I love my A24, and I’ve worked hard to get it — 14 years, to be exact. In my opinion, there is not another boat on the market I would want. It has ­plenty of space, looks phenomenal, and has more than enough accessories and a wake that can compete with any other. The A24 has the bare necessities for anyone looking to have a great time on the water.

The A24 will hold up to 17 people. I love this ­because I like riding with as many friends as possible. It’s a lot more fun when you have a crowd and you’re all pushing each other to try new things and have fun. In a normal week, we have anywhere from 16- to 40-year-old riders out. That’s what this sport is all about — having fun.

The boat is beautiful — the lines when it’s on the water are unlike any other boat on the market. I’m a big fan of the minimalist windshield design. With all sorts of skill levels in the boat, it makes giving trick tips much easier than standing up to talk over the glass. The deep seats make the interior feel extremely spacious and keep the ­tower speakers away from heads.

When it comes to options, the A24 is no slouch. I’ve got an awesome light bar for night surfing. There are also docking lights that make navigating the canal I live on much easier at night. My favorite part of the boat is probably the new helm for 2017. It has made operating the boat even easier than before. With Surf Gate, the wedge and Surf Band, I could brag about this boat all day.

How I Ride It

Speed: 23.0 mph
Rope length: 75.5 feet
Custom settings: Wedge or not, I keep the same speed and rope. I ride with the Wedge down for tech tricks. The steeper wake allows for more line tension. For big, floaty tricks I’ll leave the Wedge up.
Ballast: Internal ballast is always full. In the back I’ll add two 800-pound Eight.3 Plug ‘n’ Play bags in the back, a 500-pound bag in the bow, and then spread 1,500 pounds of Lead Wake bags around the boat.

How I Surf It

Speed: 10.8 mph
Custom settings: Nothing crazy, just let Surf Gate do its thing. With the wedge up, the wave is long and mellow. With the wedge down, it has more push, with a little curl at the top.
Ballast: With the A24, I use the same weight setup as I do when I wakeboard and let Surf Gate work its magic.

How I Hang Out

Living on Clear Lake, it’s always fun to meet up with the other riders and friends who call it home. The biggest get-together on the water is usually Shane Bonifay’s birthday, which is always a blast. The A24 makes hanging out easy with its spaciousness, comfort and stereo. Riding or not, we’re always having a good time on the water.

The post That’s My Boat w/ Tony Carroll appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

The improvements in wakeboat technology over the past five years alone have been staggering. Each manufacturer is in a seemingly never-ending battle with the rest of the industry to continually figure out ways not only to improve the ride, but also to drastically change both the onboard and on-water experiences.

From hull designs and advancements in wake-shaping features, to touchscreens, more comfortable seating, automatic towers and more, the technology that is packed into today’s top boats is amazing.

While the invest­ment of a new boat can be intimidating, there is one thing to really note, and that is just how much technology has evolved in a short period of time and how much that technology really can impact your time on the water.

We’ve taken some of the top tech from a variety of boats and broken it down into how it affects you: an “On-Board” tech for when you’re riding and an “Off-Board” tech for when you’re off your board (hanging out in your boat). Take a look and see just how much some of these boats’ latest innovations can potentially enhance your experience.

ON-BOARD:

Malibu/Axis Surf Gate

When it arrived on the scene in 2012, Surf Gate helped launch a trend in automated wake enhancement that is still growing to this day. By utilizing two hydraulic plates on each side of the boat, Surf Gate allows you to keep your boat ­evenly weighted so you don’t have to shuffle giant ballast bags of water around to switch from wakeboarding to wakesurfing. Not only does this save time and energy, but it is more effective. By dragging one of the plates through the water, the convergence point of the water behind the boat is shifted, thereby creating a very surfable wave. With the push of a button, Surf Gate can switch from one side of the boat to the other, so the rider can transfer over the rooster tail and switch up his riding. Go from frontside to backside, throw a trick over the middle — the options are endless. If you’ve wakesurfed before but never had the opportunity to try transfers, you need to. It adds a whole new element of fun to surfing the endless wave.

OFF-BOARD:

Malibu Command Center

Ever wondered what it would be like to have Tron as part of your wakeboat experience? Look no further than ­Malibu’s Command Center dash. Straight out of the movie, the interface of the Command Center screams “from the future,” but it is straightforward and easy to use. The central screen, above the steering wheel, shows all the boat’s main gauges: speed, rpm, ballast, fuel and more. On the right, drivers can control GPS and navigation, stereo setting, and all other options such as lighting, heaters, blower and bilge pump. The Sport Dash option on the left is a unique knob that allows the driver to control several things by feel, without having to take his or her eyes off the water. Volume, track, boat speed, the pitch of the wedge, and on which side Surf Gate is engaged can all be adjusted with the dial.

