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Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       05-08-2017, 10:24 AM Reply   
Hey guys, I picked up a new boat on Friday from my local Malibu dealer in Charleston, Tennessee (Marine Outfitters) and I wanted to share!

Last year I had a 22 VLX, which I really liked; however, with my kids getting older and them bringing friends on the boat more and more, I wanted a bit more space. The 23 LSV is still very trailerable, and I needed something that I could tow to and from my house, which is a pretty steep and winding drive from the lake.

My last LSV was solid white and I have had a solid what Axis A22 as well. I really dig the Storm Trooper look, so I decided to go that route again. However, I did add metal flake everywhere I could except for interior floor, which I kept white. The pearl white metallic is a really awesome color. It matches the plain white gel perfectly, so in the shade its hard to tell the flake is there. However, in the sun it really pops! I'll get some better pictures and post them up when I have a chance to get the boat on the water for a full sunny day.

Malibu's really made some solid improvements over the last two years, and I thought I'd share some of the things I've already noticed about the boat:

1. The Malibu brand trailer is really nice. I went with an upgraded tandem trailer in white to match the boat. I got the oversized wheels, which I love, because I firmly believe they tow so much better. No bouncing, swaying, etc. The wider tires just help everything track straight. The only real downfall is you have to be mindful of the smaller sidewall and keep a lookout for curbs. I'm really happy with the LED lights, the runway lighting and the beefiness of the components Malibu utilized. I really like the soft step pads too. My other trailers had diamond plate treads on the fenders, which look good, but if you put in on a ramp that's tilted and steep, you can absolutely do some damage to the hull with that diamond plate if you're not super careful. Those soft surfaces were a great idea and eliminate the concern of the hull hitting and scraping.

2. The stereo. I went with the two pair of REV8's, the 8 inch interior speakers and the factory sub. I've built many a stereo myself, and I've spent several years of college tuition in money on wetsounds gear back when it wasn't an OEM option, so I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what sounds good. I really couldn't be happier. I like how all of the stereo controls and eq are integrated into the touch screens, which makes everything simple and easy to control. The 8 inch interior speakers provide a really deep and warm sound and the sub hits way harder than any other factory sub I've had before. It's no WS XXX/Syn1 combo, but it also doesn't decimate my batteries either. The Rev8's, as everyone already knows, provide both a great range of midrange sound and to an excellent job of projecting clear sound back to the rider. For 99% of us, this stereo is really all that you need.

3. Surfgate - We got the boat out yesterday for a few hours for some break-in time. While we didn't load the boat up, I did try out surfgate and the wedge to make sure everything was working correctly. My last boat had the older style actuators. The new surfgate actuators really do minimize the transition time for the surf wave. I can't wait to load the boat up and get some pictures and video of the wave and shorter transition time.

4. G3.5 Tower. The one option for this boat that I fretted over was the tower. I really like the look of the G4. I was really close to getting it, but I ultimately decided to save some coin and go with the G3.5. I don't lower my tower ever, and I tow with it up. Accordingly, this eliminated one of the main benefits of the G4 for me. Also, because I was sticking with the factory installed stereo, I didn't need to be able to pull panels off and run new wires - which I understand to be easier with the G4. I will miss the overhead LED's on the G4, but you can't have everything! What I will say is that the G3.5 was rock solid yesterday in chop, even with 4 boards in the racks and 2 surfboards on the bimini. Also I love the look/lines of the G3.5 and the LED anchor light is a nice touch.

5. Vinyl. The new style vinyl is like nothing I've had before. I went with some darker interior colors and more whites than normal. I was told that the new vinyl does not get anywhere as hot as the older style vinyl. I was also told that it cleans easily. I can say that the charcoal areas did not get hot to the touch yesterday despite being in full direct sunlight for hours. I was pleasantly surprised by this. Jury's still out on the cleaning part. There's a lot of texture to the new quasi-woven vinyl so we'll see if I can keep the dirt/grime off. I'm hopeful that with my new gallon of Boat Bling Vinyl Sauce it won't be too bad. I'll report back. The newer vinyl does feel good to the touch and looks baller, so I'm very happy at this point.

6. Bimini. So I went with the Commercial Sewing bimini with surf pockets. Wow. That was a no brainer. I loved Z5 cargo racks, and had them on many of my boats. The only drawback was not being able to easily take it down and get full sun. This new bimini is rock solid when deployed, and held my boards in totally securely. I put them upside down with the fins facing the bow, strapped them down and they were locked in TIGHT. This bimini totally eliminated my need for a second set of racks. I love the dry pockets underneath and how it can now tilt up to make loading and unloading board easier. A GREAT upgrade!

