My 2012 MB 21'WB

Today, I took delivery of my new MB 21'WB. It's a thing of beauty!

I have been itching for a new boat for a number of years. Wanting a better wake and better wake production.

But, I put off the purchase for a number of reasons....

1) boats were getting better but not that much better.
2) boats were getting significantly more expensive.
3) a family member suffered from a significant health issue.

Finally, this summer, with MB's 2012 enhancements, I decided to pull the trigger on the MB for a number of reasons....

1) the big bold vert wake that strikes a perfect balance between being steep (not rampy) and not abrupt (too steep)
2) the magnificent ballast system that builds an excellent stock wake and fills/drains hidden tanks quickly by gravity.
3) the superb sturdy tower with fantastic 4 prong swivel racks and an integrated large bimini and mirror.
4) the nice new interior and exterior styling including wetsound speakers and snap in carpet.
5) the superb build quality and unbelievable value pricing.

So, I traded in my 2000 BU VLX that served me well for 10 years...

I designed my new MB 21' TWB with help from Mike of Larson's Marine (Stockton) and Shane of MB Sports. I wanted a simple and clean design with style. I also wanted only black/white and shades of gray. So, I approximated the design of with MB's 2011 tool and I worked out the recipe for my interior with help from Mike and Shane.

After forming this plan, my boat started to take form two weeks ago...

Production day 2...

Production day 3...

Production day 4...

Production day 6...

Production day 9...

Delivered to Larsons on day 10...

At home on day 11...

A big THANK YOU goes out to Mike at Larson's Marine and Shane at MB Sports. You guys were unreal towards me. It's not every day a person gets to custom order an amazing boat and watch it take form. This experience has been so good. I feel like I must dreaming! How did I get to buy such a great boat at such an affordable price with such amazing service?!

Now, it's time to get on with my next decade in boating!

Dane,

Congratulations, buddy. Nobody is happier for you than me. I know this has been a long time coming for you.

Your design is classy and timeless. Very unique, actually.

I see you went with the floor LED's. Nice!

Can't wait to hear about your experiences on the water.

Finally... 10 days from order to delivery is incredible considering they are operating at full capacity.

You have exquisite taste. Beautiful boat.

IXFE, thanks for your help in this process too! You give great advice. Plus, your 2012 MB 21'TC thread restarted this process for me!

Dane, sick boat brother....I am a fan of the black and whites myself!
10 days is kicking for sure!

Congrats. Boat looks great. Nice choice on colors. That scheme will still look good 10 years from know.

That would be the boat, if I were to buy new! Very Nice!

Congrats on your new boat!Looks great.Thanks for all the production pictures,helps us see inside and out.Enjoy your new boat.

Great looking boat.

What is amazing to me is how much MORE boat we get per dollar today. In 2000, I paid 42K for my BU with a junk sound system, a far inferior tower, a crap center ballast system, no speed control, no snap in carpet, and inferior build quality (things have improved a lot since 2000). Looking up the value of the dollar per year 42K in 2000 is worth $54K in 2012. That is more than I paid for my loaded up MB with stellar ballast system, trim tab and LED cockpit and under water lighting.

Dane,
CONGRATS! I am very envious! Totally agree with the dollar value, especially for MB and Axis right now! Great looking boat! I wish I could upgrade from my 01 vlx as well!

Note, with mu BU, I got a trailer which rotted in the sun since my boat lives on a hoist so, with my MB, I elected to not get a trailer. This saved me the trailer cost plus the trailer storage costs.

I assume the two larger openings are the ballast tanks. I always assumed they were an aluminum tank inside the hull, but integrating them into the stringer seems fine to me. What are the three smaller "tubs" up front?

Also, did Shane mention when of if the build a boat would be updated?

Dane,
my vlx looks exactly like yours. What did you get for a trade in if I may ask?

Jon, Shane indicated that they will be redoing their "build a boat" web app.But, it may take some time as MB appears to be very busy these days.

Jeff, I got a very fair trade-in considering that my trailer needed a lot of work, my boat needed an exterior polish and Larsons needed to get paid.

We are in the process of completely re-doing the website from scratch. It was originally all done in flash and we are having to start all over. It is coming along, but still a little bit out. I think the updated build a boat will be done first and shortly as it will not change back to html like the rest of he site. GD sick boat - Cograts!

Looks Great GD!!! Congrats on the new boat. Didn't want the metallic x?