WHAT JEFF LANGLEY THINKS:
“What’s great about Command Center is how easy it is to use. A lot of other boats’ systems require a lot of screen changes to make adjustments, but with the Command Center, everything is easily available.”

ON-BOARD:

Supra/Moomba AutoWake

AutoWake is exactly as it sounds, but it sounds much more simple than it really is. The technology, exclusive to ­Supra and Moomba, monitors the running surface of the boat and automatically adjusts ballast levels on the fly to maintain the optimal hull position for wakeboarding or wakesurfing. For years, riders have had to struggle with balanced wakes. A slight shift from a passenger to a different location in the boat could throw everything out of whack. That ­either meant making everybody sit still, or ­moving around lead bags or other types of weight to achieve the best wake for riding. AutoWake cures those problems. You say AutoWake, we say AutoThankYouVeryMuch.

WHAT TREVOR HANSEN THINKS:
“My favorite thing about AutoWake is how easy it is to always have the same wake or wave. Whenever you dial in what’s perfect for you, you can set it to memory and AutoWake will dial it up for you every time. You don’t have to worry about what settings you had where and when.”

OFF-BOARD:

Supra Steering-Wheel Controls

Buttons have been on steering wheels for a long time in the automotive industry but never made their way to folks like us driving boats. The reasons have more to do with limitations in the steering columns and mechanisms themselves than anything else, but Supra finally found a way around it. The results are awesome and more subtly helpful than a lot of ­other gadgets we’ve seen recently. Being able to control not only something as simple as the music but also important aspects, like the surf and wake plates when a rider is riding, is awesome. A lot of today’s boats have creature comforts that aren’t always necessary or even the most justifiable, but the convenience of steering-wheel controls can’t be overstated. Just like with steering-wheel controls on your car, this helps you focus on the task at hand — no, not turning around and talking to your friends, but keeping your eyes ahead on where you’re going.

ON-BOARD:

Centurion Ramfill Ballast System

Introduced in 2013, Ramfill allows Centurion boats’ ballast tanks to fill quickly — much more quickly than standard pump-filled systems. There aren’t actually any pumps involved in the Ramfill system, it uses gates and airflow vents to quickly take on and eliminate subfloor ballast. You can go from nothing to full ballast — over 3,000 pounds — in around 45 seconds. With added plug-’n’-play options, you can have around 5,000 pounds of total ballast (depending on your boat model). To use Ramfill, all you do is press a button, drive for a short distance, and the gates open to take on water. The amount is easily controlled with the Ramfill controls on the dash. Want a giant surf wave as quickly as possible? Open it up and let ’er fill. Need something more mellow for teaching new wakeboarders? That’s easy too.

WHAT ADAM FIELDS THINKS:
“What I like about Ramfill is how quickly I can change the weight for riders of different skill levels. I can go from an advanced student with Ramfill nearly full, to a beginner needing almost no ballast in almost no time. It’s easy to use and really convenient.”

OFF-BOARD:

Centurion Downfire Speakers

Music is one of the best parts of being out on the boat with friends and family. Imagine some of your best times out at the lake, and chances are there are songs that go hand in hand with those memories. Music can make or break a day on the boat; whether you’re trying to psych yourself up for learning a new trick or chilling on your way back to the dock after a long day, a good audio setup is a must. Centurion’s unique Downfire marine surround- sound system ensures everybody on board is going to ­enjoy some tunes. Rather than point all the tower speakers back toward the rider, Downfire spreads the sound around to all areas of the boat so every ­passenger gets better sound quality. The best part though is the multizone audio ­control. Utilizing a dual-zone volume knob, you can control how much audio goes where. So, if you’re tired of that crazy electro drum beats your buddy insists on listening to while he catches a frontside edge all morning, you can turn it down a bit.