7. Soft-touch floor. I had this in my 22 VLX and would never go back to carpet. The soft touch floor is by far my favorite floor covering. I've had snap in carpet, a removable carpet overlay, decadence, tatami mat, and soft touch. For ease of cleaning, looks and function I just don't see how you can beat this stuff. It doesn't stink, trap water, mildew, fly out on the highway, trap dirt, crumbs, etc. I rolled the dice and went with brown instead of gray this year. I thought it would give the boat - since its all white - a classy look. I guess its all in the eye of the beholder, but I love it!

8. Raptor 410. I was also hesitant to go with the base engine. In the past, I've almost always gone with the LS3 option, because I run extra weight for surfing and when some of my really good friends want to wakeboard. Honestly, I thought my 2013 LSV was a bit of a dog because it had the base 350. I was told that the Raptor 410, with the 2249 prop and new tranny would surprise me. Well, I was given great advice. While I haven't slammed the boat yet, I can already tell that this motor is a beast. The boat feels like my old A22 with the LS3 and high altitude prop. It just rockets out of the hole. With PW2 and the lift feature, I'm confident that this is all the engine I'll need.

9. Command Center. I had the new style command center on my old 22 VLX. However, whatever software they are running now seems to have really sped up system's the response time. Also, I like how Malibu has simplified many of the prompts, which makes navigating between stereo controls and other control features easier. The entire package still blows me away. It's incredible.

10. Plug N Play. I went with the 750lb custom bags for the LSV from Fly High (W024-750-AVO). These were a snap to install and fit the rear compartments very well. I filled them once to test the fitment, and was very pleased to see that they did not bunch up in the hatches at all. When full, they take up like 99% of the room in each rear hatch - really maximizing the amount of water you can add over stock. The guys at Fly High / Barefoot International really impressed me with their attention to detail when designing these bags.

So, anyway, my first impressions have all been extremely positive. I went over the boat with a fine-toothed comb when I got it and it was extremely clean, tight and essentially ready to go. I was so anxious to get the boat that I took it with the shrink wrap on and prepped it myself (put on the bimini, mirror and racks, installed my XS Power D3100 batteries and installed my plug n play bags. In other words, my dealer did not go through the boat before I got it.

My local dealer - Marine Outfitters - was awesome as always to deal with. The owner Joyce and her daughter Shannon make the buying process fun and painless. It's truly refreshing to deal with folks who have spent their whole lives on the water, are raising their kids/grandkids on the water and who do a ton to support local riders. It's also nice to get a fair price on gear as well as knowledgeable and trustworthy advice and service.

So, thanks for reading my long post! I'll add more pictures over the season of the wake, wave, etc. If anyone has any questions, let me know!
Attached Images
        
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       05-08-2017, 10:26 AM Reply   
The boat was a little damp when I took the close up pictures of the gel. You can disregard the streaks where I wiped off the dew hahaha
Old     (srich5)      Join Date: Apr 2016       05-08-2017, 12:18 PM Reply   
Awesome boat!
Old     (onetogofast)      Join Date: Jun 2012       05-08-2017, 1:01 PM Reply   
Sick boat! Good write up and purchase!
Old     (boardjnky4)      Join Date: Dec 2011       05-08-2017, 3:06 PM Reply   
When does the new steering wheel go on?
Old     (grant_west)      Join Date: Jun 2005       05-08-2017, 3:10 PM Reply   
Pffffft your new trailer only has 2 wheels per side Paleeeeze, I'll check back in next year when you get a new one, please don't disappoint.
Old     (DatTexasBoy)      Join Date: Aug 2012       05-08-2017, 3:17 PM Reply   
Hell yeah, nice work Chatt
Old     (tyler97217)      Join Date: Aug 2004       05-08-2017, 6:14 PM Reply   
Beauty!!! Back to your roots with the all white. I like!!
Old     (brett33)      Join Date: Apr 2011       05-08-2017, 7:56 PM Reply   
Now that looks like the chattwake boats I remember! Super clean man, love the little bit of color on the interior!
Old     (markj)      Join Date: Apr 2005       05-08-2017, 8:48 PM Reply   
Nice! What is the thing that looks like a carpeted box under the filler cushion in the bow entrance walkway?
Old     (jonblarc7)      Join Date: Jul 2006       05-09-2017, 5:45 AM Reply   
Thats the front ballast tank^^^^
Old     (davez71)      Join Date: Oct 2007       05-09-2017, 5:46 AM Reply   
Great looking Bu. Is the whole boat the White Metal Flake?

if so we need a good picture of that in the sun on the water.
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       05-09-2017, 5:46 AM Reply   
@Tom - I'm working on it. The older style wheels bolted to a universal style hub. The newer wheels are pressed on with a central nut. I have to find an adapter.

