Wakeboarding - June 01, 2018

64 | BOATINGMAG.COM | JUNE 2018

AVAILABLE POWER:

V-DRIVE

PHOTO: BLACK OAK CREATIVE

in mind, this was with the stock ballast and

only a crew of three.

Malibu’s three main features, known

together as the Integrated Surf Platform

(ISP), work in unison to create these end-

less waves. The first being the onboard sub-

floor ballast system, which consists of a bow

tank, center tank, and rear tanks on both

sides of the engine. Combined, these add

nearly 5,000 pounds of additional weight

to the 6,200-pound boat. The second is the

Power Wedge II, an automated hydrofoil

mounted under the transom that, when

deployed, buries the rear of the boat far-

ther into the water, thereby making a larger

wake or wave. This latest iteration of the

Power Wedge can be positioned at different

intervals, which can make the wave steeper

and shorter or mellower and longer, de-

pending on a rider’s preferences. The third

is Surf Gate, Malibu’s hydraulic tabs on both

sides of the transom that turn the mass of

water coming out from under the hull into

an enormous wave.

Think controlling all of these devices

could get complicated? Don’t worry, it’s as

simple as the touch of a screen on Malibu’s

Command Center helm setup. To the left

of the wheel is the Sport Dash, a rotary dial

that makes adjusting the ISP, speed and ste-

reo even easier for the driver. To top it off,

the steering wheel itself has controls for the

stereo, speed, Power Wedge and Surf Gate.

Don’t want to bother with making adjust-

ments for a picky rider? Hand them the

Surf Band remote. This wearable watchlike

remote allows the rider to adjust the tunes

and the wave to his or her personal prefer-

ences, which makes transferring from side

to side on the wave even easier.

Inside, the M235 is just as feature- and

experience-rich as the outside. With the

high gunwales and 102-inch beam, the

seating is deep, abundant and comfortable.

Pop-up backrests on the port and starboard

sides, as well as the reversible rear bench,

allow for an array of options to watch all the

on-water action too. The wide pickle-fork-

style bow offers plenty of room for several

passengers, and the stern features two

seats, cup holders and audio controls for

lounging when everybody is taking a break.

Of course, no modern watersports boat

would be complete without a booming

sound system, and for the M235, Malibu

made sure even the purest on-water

audiophiles would be happy with an im-

pressive setup from Wet Sounds. The Rev8

tower speakers are crisp, clear and power-

ful (and they can rotate). Plus they offer

customizable LED lighting via Malibu’s

MultiZone RGB system. The G4 tower it-

self flows seamlessly with the lines of the

boat and features abundant board storage

via the rotating and clamping board racks,

as well as plenty of shade from an oversize

Bimini. The top of the Bimini also fea-

tures extra board storage, great for bigger

wakesurf boards, and underneath is a stow

pocket — great for ropes.

If you’re in the market for one of the

best watersports boats period, consider

the Malibu M235. Shop this boat against

the Nautique G23 ($154,807, starting

price) or MasterCraft X-Star ($155,340,

starting price) but know that Malibu

achieved an ultra-luxury, ultra-high-

performance watersports machine.

Malibu’s M235 truly is one that can serve up

fun for everybody in your crew, from first-

timers to top-level pros. —Garrett Cortese

Not only is the wave

one of the biggest on

the market, but it is also

one of the cleanest,

most powerful, and

most forgiving.

C

CERTIFIED

TEST

RESULTS

SPEED EFFICIENCY OPERATION

naut. 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

XSome of the best stock wakes and waves on

the market that are easily customizable.

XHigh gunwales make for a spacious cabin

that offers plenty of space for friends — and

storage for all their stuff.

XSurf Band remote allows the rider to cus-

tomize the wave and control the stereo,

allowing the driver to focus on driving.

Low Points

XStarting price can induce sticker shock.

XV-drive loaded down with ballast is not the

most maneuverable, especially in reverse.

· LOA: 23'5" · BEAM: 8'6" · DRAFT: 2'8"

· DISPLACEMENT: 6,200 lb. · TRANSOM

DEADRISE: NA · FUEL CAPACITY: 78 gal.

· MAX HORSEPOWER: 510 · AVAILABLE POWER:

Single Monsoon V-drive engines to 510 hp

Price: Starting in the low

$200,000 range

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.

MALIBU BOATS

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