ON-BOARD:

Tigé TAPS 3

TAPS — the Tigé adjustable performance system — has been around since 1995, and in 2006, it was listed in Boating magazine’s 50th anniversary issue as a milestone in the last half-century of boating innovation. After years of advancements, TAPS 3 takes wake shaping to new levels. Adjusting TAPS on the fly, riders can change the shape and size of the wake and wave, as well as transfer waves while wakesurfing. The center plate gives you control over the running attitude, planing and maneuverability, as well as wake-shape control for wakeboarding. The outer plates will engage when you’re set up for wakesurfing to create list, yaw and draw. Simply put, TAPS allows you to tap into serious wake-making potential. Pun intended.

WHAT ERIK RUCK THINKS:
“TAPS works so well because it’s more than just a trim tab or wake plate, it’s designed to work in conjunction with the convex V-hull. TAPS 3 adds a whole other level of versatility in both wakeboarding and wakesurfing.”

OFF-BOARD:

Tigé Alpha E2 Tower

Boat accessory setups used to be much simpler. You had a pylon for the rope, and everything else went somewhere in the boat. Then we got extended pylons, after which came board racks and speaker mounts. Then came towers, with more racks and more speakers. The convenience and necessity of towers can’t be overstated, but their size can be cumbersome at times. As boats have gotten bigger, so have towers. They are wider, thicker and stronger than ever before. Back in the old days, raising and lowering a tower wasn’t too difficult to do manually by yourself, but these days you need a team. Thanks to the Alpha E2 tower, though, you don’t need anybody. The all-electric tower will fold itself down to the height of the windshield with just the push of a button. If you’re regularly on waterways with low bridges or have to stow your boat in a smaller garage, a setup like the Alpha E2 tower is a godsend. The only downside is the extra bicep workouts you’re missing out on from doing it yourself.

ON-BOARD:

Nautique NCRS

NCRS is one of the most important aspects behind the success of boats like the G23 that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Short for Nautique configurable running surface, NCRS is designed to make your wake as customizable as possible with minimal effort. While most trim-tab systems are add-ons to a boat’s exterior, the NCRS tab is part of the running surface, which makes it somewhat unique. Like the traction control in your car, NCRS automatically makes adjustments based on user settings — how much help you want out of the hole, dialing in the shape of your wake — and dynamic conditions in the boat, such as load. Sensors relay conditional data to the LINC system, which determines how far the plate needs to be deployed based on user settings, optimizing the running surface under any condition for every application in real time. Sound brainy? That’s because it is.

OFF-BOARD:

Nautique Comfort

OK, we get it, “comfort” doesn’t exactly scream technological advancement, but hear us out. If it wasn’t for Nautique’s development of the ­technologically advanced G23 hull and design, the extra level of comfort in the boat wouldn’t exist. The G23 turned heads when it was introduced, not solely because of its wake, but also ­because of its size. The gunwales were noticeably huge, but that allowed for a passenger experience ­unlike any other. Sit inside a G series, and you’ll see it’s got room for everything and ­everybody. When you’re loading up for a day on the water, nothing is more obnoxious than having to crawl over tons of gear. Add that to a lower-profile boat, and your knees could be in your chest all day. None of that is an issue in the G series though.

WHAT JEFF MCKEE THINKS:
“The gunwales on the G boats are so big, they make the interior extremely comfortable. It even makes people who aren’t comfortable on boats want to get out on the water and enjoy it.”

ON-BOARD:

Heyday Small Boat, Big Wake

At first glance, the WT-1 from Heyday can seem like a gimmick. Trust us, it’s not. In fact, what the WT-1 offers based on its size and MSRP is revolutionary. While this might not be any technological revolution, it took a lot of ingenuity to make a boat like the WT-1 possible. Besides, for a sub-20-foot boat to make solid wakeboarding and wakesurfing waves is a ­technological achievement in and of ­itself. The hull of the WT-1 was designed from the ground up to produce high-performance wakes without the need for any trim tabs or plates. To top off the size surprise, the WT-1 is easier to drive, easier to tow, and easier to stow all because of how small it is. They say good things come in small packages. We don’t know who “they” are, but chances are they’ve been riding behind a Heyday and having a good time doing it. “They” also say good things come to those who wait. And while it might have taken a while to get a truly affordable, legit wakeboat, the WT-1 is actually here.

OFF-BOARD:

Heyday Center Console

The center console helm of the WT-1 is unlike anything ­currently available on the wakeboat market. With a boat as small as the WT-1, the social and seating arrangements are already going to be closer quarters than other boats, but that isn’t a bad thing. Maybe having to actually sit close to your friends will cause you to put your phone down and have a real conversation, or even watch your friends wakeboard and wakesurf. The ­center console puts the driver right in the mix, but not in a bad or ­distracting way. This layout also provides for unique seating ­arrangements that are ­vastly different from the standard that’s been in place for decades with V-drive boats. ­Ultimately, the WT-1 is different, but different isn’t bad. In fact, different can be really, really good.

