Wakesurf This: Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV

The personal choice of Brian Grubb, Malibu’s Wakesetter 23 LSV is an absolute surf powerhouse. The hull was tweaked slightly for optimal use with Surf Gate, and the result is one of the best surf boats on the water today. The original surf system, Surf Gate is still in the lead with convenient and practical features like the horn system, which alerts you when the gate is going to switch for perfect transfers every time. Surf Gate throws a really impressive wave on this hull, and the best part is you don’t have to move any weight around. Surf Gate is controlled through the digital dash, which is all new for 2015. A massive 12-inch center screen puts you in control of primary driving functions, and an auxiliary screen houses deeper functionality that lets you truly customize your 23 LSV. Surf profiles for both sides of the boat can have steep and mellow waves, so you only have to hit the button to call up a perfect curl. The system takes care of ballast, the Power Wedge, speed control and Surf Gate, so all you have to do is press the button, let the ballast fill, and put down the throttle. This is one of the more easy-to-surf boats out there because the wave isn’t fickle or touchy; it just throws a massive curl on either side without much fuss. Upgrade to maximum ballast for a massive 2,450 pounds of tank and bag ballast so you can get a pro-level wave whenever you want.

Dig This: The 23 LSV sports the new G4 tower, which is improved for 2015 for better functionality and aesthetics. The tower has an easy collapse function, so it doesn’t matter whether you run it fully loaded or basic – it will always come down and up easily. The locking function is simple and completely devoid of pinch point. On top of all this, the structure is made with a honeycomb design that makes it incredibly rigid and sturdy.

Stat: The 23 LSV is the best-selling boat in the Malibu line, which should give you an indication of how popular this hull is, considering how popular the Malibu brand is. We can only anticipate more popularity, considering the improvements made with the redesign.