Making its debut at the Malibu Open in early August, the all-new Response TXi made an immediate impact, pulling slalom champion Will Asher into 41 off. Besides the TXi's proven high-end performance, the new T Cut Diamond Hull will accommodate different levels of skiers as well, by taming the flow of water to allow smoother wakes at slower speeds and longer line lengths. And customers can also expect the finest styling and plush amenities Malibu is known for. In essence, every skier will feel connected to more than just the rope.
Todd Ristorcelli, Editor of WATERSKI Magazine has skied behind every new ski boat in the last 15 years and was very impressed with the 2012 TXi. "Malibu must have had big-time confidence in their new Response TXi, by immediately launching it to the competitive scrutiny of the Malibu Open," Ristorcelli said. "The result: flawless performance. The boat's innovative running surface produces pillow-soft wakes for skiing's elite as well as for advancing longline skiers looking for every competitive edge they can get." Look for the TXi to be featured in a three-page gatefold advertisement in WATERSKI's Winter, 2011 issue, which will arrive in time for Orlando's SURF EXPO in early September.
Team Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) pro slalom skier Will Asher (@WillAsher) defeated Jamie Beauchesne at the Malibu Open in Milwaukee, WI over the weekend with a score of 3 buoys at 41 feet off. Beauchesne finished second with 2 buoys at 41 feet off in, some are saying, the most exciting head-to-head finale ever.
Asher had a rough start to the event, not performing the way he wanted on Friday. Skiing behind the new 2012 Malibu Response TXi, he was undeterred by his shaky beginning and returned to the Veteran's Park Lagoon on Saturday with renewed confidence. He was having fun and he had a kind of swagger that told the Milwaukee crowd this was going to be a special day. In fact, the day was special before Will even hit the water. Saturday, August 6, 1982 was the day Willy was born. He turned 29 at the 2011 Malibu Open and took the title as his gift.
Not only did this World Champion slalom skier turn a year older, he also won the Malibu Open for the second time in two years. Now that's a great day! Way to go Will! We're proud to be pulling for you!
Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) plans to introduce the world to the new Response TXi at the Malibu Open in Milwaukee, WI August 5th & 6th, 2011.
The “T” in Response TXi is for “Tournament”, so it is only right that this pro slalom skier’s dream be introduced on the waters of the world’s most competitive Waterski Championships. The Malibu Open is going off at Veteran’s Park Lagoon in Milwaukee, WI August 5-6, 2011. It is here that the new Malibu Response TXi will be pulling world champs and world record breakers to big performances. Of course, even if you’re only competition is yourself, the Response TXi will bring out your best. The 2011 Malibu Open is your chance to get a first look at your next ski boat. See you there!
Built on the new T Cut Diamond Hull, the TXi tames the flow of water behind the boat at speeds and line lengths from pro to beginning levels. World Champions like Thomas Degasperi and Will Asher as well as World Record Holders like Regina Jaquess have trained with the Response TXi. Look for crowd pleasing performances out of these Malibu athletes along with an entire field of world-class water sports royalty.
At the Malibu Open the world’s top professional water ski athletes will compete in traditional slalom and long-distance jumping for $65,000 in prize money. Free-style jumping, barefoot skiing, hydrofoil, show ski and trick flip demonstrations round out the exciting two day event, which is open and free to the public.
Malibu Boats’ National Promo Director, Dennis Kelley, had plenty to say about the debut of the TXi at the Malibu Open. “This move is a real statement about the confidence we have in our engineering and design.” Kelley continued, “The introduction of this boat is almost as extreme as its performance. We are putting the TXi in a position to pull record-breaking runs in front of tens of thousands of people on a World stage. If that doesn’t tell you just how excited we are about this boat, I don’t know what will.”
Malibu builds boats to take you to that next level in your water sports performance whether that is breaking a record or simply standing up a free skiing pass. From the record-breaking waters of the Malibu Open to your family’s next day on the lake, the new Response TXi will provide the perfect pull every time.
The Malibu Open is a free event for family, friends and all to enjoy. Visit the Malibu Open in person, tune in to the live webcast or simply stop by your nearest Malibu Boats dealer and learn the truth about the TXi on the water. The Malibu Open is produced by Pro Slalom Events and sponsored by Malibu Boats. Concessions and parking will be organized by the Milwaukee County Parks Department.
Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) Malibu Open organizer, Dana Reed’s passion for water skiing has helped bring professional cash-prize tournaments back to the mainstream public.
Written by Chrös McDougall for USA WaterSki's Waterskier Magazine we thought this article really deserved a repost on the Malibu Boats Blog. Dana is a close partner of Malibu Boats and we believe he deserves this type of recognition and more. Thank you for all you do Dana!
Any kid who has ever dreamed of making a living as a professional water skier ought to take notice of Dana Reed. Not that he’d want you to notice him. While the economy has kept many would-be promoters on the sidelines, Reed has put his heart and soul into giving the world’s top water skiers a bigger spotlight to shine – and make some money – in the United States. And he’s really just getting started. The breakthrough came last summer. After several years of organizing well executed but not so well attended pro events at out-of-the-way private lakes, Reed teamed with Malibu Boats to bring the annual Malibu Open to Milwaukee. This time, Reed sacrificed the perfect skiing conditions at private lakes for a beautiful venue at Veteran’s Park, located on a strip of land that separates downtown Milwaukee and Lake Michigan. In return, he got nearly 10,000 spectators for the two-day slalom and jumping competition and created one of the most talked about events of the year.
That success just got him more excited. Speaking from his home in Hickory, N.C., during one of the rare moments when he’s not on the road planning an event, the 55-year-old promoter speaks of big things: becoming truly profitable, having purses as high as a half-million dollars, and getting the events back on television. “I’d love to write a check for $100,000 for somebody to win an event,” he says. In the short term, though, Reed is thinking of his three events for this year: the annual Global Invitational in Grand Rapids, Mich.; the new Katy Ski Jam near Houston; and most prominently, the 2011 Malibu Open in downtown Milwaukee. And he’s thinking big. “The Malibu Open,” he says, “will be the largest event in the history of the United States this year, and you can quote me on it.”
Last year’s event was a success, to be sure, with around $45,000 in purses, high-energy nighttime finals, exhibitions from local show ski teams and barefoot skiers, and a call from the Milwaukee park’s director the day after the tournament to re-up for this year. But still, that’s a pretty bold claim. It’s not so much, though, when you have some added help.
This year, the purse is up to $65,000, the show skiers and barefoot skiers will be back, and Reed has hired local country singer Michael Scott to entertain the crowds on Saturday night of the tournament, which will take place Aug. 5-6. The biggest boon for this year’s event, though, will be the Thunderbird Air Show, which is expected to draw around 150,000 people to Veteran’s Park and nearby Bradford Beach that same weekend. “We hit a home run last year,” Reed says, “but we’re going to hit a grand slam this year because of the air show being involved.” So what’s Reed’s trick?
It’s simple: He works hard, and he’s not in it for the money. Reed, who owns a commercial cleaning company in North Carolina, is basically a one-man show who takes no profit from the events; instead, he reinvests everything into either a better event or bigger purses. “I’ve got two goals,” says Reed, who largely organizes the events by himself but who gets lots of help with the actual execution from a dedicated group of volunteers who share his passion and work ethic. “My first one is to give as much money that comes my way to the athletes. And my second goal is to get the sponsors their money worth. If there’s five dollars left at the end of the day I’m good with it. That’s about all I am.”
“I think the main thing that makes him successful and the reason he is able to continue doing what he’s doing is his passion for water skiing,” says Lani Farmer, who manages the pro team, sponsorships, and pro events for Malibu Boats. “He’s mainly focused on putting on a great show for the fans and will do whatever it takes to make that happen. Since it’s not his core business, he’s not focused on the bottom line. Dana has no problem giving every bit of profit he makes right back to the athletes.”
