Hi, Does anyone here have any current experience with the Mastercraft Line of Ski Tow Boats? I am looking at one of these for a client and am interested to know if anyone has one or has had one and what if any problems they had with them. This is what my client has indicated he would like to have. http://www.mastercraft.com/boats/media/x30ss
Gave some lessons on one last year. Think it was a 21 or 23'. For maneuvering in close-quarters they're ridiculous. Worst single I've ever handled. Then again though, that's not what they're made for. They run flat and track like they're glued to a rail. Even handled a 1'-1 1/2' chop fine. They are made for skiing/wakeboarding, etc. and not much else. The old ones were better for use as a general speedboat. Another thing is the mechanicals. Things aren't where you'd expect to find them. Things are placed considering balance first. The engine box is just that. There were things I had a real hard time finding without knowing the boat. Not sure if I remember correctly, but I'm thinking it was battery switches and trim tab fluid. Then there's the ballast...didn't mess with that. If your client is into serious competition ski & wakeboarding they are unmatched, but if he's looking more for a thrill boat that's also great for ski/wakeboarding I'd lean more toward a jet, probably a Yamaha.
Hi, Thanks for the replies guys. I am not sure what my clients sporting abilities are, I have spent almost a year trying to find a sports boat for him and thought I had it cracked with a fully loaded Zodiac Proluxe 853 only to be asked to look at better ski boat with a gas engine then after showing him some he sent me a link to this site so it's down this road we go. The gasoline storage issue is a big thing in itself luckily there are a few Jetskiis lurking in the same space as the Mastercraft will reside so there is some provision for Gas Storage. Personally I don't think a jet boat would really cut it and as for "low speed opearation"- not sure if those words apply to a single engined jetboat of any size.
Not familiar with the 853 in particular, but Zodiacs tend to be a bit buoyant for wakeboarding. You tend to get bow rise and lag when you nail the throttle with a skier back there, where a Mastercraft tends to shoot straight out of the hole. If you prefer props over jets and a bit of fanciness you might also want to look at Cobalt.
K1W1, did you look at 'Nautiques' by correct craft? Just for comparison. Nautiques dot com Cheers Vivariva
Excellant ski boats and more in line with the old Mastercrafts (better than the new Mastercrafts for general use). Haven't seen many of them around this area in recent years though. Certainly worth checking out. Your client should understand that if he goes for a true ski boat it will tend to drive through waves instead of over. They're designed for smooth water.
A member at my gym just took 3rd place, barefooting in the US Nationals last week. He's been trying to get me behind his boat for months, but I'm enjoying a relatively pain free life these days. I'll ask his opinion tomorrow. My best slalom run was 6 bouys @ 22 off, 34 mph. At 36 mph (mens competition speed) I could barely get the first 3 bouys. I was 29 years old at the time. Today, a bouy is for anchoring!
I can relate... When I was very young I could just about the same. My brother has a Mastercraft and chided me into coming out to try some runs the last time I was in So. Fla.... I was at full length and 32... I was a bit late on the 3rd bouy and tried to make some up on the fouth, so I really hung into it....... Dug the toe crossing the first wake and fell so hard that I shredded a vest and ended up wearing only the harness. I hurt in places that I didn't know you could hurt for two months... Serious water skiing is a lot like bicycles and sex... It's not that you forget how to do it...... But you find that if you don't do it very often you aren't going be very good at it..... As Clint Eastwood said... "Man's gotta know his limitations"...
