SEE THE
VIDEO
SPEED EFFICIENCY OPERATIONnaut. stat. n. mi. s. mi. sound
rpm knots mph gph mpg mpg range range angle level
1000 4.61 5.30 1.40 3.29 3.79 130 150 0 67
1500 6.26 7.20 2.40 2.61 3.00 103 119 3 69
2000 7.56 8.70 4.00 1.89 2.18 75 86 6 69
2500 17.64 20.30 5.20 3.39 3.90 134 155 4 74
3000 23.90 27.50 6.60 3.62 4.17 143 165 2 79
3500 27.72 31.90 8.50 3.26 3.75 129 149 2 79
4000 31.80 36.60 11.70 2.72 3.13 108 124 2 84
4500 36.06 41.50 17.30 2.08 2.40 83 95 2 87
5000 39.19 45.10 20.20 1.94 2.23 77 88 2 92
MOST ECONOMICAL CRUISING SPEEDHigh Points
XTouchscreen displays (12- and
7-inch) at the dash give the driver
quick command of all functions.
XZero Off GPS allows the driver
precise speed control.
XRear-facing WakeView seating
provides passengers with front-
row seats to the action.
XSoft-grip fl ooring provides com-
fortable traction throughout the
boat and on the swim platform.Specs
· LOA: 21'10" · BEAM: 8'6"
· DRY WEIGHT: 4,300 lb. · SEATING/
WEIGHT CAPACITY: 14/1,974 lb.
· FUEL CAPACITY: 48 gal.How We Tested
ENGINE: Indmar Monsoon 450 6.2L
PROP: 15" x 16" 4-blade Acme Nibral
GEAR RATIO: 1.78:1
FUEL LOAD: 38 gal.
CREW WEIGHT: 380 lb.
Price
Unavailable (at press time)MALIBU
Wakesetter 22 VLX
trailer, passing under bridges and storing
the boat in a garage. Also note the side
pull point on the tower, perfect for those
learning to wakesurf. It allows the surfer
to be pulled up and over to the correct side
without getting caught up in the center
wash. Because of that and the ability to
customize the wake, this is an amazing
boat for beginners all the way up to
pro-level riders.
With the ballast tanks completely
drained, our test 22 VLX powered with a
Monsoon 450 inboard exceeded 38 mph
during our top-end run. It climbed onto
plane in under 4 seconds and reached
20 mph in 9.1 seconds. With full ballast,
the 22 VLX still planed in an impressive
5.3 seconds, a stat that will be appreciated
by the wakeboarding set.While the Malibu Wakesetter 22 VLX has
the classic tow-sports hull shape with the
tapered bow, the boat’s wake production
is cutting-edge. With an internal ballast
system that can be enhanced to add up
to 3,800 pounds of ballast on command,
the 22 VLX builds a righteous wake. It
starts with Surf Gate, a pair
of vertical surf tabs that help
sculpt the wake to the rider’s
preferred side of the boat.
Malibu’s hydraulic Power
Wedge II, a hydrofoil, de-
ploys to create enough drag
to simulate 1,500 pounds of
additional ballast. The rider
can use the Surf Band, which
you wear around your wrist
like a watch, to tweak the
wave to his or her preference
while surfi ng.
Our test crew described the
resultant wake as ridiculousthanks to the aforementioned compo-
nents that make up the Integrated Surf
Platform technologies. During testing,
our riders found the face of the wave to
be clean with a ton of body. Not only was
the height impressive, but the length was
also next-level. It was really comfortable
riding farther back than we ever thought
possible while still getting excellent push.
The 22 VLX’s wake had a nice steepness to
it and a lip at the end that made for a fun
overall ride.
Ready for some excellent amenities?
The stainless-steel G3.5 tower comes with
swiveling board racks, Wet Sounds speak-
ers and LED lighting, and it quickly raises
and lowers. This is key for towing on aPHOTOS: COURTESY MALIBU BOATSMALIBU BOATS
Loudon, Tennessee; 865-458-4578; malibuboats.comTo watch our
video review
of the 22 VLX,
scan this tag or
visit boatingmag
.com/bbg18/
malibu22vlx.
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