That is incredible that you can get that nice and loaded of a wakeboat for 54(probably 60ish with tandem trailer) compared to what other companies are selling their boats for. So much more boat for the money, even the axis.

Cherry! I intend to order a '12 or '13, just savin my pennies.......

a thing of beauty indeed with a the wake of a monster on roids, Congratulations to you my friend, you are truly blessed! Hoping for my 2012 as well

I ran the boat all day yesterday. Pulling kids around with the boat for the break in period. So, no big time wake boarding yet. Never the less. I am very impressed. The boat drives like sports car compared to my old BU. It handled rough water and turns on a dime.

Your boat looks great! I bought mine without a demo, and with recommendations coming from 5 highly respectable friends. I couldn't be more satisfied with the purchase of a new boat than this one. 2012 TWB B52 next in line. Hey guy coming to demo my boat this weekend, BUY it PLEASE! I am going to make you the biggest wake you have ever seen.

My boat looks even better in person. The varied vinyl textures don't show up in the pics.

Super classy! I have seen quite a few MBs but none with the factory LED option yet. Post up some night shots when you get a chance.

Very clean looking on the water.

Signed,

The guy skating behind the red/black TWB 23 that yelled "nice boat" as I passed by on Vics, as you were preparing to drop a grom in the water.

I love they did away witht the RV type graphics. Seeing this boat and build process makes me think! Maybe I need a new boat!

I have always loved the vison they have for the MB brand.

I would love to hear about the "little" issues that you might have with this brand new boat. I am just curious. I have only ever bought used boats. I know every boat company will have some little something!

Congrats, I feel a little bit jealous.

Dave - You need a new boat.!
Shorpy - We should hook up sometime. I am the proud owner of the all black 21' with peanutbutter interior. You may have seen it out on the water if you are out much.

Originally Posted by dave27

I would love to hear about the "little" issues that you might have with this brand new boat. I am just curious. I have only ever bought used boats. I know every boat company will have some little something!

My little issues in 120+ hours since Memorial day:

• One LED interior light doesn't work, rear locker
• Carpet peeling off side walls in rear lockers, under dash, and under starboard seat(humidity issue when the glue was sprayed? (A DIY fix is in the works)
• Knobs at the end of the Skylon bungies pull through when trying to secure wide surf boards (fix:$12 at West Marine for bungies, hog rings and shrink tubing)
• Sea Deck on swim platform pulled up on the port side (probably due to excessive surfing), fixed with some new glue.
• Wake plate shorted and stuck in the fully down position (fixed by snipping the cable to the plate and reversing the polarity, defective control module from Lemco replaced under warranty)

[QUOTE=diamonddad;1704800]
1) the big bold vert wake that strikes a perfect balance between being steep (not rampy) and not abrupt (too steep)/QUOTE]

I've been curious as to what's the difference between the tomcats wake and the B-52s. I've only heard good things about both but never a comparison between the two.

I'm sorry and also the 21 WB

Dave, "RV type graphics" -- thats funny. Yes, the the "X" graphic is a huge improvement.

Congrats on the boat! My buddy got a b52 earlier this year from Larsons too out of Rancho tho. I have a SAN210 and the B52 2012 is the funnest wake I've rode in a long while. Ballast plus 750 in the main area and a 450 up front makes a def rampy wake with a nice solid kick on top. It's the closest thing to a snowboard kicker and wide so you can ride faster. Oh and I def like it better than the Tomcat... Rode both

I thought the TWB and the Tomcats had the same hull on the bottom and the difference was the upper hull, one is a pickle fork and one isn't. Is this true?

Originally Posted by durty_curt

I've been curious as to what's the difference between the tomcats wake and the B-52s. I've only heard good things about both but never a comparison between the two.

B52V TWB 21 & F21 Tomcat have the same hull (from the windshield back) and same wake.

B52V TWB 23 & F23 Tomcat do not have the same hull.

Originally Posted by 501s

I thought the TWB and the Tomcats had the same hull on the bottom and the difference was the upper hull, one is a pickle fork and one isn't. Is this true?

Yes, this is true on the 21 footers. Not true on the 23 footers.

The F23 Tomcat came out first in 2006, I believe.

Then the F21 Tomcat (completely different hull than the F23) was introduced in 2009.

Then the B52V TWB 21 was developed next using the same hull as the F21 Tomcat. They just wanted to offer that boat with a traditional bow.