ON-BOARD:

Pavati All-Aluminum Design

Fiberglass has been the standard building material for wakeboats for years, but ­Pavati changed that with the AL-24, the first all-aluminum wakeboat. The advantages of aluminum are numerous, but the two biggest would be strength and weight. Aluminum is much stronger and more durable, meaning if you ­accidentally bang into a dock or want to nose up onto a beach, you’re likely not going to puncture the hull. As far as weight is concerned, because aluminum is lighter, it makes the Pavati easier to tow, better on fuel economy and faster. This also allows for bigger ballast tanks — 5,000 pounds of subfloor hard-tank ballast, to be exact. One of our favorite aspects of aluminum? Low maintenance. Fiberglass gelcoats require lots of care and wax because they don’t like the sun. Aluminum doesn’t oxidize like gelcoat and therefore doesn’t require the maintenance. Put your buffer away, you’re set. One extra cool fact: Aluminum is 100 percent recyclable.

OFF-BOARD:

Pavati Storage

One of the downsides of being a member of a wake-focused family is gear. We always have too much of it, and ­seemingly never have enough storage. Not with Pavati’s designs, however. The aluminum construction of the Pavati line allows for more storage area. Lots more. Plan on fitting everything, including the kitchen sink, when you’re bringing your gear aboard the AL-24. From the unbelievably deep storage compartments under the seat, to the garbage and recycling cans in the floor, to the giant rear lockers accessible through the swim-platform seats, the Pavati has storage in spades. There are all sorts of other uses too. You can crawl inside and take a nap in peace, the kids can play hide-and-seek, and now you finally have an ­excuse to bring your entire kneeboard collection from the ’80s to the lake. While storage may not seem like a technological advancement, it is the advances in Pavati’s design techniques that made the creature comfort of enormous storage compartments possible.

The post Tech and Boats appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

Heading into 2017, there are more than eight sub-21-foot boats being offered by the main manufacturers in wake, and each has its own unique stylings, features and calling cards. Some are more entry-level boats, whether that is in terms of size, price or both. Some are strictly wake — both board and surf. And some are touted as the do-it-all machines that serve up wakes big enough for big air and small enough for a rip through the slalom course.

While smaller boats have their disadvantages, like less room for your friends and potentially smaller wakes, the advantages are numerous. For one, the smaller size makes 20-foot boats easier to tow, easier to store and more fuel-efficient. And for those who are on lakes with boat-length restrictions, not only are these 20-footers the only option, but they’re also great options at that. What’s amazing is just how much you can get out of a 20-foot wakeboat in today’s market.

For Malibu, the Wakesetter 20VTX was created with the do-it-all mentality in mind. The hull was designed specifically for the 20VTX and for the family that spends equal amounts of time wakeboarding, wakesurfing and water-skiing behind it. After spending a lot of time on Malibu’s latest offering, Cobe Mikacich was more than impressed. “I was surprised at how clean and solid the wake was,” he says. “I’ve been spoiled to where a 24-foot boat is normal now, but what the VTX delivers in 20 feet is amazing. It’s a great all-around boat and very user-friendly and manageable.”

On the other side of the equation is the Axis A20, the boat that kicked off Axis‘ entry into the world of wakeboats. Designed for core riders with slightly smaller budgets, the A20 delivers giant wakes for wakeboarding and solid waves for surfing, all in a relatively compact package. If you need proof, just look for photos of Randall Harris doing Randall-size tricks into the flats behind the A20 and you’ll see. For core riders that don’t need a big boat, a model like the A20 could be an ideal offering, especially when you add on signature options like the Auto-Set Wedge and Surf Gate.

Tigé has taken a high-end and budget-conscious approach to the 20-foot market by offering both the R20 and RZR, with the RZR offering the bells and whistles. Not every rider or family needs the biggest boat out there, so it’s nice to see smaller boats getting the big-boat treatment, which several manufacturers are doing. “The trend in wakeboarding for a while was everything getting bigger and bigger,” says longtime team rider Erik Ruck. “I think it’s awesome to see features like TAPS 3 and the Alpha E2 tower put into a 20-foot boat like the RZR. The RZR puts out a thumping wave and a solid wake. I think anybody could ride it and be stoked doing what they’re doing, whether that’s wakeboarding, surfing or even skiing.”