That deep dedication to the athletes goes back to the beginning of Reed’s promoting days. They began in the early 2000s, when women no longer had a pro water skiing tour. For little reason other than to give an opportunity to his friends who had been on that tour, Reed began organizing his own small scale but well-run pro events in North Carolina. When the men’s pro tour began losing a lot of its stops a few years later, he added them to the lineup as well. Momentum picked up when MasterCraft took notice of Reed’s events in 2008 and began helping him out. But then things stalled. With few fans and a souring economy, it didn’t matter how well the skiers were performing – sponsorship money was drying up. There were times when Reed felt like quitting. He was putting on top-notch tournaments for the skiers – sometimes subsidizing them himself to keep them afloat – but he just couldn’t get fans to show up at the private ski lakes, which were often out in the country.
And then he found Veteran’s Park. After a year of prodding to Farmer, with whom he had been working with on some smaller events, Reed finally got his wish. Farmer and Malibu agreed to give Reed the reigns to the 2010 Malibu Open. “I took a chance and it ended up being phenomenal, just phenomenal,” Farmer says, still sounding almost in disbelief at how well things worked out. “And I was very happy for him because he deserves it. He does a lot for a lot of people out of just his passion. He doesn’t get anything out of it aside from the satisfaction that comes from helping the athletes and the sport he loves.”
It was fitting, then, that the star of the 2010 Malibu Open was one of Reed’s longtime friends from North Carolina – and one of the good friends whom he wanted to give pro opportunities to in the first place. April Coble-Eller turned pro 20 years ago and was a top competitor during pro skiing’s heyday in the 1990s – when ESPN broadcast the tournaments, purses were high and stops were plentiful. Yet despite a junior world championship, 28 national championships and even a U.S. Masters overall title, Coble-Eller had never won an individual pro event in her career. So in the era of around four domestic pro events per year, smaller purses and no ESPN, Coble-Eller went to Milwaukee considering retirement.
Then, magic happened. After her husband told her, “go have fun, Dana needs your energy,” that’s exactly what she did, all the way to the pro women’s slalom title. “It was just like everything was meant to be,” says Coble-Eller, who decided to continue competing. “It was awesome.”
“[The Moomba Masters in Australia] has probably been one of my favorites,” she adds, “ … because of the hype, skiing in front of all the people, skiing downtown, and Dana created that in America. He created the Moomba Masters in Milwaukee last year.”
Reed might have a little ways to go to catch up to Moomba, which with tens of thousands of spectators is known as the biggest water ski and wakeboard event in the world, but he is definitely on the right track. “He deserves every bit of credit that he’s never gotten,” Coble-Eller says, “because he is awesome for the sport.”
Reed Credits Volunteers If it’s not the athletes, Dana Reed prefers that his volunteers be in the spotlight ahead of him. Among them is Jeff Gilbert of Charlotte, N.C., who paid for his own flight to Milwaukee and then worked two 12-hour days installing the slalom and jump courses before the 2010 Malibu Open. Or there’s chief judge Bill Murbach, as well as sponsor reps Jim Stanley (Global Marine Insurance Agency) and Chuck Gleason (Eagle Sports), all of who stayed Sunday after the Malibu Open and helped tear down the event. Reed also mentions Tommy Harrington, who manages Reed’s Web site. “They all give up their time, sometimes three days, and they come and they work tirelessly because they all love it like I do,” Reed says. “But they give up their time, they take off a day, sometimes two days of work, and they put on these great events. “If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be able to do it.”
Chrös McDougall is a freelance writer based out of the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) is pulling America’s premier professional night jump water ski competition, King of Darkness 2011, in Southeastern Michigan June 24-25, 2011 at Groveland Oaks County Park (14555 Dixie Highway, Holly).
Professional water ski jumpers from around the globe (this year adding top women jumpers to the mix) will take to the water to qualify for a chance to win their share of $35,000 in prize money. Sponsors for this year’s event include: Labatt Blue, Malibu Boats, Skiers Pier, Connelly Skis, HO Skis, Boaters Insurance, Indmar, Tahoe Boats and Eagle Trailers. The event is presented in partnership with Oakland County Parks and Recreation.
Skiers will be flying more than 230 feet through the air at speeds exceeding 75 miles per hour, all under the lights in a high-energy, crowd-pleasing format. Skiers will be pulled behind the top-of-the-line 2011 Malibu Response LXI with a Corvette LS3 motor, custom built for the King of Darkness event.
