Wakesetter 247 LSV
The wake customization on Malibu's new Wakesetter 247 LSV takes watersports to the next level.
By Dave Kelley
February 17, 2006
The perfect wake, like the perfect wave and the Holy Grail, probably doesn't exist. Let's
hope not, anyway, because as long as the perfect wake is still out there, but undiscovered by mere
mortals, boat designers will keep making better and better boats for us to wakeboard behind. Case
in point: the 2006 Malibu Wakesetter 247 LSV. Malibu's been making first-rate watersports boats for
a while now, but it keeps thinking there's a way to make those boats better - and it keeps
succeeding.
Maybe the biggest reason there's never been a sighting of the one true perfect wake is that every
wakeboarder has his or her own idea of what that perfect wake looks and feels like. Some like Sears
Toweresque height; others find a wake taller than their ankles intimidating. Some like a big,
curling lip at the peak; others want a wake that just ends as close to lip-free as possible. Ah,
diversity. Verily, ‘tis the spice of life.
Thing is, when you have a half-dozen wakeboarders out for an all-day session, the diversity of opinion on your boat's wake may be a bit too spicy to be recounted in a family magazine like this. It inevitably winds up that the wake is like the three bears' porridge - too hot for some, too cold for some, just right for a couple.
If you cruise Lake Austin on a summer weekend, you'll see an endless variety of wakes, created by an endless variety of wake-enhancers that range from hydrofoils to ballast tanks to trim plates, as well as the ultimate in low-tech wake-builders: filling the boat with as many people as you can and having them all sit at the transom. Some of these tools and tricks work better than others.
For years, Malibu's primary wake-enhancer has been the famous Malibu Wedge, a hydrofoil that can be deployed at the transom, acting to exert tremendous downward pressure and thereby increasing the wake's size. The system works, but there are a couple of drawbacks, most notably the fact that to deploy or retract the Wedge, you have to stop the boat, kill the engine, jump into the water, reach under the swim platform, manipulate some hardware, physically deploy or retract the Wedge, reboard and restart. And if you want to make a change in the setup, you have to repeat the process.
This, by the way, is the gist of the conversation on and around the northernmost boat ramp on Lake Austin this morning. It's also the least-used boat ramp on Lake Austin, due to the fact that it's about 10 miles north of Tom Miller Dam and the cluster of restaurants nearby. Truth is, this ramp's only a couple of miles from Mansfield Dam, which separates Lake Austin from its bigger upriver sibling, Lake Travis. And if you live up around these parts, 99 times out of 100, you're going to go to Travis and its array of activities and eateries (and drinkeries and clubs) instead of this relatively deserted stretch of Lake Austin.
Since the morning's main goal is checking out Malibu's new Wakesetter 247 LSV and its new, adjustable (and remote-controlled) Wedge instead of seeing, being seen, eating, drinking, or any combination thereof, the lonely boat ramp is perfect. And that's how the conversation's come to revolve around ballast systems and wake geometry. Just a couple of boat geeks geeking out before they hit the water.
The adjustable Wedge (it's an option, by the way, but it's hard to imagine anyone not ordering it) has the boat geeks especially geeked. Unlike the Jurassic Wedge, the new Wedge is deployed, retracted,and adjusted by a switch at the helm, not unlike a trim plate or trim tabs. Instead of clambering in and out of the boat, you flip a switch and the Wedge goes up or down. For safety, the Wedge won't retract (go up) unless the boat is in motion, so there's little or no chance of a swimmer getting pinched by the apparatus while hanging out around the swim platform.
Deploying or retracting the Wedge takes just a few seconds, and once fully deployed, the Wedge exerts anywhere from 400 to 1,200 pounds of downward force. That range is the result of the Wedge's small but effective range of motion once deployed - about two inches of travel. That doesn't sound like much, but those are two very important inches, allowing the pilot to add or subtract a significant amount of height and curl from the wake and lip, essentially customizing the wake's shape on the fly.