Moomba, known for offering solid wakeboats at more budget-friendly prices, released the brand-new Helix for 2017: a wake-making machine in a 20-foot-5-inch package. Even though he’s used to his huge 24-foot Supra SE, Trevor Hansen is a fan of the Helix. “I’ve recommended it to friends looking at buying a wakeboat for the first time,” he says. “It’s got a great wake, and you can add awesome features like AutoWake to it. It’s an unbelievable bang for the buck.”

Not to be outdone, Supra now has the SR, a sub-21-foot boat that packs a lot of features normally found in models like Hansen’s SE. From the Swell Surf system to AutoWake to Supra Launch, the SR delivers the best of what Supra is known for across the board. The results can be seen in the wake and waves — and the air riders get because of them.

The smaller size really can be an advantage with any of these 20-foot boats, whether it’s easier towing, less fuel consumption, easier handling on the water, or even the ability to put it in your garage.

The post The Influx of 20-Foot Wakeboats appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

As the official driver for the Pro Wakeboard Tour, I spend a lot of time sitting in the driver’s seat of my SE helping my students progress in their riding, as well as helping some of the pros prepare for each event. I love how simple all the systems are in the SE. We have some advanced technologies that are intuitive and easy to use.

Both my daughters are learning to ride now, and it’s amazing to have a boat that so easily transfers from suiting the needs of top pros to suiting my 7-year-old who is crossing the wakes for the first time. My wife will even jump behind the wheel and take me for a ride if nobody else is around because the systems and way the boat drives are so easy, she doesn’t feel overwhelmed.

The new AutoWake feature is so simple to use yet so complex in what it offers to the rider and driver. The ability to have a perfectly balanced boat without having to worry about moving weight around allows the driver and rider to focus on what they are doing while AutoWake takes care of the rest.

How I Ride It

Speed: 23.6 mph
Rope length: 78 feet
Custom settings: I set my SmartPlate at 25 to 50, depending on the day; 25 will make the wake a little steeper and give the top a little more lip. If there are a lot of people in the boat, I may bump it down to 30, 40 or 50 to decrease the steepness.
Ballast: I fill stock ballast to 100 percent in all three zones, and I add an additional 1,500 pounds for pro-level training — about 650 pounds under each seat in the cockpit area and 200 pounds in the bow.

How I Surf It

Speed: 11.2 mph
Rope length: I almost never use a rope!
Custom settings: I’m goofy-footed, so I set the Swell Surf system for the right side of the boat. I prefer a steeper wave, so I set the wake plate to zero. The SE’s wave is really customizable with the Swell Surf system, which is really cool. You can fine-tune a wave a ton of different ways.
Ballast: With the SE, I run my pro-level wakeboard ballast setup and simply turn the Swell Surf system on.

How I Hang Out

I spend a lot of time with a lot of different people in my boat, from coaching groms, to helping top pros practice, to hanging out with my family and friends. The SE can fit and accommodate all of it at the highest of levels. Some days we have 12 to 16 people over, and usually six of them are kids under the age of 8, which is crazy but also a ton of fun. They love it. I couldn’t imagine a better boat for everything that I do.

The post That’s My Boat w/ Trevor Hansen appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

Whether it’s the Centurion Ri217 (ABOVE), Tigé Z3 (BELOW) or something else, there is a new boat out there for you.

Technology

As an expert wakeboarder, you know what you need from a boat’s wake. Today, wakeboard boats offer myriad technologies that boats of even just a few years ago lacked. These ensure you ride the wake that’s optimized for you.

But, as experienced as you may be in the sport, it can be challenging to determine what technologies you need installed aboard your new boat. Depending upon the make and model, some of these systems get listed as options, and some come as standard equipment, so it behooves the savvy buyer to have a handle on just what is needed to deliver the desired wake experience. Hopefully this article, along with other boat reviews we’ve done here, as well as the Boat Buyers Guide App, go a long way toward providing you with the foundation you need to confidently interact with sellers at dealerships and boat shows.

An easy way to find out exactly what can be done with all the technological features in boats these days lies in asking your fellow enthusiasts. Seek out riders with new boats and ask them which features they can’t live without — and also which ones prove less useful. Ask for a ride too. Most wakeboarders — and boaters in general — take great pride in their new boats and will almost always prove generous with their time while showing you their “baby.” If you wrangle a trial like this, take advantage of every minute, both in the wake and at the helm. Think of it as test-driving a car — you want to make sure it suits you and all your needs.