“Based on past experience putting on pro water ski events, a night event lit by flood lights is more exciting and unique than a daytime event. Fans will feel like they’re a part of the action and will get a chance to interact with the athletes” said PJ McMillan, event organizer.
The event gives world-class athletes a venue to showcase their breathtaking talents while promoting the sport and the healthy, high-energy lifestyle that goes along with it.
Event-goers will also have a chance to see world-ranked wake boarders Chris Laske and Mike Dowdy perform between rounds. “The goal is to keep the crowd entertained during the jumpers’ down time for an evening of non-stop action,” said McMillan. The King of Darkness will be a three-hour extreme water sports event like nothing else in southeast Michigan.
“We are excited to again be partnering with Oakland County Parks and Recreation to put on the King of Darkness event,” said McMillan. Stewart Lake at Groveland Oaks County Park is the perfect location for this event, with ideal small lake size and large spectator areas, and a location just off I-75. The park hosts several large events each year (including a 4th of July fireworks show) and has parking and facilities to accommodate large crowds.
“Skiers Pier is proud to be the title sponsor of the King of Darkness Night Jump,” said Ron Koenig, Skiers Pier Owner. “We are all about supporting the sports around which our business is centered, and this type of event is the best way to capture new athletes and encourage and motivate those already addicted to water sports.”
Tentative Event Schedule: Friday Night, June 24: Seeding for skiers, live music, food/drink, vendors, sponsor booths – Gates at 5:30, competition starts at 7:30.
Saturday Night, June 25: Main competition, live music, food/drink, vendors, sponsor booths - Gates at 5:30, competition starts at 7:30.
Team Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) pro water skier Thomas Degasperi (Tgas) has been a busy guy behind his Malibu Response LXi. Not only has he been training five days a week for the 2011 pro slalom season, but he was recently photographed for the cover of the May issue of WaterSki Magazine . And yesterday he was featured on Orlando Channel 9 Sports (@WFTV). They interviewed Thomas about his road to the World Championships in 2011 as well as how he started in the sport of water skiing. It is a great video. Give it a watch!
Congratulations on all of the coverage Thomas. You deserve it! We're pulling for you this season!
Team Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) pro water skier Thomas Degasperi is featured on the cover of the May WaterSki Magazine as a part of the the 2011 Best Slalom Ski Issue. The former World Champion was shot in full lean capturing a slalom buoy behind his Malibu Response LXi. It's a great cover and a great issue! Pick it up at a newsstand near you. Great job Thomas!
The truth about the LXi is on the water. That’s where you’ll find your next personal best no matter what your skill level. Whether you're searching for World Records or simply looking to make that next slalom turn, the Response LXi delivers.
World Champion slalom skier Will Asher trusts the Response LXi to provide the performance he needs to train for his next milestone in professional slalom skiing. The Cut Diamond hull produces soft, flat wakes that gives pros like Thomas Degasperi as well as slalom faithful like you an edge. This year the Response LXi has also become known for it’s girl power, pulling both Pro Jumper June Fladborg and Pro Slalom Skier Regina Jaquess to World Records.
The Response LXi is not just the boat of World Champions. It is also helping to groom the next wave of record-breakers. Ski schools and Pro skier/instructors like Drew Ross can rely on the Response LXi to grow a student’s skills all the way to the professional level.
All this versatile 3-event performance and the Response LXi won’t leave your family on the dock. Rated for 9 people the LXi accommodates family and all of their stuff. Thoughtful LED lit storage centers line the interior of this boat. The LXi also supports you with the available MaliView dash an optional Zero Off speed control system for precise course runs. Maliview is a graphical way to navigate the boat’s systems, and also allows for video playback, rear view camera connectivity and even iPod® and iPhone® control when paired with the optional Malibu Rockford Fosgate Sound System.
Malibu’s 2011 Response LXi is literally a dream machine, test-drive one today.
Malibu Boats, long regarded for their incredible performance versatility has raised the bar once again with the 2011 Wakesetter 3DVTX. Founded on the Cut Diamond hull and equipped with the exclusive Power Wedge and quad ballast system the 3DVTX does what no other boat has come close to accomplishing. It has achieved world class levels in the most diverse disciplines in water sports – Slalom, Wake and Surfing. If your family loves to be together but has divided interests in water sports the 3DVTX could be the answer for you. Visit your local Malibu Dealer or 2011 Boat Show to get a sneak peak and set up your personal demo ride.
