04 Xstar - good choice for me?

OneMoreSet · Newbie Joined: 26 Aug 2011 Posts: 5

I'm looking for my next boat and have been trying to consider all my options, and trying to keep an eye on my budget as well.

I'm an intermediate rider (working on basic spins/inverts) and looking to progress to get those really dialed in.

Last boat was on '05 supra 22ssv, which i liked alot. Been riding a '10 malibu 23lsv the last couple years which is awesome too.

I am looking for a good allround boat, but use will be 75% wakeboarding 25% surfing. Then just hanging out with family/friends.

Wanted to get a really good predictable and known wake, so I can progress most easily. I had been considering the original Xstar(x2/x1), original SAN, <04 vlx or 05-09 vride.

I just came across this '04 xstar - higher hours ~650 which was a camp boat and in "decent" shape, but showing some age.

Is this a decent option to consider, also what would be considered a really good price to pick something like that up at?

I know the wakeboarding wake is supposed to be awesome, but how does it work for surfing and general driving around - you hear horror stories about how bad the xstars handle...?

Cheers!

Chattwake · Posted: Sep 15, 2011 10:35 am Post subject:

That boat is horrible for surfing. Depending on the motor, it might not do what you want for wakeboarding. You need to add a lot of weight to an xstar to get a really nice wake out of it. The standard mcx engine is underpowered for that boat unless you prop the hell out of it - that is, if you are going to add a substantial amount of ballast over stock. You ought to demo the boat first to seek what you think. Oh, and that boat handles really bad when weighed heavy.

Ralph · Posted: Sep 15, 2011 8:06 pm Post subject:

Brit Rider · Posted: Sep 16, 2011 3:54 am Post subject:

a mere 650 hours on a 'Camp boat' sounds real fishy to me! Especially if it's showing it's age....

Not saying it's happened here but I know of an awful lot of boats which have had the wires 'fall off' the back of the hour meter... Laughing

Bambamski · Posted: Sep 16, 2011 7:29 am Post subject:

Having spent a bunch of time the past couple of years behind an xstar here are some observations.

Stock wake is worse then a 16 foot bayliner... If you throw 600 to 700 lbs in each locker in the back and another 750 in the bow over the stock ballast it's a pretty good wake. At this point you pretty much pushing 3000 lbs of ballast now not including people. The Port wake for surfing with this much weight is decent, I'm not a surfer but my wife says the wake is ok, size wise it's pretty big but a little soft. The starboard side, doesnt matter what we do, it sucks.

If you don't mind filling sacs and weighting it up, you can get a decent wake out of it. I like a wake that pops you a bit more so I have a hard time with the timing of the xstar wake compared to mine (205v hull).

Hope that helps. You can get a good wake out of the boat, it just needs a TON of weight though.