If you're a recreational 'boarder, adding an inch of height and/or curl to the wake may not sound like a big deal, but wait ‘til you try it. Even novices will soon find themselves requesting minute adjustments to the wake so it better fits their riding styles.
Of course, the truly gonzo aren't happy with a perfectly formed wake unless it's tall enough to rappel from. For them, the Wakesetter 247 LSV also offers 350 pounds of optional water capacity in the bow, 650 pounds of standard water capacity in the center of the boat, and a standard pair of 250-pound capacity tanks at the transom. Add the 87-gallon fuel capacity (about 525 pounds), the maximum Wedge drag of 1,200 pounds, and room on board for 10 people to ride in comfort (let's say they weigh an average of 150 pounds; that's 1,500 pounds), and you can add the equivalent of about 4,700 pounds to the boat, creating a wake that wouldn't be out of place at Pipeline.
Granted, if you add that much weight to any boat, you'll notice some changes in the way the boat accelerates and handles. But it's important to remember that on the Wakesetter 247 LSV, most of that weight is transitory. You can retract the Wedge and empty the ballast tanks in a matter of minutes. The Ballast Monitoring System, mounted at the helm, and the Wedge position gauge show you exactly where you and the boat stand in terms of ballast and Wedge deployment.
The glassy water of Lake Austin north of the 360 Bridge is perfect for testing the ballast and the Wedge, especially when the lake's relatively deserted. Total fill and deployment results in a truly massive wake, so big that if you're on a wakeboard, you might think the wake is as tall as the cliffs along the lakeshore. But then it gets interesting. Cruising past Ski Shores Café and the soon-to-be-remodeled-but-for-now-still-funky Pier, where you can get a pretty decent burger and a cold beer to enjoy while catching live music on the weekends, the artistry of the onboard wake design offered by the Wakesetter 247 LSV becomes obvious.
By partially filling selected ballast tanks and tweaking the Wedge's adjustment, it's possible for the pilot to create hugely asymmetrical wakes, just plain huge wakes, and even smaller yet beautifully shaped wakes. When it comes to wake size and shape, if you can dream it, the Wakesetter 247 LSV can most likely provide it.
With the 400-hp Hammerhead 383 (the standard motor package) providing the muscle, the Wakesetter 247 LSV handles and accelerates very well - as long as you've had the sense to retract the Wedge and empty the ballast tanks. In spite of the boat's size, the Wakesetter feels relatively light on the water, responding positively to steering input. On this early production unit, the steering is a bit stiff at low speeds, but Malibu's promise and experience has shown that this will ease up after a few sessions on the water.
Both 'boarders and drivers will appreciate Malibu's decision to make cruise control standard on the Wakesetter 247 LSV, so there's no problem for even novice drivers to lock onto the perfect tow speed - whether it's a skier, a wakeboarder or an inflatable that's being pulled. During a long day running up and down Lake Austin, the cruise control on this boat holds steady at speeds ranging from 15 mph (about what you'd want for an inflatable) all the way up to 36 mph (tournament slalom), as verified by GPS.
Malibu's known for the wide-open layouts on its boats, and the Wakesetter 247 LSV is no exception. Although Malibu is bucking the industry trend toward bigger and cushier bow seating areas (the bow seating area on the Wakesetter 247 LSV is pretty compact), it's doing so in the belief that people want walking-around room in the main seating area instead of the bow, and it's probably right. Few adults actually spend much time at all in the bow, so why stretch it out?
There's all kinds of space from the bow walk-through back to the transom sun lounge. It's no stretch of the imagination to see 10 people on board without anyone complaining too much about overcrowding. This is definitely a boat designed with family outings in mind, even if it comes with high-performance watersports credibility.
By the time the sun starts to work its way to the horizon and a very thirsty and hungry couple of people pull the Wakesetter 247 LSV into one of the slips at Lucy's Boathouse (the newest restaurant at the southern tip of Lake Austin, and one that will see many return visits), the verdict is clear: Malibu's scored with this one. From the stark styling of the tower to the solid performance of the Hammerhead 383 engine, and from the much-appreciated addition of a flip-up bolster to the driver's seat to the even-more-appreciated addition of the powered Wedge, there's not a discouraging word to be heard about the boat, either on board or on the docks.