The the B52V TWB 23 was introduced in 2011. The took the TWB 21 hull (same as F21 from the windshield back) and added two feet in the middle.

Thus the F21, TWB 21, and TWB 23 wakes all have very similar characteristics. Big, steep wakes with no wash and huge surf waves.

I have no idea what the F23 Tomcat is like...

Very cool info IXFE. I knew the 21s were the same hulls/wakes but I did not know the history or the story on the 23s.

To add on....
I was told by MB that this winter's project is updating the F23 Tomcat, like they did with the F21 & TWB 21 & 23 this past year.

Originally Posted by TheSqueakyWheel

To add on....
I was told by MB that this winter's project is updating the F23 Tomcat, like they did with the F21 & TWB 21 & 23 this past year.

^^^^ wouldn't surprise me at all. That boat needs to be updated. I'm sure it's their slowest seller. I can't wait to see what they do with it.

I am seriously looking at a 2011 F23 right now and thought the wake would be similar to the TWB23. What is an F23 wake like? Is it steep, or mellow? Anyone have any pictures? I have been looking at one F23 in particular and if the wake isn't top notch I wouldn't be looking ta them anymore. No place to test one here actually, only the F21.

here are pics of a 2008 Tomcat wake

My boat on the lift at home after a breakin weekend pulling kids around the delta.

^^^nice!

GD, Hit me up. We are in the delta several days a week with my 23' TWB ridding out of whiskey.

Levi , as the proud owner of an F23 I can gaurantee you will not be disapointed in the wake. It is huge to say the least I usually put a 400 sac in the front walkway if I dont have more than 4 people with me though, otherwise a couple chicks do great for the wake shape if they sit up front ;-) feel free to send me a message if you have any other questions about it .However I will deffinately be in line for a 2013 F23 if they re design it !!

I would still like to know what these are for.

The F21 is hands down my next boat. God these MB threads have me droolin'.

I konw the middle one is where the battery's go... but I'm honestly stumped on the other two myself.

I would guess that both sets of left/right bays are part of the ballast system. The small center bay is for the dual batteries. The forward large center space is where the gas tank goes and the rear center space is where the motor goes.

I've gotten the pleasure of riding behind a Tomcat, several 21 WB's, and a 23 WB. They each seem to be different. Personally, the 21 is my favorite. That being said, the 23 WB throws a bigger, more vertical wake, and its surf wake seems to be by far the best of the three. The Tomcat throws a bigger wake than the 21 but smaller than the 23 WB. It's been a while since I've been in a Tomcat, but if I recall right, it was not sensitive at all as to where you had people in the boat for keeping the wake clean.

Congrats GD! super sweet lookin. Thanks for the build pics too. MB's are so nice. Enjoy!

Originally Posted by hunter660

I would still like to know what these are for.

I've had a few MBs appart and the the only thing that I remember going down into that area is the intake ducting for air that is directed to the motor compartment and heater lines if it has that option.

This pic is behind the spotters. The amps are mounted to the walkway wall and the tubes/ducts to the left of them go into the area you have circled

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...6533867&type=1

Those front ones are part of the mold for the stringers I believe. They are on all the boat mold there. They are not tanks for sure. There has been some discussions about turning them into tanks, but Mike is very against pumps, so they are working out other ways to get water to the nose. The middle one is for the batterie.

Originally Posted by buffalow

Those front ones are part of the mold for the stringers I believe. They are on all the boat mold there. They are not tanks for sure. There has been some discussions about turning them into tanks, but Mike is very against pumps, so they are working out other ways to get water to the nose. The middle one is for the batterie.

Somehow he needs to cutout the bottom of the bulkhead to allow water to move through to the front but also be able to fully drain out the back.

Originally Posted by polarbill

Somehow he needs to cutout the bottom of the bulkhead to allow water to move through to the front but also be able to fully drain out the back.

Just fill mine to the top with lead please.

There possibly could be a boat or tow that were filled with something, but you ain't heard it from me cause I ain't one to gossip.

I have noticed some of them sit a little differently in the water than others for some reason.

In my demo, I was quite happy with the stock wakeboard wake. Long term, I may add lead to perfect it further but I really want to avoid bags/pumps/mess/mold.

I have six 65 lb lead bars that I had stashed in the bow of my previous boat.

Hey MB owners, how do you use your storage?

