Wakeboard Boat Review
Pro-worthy wakes from a party-sized wakeboard boat. Perfect combo. The Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV has worked great for Darin Shapiro at his wakeboard camp in Florida. He can show his skills behind it and load up a class of students on it. It hits the sweet spot of being big without being oversized. At 23 feet, it can go up against a lot of 21-footers and do very well in acceleration to 23 mph and handling in straight shots and through double-ups – even outperforming some of those smaller wakeboard boats. And Malibu Boats always, always nails the sweet spot when it comes to construction and comfort. The wakeboard boat hums – no “What was that sound?!” There’s total plushness of padding in the bow, lounge and sun pad. It’s stylish, it’s solid, it’s sweet.
Illusion X Tower
Gotta love the swoop, the color, the look. Built-in navigation light and the quick collapse are beauts, too.
Ballast tanks
Four standard tanks add up to 1,250 pounds, yet in the floor they don’t subtract from storage space.
Ballast Monitoring System
The LCD dash display keeps track of how full each of the four tanks is thanks to a bar graph.
Power Wedge
A new feature for ’06, it shapes wakes on the fly in five settings. Well worth springing for as an option.
Precision Pro Speed Control
Whether you get the 340-, 400- or 450-horsepower engine, all come standard with this new cruise control.
Wake Shape
Good for everybody. They stay so smooth, even if you’re an advanced rider wanting to max out the ballast system and the Malibu Power Wedge. Wakes get big, yeah, but the transition stays long and trough-free. Peak is rounded in a good way. The landing zone stretches out with a forgiving feel. It’s easy to make double-ups, as Gorilla fins on the hull plunge into the water for a pivot point in tight turns. Beginners with their first wake-school lesson appreciate the smoothness too, after you go easy on the ballast and the Wedge.
Specs
Length 23 ft. Beam 100 in.
Seating capacity 14
Fuel capacity 55 gal.
Test Prop Acme 13.5 x 16 4-blade
Top Speed 48.7 mph 5,120 rpm
Accel. To 30 mph 5.1 sec. 122.3 ft.
Accel. To 36 mph 6.8 sec. 198.6 ft.
Noise levels (db) Neutral 62 D 58 R, 36 mph 82 D 89 R
Test Engine: Indmar 8100 Vortec 8.1L, 450 hp
