Wakesetter VTX anybody? [Was convince my father to get a ski boat]

[footloose42]

My family has owned an 05 Malibu Wakesetter since, well...2005. I have always been into skiing but did not start training competitively on the course since the beginning of this summer. I can now run 6 @15 off (28mph) so I'm still in the toddler stages of course skiing.

 

All this time on the course, I've been blessed to be skiing off a Mastercraft Pro Star with the local ski club. I'm scared that when I return to ski behind my family's Wakesetter in a couple weeks, I'm going to lose all my form. The wake is much larger, even with the wedge up and the ballast empty.

 

My question is this: does anyone have any advice or tips on how I should ski/what I should concentrate on when I'm behind the Wakesetter?

 

Thank you.

[ForrestGump]

Stay down and drive the ski all the way through the 2nd wake. Don't let up. And keep soft knees. If you push against the ski behind the boat, it'll bounce you.

[Bulldog]

I agree. Stay stacked and get ready for launch!! I once ran some balls behind and X2 and it was almost funny how high you can fly before you get a chance to change your edge.

[footloose42]

Do you think that will cause me to have a bit more speed coming off the 2nd wake and into the turn if I have to wait longer to edge change?

[Ed_Obermeier]

Now that you're spoiled on skiing behind a true slalom boat, if it were me I'd be concentrating on getting a better family ski boat before I broke my freaking neck behind the wake boat.

 

A nice '03 - '06 Response LXI can probably be had for about what your Wakesetter is worth in resale, it's almost as much room (well close anyway...), and a WAY better ski boat. Not meaning to be catty here, but wake board boats just don't work for anything even resembling serious slalom, period.

 

 

Come on you Lurkers, admit it. You were all thinking the same thing. I'm just more willing to shoot my mouth off and say it... :>)

[19skier]

footloose42 I second the better slalom boat advice. Some years ago i was highly motivated and ran some passes behind my friends Wakesetter. I thought it was all good but that attitude has cost me a LOT of down time due to injuries. Safe skiing is the best skiing - if you are course skiing I think you really want a tow built for course skiing. We are blessed to be able to ski - better take care of the "equipment" we have been given to ski with!

[davemac]

Yep, as proven time and time again....EZ Ed knows best.

[crashman]

This dilemma is how I ended up with a 2 boat system. So far this year Nautique= 37 hours, family boat=1 hour

[eleeski]

How does adverse condition training hurt you? I learned the course on an old IO. When we got our 76 Nautique it was one of the boats now coveted by wakeboarders for its big wake. Go ski with the family boat and enjoy it!

 

Of course my passion is tricks...

 

Eric

[Ntq206]

My own .02 is that I believe that large wakes slows progress.

You're absolutely going to have dinner plate eyes the first time back behind the WS.

Personally i find that unless you have a kamikaze approach to skiing, I find with big wakes I instinctively become a bit more hesitant to get aggressive enough to actually get down into that strong position when seeing the mountain I'm going to have to climb over. Maybe that's just jus me though.

At 28 MPH 15 off it's going to be a real challenge - no doubt about that.

 

Tough one when it's the family pride and joy.

There's only one way to find out for yourself and seeits workable for you......

 

 

[Bulldog]

Ed is right!! Go with a ski boat!!

[swc5150]

Are you heading back to a family cottage, hence time behind the WS will be short, or will that boat be your primary? If the latter, the decision will make itself after your first pass, and you'll be seeking a ski boat. I'd think you'd be in a great position of leverage trading a WS in on a slalom boat.

[footloose42]

I'm only in my early 20's, so my father's the one who owns the boat. unfortunately, he's completely put-off to the idea of a trade in, even if the price would be nearly negligible. I'm the only person in my family who really takes waterskiing seriously, so when I tried explaining to him how badly I could hurt myself on a bad fall attempting to attack a big wake, he didn't comprehend it. I want to have him tag along to the local waterski club one evening so he can see me (and the guys who are much better than me) ski the course. Maybe it will open his eyes to how hardcore the sport really is.

 

I have a feeling my family boat is just going to become a place to hang out, and I'll have to save the real skiing for when I'm with, well...real skiers. Hey, at least I'm blessed enough to have the options in the first place.

[crashman]

Man if that's your situation I'd say just roll with it and have fun. At your age I think I was skiing behind a bass tracker deck boat- took me another 15 years to discover the slalom course and figure out what I really want our of my watersports life. Enjoy the scenery, get some exercise, maybe work on some pullout drills and body position. Watch some of Horton's old videos of guys skiing back when men were men behind boats with less than perfect wakes to get psyched up for the ride. Just my $.02

[thager]

Don't!

[6balls]

Let the old man get a family boat and pick yourself up a '91-'94 Prostar 190, or a '97 or newer SN 196 and call it good. Your boat will get the most use.

[swc5150]

6balls is right... Our '91 Prostar is awesome!

[footloose42]

@crashman you're right. I've got plenty of time left in this world, no need to worry now.

 

@6balls maybe when I have the money...

[footloose42]

Okay, so an update. My father has mentioned that he is considering trading in our boat. Now, that's a big "considering", so who knows if it will actually happen.