@Grant - Hahahahaha. Trust me, if a triple was not so dang hard to back up at an angle I would have gotten one. My driveway requires a dang near 90 degree reverse maneuver to get the boat where it needs to me. There's no doubt a triple tows the best and is the most stable. However, they do not like to back in at an angle.

@Markj - that's where the bow ballast tank is located. It's under the front seats.

Thanks for the compliments guys. After a few seasons of color, I had to get back to all white or all black.
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       05-09-2017, 6:23 AM Reply   
Man, I have had some white boats haven't I? Haha
Attached Images
    

Last edited by chattwake; 05-09-2017 at 6:25 AM.
Old     (slipknot)      Join Date: Aug 2001       05-09-2017, 8:02 AM Reply   
So SIck Tom, best looking boat of the year award goes to you. See you out at Party Cove( I wish)
Old     (boardjnky4)      Join Date: Dec 2011       05-09-2017, 8:22 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by chattwake View Post
@Tom - I'm working on it. The older style wheels bolted to a universal style hub. The newer wheels are pressed on with a central nut. I have to find an adapter.

@Grant - Hahahahaha. Trust me, if a triple was not so dang hard to back up at an angle I would have gotten one. My driveway requires a dang near 90 degree reverse maneuver to get the boat where it needs to me. There's no doubt a triple tows the best and is the most stable. However, they do not like to back in at an angle.

@Markj - that's where the bow ballast tank is located. It's under the front seats.

Thanks for the compliments guys. After a few seasons of color, I had to get back to all white or all black.
Let me know what you figure out. I have a 2011 A22 with a 6-bolt that I'm going to put one on. But I also have a 2013 with a single-bolt that I want to do. I've found some adapters in the past but lost the links.
Old     (downfortheride)      Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: SLC, UT 5600'       05-09-2017, 9:23 AM Reply   
I'm such a fan of white which is too plain for some but timeless for others. My current demo which is black and orange and looks VERY good I'm just not getting the response of white boats that I've had in the past. Congrats on the new boat and a heck of a write up, hope to do one myself since having a new model this year.
Old     (wakecumberland)      Join Date: Oct 2007       05-09-2017, 12:52 PM Reply   
Looks great! I'll be interested in the fall
Old     (cwb4me)      Join Date: Apr 2010       05-09-2017, 3:30 PM Reply   
Congratulations! Nice clean looking boat.
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       05-09-2017, 5:59 PM Reply   
Thanks Robert!
Old     (fman)      Join Date: Nov 2008       05-09-2017, 9:19 PM Reply   
Chat you always pick out great color schemes.... sick looking LSV!

Congrats and enjoy this summer!
Old     (lipslide08)      Join Date: Apr 2010       05-11-2017, 4:10 AM Reply   
That's a good looking boat. I like how it's got the modern trend of aggressive somewhat busy lines balanced out by the simple white paint and the logo's are not too gaudy. Classy flashy imo.
Old     (Lemonade)      Join Date: May 2015       05-11-2017, 2:19 PM Reply   
Loving the white metal flake. Can you post up some pictures of the bimini surf storage pockets in action?
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       05-11-2017, 2:45 PM Reply   
Will do! Hopefully, the weather is nice this weekend!
Old     (migs)      Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: SF Bay Area       05-11-2017, 2:59 PM Reply   
Chatt - sick as usual.
Old     (Gavin17)      Join Date: Nov 2015       05-25-2017, 2:37 PM Reply   
You clearly have a type. Love the boat! Any idea how 4 rev 8s compares to 2 rev 10s?
Old     (chattwake)      Join Date: Jan 2010       05-25-2017, 6:58 PM Reply   
Honestly, the 4 rev 8s are incredible. I had 4 rev 10s on my last lsv, and they were awesome, but the difference at normal volume seems negligible. I'm super happy. Wetsounds and Malibu knocked it out of the park with this system.

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