X5 is missing some discussion on how it skis. I am a newb, but feel like I am getting a hang of it and would like to run the course one day. Would the X5 deliver?

[Broussard]

Essentially a 1995-1997 ProStar 190 hull so should have a stellar wake.

https://teamtalk.mastercraft.com/forum/general-mastercraft-topics/general-discussion/14829-1995-97-prostar-190-19-skier-sportstar-19-prostar-195-x-5-a-history

[BraceMaker]

Excellent. It is a bit of a unicorn in that the prostar 195 and X5 didnt sell many units so they're not talked about.

Won't have the tracking of a modern boat boat very skiable.

[PeterAK]

This spring I bought a 2000 PS195 (same boat as the X5 but no tower or ballast system) and sold a '92 PS190. Very happy with the move. Slalom wake is not as good as the 190 was, but it's still great--the boat is not holding my skiing back in any way. I'm a 31.3 mph 15 off free skier.

I prefer the 195 to the 190 in every way other than slalom wake, but even that is not far off. More comfortable, more power, smoother in chop, more space, better wakeboard wake (my 10 year old wakeboards--using a fly high but no ballast yet). Not sure if the weight of a tower would impact the slalom wake, but you could always remove it.

The link @Broussard posted above has all the info anyone could want on these boats.

[vtjc]

"The 1995-1997 ProStar 190 hull proved to be so versatile it remained in production for eight consecutive years (1995-2002) under five separate model names – ProStar 190, 19 Skier, SportStar 19, ProStar 195, and X-5."

https://mastercraft-boats.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?s=2cd2e2c70e63626e2601460854d559e5&p=587690

I had a 99 SportStar, great wake, lacked in tracking.

[BraceMaker]

@vtjc can you confirm I thought the sportstar might not have had the same number of tracking skegs as the others.

[UWSkier]

I have a ski buddy with the 19 Skier. Great wake. Have only skied it on open water but it skis well and will rip your freaking arms off on holeshots.

[PatM]

I skied on one a few years back. Wake is low like the 197, but it was hard. I believe the problem was the proping of the X-5. I would make sure to swap out that prop for the one they used on the 197.

[PatM]

I did run into 38 that day on it and had a hangover. So definitaly a viable ski boat.

[vtjc]

@BraceMaker my 99 SportStar closed bow and a friends 98 both had three tracking fins. With just a driver tracking was very bad, having a spotter or weight helped. That hull has a great wake for slalom, but doesn’t track like a MC 197 or a CC 196.

[MegaVega]

Thanks for the response guys! I think I'll go check it out

[LoopSki]

Interesting boat I almost bought one in 2000 but I didn’t like the funky sitting in the front and at the time I wanted a locking rear trunk. so I went with the MB For $2000 less

[ETskier]

My neighbor back in 2000 bought a SportStar. Skied great, tracked horrible. Steering was very neutral. But we spent 3 weeks and a lot of sets gradually grinding the rudder and got it to drive decent. He still has it.

[lukegog]

Hi, I have a 2003 x5 (closed bow) and it’s great. I used to barefoot competitively but now just ski for fun, the x5 is fast enough for me to barefoot, mainly on the boom, my son wakeboards, the kids use inflatables all the time and I’m getting into running the slalom course. It’s a great boat, I’m sure others have more bells and whistles but for the money I have been so pleased with it and won’t change it for years unless something goes wrong (which it hasn’t so far).

[BraceMaker]

@lukegog

that's even rarer!  I think that was only in 2003 that there was a closed bow X5.