Of course, dealer or factory demo days make it easy to suss out the viability of various systems. From the helm, you’ll be able to determine not only the name of these wake-shaping features, but also if controlling them and creating profiles proves easy while running the boat. Look for controls that don’t require you to turn or tilt your head much. If you can operate systems by simply dropping your eyes, you’ll find it easier and safer to run the boat.

Most every wakeboard boat will also possess software-driven systems control. Many of these are the same backbone system, just wearing a different logo depending upon the boat aboard which it’s installed. But proprietary systems do exist, and you should compare the systems aboard different boats to see which ones you find easiest to use. Just like iOS and Android have their devotees, so do wake-control software users. What proves intuitive to one may confuse another. At the very least, sit at the helm of a boat at a dealer or at a show and walk through an actual day on the water, entering a variety of profiles and settings just as you would while out on the lake.

Engines

Wakeboarding, like high-performance, go-fast boating and offshore fishing, requires a lot of fuel be burned in order to participate. The weight (in the form of ballast and large crew), the drag (in the form of wake-shaping devices) and the speeds (in the form of inefficient preplaning attitudes) that create the wakes you love to ride cost fuel to create. So, you’re just gonna have to swallow that fact as part of the price of having so much fun.

That said, many new engines prove more efficient than watersports engines that were produced just a few years ago. The coming of smaller-block engines utilizing superchargers for grunt-enhancing lower-rpm performance and to turbocharge for midrange- and high-rpm power optimization means that appreciable gains in fuel economy can be realized with the purchase of a new boat (or repowering your old one).

And it’s not just about economy when it comes to new watersports boat engines. New fuel-system features make these engines safer and less susceptible to breakdowns from vapor lock, as compared to older engines. Corrosion protection is now enhanced as well.

So, what should you look for when choosing power for a new watersports boat? One complaint you’ll rarely hear among boaters is “my engine is too powerful.” And resale and trade-in value down the road is often enhanced for a boat model equipped with the highest-rated power. Of course, if you really know your sport, your boating habits, and how many crew you can consistently count on to be aboard, you may well choose to pick a smaller engine — which will generally burn less fuel and add less to the price of the boat — that will deliver the performance level that is acceptable to you. There is no guideline here other than your own experience. If you are new to the sport, you need to find someone you can trust to guide you — or default to buying a bigger engine. A little more fuel burned is a far lesser evil than an underperforming boat.

Nuts and Bolts

Examining a boat to assess its structural and design elements takes a lot of experience. In fact, many boat buyers hire the services of a marine surveyor when buying a boat. While surveyors are best known for assessing the value and condition of used boats, surveying new boats is just as much an important part of their business. Fees for a prepurchase survey can range from several hundred dollars to over $1,000 depending upon the situation. But with many watersports boats costing six figures, this is a small amount relative to the total purchase to help ensure satisfaction. Find surveyors from national associations like the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (marinesurvey.org) or the National Association of Marine Surveyors (namsglobal.org).

Surveyors are trained to assess all aspects of boat construction and rigging. They work largely using the guidelines and standards of the American Boat and Yacht Council as well as other organizations such as the National Fire Prevention Association, Underwriters Laboratories and, of course, those of the United States Coast Guard.

All these standards are boiled down into industry minimum standards as set forth by the National Marine Manufacturers Association. A boat bearing the NMMA Certified label goes a long way toward helping a watersports boat buyer feel more confident about a pending purchase.

As for an individual, there are numerous areas to assess when comparing one boat versus another. We can’t list them all, but a big one is service access. For instance, your engine and transmission will need the filters and oil changed. Are these points accessible? What about the underwater through-hull intakes for the ballast tanks? Can the valves be reached and shut off quickly should a line burst? Is the electrical system orderly enough that one can find a fuse or trace a wire, or does it resemble a bowl of plastic-coated spaghetti? Is all wiring marine cable? That means it’s more corrosion- and fire-resistant, and its insulation more oil- and solvent-resistant than automotive wire. How about audio systems? Are the speakers facing each other directly, which cancels out some of their sonic goodness? Or are they slightly angled so as to deliver the best sound? How is the tower mounted, and what do its welds look like? Do the board racks swivel?

