Malibu Wakesetter 21XTi

When you sit on a chair for any length of time, you get a pretty good idea of its comfort. When you sit in a chair for 10 minutes, you don't get the full story. Believe me, I have spent the best part of the last few weeks shopping for a new sofa where the same principles apply.

Fresh from my lounging, it is my educated opinion that the seats on the new Malibu Wakesetter 21XTi are up there with a luxury sofa. The helm chair, for example, slides front to back, swivels on a unique mechanism and includes adjustable lumbar support that is more considerate than in some luxury cars.

There is no recliner motion, but I don't doubt Malibu is working on it. Like a lot of good companies, Malibu are driven to do things better. And not just in the seating department.

The new-for-2003 Malibu Wakesetter 21XTi bears testimony to a million-dollar-a-year R&D budget. Look closely at the upholstery, stick you head under the dash or sidepockets, examine the details in detail and you will discover the difference between this boat and one built on a shoestring budget.

Marketing is another strength of the big US-based company. Malibu not only rides the image wagon, but also carefully designs its boats for subtle markets. While the Malibu range spans 17 different models ranging from 20ft to 22ft 6in, within those 30 inches exists a world of difference. The new Wakesetter 21XTi is an example of a purpose-built niche-market boat.

HOME BREWED
Made in Albury under licence from the Californian parent company, the Wakesetter 21XTi looked the goods with its standard-issue two-tone hull. This was a black-and-silver colour combo, but there are 18 to choose from. The tattoo-like graphics and matching trailer are also part of the deal.

The matching Malibu-branded trailer is made by Easy Tow exclusively for Malibu. It is headed by a swing-away chromed drawbar. With the boat's teak swim platform removed, you can reduce the rig's storage length by at least a metre.

The matching black trailer has rounded steel frames, two custom-fitted skids or bunks per side, and comes adjusted for the 21XTi hull. Hydraulic disc brakes (towing weight is around 1800kg), Malibu mag wheels, stainless steel tread steps and side clearance lights complete the cradle. This was a snappy boat to launch and retrieve.

STRONG AS
The hull itself is modelled on the Sunscape 21, the design base from which just about every Malibu has evolved, but with a different stringer system for the centre-mounted motor. The motor rests on a cool moulded inner chassis that includes two full-length stringers.

The stringers are hollow fibreglass and are used to vent the engine room via intakes under the windscreen and outlets at the transom. The boat also has a full-moulded fibreglass floor liner'glassed into place. The void either side of the motor is foam filled for sound dampening. A special acoustic film in the lay-up is an option.

The hand-laminated hull, with moulded chassis incorporating stringers and the floor liner 'glassed in place, is bonded and screwed to the moulded deck. The final single unit is what is known as monocoque construction. Polyethylene is used for seat bases and honeycomb aluminium appears on some of the floor sections.

Upholstery is high-grade vinyl that has been French-stitched and is backed by webbing. Numerous thicknesses of foam are used for seat sculpturing. A nice touch, the seat bases have trick little breathers to prevent moisture build-up.

Malibu Australia has 35 people currently on the payroll in some way helping to build these boats. The Americans have flown down under to check on the operation and the Australian-made boats were judged to be world class.

I, too, stuck my head in sidepockets and in other out-of-the-way recesses and found not a daggy shred of 'glass, stapled piece of upholstery or splinter of timber. Instead, there were through-bolted stainless grab handles, solid Australian-made bases for the tow tower, and a good stainless steel rubrail.

The attention to detail — things such as fuel fillers on both sides on the hull for less hassle at the service station ? helps make the Malibu stand out from the pack. Production volumes at the Albury factory are on the rise and the dealer network will also expand soon, the company promises.

In the last few years, the market for Malibus has expanded from 25 to 40-year-old executives to anyone from 20 to 60 years olds. Contrary to their upmarket looks, package prices start at less than $40,000. The new Wakesetter 21XTi offers a lot for $53,000 in today's market.

IN THE WAKE
The Malibu 21XTi has obviously been designed for the wakeboarding market. In this industry, rear-mounted motors with V-drives are all the rage because they help shift weight aft to make a bigger wave for the boarder to launch off. Also made for wakeboarding, the Wakesetter 21XTi has a centre-mounted motor more in keeping with traditional skiboats. What's the deal?

Challenged with producing a big wake from a centremount, Malibu's R&D team included three smart wake-making design features in the aptly named Wakesetter 21XTi. At least one of these, the unique seating layout that places crew weight back aft, has additional benefits.

The so-called Malibu Launch System starts with an underfloor sack or bladder linked to a bilgepump and dash switch. Press a button to quickly fill the tank or swiftly jettison the liquid ballast. When full, the underfloor bladder carries 200lt of water or an extra 200kg.

The next wake-enhancing feature is a unique U-shaped aft seating arrangement. Four people can comfortably sit near the transom and enjoy the wakeboarding show out the back.

Whereas most boats have just one aft-facing lounge for the ski observer, this boat has a rear-facing lounge and two side-seats so four people can watch the wakeboarder.

Four people sitting back aft at an average of, say, 75kg each add another 300kg to the boat's displacement and raises the wake a few notches more.

But the feature that appeals to me is the external transom-hung Wakesetter wedge, which can be set through a flip-up hatch in the boarding platform. An inverted alloy hydrofoil preset at about 8°, the foil locks into place whereupon it creates a whopping 450kg of downforce, according to Malibu.