Maybe the biggest reason there's never been a sighting of the one true perfect wake is that every
wakeboarder has his or her own idea of what that perfect wake looks and feels like. Some like Sears
Toweresque height; others find a wake taller than their ankles intimidating. Some like a big,
curling lip at the peak; others want a wake that just ends as close to lip-free as possible. Ah,
diversity. Verily, ‘tis the spice of life.
Thing is, when you have a half-dozen wakeboarders out for an all-day session, the diversity of opinion on your boat's wake may be a bit too spicy to be recounted in a family magazine like this. It inevitably winds up that the wake is like the three bears' porridge - too hot for some, too cold for some, just right for a couple.
If you cruise Lake Austin on a summer weekend, you'll see an endless variety of wakes, created by an endless variety of wake-enhancers that range from hydrofoils to ballast tanks to trim plates, as well as the ultimate in low-tech wake-builders: filling the boat with as many people as you can and having them all sit at the transom. Some of these tools and tricks work better than others.
For years, Malibu's primary wake-enhancer has been the famous Malibu Wedge, a hydrofoil that can be deployed at the transom, acting to exert tremendous downward pressure and thereby increasing the wake's size. The system works, but there are a couple of drawbacks, most notably the fact that to deploy or retract the Wedge, you have to stop the boat, kill the engine, jump into the water, reach under the swim platform, manipulate some hardware, physically deploy or retract the Wedge, reboard and restart. And if you want to make a change in the setup, you have to repeat the process.
This, by the way, is the gist of the conversation on and around the northernmost boat ramp on Lake Austin this morning. It's also the least-used boat ramp on Lake Austin, due to the fact that it's about 10 miles north of Tom Miller Dam and the cluster of restaurants nearby. Truth is, this ramp's only a couple of miles from Mansfield Dam, which separates Lake Austin from its bigger upriver sibling, Lake Travis. And if you live up around these parts, 99 times out of 100, you're going to go to Travis and its array of activities and eateries (and drinkeries and clubs) instead of this relatively deserted stretch of Lake Austin.
Since the morning's main goal is checking out Malibu's new Wakesetter 247 LSV and its new, adjustable (and remote-controlled) Wedge instead of seeing, being seen, eating, drinking, or any combination thereof, the lonely boat ramp is perfect. And that's how the conversation's come to revolve around ballast systems and wake geometry. Just a couple of boat geeks geeking out before they hit the water.
The adjustable Wedge (it's an option, by the way, but it's hard to imagine anyone not ordering it) has the boat geeks especially geeked. Unlike the Jurassic Wedge, the new Wedge is deployed, retracted,and adjusted by a switch at the helm, not unlike a trim plate or trim tabs. Instead of clambering in and out of the boat, you flip a switch and the Wedge goes up or down. For safety, the Wedge won't retract (go up) unless the boat is in motion, so there's little or no chance of a swimmer getting pinched by the apparatus while hanging out around the swim platform.
Deploying or retracting the Wedge takes just a few seconds, and once fully deployed, the Wedge exerts anywhere from 400 to 1,200 pounds of downward force. That range is the result of the Wedge's small but effective range of motion once deployed - about two inches of travel. That doesn't sound like much, but those are two very important inches, allowing the pilot to add or subtract a significant amount of height and curl from the wake and lip, essentially customizing the wake's shape on the fly.
If you're a recreational 'boarder, adding an inch of height and/or curl to the wake may not sound like a big deal, but wait ‘til you try it. Even novices will soon find themselves requesting minute adjustments to the wake so it better fits their riding styles.