I like things to have their places so I am thinking about putting in some storage dividers.
Trays, nets or fabric dividers to stop things from sliding around under the seats.
I know some people organize their boat like a pig pen but that is not me.

Here's what I am thinking...

1) rear lockers for surf bag, wetsuits, vests.
2) above motor tray for wake/surf ropes/handles.
3) starboard/drivers side under side seat for coastguard vests, paddle and throw cushion. Want a divider for this.
4) starboard/drivers side under rear seat for passenger shoes. Want a tray for this.
5) middle under rear seat make into an insulated cooler. Want to wrap it with insulating fabric.
6) port/observer side under rear seat for anchor. Want a tray for this.
7) port/observer side under middle seat for bumpers/ropes. Want fast access for these. I may put this seat on a hinge.
8) port/observer side under observer seat for tool kit and first aid kit. Want a divider for this.
9) port/observer side behind observer seat for towels and snacks. Daily active stuff.
10) bow left/right under seats for lead bars. If extra static ballast is desired. I have 390 lbs of lead from my VLX.
11) bow middle under seat for safety tow rope. Want fast access for this.

Got any suggestions?

What anchor do you use? I have a danforth anchor that is pretty bulky and hard to store. I would really like a more compact anchor with a case.

Originally Posted by diamonddad

What anchor do you use? I have a danforth anchor that is pretty bulky and hard to store. I would really like a more compact anchor with a case.

Box anchor. Folds flat and holds like a mofo. Comes with a nice heavy bag too.

Thanks Shawn, I will look into those.

My boat will be used 99% in the delta and I do very little anchoring. Just occasional lunch time anchoring. So, I wonder it this small "commando" anchor kit is good enough...

once you get a box anchor you'll wonder why you ever wasted your time with anything else....

2nd the box anchor

Delta = Mushroom Anchor I've tried all but the box anchor and to date the mushroom is the best. I have 1- 12# and 1- 20# if needed both work great in the worst conditions.

Shawn, how big a box anchor?

These get great reviews but no case.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...20#showReviews

These guys have a small box anchor in a bag for $150.

http://www.slideanchor.com/Hlm_ShopI...1-c5e749bb8688

I had a small, but threw it overboard @ shasta this summer (ugh, don't ask!). Now have the baby.

Small is fine and I have "heard" that you can probably get away with the baby box (the small is actually pretty freaking big). Baby worked for my 23':

3rd on the box anchor! I have the small.

My take on the storage question:


1) rear lockers = fat sacks and where we store the boards when travelling.
2) above motor tray = bummer dont have one, bought too soon. Thinking about making a mold to have some thermoformed for us poor bastards with the electric hatch lift.
3) starboard/drivers side under side seat = vests and shoes.
4) starboard/drivers side under rear seat = vests and shoes
5) middle under rear seat = Second bummer, earlier boats only have an access panel. See item 2 above for possible solution. We use a Polar Bear ice chest/bag so it would nice if it fit here.
6) port/observer side under rear = Bumper, dock lines, oar.
7) port/observer side under middle seat = Wake and surf ropes
8) port/observer side under observer seat = tool kit and first aid kit, and towels
9) port/observer side behind observer seat = stock batteries, more towels, throw preserver/cuhsion, snacks, cameras, and the Polar Bear.
10) bow left/right under seats = 4 Optima Blue tops (2 each side) for the stereo, box anchor, lake stake, mooring ball, and tow rope.
11) bow middle under seat = 15 lb mushroom anchor for cove/delta anchoring. We usually shore camp at Shasta or San Antonio and use the box anchor at camp and the mushy when coving.
12) Factory ice (melting) chest = Pop bags ( there are some in the port and starbord rear compartments as well. 400 lbs total.

Sweeeeeeet!Post some pics of wake when ya get them

BABY: Offshore Boat to 18', 13lb., 18"H x 7"L x 4.5"W Collapsed, Galvanized
SMALL: Offshore Boat to 18'–30', Cabin Cruiser to 24', 19lb., 22"H x 8.5"L x 5"W Collapsed

It does seem that the baby box anchor would be my goto anchor for my light usage on the delta.

4th the box anchor.I have a small box anchor and if your in windy or sandy bottom conditions the baby won't be enough.

Since I am on the delta 99% of the time and only using the anchor for "hanging out on the boat for lunch" with little wind and a steady but small current, I am thinking the baby box is worth trying because it is easier to store/deploy.

lovin mb's direction. congratluations on a great looking boat