23’ Malibu
Wakesetter LSV
The Wakesetter 23 LSV does
a phenomenal job of combining the pro-level
wakeboarding wake of Malibu's flagship VLX
model with the extra interior room of its
more family-oriented models. If you have a
family, this is the perfect boat for you.
Legendary pros have trained with
the Wakesetter 23 LSV and used it in
competitions as well. We can't give a bigger endorsement than that, but our test team had a fantastic time hanging out on and riding behind this boat. It comes fully loaded for wakeboarding, expertly designed for driving and immensely fun for just hanging out on a long Saturday at the lake.
Wake
Smooth. That's the wake behind this Wakesetter 23 LSV. The peaks are nicely rounded, the long transition is troughless,
and the landing zone offers soft returns
from your aerial maneuvers. And all that is
with just the factory ballast and
adjustments to the optional Power Wedge,
which our test boat had and we highly recommend for fine-tuning the wakes shape. A tight turning radius helped us create impressive double-ups that sported excellent form. You'll
feel like a pro riding this wake, even if you aren't. Of course, you can dial it all down with very mellow ballast and a light touch on the Power Wedge to get beginner-style wake, especially if you fiddle with your line length to find the sweet spot behind this wide 100-inch beam.
Handling
We still think of this as a big boat, even though you'll find in a few models that are really supersized. Compared to smaller direct-drives, large V-drives do give up some handling characteristics to achieve those huge wakes. Yet the Wakesetter 23 LSV still wants to have nimble control, and in some ways it does. Malibu's balanced, rattle-free construction — which is always worthy of praise — keeps the ride smooth, even through chop, even with a full load of passengers. And if you really want some pop out of the hole, opt for the top-of-the-line 450-horsepower Vortec 8100 engine.
Comfort
Malibus are about as flawless as a water-sports boat can be. That's true of the interior comfort, with expansive seating enveloped in buttery, cushiony upholstery. The new plush carpet was very soft on our bare feet. Malibu packs on standard features like a removable refreshment table, oversized cup holders, flip-up driver bolster and bow walk-through wind block. Best of all, those amenities will be just as good-looking and comfortable years from now as they are the first day. Malibu has a reputation to uphold, and the company lives up to it year after year.
SPECS
Length: 23 ft.
Beam: 100 in.
Seating capacity: 14
Fuel capacity: 55 gal.
Prop: Acme 13.5 x 16 4-blade
Engine: 340 hp
