Boating — December 2018

SEE THE

VIDEO

SPEED EFFICIENCY OPERATIONnaut. stat. n. mi. s. mi. sound

rpm knots mph gph mpg mpg range range angle level

1000 5.82 6.70 0.90 6.47 7.44 279 322 0 72

1500 7.13 8.20 1.70 4.19 4.82 181 208 1 79

2000 8.17 9.40 3.70 2.21 2.54 95 110 4 82

2500 10.60 12.20 6.30 1.68 1.94 73 84 7 87

3000 21.29 24.50 8.10 2.63 3.02 114 131 9 89

3500 26.42 30.40 10.60 2.49 2.87 108 124 5 91

4000 30.85 35.50 11.70 2.64 3.03 114 131 4 95

MOST ECONOMICAL CRUISING SPEED

High Points

XMaxBallast system adds all the

necessary weight for precise

measurements, helping amplify

the wake.

XThe 12- and 7-inch touchscreen

displays give the driver fi ngertip

control of the boat’s functions.

XIntegrated Surf Platform tech-

nologies include Surf Gate, Power

Wedge and Surf Band.

XPickle-fork design creates wide-

open bow seating for the crowd.

Specs

· LOA: 22'5" · BEAM: 8'6"

· DRY WEIGHT: 4,850 lb. · SEATING/

WEIGHT CAPACITY: 15/2,115 lb.

· FUEL CAPACITY: 48 gal.

How We Tested

ENGINE: Indmar Monsoon 575 6.2L

PROP: 15" x 14^1 / 4 " 4-blade Acme Nibral

GEAR RATIO: 1.76:1

FUEL LOAD: 36 gal.

CREW WEIGHT: 580 lb.

Price

Unavailable (at press time)

MALIBU

Wakesetter 22 MXZ

design aff ords extra legroom, and main

cockpit area, where a rear-facing back-

rest to port provides the perfect area for

a spotter. There’s plenty of stowage, and

Malibu off ers cutting-edge color schemes

that will look cool to even the most jaded

millennial in the family. Malibu builds its

hull via its patented FibECS chassis and

eight-layer lamination process, creating

a superior build that helps the hull last

while producing a solid, rattle-free ride

across kicked-up lake chop.

While it’s built to make a wake, the 22

MXZ holds its own while cruising around

or running over to the best spot to start a

session. Powered with an Indmar Monsoon

575 gasoline inboard, our test model hit a

top speed of 35.5 mph, reaching 20 mph in

about 13 seconds. With no ballast aboard,

the 22 MXZ planed in 4.5 seconds.

The Wakesetter 22 MXZ incorporates

Malibu’s signature pickle-fork hull shape

with its Integrated Surf Platform technol-

ogies to help it produce large, consistently

surfable waves. Our surf team found the

waves behind this boat to be heavy and

substantial, with a really big

pocket and enough power to

play around farther back. An-

other thing you’ll notice once

behind this boat is how tall

the wave is, one that’s compa-

rable to the waves produced

by much larger models. It’s a

high-caliber wave that off ers

the rider a lot to work with.

As with the entire Malibu

Wakesetter line, the 22 MXZ

features the wearable Surf

Band, so you can control

the wave’s shape and size,

switch sides and adjust speed,

all right from your board.

This wave is truly versatile and can be

customized to accommodate riders of all

skill levels, from beginner to pro. With the

Command Center control system at the

dash, featuring 12-inch and 7-inch touch-

screen displays, the driver can control the

boat and the surf tools with a simple touch

of the fi ngertips. The MaxBallast system,

which consists of two L-shaped hard

tanks, can be combined with the optional

plug-and-play bladder ballast system to

add serious displacement and generate

that giant wave.

The seating aboard the 22 MXZ is as

outsize as the wake is, with enough room

to comfortably seat 15 people. The seats are

plush in both the bow, where the pickle-fork

PHOTOS: COURTESY MALIBU BOATS

MALIBU BOATS

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

To watch our

video review of

the Wakesetter

22 MXZ, scan

this tag or visit

boatingmag

.com/bbg18/

malibu22mxz.

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