All of these inboard and V-drive sport boats use a good deal more gas than an I/O runabout, or even an OB sport boat. In the US market Cobalt is plenty popular in this particular size, with I/O setup. But a MasterCraft would have an edge for skiing (mostly better wake characteristics). Nice to have such choices! Kelly
The X30 is really a specialized wakeboarding boat, not just a water ski towboat. Whats the difference ? Wakeboarding boats need to create a much larger wake for the board rider to play on. This is why v drives were such a hit in wakeboard boats, allowing the engine, which was usually amidships in ski boats, to be move much further aft, creating a larger wake. Wakeboard boats now also usually include some type of automatic ballasting system to add extra weight to the rear of the boat. Wakeboard towers allow the rider to achieve greater height when launching from a wake, but are not really good for water skiing. The towers on these boats do not fold easily if stowage and clearance is an issue. Wakeboard boats like the Mastercraft usually include a second pylon lower near the transom for towing a skier. If your client is looking only for a good waterski tow boat then these features will not be of any interest to him. If he is interested in a good all around boat thats equally at home towing a wakeboarder or skier then the X30 is in the right class for him. The newest form of boarding is something called "Wakesurfing". Wakesurfing requires a deep carved wake at very slow speeds, usually achieved by loading ballast on only one side of the boat. Wakesurfing is done without a rope tow, within a few feet of the transom. Its so easy even old dudes like me can do it. Heck, on a nice flat lake, you can have somebody hand you a beer off the back of the boat while you are slowly surfing along. Its quieter, so you can talk to people in the boat without yelling. Mastercraft does make highly evolved boardsports boats, but they do not have the best build quality in the industry, so make sure you have good dealer support if this is the boat you choose to purchase. Cobalt boats are usually more widely recognized as the top quality boat in the field, although they really dont specialize in tournament wakeboard boats as much as they do runabouts, but they are very well suited to towing water skiers. I have many years of experience here in the Pac Northwest working on most of the major brands of tournament ski and wakeboard boats. Now, I'm an audio guy, not a grease monkey, so dont ask me about Bravo III's, but I have stuffed myself into enough nooks and crannies in these boats to know which ones are put together well, and Mastercraft is not near the top of the list. I think, after listening to many dealers talk freely about which wakeboard boat is truly the best, Malibu boats come up as the top choice more than any other. If your client want the best overall boardsports boat around , something like this Malibu Wakesetter VLX http://www.malibuboats.com/boats/wakesetter/vlx would be a good choice.
K1W1, if the owner is on a lake and is only in it for the wakeboarding (in a serious way) then i would second the Malibu. also im not to sure about the other brands, Mastercraft, Lewis etc, but the malibu comes with a foil that folds down behind the boat (behind the prop) and digs into the water to create better wake. but these boats are only designed for that one thing. if its more an all rounder that the client is after then i would recommend the Cobalt, kitted out with a tower. ive been a fan of these boats for years. they even say it could handle moreton bay. moreton bay is my back yard for boating (sail/power), and for the reviewer to say that about the boat, well its saying something pretty good. http://images.google.com.au/imgres?...q=Cobalt+222+review&gbv=2&hl=en&safe=off&um=1 far
I own a '07 mastercraft X-45 Saltwater Series and I most definitely recommend them. I haven't had one problem with the crusaders engine since I got the boat and the ride is great. In addition, everything IS where you would expect it to be; the battery switch is in a typical place (under one of the cushions right near the engine like in most bow riders) etc. As a boater in the long island region, I can tell you first hand that even in chop the boat handles well. I must agree with NYCAP123 when he says that it's difficult to maneuver especially when docking. You can't turn left when in reverse. The low free board and being unable to maneuver to the left while in reverse are essentially the only flaws with the boat. I've ridden on both mastercrafts and malibus, and I must say that the mastercrafts are superior boats. The layout on several malibus are awkard compared to mastercrafts, and the seats are no where near as comfortable (by the way the x-45 seats 18). Mastercrafts seem to make the best use of space, partially through using the pitch-fork style bow. Now, that being said, I would advise you to get the x-35 as opposed to the x-30. Lastly, a v-drive on a smaller boat is probably one of the best things about mastercrafts. I've had several boats over the years including a formula with sterndrives and a cobalt, and this mastercraft with a straight drive crusaders (freshwater cooled) engine is truly great. After all, they use them on tiaras. Here's the link to my boat if you want to take a look at it. If you have any specific questions don't hesitate to as. http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2007-Mastercraft-X-45-Saltwater-Series-95623081
Hi, Thanks again for all the replies. The boat will be used in the sea. The storage space for this boat is limited by both length and height and an X 30 can just be squeezed in.
Luv Sangers for our lakes. Neato boats, with a Kalifornia old school vibe. But for the sea? I don't think so!!!! Kelly
K1W1, if its going to be used in the sea, then how about something with a better 'V', like a Baja Islander/outlaw with a tower. they have 23deg deadrise at the transom. these tournament ski boats your after are designed for lakes, doesnt matter how good there made, if there going to be used in the sea they will be a rubbish ride. http://www.bajamarine.com/index.asp?display=brochure&tab=0&modelid=103694 far.
