2020 Malibu Wakesetter 20VTX ups the wake, surf, ski game

The Albury, NSW-based boat-builder will start turning out the updated version of its best-selling multisport boat early next year.

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Underneath, the boat has significant changes made to its hull to both increase performance at speed and the wash generated behind the boat. At the same time, the interior has benefited from a new design and ergonomic layout, featuring design cues from the LSV model range, and all designed to ensure comfort for a big day on the water.

“Our engineering team put in countless hours developing innovative hull designs that continue to make the 20 VTX the greatest crossover boat in watersports history,” Malibu Boats Australia general manager Price Taylor said.

“What makes this new boat unique is the ability to select the sport you prefer without compromising performance for the rest of your crew.

“Malibu is all about performance and the 20-foot VTX lets you customise your performance for the perfect on-water experience.”

The biggest change owners will notice as it sits on the trailer – and yes, even the trailers that will sit under the Malibu Waverunner 20VTX gain running improvements over the ones they replace – is a completely re-designed hull design and running surface designed to maximise performance across the three most popular tow sports – skiing, wakeboarding and surfing.

Forward, the keel now has a much finer angle than before, allowing the Malibu Wakesetter 20VTX to pierce through wake and waves with more finesse. Ski boats tend to be very flat at the stern, so the ability for the bow to break through waves and wake results in a smoother ride.

Around the driver, the edges of the windscreen now kick backwards, allowing the driver to reach out and grab a tow line in the water, or a dock without having to leave the seat. The driver can also talk directly to a person in the water, too, again without having to leave the seat.

The Malibu Wakesetter 20VTX will come standard with Malibu’s G3.5 tower, but will have the option of coming with a VTX ski tower if buyers want a structure better suited to skiing.

Owners can mix and match the racks on the tower; after all, this is a boat that will allow mum to slalom in the morning, the kids to wakeboard at lunchtime, and dad to wake surf in the afternoon.

A removable centre ski pole built into the stringers for support is available as an option. When not needed, owners can lift it out to create an open boat.

Powering the 2020 Malibu Wakesetter 20VTX is the powerful yet fuel-efficient Monsoon M5i inboard engine, while four separate ballast tanks help shape the wake generated behind the boat.

Jump inside, and the Malibu Wakesetter 20 VTX looks very different to the boat it replaces.

The bow area is redesigned to create a more spacious "play pen", and a step at the aft end of the walkway doubles as a rear-facing half seat.

To even out the weight, the boat’s batteries have relocated from the rear of the boat to the bow.

Owner feedback has had a big effect on some of the revisions made to the 2020 Malibu Wakesetter 20VTX. This is in things as small as the placement of the hinges that provide access to under-seat storage in the cockpit; the seats now lift up and back to optimise the access to the storage spaces.

What else? It’s a small thing, but the 20VTX now has a rubbish bin – a lot of owners wanted this.

In a nod to a new generation of digitally savvy users, the 2020 Malibu Wakesetter 20VTX has plenty of USB charging ports throughout. In the cockpit space, too, there are now a series of individual smartphone holders.

Drivers will notice an all-new helm for 2020. There’s a new-look sports steering wheel, and even the shifter has a different, more premium look to it.

The driver’s 12-inch touchscreen that shows all the boat’s functions looks the same, but it is now 30 percent brighter than the one it replaces to make it more visible in bright sunlight, and when the sun doesn’t shine it now has an auto-dimming function to reduce glare.

The Android-based system that drives the electronics can run apps such as Spotify via a connected smartphone, and owners can even download a music library onto a 64GB storage system while the boat is sitting in the driveway, all via a wireless internet connection.

Other changes include the ability to key in a set speed rather than have to select it via up/down toggles, the ballast is shown in 5.0 per cent increments rather than 25 per cent, and the Surf gate wedge settings now have numbers so riders can request a specific setting.

Malibu’s “go home” setting that empties all the ballast tanks and resets everything carries over from the previous model, but as well as engine diagnostics the display now always shows water depth to help with maneuvering in tight spaces.

There’s a bump up in the graphics as well; the on-screen display will show a picture of the boat in matching colours to the one you own, right down to the type of tower it wears.

On the other side of the split console, the glovebox picks up the same styling as the LSV line of boats, and is flush with the dashboard. There’s also now audio controls on the port side of the helm console so that the passenger can reach across and adjust the music.

Key options include wireless charging for the driver, a heater, and a reversing camera with a display that is much larger than before and that will still show the boat’s speed.

Trailers, meanwhile, will come with steps on the front to give access to the bow of the boat while it is out of the water.

The rear of the trailers will come with the option of steps that also assist with boarding while out of the water, and include a new, much tougher rubber coating for grip.

Pricing for the 2020 Malibu Wakesetter 20VTX will be announced closer to the boat’s launch early next year.