Thus, with the bladder full, four people in the aft cockpit and the wedge in place, you can enjoy the wave-making effect of about 1000kg of load while carrying only half that amount in real terms.

What's more, as the wakeboarders are towelling down for the day, Dad the driver can jump over and, in a matter of minutes, the boat can be converted into less of a wakemaker and more of a ski rig.

SUMMER LOVING
Internally, there is smart decoration using various textures and shades of coffee, cream and mocha coloured upholstery and soft carpet. The layout lends itself to social boating in between playing with the wake. Unusually, there are three distinct seating areas. The bow area is headed by a split navigation light and traced by a raked elliptical stainless rail that provides a handhold for crew. The lounges up here have lovely sculptured backrests, and the seats and the footwell are spacious enough for two adults and perhaps one child to sit together.

Lined sidepockets provide somewhere to stash personals, a courtesy light is a nice touch for those after-dark restaurant runs, while a standard issue infill lets you create a sunpad as needed. Freeboard is sufficiently high to prevent shipping water when crossing boat wakes.

The centre section of the five-piece windscreen opens on a rubber stopper. The struts holding up the windscreen are fashioned from stout stainless steel piping and not some dodgy plastic fitting. A nice touch is the slide-in Perspex windblock to seal off the bow area.

Storage nets flank the companionway, which is tapered back so as to create room for a genuine two-person observers' lounge opposite the helm. Underfloor is a storage locker holding the water bladder and room for stowing wet stuff.

STACKS OF STORAGE
There is a big storage compartment with space for a wakeboard ahead of the observer and an even bigger locker to starboard behind the skipper and alongside the centre-mounted motor. It has room for more wakeboards and skis, esky and picnic baskets. Lid down, it makes an amidships sunpad to complement the one in the bow.

This boat also has optional wakeboarding racks on its upgraded Illusion tow tower. In my view, racks are a must-have since they can store four boards outside the boat and keep the interior totally free.

Alongside the observer is a a grabrail, two drinkholders and a lockable glovebox that lifts on a gas strut.

Access exists only down the port side of the centre-mounted padded engine box. The port side has a storage net for paddles and the anchor light extension.

The third and final seating area is in the aft cockpit, which has U-shaped arrangement for four people around a standard demountable cockpit table. The table and pedestal are stored in dedicated brackets under the seats.

A quasi amenities centre is built into the transom along with non-skid tread steps to help you jump back aboard after wakeboarding or swimming. Built into the boat are an icebox, two speakers, a 12V accessory plug for the video camera or mobile and provision for a H/C cockpit shower and heater, plus standard-issue drinkholders and grabrails.

As far as towing points are concerned, there is the Illusion tower, which is strong enough to sit on, a pull-up swivel skipole on the leading edge of the engine box, and at least one aft towing hook. The teak boarding platform sits right at or just below water level and is backed by a grabrail to help passengers aboard.

DRIVING PLEASURE
Full marks for the innovative driver's seat that, despite space constraints, swivels, slides, offers a great view through the windscreen and has a padded armrest concealing a Clarion stereo system. The sound system was upgraded on this boat to a JBL with remote and MP3 input.

There is a storage pocket and a handy drinkholder for the driver, but the best thing is the stitched vinyl dash reminiscent of what you might find in a luxury car. It sports a nice spread of 5.5in Borg Warner electronically driven gauges.

The gauges include a combo oil pressure, engine temp, fuel and volts meter; a separate switch-adjustable speedo with LCD relaying water and air temp, engine hours and clock; and a tacho amigo for engine revs. The accent panels upon which the switch panels are mounted were brushed champagne in colour. Circuit breakers are nearby.

In the sports department, you get a big rear-vision mirror, tilt-adjustable wheel with matching brushed-champagne accents, balanced rack and pinion steering, and a smooth Morse MV3 shift linked to a Hurth 1:1 FNR gearbox. The motor is a 310hp Chevrolet Vortec built by Indmar exclusively for Malibu.

In-line exhausts and a CNC precision-cut three-blade 12 x 13in prop help reduce engine noise and add to the overall smoothness of the ride. Three bronze skegs keep the modified-vee hull on track in turns and computer involvement in the mould-making processes should ensure the hull isn't out of kilter.

TICKET TO RIDE
The Hawkesbury is the traditional home of skiing and wakeboarding in NSW and was our playground for the best part of a summer's afternoon. The drought kept the logs at bay and the hangover from a long hot holiday season meant most people were back at work. Yippee!

The 310hp V8 gave excellent hole shot and, as mentioned, the rig seems pleasantly smooth and quiet. At 2000rpm, the boat happily holds the plane at 27kmh.

Wakeboarding speeds are between 2200-2500rpm or 32-40kmh. Fill the bladder and drop the wedge and the wake grows into a steep wave with nice lip.

It really is amazing how well the wake-making system works.

Social skiing speeds were logged around 3000rpm and 53kmh, while river cruising was most fuel efficient at 4000rpm and 66kmh. Top speed saw the 21XTI hit 76kmh at 4850rpm and you could rip it around as hard as you dare and the prop wouldn't let go.

Whether you are behind the wheel, observing the action, or out the back cutting loose on a river or inland impoundment somewhere, the new Wakesetter 21XTi will please.

Next time I've vowed to give that lippy wake a workout as well as reclining in the awesome deck chairs.