 

The thing is, he wants to just get a newer model Wakesetter, even though no one in my family wakeboards. How would y'all suggest trying to convince him otherwise? I'm gonna do some research and compare prices of a new Wakesetter vs a used promo boat, but I have a feeling price wont be enough to do it. Any other angles I should come at it from? I would almost rather stick with our current boat than trade up to a new Wakesetter, it's almost like adding insult to injury.

[Andre]

Have him test drive a direct drive ski boat at 34-36 mph.

Maybe the driving sensation will get to him.

No way can anyone ski seriously behind a wakeboat!

Good luck!

[crashman]

a good skiboat can make a better decent wakeboard boat than a good wakeboard boat can make a decent ski boat

 

if he like the malibu line go with a TXI or LXI and a wedge

[footloose42]

@crashman I was thinking that as well. We do currently have a wedge so it'll be something familiar

[Brian_M]

@footloose42 I was going to say the same thing as @crashman LXi with a power wedge or if you want the latest, the TXi. A good selling point might be that the slalom boats will be way betting on gas. Another compromise could be a used FXi from '09/'10. Haven't seen many of those up for sale.

[gregy]

What about the Response FXI. Its supposed to be a good compromise boat? Never skied behind one but Malibu claims they have a world class slalom wake.

[Ed_Obermeier]

Malibu claims you can slalom ski seriously behind their V-drives too (as does MC and Nautique)... Just saying. There is a reason you don't see many Fxi's around...

[Kelvin]

footloose, I feel for you. Growing up we had a older IO. When I got into course skiing, I realized how much difference there was in the boats (even back in the early 80's). Couldn't convince my dad to trade up to a tournament ski boat. I don't believe he realized how hooked I was on the sport. Once I graduated from college, a 4 year old MC was my second major purchase. The first was a new vehicle to tow it with. It won't hurt to take him with you to the local ski club so he can see for himself, but you may just have to make do until you can get it yourself.

 

Good luck.

[footloose42]

@Kelvin taking him to the local ski club is on my list of things to do. Also, I'm impressed you were able to buy a boat right out of college!

 

This is all great advice guys, I appreciate it!

[akale15]

In a similar situation myself, however we don't even have a boat or access to a course. I'm 22 and have been trying to get my dad to split the cost of a boat with me for 2 years now or at least help out until I graduate then would pay him the rest so I don't go completely broke. Been skiing the course 4 years now. Currently have 1 semester left and doing what I can to ski when I can as I can try and make the ski team again this fall. It's hard to convince someone to pay for something when they don't have the same intentions for it as you might.

 

Best solution I have found, find someone who has a boat and course and become their best friend. Already have made arrangements with a neighbor to purchase their boat after I graduate and have a steady income....

 

Oh, and if you do get a boat, don't be so quick and hung up on a MC

[GAJ0004]

Wakeboard boats are one dimensional. The only thing they work for is wakeboarding. You can set up a 3 event boat to wakeboard, but you can't set up a wakeboard boat for 3 event. I see people spend 100 grand on a wakeboard boat, and most of the boarders don't do anything except stand there. The best wakeboarders I know have a 1995 Ski Supreme that they equipped with a tower, and then filled up the back of the boat with a fat chair, and have perfect pass. Unless you are a competitive wakeboarder you are wasting your money on a wakeboard boat. If you like to slalom a 1997-1999 Ski Nautique is one of the best boats out there.

[footloose42]

Okay, so my father has said no to the Prostar and Response (stinks, I know). The dealer he went to recommended the Wakesetter VTX, apparently it's the shortest Wakesetter and doesn't have the V hull, making it the Wakesetter family's smoothest wake. I will be demoing it in a few weeks (including skiing behind it) so we'll see then what all those fancy words really mean. Anyone have suggestions on what to look for in a demo, or have experience with this boat?

 

Please don't bother to just say "wake boats suck, get a Prostar". Trust me, i know, and I would if I could.

 

Edited: VTX, not VLX

[Patrick]

If you need a v-drive it's a VTX, not a VLX. And I believe it still comes in two hulls, the cut diamond and the 'wake' hull. You want one with the cut diamond. They are supposed to be about as good as you can get in a v-drive, but I've never demo'd one. The 2013's (if he's thinking new) are coming with a removable center pylon I believe.

 

Here's 31 mph on one (random youtube video).

 

[Ntq206]

Ok - how about this.... If a DD ski boat is 100% out of the question, then I'd personally go for the Nautique Sport 200. I've skied behind a lot of different boats, and of all the Victom-drives its the best at longline especially.

[footloose42]

Ooops, you're correct, it is the VTX. I'll be sure to inquire about the diamond hull and removable pilon

[guitarcarr]

Footloose, I have a 23' 2000 Malibu LSV Escape VDrive on a diamond hull and it had a good enough wake as I don't even notice it when skiing on it. As long as you run the boat at 29 mph or higher its fine(@ 34-36 the wake is pretty darn flat). So I would think that a VTX with a diamond hull would produce a very similiar wake.

[tfriess]

get a SN200

[footloose42]

Okay, weather permitting, I'm going to the dealership this evening to demo the VTX. Is there anything specific I should be looking for as I ski behind it? Anything I wouldn't think to observe that you guys would know of?

 

@Patrick said the 2013's have a removable center pylon. In a picture of the 2012 VTX the dealer sent me there's a hole in the floor for what seems to be a center pylon, So I'm going to ask if that's what it is, and if he could throw the pylon in to the deal.