Malibu Wakesetter hull designs
 

I am looking to buy a used wakesetter this spring and wanted to know what years the hull changed? I am looking at getting something between 2002 - 2010. I believe the 07 was a new hull design but just wanted to confirm. Are the newer hulls that much better than the previous ones?

05 was the big change to the v25 hull, it's a lot roomier inside and throws an awesome stock wake that just keeps growing with weight. I've never ridden previous models but they're supposed to still have a great wake

Older ones have a very nice wake and rattle your teeth out if you cross a wake or chop. They kept making the older hull in the 'Ride' series. The newer ones are better hulls overall.

pre 05 vlx is the v23 hull (same hull as the sun setters and wake setters as early as 1997??? i think? someone will correct this)
05-08 vride 21 is this v23 hull.
05-08 vlx is the v25 hull
2009+ vride 21 is the v25 hull
2009-2014 vlx was a hull change, not anything too drastic from the V25 hull.
2015 is the new 22' vlx.

My suggestion is find an 05-08 vlx with bow tank, if you can find a 2009+ vride 21 for cheap, that is a good option as well but they will not have a stock bow tank.
great great hull and wake. one of the best ever, imo.

They're calling the 2015 hull the "wake +" hull.

Everything Johnny said except the part of the bow tank. If your going to run any more ballast in the rear, your going to need more weight than what the factory tank offers, which means throwing a sac upfront anyway. Even the new bu's people are throwing 600lb-1000lb sacs up front. If you are only going to run stock, then bow tank for sure, but who only runs stock? ;)

Depending on your watersport preferences, be aware that there are some VLX's with the more ski oriented diamond hull out there. Once used only for the older Sunscape series, Bu made it an option to get a VLX. It makes a pretty good cross-over.

I haven't ever ridden the sv23 hull (pre 2005 VLX), but my dad owns an '05 VLX and as johnny_defacto said, it's a great hull. Even after riding the new Xstar and G23, people still get really stoked on our wake. We have the optional bow tank so are running the stock 1250, a 725# in the walk through, and About 400 along the back seat on the floor (I disagree that you need a bow sack if you run a sack in the walk through). With that ~2500 lbs and wedge, I really think it's as good as any wake even produced today, outside the G23 and Xstar.

The hull after the '05, I guess the 2009 hull...I didn't like as much. I only rode it once, but we had stock ballast plus 6+ people and maybe a sack, I cant remember, and the wake had the exact same shape as ours but it was smaller (less weight, but not by too much) and significantly wider. The boat is wider, so it makes sense that it takes more weight to sink it and that the wake would be slightly wider. Haven't ridden any VLX's newer than that.

Sure I'm biased, but I think the 05-08 VLX is going to be known as a classic. It has a great hull, excellent modern (fuel injected) engine options (our Monsoon 340 has never required significant maintenance and doesn't burn a drop of oil), and most importantly was about the end of the line before they turned rocker switches into computer screens that will inevitably break/freeze/crash long term.

Happy hunting

can anyone tell the difference bewteen the diamond hull and Wake? I have an 04 vlx and curious to what it has, I get its sv23 type and saw the picture on how easy to tell the difference but min seems to be different..it looks flat from transom out but has a piece that looks scooped on the very edge all the way from transom to bow. Heres a picture

what is this?

I think that is the wake hull. Diamond has turned down corners.