Malibu VLX wake, compared to Mastercraft.

[wakeboardnut]

Hey everyone just curious if anyone here has had the chance to ride behind a Malibu VLX and a Mastercraft X-5 or X-7.

Reason I ask is because everyweekend I ride behind a X-5 and X-7, and next week when I compete at Wakestock I will be reiding behind a Malibu VLX, and I've only heard through the grapevine but never first hand.

Im told that the Malibu VLX wake is considerablly wider then either of those Mastercrafts that Im used to riding behind.

Im just trying to consider what length I should ride at when I compete, I used to ride at 55' but since my w2w has progessed i've been riding 60-65'.

Any first hand experience will help. Thanks in advance.

-chase

[Chad H]

wakeboardnut,
See where everyone else is riding. My first time W2W was behind a VLX. The VLX will be wider, but it will also kick up a bigger wake than those listed.

[fatkidscanwakeboard]

well this guy at the lake had a 06 VLX and i hate it

it is super soft and its like riding in deep powder

another guy has a like 04-05 X-7 and i like it

but the VLX throws a effin' HUGE wake

[Natman]

i really like riding behind the vlx. The mls ballast fills in like 3 mins, and the wake is pretty damn good. In no way when i rode behind the vlx was the wake soft like deep powder, that doesnt even make sense.

[kmagnuss]

[Natman]

for it to be like deep powder he would have to be riding at like 11 or less

[C4Avalanchen]

First off, the VLX wake is known for being pretty hard, never been behind one that was soft. Too answer your question Wakeboardnut, the VLX also has a wider wake than either one of those Mastercrafts, so i'd start at 60' and go from there. 55' might put you in the rooster tail! j/k!

[wakeboardnut]

C4Avalanchen, its funny, my friend x-5 is actually heavily weighted and 55 pretty much puts me into the rooster tail lol

[kmagnuss]

Cut harder. I'm not trying to be a jerk. Don't go beyond your limits...but you should start trying to cut harder. What speed(s) do you normally ride at?

[alafiaboarder]

i cant imagine life under 80... jeez, it sounds like u wouldnt have any time to cut into the wake...

[wakeboardnut]

kmagnuss, when i ride behind the x-7 im usually riding at around 19-21, it only has the rear ballast and doesnt put out that big of a wake, any faster and the wake gets tiny.

when i ride behind the x-5, im usually riding around 25 due to the heavy weight anyslower and the wake just doesnt form right.

my friends are all telling me i have the potienial to ride further, but im just a tad chicken still

[Epic]

VLX wake is actually a pretty hard wake and definately WIDE. Can't think of a boat with a wider wake that is the same size as the VLX. We usually ride at 70' and about 20.5-21mph behind my friends 05. This morning I had him bump it up to 22mph and it felt much better at that length.

[LakeIolaLuke]

Yeah, in no way can the VLX wake be called small, or soft. Depending on where your weights at, it either puts out a big long ramp or a nice peak. It's definitely wide, so I would keep the rope a little short, but at 24 mph, 80' puts you right in the sweet spot on that wake

[Bambamski]

The VLX wake all around will be much better than the two boats you listed from Mastercraft. The X-5 and X-7 are really pretty much hard core ski boats with some ballast tanks. The VLX was designed to be a wakeboard boat. In no way would I say it's got a small soft wake. Maybe you're more used to a wake that kicks you straight up and that's why you thought the wake was soft? The VLX doesn't have the same sort of straight up pop like a SAN or X-1. It's got a different kind of kick.

[buckshot]

Can't speak to the MC wakes, but I ride behind a VLX frequently. Boat is weighted with approximately 1200lbs rear, 500lbs mid, and 450lbs front with no wedge. We ride 80' at 21mph. Wake is definitely solid.

Hard to tell exactly, but using the pic below I'm guessing the wake is about 18 feet wide where we ride (using the fact that rider has a 140 board). That seems a bit far, though.

[Pacco LF]

buckshot, nice wake

[Bambamski]

buckshot,

21 mph? you sure? maybe you should get your speedo checked. At 21 in the VLX I've ridden behind the wake was bad. Not as bad as it is behind my boat at that speed, but I cerntainly wouldn't want to ride at that speed behind it. Get your speedo checked. It's hard to tell but it looks like you're going faster than that.

[alafiaboarder]

that deff looks faster than 21, i'd say 24 and u said 80 feet? 80 feet at 21 would more than likely be mad white wash.... hmmm

[buckshot]

Well, it's 21mph on the Perfect Pass, that's all I know.

I have wondered at times if the speed was correct because I've read so many threads about people riding at 23-27mph and thought that was really fast.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback. Not my boat, but I will mention it to the owner so next time he takes it in they can check out the speedo.

[thekpan]

my friend has a vlx and i love it the wake take off is super smooth and you dont even notice your in the air... as apossed to my boat chunks you in the air... my friend said i get the most height on his boat and it doesnt feel like anything to me i was pretty cool, cause im used to being chunked in the air

[scott a]

the vlx was made for wakeboarding.
the x-5 and x-7 were made for water skiing.

the vlx wake will be bigger and have a better shape than either of the two MCs.