Better Surf Wave?

Currently, the two boats I have in mind are an 04 avalanche, and an 04 Malibu 23 LSV...

Which one produces the best wake for surfing? Any pics would be helpful...

I've heard a lot of great things about the Avalanche, but know realitively little about them. I assume the LSV will be good because it is a 23 foot boat?

I have nothing on the Avalanche, never rode one but I can tell you the 23LSV is right on time.

HOLY CRAP!!! how tall is that kid!?? you remember what kind of weight you were working with to get it that size?

is it possible to get a wave that size with no visible ballast?

That kid...is my 5'9" 20 yr. old son, riding a large phase5 Drew Danielo, behind a friends 2006 23LSV, I think we had around ten crew, stock ballast plus a 750 lb. sac in the trunk and approx. 700 lbs. of pop bags (lead) scattered around the boat.

On that day there was no visible ballast.

looking at how the folded spray meets the wake looks like you are also driving a turn... nice clean face, nice long pocket... can't tell how much "meat" there is behind it without seeing it from higher up.

That's how she looks, that's a straight line, not a turn. The Malibu's "j" off like that.

Why not compare an 04 Enzo?

probably would be a better comparison... but the two boats that i have found that the price is right on, are the 04 avalanche and 04 lsv... about a 12k difference in the two.... BUT, while the bling is nice. it's not MANDATORY. a good surf wave is MANDATORY!

anybody have any pics of an avalanche set up for surfing?

i talked to a dealer today, and he is going to work up some numbers for me on a bare bones 08 enzo... might be able to get it for less than 50. tempting, but i just dont know if i can justify it when i can get an 04 avy for 20k less, and a decked out 04 lsv for about 8k less.

thoughts?

This is an Avy - I believe an '06. Not a great angle, but so often pictures taken looking up give a distorted perspective. If you get more sky than hills it's a distorted view. The 23LSV does toss a nice wake. I think that I have one other picture of the darkside from an 'avy.

oh, it was the 23ft enzo...

Pardon? I think I got lost with the references to Enzo's. A few more pictures of Avy's.

A nice thing about the Avi is you don't need a lot of weight to get a good wake. I think the LSV might require a lot more weight to get a good wake.

At Nationals the black C4 Avy had a pair or 400 pound Fly Highs, and a 750 Fly High behind the drivers seat. We also had 270 pounds of pop bags in the bow.

I don't exactly what Sacks Corey had on the red Avy. I think he had an 800 and a pair of smaller sacks, maybe 280s? He also had some pop bags in the bow.

The wake on both sides was very comparable. Some of the goofy stance riders commented that the wakes were the most even of any competition that they had been to.

I rode behind a decked out LSV at Roy's place last year. They had about 3,000 pounds of ballast. The wake was very good. However, I prefer the Avy wake.

Here are the boats in front of the wakes that Jeff posted

The black



The Red

Jeff the first pic was from Wakefest. I assume the others are from Nationals. Did I get that right?

Here's a picture of the LSV with 3000 lbs of ballast.

Yes Ed, Wakefest then Nationals. In support of what Roy was saying - I think it is Jerry Price that always comments about BIG BOATS typically require more weight to get them to list.

I loved thed darkside wake on the Avy it was well formed and solid, also very comparable to the regular side wake. Any pictures of the darkside LSV wake? I personally NEED a boat that is is close to even on both sides.

3k pounds is a LOT of weight.

C.R. New, bare bones Enzo OTD for under $50K. That doesn’t sound possible.

Jeff, I looked for a darkside picture and couldn't find one. I don't think the LSV was ever set up for the darkside during the Ice Breaker weekend. All of the Malibus that I been on seen to have a definite better side and require a lot of weight to get a good wake on both sides. My X-2 also is much better on the port side. The Avy has good wakes on both sides and a lot of weight is not required.

Roy I'm pretty sure that they didn't set up for goofy.

The problem I had with the LSV was that the engine was working really hard pushing all of that ballast. The exhaust was overwhelming.

I saw on another post on the wakeboarding boats and equipement forum that Larry Mann at FAE is working on an FAE for Wedge equipped Malibu boats. The exhaust issue alone is enough to steer me away from a bu. They make great boats but you really have to do something about exhaust.

I have been on and surfed behind 6 different Malibu 23 LSV's from a 2003 to a 2006 and have never had an "overwhelming exhaust" problem on any of them.

which boat would you say has a longer pocket? looks like both get pretty big...

bigshow, i'll keep you posted about the 50k enzo... i'm so torn. i wish i could just buy one of each!

I've never surfed behind an Enzo. I'd say the pocket on the Avy was longer than the LSV.

The black Avy up above is the boat I bought. My winter project is changing the ballast around and making a good out-of-sight auto ballast system. Here's what I'm planning right now:
750 Fly high in locker
400 Fly high tube under port seats (I can slide this forward and back as needed)
250-400 in the bow (not sure yet haven't measured)
stock center tank is 250lbs I think.
Gas tank is near center tank so that should help. So out-of-sight ballast will be about 1600-1800lbs. Some lead could add a bit more, but that's a later date for me.

Pics should happen mid to late April. Since I got the walkthrough Avy, I don't plan on setting up the boat for the darkside until I progress.

$50k for an Enzo I don't think is possible, even the smaller 21 footer. The first pic of the Bu is one of the best waves I've seen. Out-of-sight ballast is a completely different discussion. I'll be able to add in about 2 months.

Joe, I'll have to hook you up with Corey (the red Avy) He has his Avy dialed. I don't know if he has a winter project like yours going or not.

I think 400 in the bow might be more than you need. You'll figure it out, be sure to report.

Here's what I get out of a smaller boat but lot's of ballast.

The Mighty Centurion


How far back can you surf on your off wake. I bet that's over 20 feet.



Always better on the port side

Yeh, PM me Corey's info. I'm working with a guy here in Dayton that has his malibu dialed-in. I think he has the VLX. He upgraded his entire ballast and said he'd help me out changing to bigger pumps. I'm adding a heater too for the wifey.
I'll see if he'll post some pics up of his wave.