Of course, the truly gonzo aren't happy with a perfectly formed wake unless it's tall enough to rappel from. For them, the Wakesetter 247 LSV also offers 350 pounds of optional water capacity in the bow, 650 pounds of standard water capacity in the center of the boat, and a standard pair of 250-pound capacity tanks at the transom. Add the 87-gallon fuel capacity (about 525 pounds), the maximum Wedge drag of 1,200 pounds, and room on board for 10 people to ride in comfort (let's say they weigh an average of 150 pounds; that's 1,500 pounds), and you can add the equivalent of about 4,700 pounds to the boat, creating a wake that wouldn't be out of place at Pipeline.
Granted, if you add that much weight to any boat, you'll notice some changes in the way the boat accelerates and handles. But it's important to remember that on the Wakesetter 247 LSV, most of that weight is transitory. You can retract the Wedge and empty the ballast tanks in a matter of minutes. The Ballast Monitoring System, mounted at the helm, and the Wedge position gauge show you exactly where you and the boat stand in terms of ballast and Wedge deployment.
The glassy water of Lake Austin north of the 360 Bridge is perfect for testing the ballast and the Wedge, especially when the lake's relatively deserted. Total fill and deployment results in a truly massive wake, so big that if you're on a wakeboard, you might think the wake is as tall as the cliffs along the lakeshore. But then it gets interesting. Cruising past Ski Shores Café and the soon-to-be-remodeled-but-for-now-still-funky Pier, where you can get a pretty decent burger and a cold beer to enjoy while catching live music on the weekends, the artistry of the onboard wake design offered by the Wakesetter 247 LSV becomes obvious.
By partially filling selected ballast tanks and tweaking the Wedge's adjustment, it's possible for the pilot to create hugely asymmetrical wakes, just plain huge wakes, and even smaller yet beautifully shaped wakes. When it comes to wake size and shape, if you can dream it, the Wakesetter 247 LSV can most likely provide it.
With the 400-hp Hammerhead 383 (the standard motor package) providing the muscle, the Wakesetter 247 LSV handles and accelerates very well - as long as you've had the sense to retract the Wedge and empty the ballast tanks. In spite of the boat's size, the Wakesetter feels relatively light on the water, responding positively to steering input. On this early production unit, the steering is a bit stiff at low speeds, but Malibu's promise and experience has shown that this will ease up after a few sessions on the water.
Both 'boarders and drivers will appreciate Malibu's decision to make cruise control standard on the Wakesetter 247 LSV, so there's no problem for even novice drivers to lock onto the perfect tow speed - whether it's a skier, a wakeboarder or an inflatable that's being pulled. During a long day running up and down Lake Austin, the cruise control on this boat holds steady at speeds ranging from 15 mph (about what you'd want for an inflatable) all the way up to 36 mph (tournament slalom), as verified by GPS.
Malibu's known for the wide-open layouts on its boats, and the Wakesetter 247 LSV is no exception. Although Malibu is bucking the industry trend toward bigger and cushier bow seating areas (the bow seating area on the Wakesetter 247 LSV is pretty compact), it's doing so in the belief that people want walking-around room in the main seating area instead of the bow, and it's probably right. Few adults actually spend much time at all in the bow, so why stretch it out?
There's all kinds of space from the bow walk-through back to the transom sun lounge. It's no stretch of the imagination to see 10 people on board without anyone complaining too much about overcrowding. This is definitely a boat designed with family outings in mind, even if it comes with high-performance watersports credibility.
By the time the sun starts to work its way to the horizon and a very thirsty and hungry couple of people pull the Wakesetter 247 LSV into one of the slips at Lucy's Boathouse (the newest restaurant at the southern tip of Lake Austin, and one that will see many return visits), the verdict is clear: Malibu's scored with this one. From the stark styling of the tower to the solid performance of the Hammerhead 383 engine, and from the much-appreciated addition of a flip-up bolster to the driver's seat to the even-more-appreciated addition of the powered Wedge, there's not a discouraging word to be heard about the boat, either on board or on the docks.
related articles:
Wakesetter 247 LSV : The wake customization on Malibu's new Wakesetter 247 LSV takes watersports to the next level.
