Boat Review
Epic doesn’t build its Epic 23v as a multisport, luxury-cruising, parents-going-for-a-tour-around-the-lake kind of boat. Nope, this is just a hard-core utilitarian wakeboarding machine. It throws off a massive wake, thanks to 4,000 pounds of factory ballast. It pumps out thumping tunes to the rider with its innovative 10-speaker transom sound system, and it has dual-rudder vector steering for super-precise double-ups. Plus, with its advanced, lighter, stronger resin-infusion construction, the Epic 23v’s dry-weight is only 3,200 pounds. So you can tow this purebred with a gas-sipping V-6. Inside, it features a tough CCM-grade material in high-wear areas, cushy foam flooring and stealth LED lighting throughout. Pure and simple, this wakeboard boat is for people who want to ride.
FAVORITE FEATURE:
Ballast Tanks
Three words: Four thousand pounds. That’s an unbelievable 500 gallons of water that flood into three under-the-floor, out-of-the-way tanks. So not only do you get more weight than you’ll ever need in the Epic 23v, but you maintain all your storage space.
SPECS:
Base MSRP: $72,500
People: 14
Dry weight: 3,200 lb.
Fuel capacity: 55 gal.
Tower: Samson
Racks: Swivel
Wake shaper: Integrated wake shape plate
ENGINE:
Standard: MerCruiser 8.1L 375 hp
Test engine: MerCruiser 8.1L 375 hp
Test prop: OJ 14 x 14.25 four-blade
Cruise: Smart Tow
*= Optional
TEST MEASUREMENTS:
Length: 22 ft. 9 in.
Width: 8 ft. 2 in.
Bow length: 62 in.
Bow width: 58 in.
Floor to tower: 75 in.
Gunwale: 26 in.
Main lounge: 54 sq. ft.
Sun pad: 29 sq. ft.
Platform: 11 sq. ft.
Ballast: 4,000 lb. total (1,000-lb. bow tank; two 1,500-lb. rear tanks)
THE WAKES:
With more stock ballast than any other wakeboard boat in this guide, the Epic 23v’s wakes are massive with a vertical pop that makes easy work of wake-to-wake moves. The integrated trim tab helps dial in the peaks for moves into the flats, and the twin 1,500-pound rear tanks create standout surf wakes on either side of the boat.