Then there are soft goods. What kind of staples are used to upholster the interior side panels: Monel (best), stainless (good) or plain steel (bad)? Are there vents in seat bottoms or mesh panels in cushion sides to allow foam to dry out? Does the builder use a special foam that doesn’t hold moisture, such as Dri-Fast, or is less-expensive material used? Do you want your crew to be met with a squish when they sit down? Do you want mildew that can’t be cleaned off because it’s seeping through the vinyl from within? How about coverings on the platform or cockpit sole — are they UV-resistant and replaceable down the road like the SeaDek brand, for instance? Or will the sun and time make them a mess?

Railing, tow points, grab handles and ladders should all be installed using bolts with nuts, washers and backing plates. Sadly, this is not always the case.

What Length?

Boat length is another consideration watersports boat buyers must wrestle with. How do you decide which boat size is right for you? A longer, heavier boat will probably create a bigger, more powerful wake than a smaller, lighter boat. However, it will require a larger engine, burn more fuel and cost more to buy than a smaller boat, all things being equal. In a perfect world, one devoid of home mortgages and college funds, we’d all choose a generally bigger boat.

But there are other considerations besides wake-related issues when buying a boat. Since a bigger boat will weigh more, you need to consider if you can tow it with your current vehicle or if it’s a size suitable for your current boat lift. If you store the boat in a garage, will the larger boat fit?

Conversely, does a smaller boat, even if easier to stow and tow and cheaper to own and run, provide the seating capacity for the gang of family and friends normally aboard for your sessions?

There’s no hard-pat answer to this question of length. What we can advise is that you think hard on all the ramifications boat size will have on your boat ownership experience before you buy.

To Trade or Not to Trade

If you are a brand-new, first-time boat buyer, you are in the best position to buy a boat, not being saddled with an old boat that needs to be traded in or sold in order to buy the new one.

For those of you who currently own a boat, many dealers will take your boat on trade. However, a trade-in is not always the best deal for you financially — though trading in can be part of a good deal regardless of that fact. Here’s why, in a nutshell.

The book or trade-in values for boats are wholesale prices. They are not the prices the boat can be sold for. Dealers buy boats at wholesale and sell them at retail, so you will almost always get more money for your boat in a private sale. Second, when a dealer takes in a trade, they must make a profit on two boats: the new boat you are buying and the trade-in boat that must be sold before the dealer makes any money at all. Discounting is built into deals involving a trade-in.

On the plus side of trading in, the value of the trade-in boat is not counted for tax purposes in many states, so you may pay less sales tax with a trade-in. Also, when you trade in, the old boat is gone instantly. As anyone who has sold anything knows, you can wade through dozens of buyers over weeks or even months to sell your boat privately. With a trade-in, the deal gets done now.

The Dealer

The boat dealer can make or break your boat-ownership experience. A dealer that is dedicated to service and with a good reputation among fellow wakeboarders on the lake is more likely to provide positive buying and ownership experiences for you than a dealer four counties over with no rep on your home waters. This can help you make the final cut from your short list of boats.

Don’t be shy. Ask the dealers you shop at for references. Knock on your neighbor-with-a-wakeboat’s door or walk over and introduce yourself to fellow boarders at the sandbar between sessions. Ask direct questions about how they were treated before, during and after the sale.

Whenever a buyer is conflicted between two great boats, I always suggest looking hard at the dealers for each as a way to determine which is the best boat for you. Shop for a dealer as hard as you shop for a boat.

Closing

Not closing the deal; I’m closing the article. Before I do, I want to leave you with one thought. Remember that there is no perfect boat, but there is probably a boat that is perfect for you, at any given time and place of your life.

The post How to Buy a Boat appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

2017 Malibu 24 MXZ

2017 Supra SE

2017 Centurion Ri257

2017 Axis A24

2017 Super Air Nautique G25

2017 Tige RZX3

2017 Supreme S238

2017 Pavati AL-24

The post The Best Big Wakeboard Boats of 2017 appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

The A24 is practical, functional and has a no-nonsense approach, which makes it pretty enticing to someone whose primary focus is to ride. It’s essentially the utility vehicle of wakeboats.

To be honest, we’re not really sure how Axis did it, but the A24 seems to wakeboard and wakesurf well right out of the gate. We weighted this boat down with stock ballast and simulated close to a full load of friends, and the wakes were unreal. Typically, the surf wave on a boat this big is long and super mellow, but Surf Gate allows for the wave to peak up and gives it the perfect shape.

