Inhoudsopgave van August 2014 - WAKEBOARDING

Our reporting on this topic might be a little premature — but frankly, we are so excited about what these facilities have to offer that we had to make sure you knew about them sooner rather than later. The basis for this article is inspired by the concepts that wakeboarders lie awake at night thinking about. Public facilities that profit from admission sales can be limited, especially when it comes to their features. Recently a few private facilities have popped up and taken matters into their own hands. Pay close attention — the bar is being raised, a new standard is being set, and the results are liberating. Pat Panakos was the first to take matters into his own hands on a large scale. His innovative forward-thinking produced the first…

Malibu's Wakesetter 24 MXZ is distinguished from the company's other massive boat, the 247 LSV, in its huge, wide-nose bow. This comfortable front space helps to increase the boat's capacity and creates a whole new social zone for people to hang out. Complete with high-level audio, contoured seating, cup holders and storage access, the 24 MXZ's bow is a functional addition to this luxury inboard. The bow also gives the boat a unique, progressive look that many boat owners can't do without. In the lounge, wraparound seating leads to a flip-up seat on the port side as well as a rear-facing seatback behind the driver. The boat is built deep, so passengers sit far down in the boat, which not only gives the boat a roomier feel, it also keeps…

Tigé's RZ4 is the company's biggest boat, and it sacrifices none of the luxurious style and big-surf performance of the rest of the line. The RZ4 is all about style on the inside. The second you see the RZ4, you know the company spent a lot of time on design detail. Marine-grade vinyl with multiple colors, textures and stitching patterns cover soft, ergonomic seating for 17. Cup holders are scattered throughout, and multiple wet-storage options are great for cold beverages. The helm features the boat's touch screen, which controls most functions in an easy-to-use, smartphone-esque system, and is backed up by analog gauges. If you want the ultimate in luxury, upgrade to the Z-Cline Captain's Chair, which is the industry's most comfortable seat, bar none. It has a recline function,…

Axis's A24 is an anomaly on this list of big boats in that its size doesn't match its price tag. The A24 is closer to the value-class market, but its surf and wakeboard performance is right up there with the high-end luxury wake boats. Having Malibu DNA, the boat shares the company's high standard for crisp, clean wakes at most speeds, and with its massive dry weight and ballast numbers, the A24 produces seriously monster swells. Axis is Surf Gate capable, and the entire line works really well with the surf system, so we highly recommend checking that box at the dealership. The wave is clean, powerful and especially long. It almost feels like you're wakeboarding, because you can drop so far back on the wave with no fear of…

The largest boat in the Nautique line, the Super Air Nautique G25 carries the torch from its “little” brother, the groundbreaking G23, and brings the line into the supersize luxury category with a 25 foot monster that throws incredible wakes and has impeccable design details. It's no secret the G series line throws massive wakes with huge subfloor internal ballast numbers, and the G25 is no exception. The G25's wake potential is nothing short of stellar, and the advantage of being able to fill internal ballast, and have it be completely hidden subfloor is tangible in terms of increased storage space and the coveted uncluttered boat. The beauty of the G25 is being able to fill the internal ballast once at the beginning of the day, and then keep the…

MasterCraft's new NXT 20 is the company's first-ever value-class entry-level offering. Having made quality boats for generations of water-sports enthusiasts, it's hard to believe, but this is the first time the company has dipped its toe into the entry-level waters. What makes it value class? The boat comes impressively equipped and built for around $50,000. It's important to note that an NXT will never be an X Series in terms of options and performance, but it's also important to note that the hulls are built in the exact same factory using the exact same materials and techniques. The result is a solidly built, high-achieving, low-price MasterCraft for the first time ever. Inside, the boat is simple and effective with analog switches (still billet aluminum), a digital screen with standard GPS…

The biggest boat in Malibu's line, the Wakesetter 247 LSV is all about huge, luxurious style. This boat certainly doesn't lack space. With seating for up to 17, you can have as big a crew as you want, or just keep it small and have plenty of room to spread out. The 247's luxury and convenience are most apparent at the helm, where you've got two digital screens that control just about every feature on the boat. These aren't just cool, they also save you a ton of time and hassle with features like rider presets that fill the boat's ballast, set the speed, and adjust the Power Wedge with one button. There are analog gauges for redundancy's sake, of course, but as soon as you get used to the…

Supra's Launch 242 is one of the most sleek traditional bow boats on the water today. The boat looks exactly how a classic inboard should look. From the pointed bow with deep seating and multiple cup holders to the high-end helm to the wraparound lounge, the 242 is luxury incarnate. The boat's dash is refined to include all the features you need in a sleek package. The touch screen can store rider and even driver profiles in an easy-to-use system that you'll figure out the first time you're lucky enough to be sitting at the helm. One of our favorite features is a setting snapshot function, which allows you to instantly capture your current settings in a rider preset so you can save your speed, ballast and wake plate adjustment…

New trick: Heelflip up Battle Falls Passport stamp: Costa Rica Cool thing you did with Red Bull: Red Bull Guesthouse in Miami Event you entered: The Masters Event you judged: Brostock Time you ate meat: 20 months ago Song you listened to: “Digital Witness” by St. Vincent Boat upgrade: Tinted windows Movie you watched: The new X-Men movie Photo you took with your phone: Malibu shoot Bike ride: To Van Barries from my house with my girl Motorcycle ride: Over to Windermere, Florida Meal you made your lady: Breakfast sandwiches Beer: Miller Lite Person you talked to on the phone: Paris Note you handwrote: To my nephew Fire you started: On the Voyage trip Major purchase: New plumbing and stucco for my house Place you vacationed: Nitro City, Panama…