Boating — December 2018

(Brent) #1

SEE THE
VIDEO


SPEED EFFICIENCY OPERATIONnaut. stat. n. mi. s. mi. sound
rpm knots mph gph mpg mpg range range angle level
1000 4.43 5.10 0.80 5.54 6.38 389 448 1 76
1500 6.86 7.90 1.60 4.29 4.94 301 347 2 81
2000 7.91 9.10 3.10 2.55 2.94 179 206 4 81
2500 8.78 10.10 5.10 1.72 1.98 121 139 7 86
3000 12.95 14.90 8.40 1.54 1.77 108 125 10 87
3500 21.64 24.90 10.10 2.14 2.47 150 173 7 91
4000 25.11 28.90 13.00 1.93 2.22 136 156 6 90
4500 28.42 32.70 16.40 1.73 1.99 122 140 5 94
5000 30.85 35.50 21.20 1.46 1.67 102 118 4 94
5400 33.02 38.00 27.40 1.21 1.39 85 97 4 101
MOST ECONOMICAL CRUISING SPEED

High Points
XWith the Indmar Monsoon 575, the
boat is capable of hitting 38 mph
with no ballast.
XThe 12- and 7-inch touchscreen
displays make operating the boat
and controlling the wake easy and
intuitive for the driver.
XMalibu’s MultiZone RGB lighting
center lets you control the settings
of up to three zones of RGB lights.
XSeaDek fl ooring is soft underfoot
yet extremely durable, and it
increases the boat’s style points.

Specs
· LOA: 23'5" · BEAM: 8'6"
· DRY WEIGHT: 6,200 lb. · SEATING/
WEIGHT CAPACITY: 17/2,397 lb.
· FUEL CAPACITY: 78 gal.

How We Tested
ENGINE: Indmar Monsoon 575 6.2L
PROP: 17" x 15^1 / 4 " Acme 4-blade Nibral
GEAR RATIO: 1.76:1
FUEL LOAD: 66 gal.
CREW WEIGHT: 530 lb.
Price
Unavailable (at press time)

MALIBU


M235


Our test crew found out exactly what
happens when you put it all together. From
the moment we got behind the M235,
it was clear this boat makes the largest
waves of any Malibu. Every aspect of this
wave was unbelievable, from the size to
the confi gurability. The wave was clean all
the way through and had a ton of height.
Along with the size, we were really im-
pressed with the transition on this wave.
It has a perfect progression of mellow to
steep from beginning to end. Another
thing you’ll notice when surfi ng behind
the M235 is just how far back you can drop.
The pocket is really long and has a nice
lip at the end. Malibu put everything it
has into the M235, and it unquestionably
ranks among the best surfb oats available.

Even if you just dropped the Malibu
M235 in the water and started surfi ng on
the boat’s stock settings, the wave qual-
ity would approach pro levels. But when
you start to shape and customize it with
all the tools Malibu has to off er, the wave
becomes simply ridiculous.
The amenities on the M235
are ridiculous too. Luxury
features include the 12-inch
MaliView touchscreen in the
dash that is glare-proof, ex-
tremely water-resistant, and
houses all your major driving
functions with big, intuitive
menu buttons. The smaller
7-inch au x i lia r y screen ha s
everything you need to dial
in the surf specifi cs. Want
attention to detail? Check
out the electrically deployed
wind block that closes off the
windshield walk-through.

As for that wake, how does Malibu do
it? The M235 is by far the deepest, heavi-
est boat Malibu has ever built. A bigger
boat with higher freeboard means a
heavier dry weight, more and safer seat-
ing, deeper stowage and, of course, more
ballast capacity. With the Integrated Surf
Platform, you get the Surf Gate vertical tab
system, which is one of the best out there.
You can surf one side or the other without
moving any weight. With the Surf Band
on your wrist, you can adjust the tabs and
switch from side to side while you’re rid-
ing. The Surf Band also controls the boat’s
speed and the Power Wedge II, which can
tweak the wave face while you’re riding so
you get exactly what you want.

PHOTOS: COURTESY MALIBU BOATS

MALIBU BOATS
Loudon, Tennessee; 865-458-4578; malibuboats.com

To watch our
video review of
the M235, scan
this tag or visit
boatingmag
.com/bbg18/
malibum235.


C


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