The best wakeboard boat for you might be right here. After all, flagship wakeboard boats represent the absolute best of what every wakeboard boat brand has to offer. These lineup leaders throw the best wakes, boast the biggest, best interiors and come outfitted with virtually every innovation imaginable. Here’s a first look at how the very best wakeboard boats just got better.
2011 Epic 23V
The Epic 23V long ago carved out a unique spot for itself with a host of one-of-a-kind features. Its 4,000-pound ballast system is still far and away the largest in the biz, and its 10-speaker transom sound system is as loud as it is rare. It’s no surprise then that the Epic 23V now boats hybrid and all-electric siblings — the Epic 23e and Epic 21se. But the Epic 23V also recently made some more traditional flagship wakeboard boat moves by towing pro events like Board Up Miami and Wakestock Abu Dhabi.
Epic 23V Specs
Length: 22 ft. 9 in.
Width: 98 in.
Factory Ballast: 4,000 lbs.
Who Rides It: Jeff Weatherall, Tony Carroll, Adam Fields, Raequel and Shawna Hoffman
Events Pulled: Wakestock Abu Dhabi and Board Up Miami
Go to epicboats.com for more info.
2011 Malibu Wakesetter VLX
It’s safe to call the Malibu Wakesetter VLX a boat of champions. After all, it counts as owners three-time King of Wake Phillip Soven and Dallas Friday, who has won more wakeboarding accolades than any other woman. For 2011, the Wakesetter VLX takes an iPad-like leap forward with Malibu Touch Command. The new touch-screen control center, which employs the same touch technology as high-end digital device like the iPhone and iPad, works in concert the 6.5-inch MaliView LCD display to control all the Malibu Wakesetter VLX’s key functions. Other new features include coded keyless ignition, the bad-ass Indmar L96 6-liter, 410-horsepower engine and Flo-cam rear-view rider camera system, which tracks a rider’s back-and-forth path behind the boat.
Malibu Wakesetter VLX Specs
Length: 21 ft.
Width: 100 in.
Factory Ballast: 900 lbs.
Who Rides This Boat: Phillip Soven, Dallas Friday, Chad Sharpe, Kevin Henshaw
Events Pulled: Wakestock Canada, Wakestock UK and INT events
Go to malibuboats.com for more info.
2011 MasterCraft X-Star
The MasterCraft X-Star boasts one of the most impressive legacies of any wakeboard boat. Here’s the dramatically truncated version: It’s the longtime official towboat of the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour, and the wakeboard boat of choice for guys like two-time Rider of the Year Rusty Malinoski and wake legend Parks Bonifay. In 2011, the X-Star adds another superlative to its already glowing resume — the first electronically controlled wakeboard tower. The latest version of MasterCraft’s Zero Flex tower, the new ZFT 5p raises or lowers to three different heights with the flip of a switch, which makes a snap of navigating the MasterCraft X-Star under a bridge or into a garage.
MasterCraft X-Star Specs
Length: 22 ft. 3 in.
Width: 100 in.
Factory ballast: 865 lbs.
Who Rides This Boat: Rusty Malinoski, Andrew Adkison, Zane Schwenk
Events Pulled: MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour
Go to mastercraft.com for more info.
2011 Moomba Mobius Gravity XLV
The Moomba Mobius Gravity XLV boasts the pedigree of towing the Gravity Games, one of the largest action-sports events that wakeboarding has ever been a part of. That lineage, combined with a 1,400-pound ballast system and rider-friendly interior, make the Moomba Mobius Gravity XLV one of the best values of any flagship wakeboard boat. For 2011, the Moomba Mobius Gravity XLV sports the new spring-assisted V2 tower, whose clean swooped-forward design and blacked-out appearance match the Gravity XLV’s new edgy look.
2011 Moomba Mobius Gravity XLV Specs
Length: 23 ft.
Width: 98 in.
Factory ballast: 1,400 lbs.
Who Rides This Boat: Kyle Schmidt and Russ Wilde
Go to moomba.com for more info.
2011 Supra Launch 242
Supra’s all-new flagship wakeboard boat, the Supra Launch 242 made its triumphant debut as the official towboat of the 2010 Wakeboard World Championships. Since then, the Supra 242 has been booting riders like Trevor Hansen, Ben Greenwood and Amber Wing, whose first-ever session behind the Supra Launch 242 produced the October cover of this magazine. No one should be surprised by the fast start. The Supra Launch 242 picks up where the pro-level wakes of its predecessor, the Supra Launch 24 V, left off, but ups the ante with a sprawling main cabin and the most refined style and interior that Supra’s ever produced. It also sports all of Supra Boats’ latest innovations, including a new hybrid tank-and-bag ballast system, height-adjustable driver’s seat and the VISION system, which integrates all of the 242’s key functions into a slick LCD console.
2011 Supra Launch 242 Specs
Length: 24 ft.
Width: 102 in.
Factory ballast: 1,700 lbs.
Who Rides This Boat: Trevor Hansen, Ben Greenwood, Amber Wing, Josh Sanders, Austin Hair
Events Pulled: WWA Wakeboard World Championships
Go to supraboats.com for more info.
2011 Super Air Nautique 230
The Super Air Nautique 230 has made a name for itself as one of the premiere tournament-level wakeboard boats by towing three of the sports biggest events — the Air Nautique Wake Games, WWA Wakeboard National Championships and the Masters. But that’s just where the Super Air Nautique 230’s cred begins. It’s also the preferred ride of some of today’s top riders, including Danny Harf, Bob Soven, Jimmy LaRiche and JD Webb as well as the legendary Shaun Murray. In 2011, the Super Air Nautique 230 rocks the latest incarnation of Nautique’s iconic Flight Control Tower. The new Weightless System counters the swing weight of FCT, allowing a single person to effortlessly lower the tower to two settings — one for bridges and another for garages.
2011 Super Air Nautique 230 Specs
Length: 23 ft. 1.5 in.
Width: 100.5 in.
Factory ballast: 1,075 lbs.
Who Rides This Boat: Danny Harf, Shaun Murray, Bob Soven, Shawn Watson, Jimmy LaRiche and JD Webb.
Event(s) Pulled: Air Nautique Wake Games, WWA Wakeboard National Championships, and Masters.
Go to nautiques.com for more info.
2011 Tige RZ4
The Tige RZ is the flagship wakeboard boat of Tige’s future-forward RZ series. In the Tige RZ4, the hefty wakes of a 24-foot wakeboard boat meet razor-edge styling and up-to-the-minute technology. One of last season’s best wakeboard boat innovations, TigeTouch is back in 2011 to control everything in the Tige RZ4 with the touch of a button.
2011 Tige RZ4 Specs
Length: 24 ft.
Width: 102 in.
Who Rides This Boat: Erik Ruck, Adam Errington, Daniel Watkins and Nick Weinacker
Go to tige.com for more info.
