Daddyodaman

Let's face it, if the only way to ski was behind a $170k boat, there wouldn't be many people interested in the sport, let alone participating.

Is that $170k for a ski boat, that only holds 7 people, and only 4 when you're actually using it as a ski boat? No wonder on Boatsales it only says "Get price". I don't think ANY tow boat is worth that much money, ski OR wake. That's mental.

I'm in Melbourne Australia, and we have a Malibu plant here, so almost all Malibu's you see are Australian built, and from what I see, options cost a lot more here than they appear to in the states. A lot of imported Malibu's here have showers and heaters etc, but not many locally built ones do. If I want front ballast I'm looking at newer ones (2012 onwards) and they are more like 75-80k plus here. ?

If people are saying the VTX has a better wake with the front tank full, and currently there's no boats for sale in my budget with a front tank, wouldnt throwing an adult or a couple of kids up the bow have the same effect?

One thing to ad about my current boat (the xti) is that the three things it doesn't have that would be nice are fuel injection, cruise control of any sort, and a wedge. The motor doesn't really struggle at all, I just know EFI offers easier cold starts/warm ups. I'm debating whether to put perfect pass in it, or just spend (a lot!) more and get a newer boat with all the bells and whistles. I haven't really needed a wedge so far, but if I was to get into surfing it would help a lot I'm sure.

Thanks for the input guys. I had a friend who's a good skier swing behind my xti and he said it wasn't much different to his 05lxi, so that's why I was wondering just how different the VTX would be. I love the idea of more versatility, but definitely don't want to go backwards with the ski wake. I'm still trying to learn to cross the wake more on edge, as I know that helps, but it takes more balls than I've currently got to cross at that speed. I'm not sure if get the wife over the line (unless I can find a more pretty colour ?) but I'm loving learning, for just in case. Maybe for now I should spend my cash on more ski lessons. Having said that, the local ski/wake school boat is a 21 VLX with a diamond hull! ? (They claim it's not bad for skiing, but I can't imagine)

Just chasing people's opinions on skiing behind an 07 VTX with the cut diamond hull. I'm just fantasising about a boat to upgrade from my 04 wakesetter 21xti (diamond hull) and wondering how different the VTX would be to my boat at 15 off and 32-34mph. I ride a 2016 radar senate graphite. Never been through a course, not that serious, just want a boat that I can ski hard behind and advance my skills, whilst having the versatility to wakeboard and even surf. Having tried surfing it's a great fun, low injury alternative to slalom for every other day. I know the VTX is a v drive ?, but it's also a foot shorter thany current boat. Thoughts?

Speed 32-33mph

Standard TX. Graphite senate

I guess my real question should be: how should a 67" senate compare to a 67" TX?

You're probably right andjules, I might be over thinking it. I tend to do that with most things! My 67" TX feels ok (although I don't know any different), so I'm sure the senate wouldn't feel like an oil tanker under my feet. The worst part is at the moment the river I ski on is badly affected by blue green algae, so it's safer to look at it than go in. Not happy about that!!

Hi again, I just turned 40, and for my birthday I was lucky enough to be given a brand new Radar Senate Graphite by all my friends who chipped in together. Super excited about that naturally, but the only thing I'm unsure about is the length. It's a 67" and the guy in the ski shop who sold it to my wife said "get him to call me about making sure it's the right length for him as we can exchange it". I haven't spoken to him yet, but wanted some opinions. According to the radar website, the 67" senate is suited to guys weighing between 160-200lbs. I'm approx 155lbs, 5'9". That puts me in the upper limit of the 65" which is recommended for up to 170lbs, which makes me ask, which size should be better? My current HO TX is a 67" but now I ski at 31-33 mph and I'm trying to get more aggressive with my skiing as I improve. I've read conflicting advice regarding length, and some sites have said longer is better, I'd just love to see what you advise. I only free ski on a fairly well protected river where conditions are very good most of the time. Any thoughts?

No, it's a mid mount. It's effectively the same hull as the response LXI but slightly longer and with more freeboard, so it's a little heavier than a response, but it's still got a pretty good ski wake. It's a real all rounder, which is what I needed. I was just looking into prop options for when the boat was loaded or pulling a heavy skier. I'd love to know the difference three and four blade props make to the wake size/shape if any

Just to clarify Bill, the wakesetter name is a bit misleading, it's really just a Sunsetter with factory ballast and tower. Diamond hull, mid mount, 1:1 gearbox. It's more a "fakesetter". :)

I was out in my 21 xti wakesetter on the weekend, and we had the boat loaded up with seven adults and a few kids, and the wakeboard wake was great, naturally, but I really noticed the extra weight getting onto plane. Its the 310 carb Indmar motor, and have no problems with it, but I've heard that changing the prop is one of the biggest performance mods one can do. The standard prop is the ACME 515, and certainly when the boat isn't loaded it is more than fine. Pulling a heavy skier out or getting onto the plane loaded up takes a fair bit more throttle of course. What I'm asking is, what are my options, (I've read the 525 is a common replacement) however what difference would a 4 blade make? I don't want the ski wake to suffer, and top end doesn't really matter in a towboat in my opinion. Currently the boat sits on about 3200 rpm at 32-33 mph. I've heard some props can reduce the rooster tail. I ski at 15 off, any closer you're right in the tail which is hard to cross (at my level). Has anyone had any experience with this boat and different props?