The A24 is a great option if you’re looking for something that performs well and you don’t need every single bell and whistle you find on boats twice the cost. While you might sacrifice a bit in that department, the styling of the entire Axis line has not been compromised and, being the larger of the boats in the Axis line, this one has plenty of room for a bunch of people. If there’s one thing for sure, each one of the Axis models will deliver awesome surf waves and great wakes.

LOA: 24’5″ | Beam: 8’6″ | Dry Weight: 4,500 lb. | Seating Capacity: 17 | Fuel Capacity: 67 gal. | axiswake.com

The post 2017 Axis A24 Boat Review appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

The 2017 Ri217 is all about versatile performance in a popular size class wrapped in an attractive package

The Ri217’s surf readiness is evidenced by the fact that this 21-foot-7-inch hull is packed with 4,950 pounds of ballast. Flip the QuickSurf Pro to the side you want to surf, adjust the Stinger Wake Plate to control the height and length, and you’re ready for a surf set.

The Ri217 is essentially a smaller version of the Ri237, so it has a luxury-level interior and exterior. Look for an exclusive vinyl with a soft-touch and high-gloss finish along with durable properties that will hold up to the abusive boating environment. Marine-grade foam covers entry points, and snap-out flooring options easily shake out and hose down at the end of the day.

The exclusive side-by-side, high-definition communicating touch displays can show content over both screens when necessary or each can display separate applications, depending on your needs. The audio system has dual zone volume controls that allow you to choose where you want your music.

LOA: 21’7″ | Beam: 8’6″ | Dry Weight: 5,350 lb. | Seating Capacity: 14 | Fuel Capacity: 63 gal. | centurionboats.com

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Tige’s brand-new flagship is a versatile, highly aesthetic design with the latest and greatest in Tige technology. We call it the flagship because it quite simply has the best wakeboard and wakesurf wake in the line.

3,000 pounds of subfloor ballast make up the backbone of the RZX2’s wake-making potential. We love subfloor ballast because no one has to trip over a ballast bag or get a wet butt sitting on top of it. Add to this displacement potential the TAPS wake shaping and you’ve really got something. The center tab controls the boat’s running attitude to create a big surf and wakeboard wake or a smooth ski wake and the two side tabs create a surf wave. You can transfer the wave side in three seconds with one button and no ballast shifting so you don’t have to sacrifice your opposite surf side.

Inside you’ve got signature Tige luxury and styling that has no equal. The RZX2 is one of the most unique boats on the water today and sports diamond upholstery stitching with multiple colors in a soft and ergonomic package that will please anyone from kids to hardcore riders to grandma. Up above the new Alpha E2 tower is electronically actuated to lower or raise with the touch of a button, which is incredibly convenient if you have to go under bridges or collapse your tower to get the boat on a lift.

The brain of the RZX2 is Tige Clear. Inspired by the tablet market and luxury automotive touch screens, Tige Clear has the most surface area of any touch screen on the market and a bright display that outshines the midday sun. Building off the bedrock of Tige Touch—the digital display’s predecessor—Clear’s user interface is all about simplicity and customization while providing all the necessary functionality. Pick three of your most trafficked features and move them to your main Clear screen so you can call them up instantly. Clear is available on the RZX2 and RZX3 and is big step up in the visibility department for a company that already had a refined user interface.

LOA: 22′ | Beam: 102″ | Dry Weight: 5,600 lb. | Seating Capacity: 16 | Fuel Capacity: 65 gal. | tige.com

The post 2017 Tigé RZX2 Boat Review appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

The flagship of the Malibu line, this 23.5-footer is one of the most luxurious wakeboats on the market, with everything you could possibly want right at your fingertips.

The wakes and waves behind this M series are insane. The boat sits very deep in the water and produces some of the best wakes in the sport, but it also pumps out one of the most impressive surf waves we’ve ever seen. The M235 is designed impeccably inside. You feel incredibly contained and safe when you’re inside the massive lounge.

Its helm is set up with a command center that controls everything via touchscreen as well as the control dial, but there’s also the option to add controls right on the steering wheel for a lot of your major functions as well.

The M235 left us in awe after riding and driving it, and that’s by design. Malibu has created a boat that everyone will aspire to have once they’ve stepped foot on it.

LOA: 23’5″ | Beam: 8’6″ | Dry Weight: 6,200 lb. | Seating Capacity: 17 | Fuel Capacity: 78 gal. | malibuboats.com

>> DESIGN YOUR MALIBU >>

>> DESIGN YOUR MALIBU >>

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