The Malibu Wakesetter VTX is known for big wakes and big comfort in a 20-foot package, but thanks to Malibu’s versatile Cut Diamond hull there’s another side to this wakeboard boat. Malibu hesitates to call the VTX a crossover because they don’t feel that label does it justice. Typically the crossover designation insinuates you are giving up specific professional level performance in exchange for average versatility. That is not the case with the VTX.
The 3DVTX is designed to give you the optimum slalom wake with the ability to supremely displace the hull. There is no compromise in the wake or surf disciplines. This boat helps you excel no matter what your water sports passion. Malibu Boats has pushed the limits of the cross over to another dimension with the 3DVTX.
The Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) 2011 Boat Show Season is under way. Check out the 2011 Malibus at a show near you this winter. The 2011 Malibu Boats Show Schedule provides the information you need about shows in your area. Visit your local show and take advantage of the Malibu Difference.
The U.S. Elite Water Ski Team won the overall team gold medal, tallying 8,259.41 points. Canada earned the silver medal with 7,904.69 points and Chile earned the bronze medal with 6,421.69 points.
Jaquess won gold medals in women’s slalom (1 buoy at 39-1/2 feet off), tricks (7,830 points) and jumping (167 feet), and the silver medal in overall (2,867.52 points).
Way to go, Regina! We're pulling for you! Keep up the great work!
Team Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) newest water skiing addition, Regina Jaquess put a Response LXi ski boat to good use on October 23rd and 24th setting two consecutive pending world records in Women's Slalom, something that has not been done even once in the last 14 years. Regina scored 1 1/4 @ 41 off on Saturday and 1 1/2 @ 41 off on Sunday at Cory Pickos World Ski Center in Santa Rosa Beach, FL.
The current Women's Slalom World Record of 1 @ 41 off was set in 1996 by Kristi Overton and tied by Karina Nowlan in 2008 and by Regina in 2009. For the last 14 years the best any female slalom skier could do was tie this record, until October 23rd and 24th, 2010.
Sharing the Women's World Slalom Record of 1 @ 41 off since July of 2009, Regina has been striving to own the record outright. She recently signed with Malibu Boats in an effort to do just that. Regina felt skiing behind the Response LXi gave her an edge and bolstered her ability to break the record. Looks like this strategy paid off.
Regina skied in the Red Bar Belgian Open on Saturday, October 23, 2010. In her first record-setting run she fell soon after the 1 ball @ 41 off, but held on long enough to capture 1/4 of the next buoy. That sent the first pending world record of 1 1/4 @ 41 off.
Regina was confident that she could capture at 1 1/2 buoys at 41' off so she went back out behind the Malibu Boats Response LXi on Sunday even more determined. And sure enough at the Eddie Green Open on October 24, 2010 she set her second pending Women's Slalom World Record in Santa Rosa Beach at back to back competitions.
When we asked Jaquess her feelings about her new Response LXi ski boat that pulled her to these two records she had this to say, “This boat is awesome! I have run more 39s behind it than any other boat. The wakes are so small and the boat makes the pull seem so easy you hardly even know how short the rope really is.” Jaquess continued, “I just set two new pending world records and that has a lot to do with the Response LXi.”
"We could not be any prouder of Regina and the job she did this past weekend. We were simply excited to welcome her to the team, but to see her set 2 pending world records in as many days, was amazing!" Dennis Kelley, National Promo Team Director for Malibu Boats, went on to say, "We respect her dedication and determination. She's an inspiration and an asset to the sport of water skiing!"
Regina was skiing behind a 2011 Response LXi with a Monsoon 350 (350hp) engine. Her slalom ski is a GOODE 9900SL with PS5 boots.
Visit your local Malibu Boats dealer to experience the record-breaking performance that pro athletes and families seek in the 2011 Response LXi.
“My sponsors Goode, Eagle Sports, Performance Ski and Surf, Masterline, Wileys, and Girls 4 Sports have helped me become #1, and joining Team Malibu is allowing me to stay #1!” Jaquess said.
Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) welcomes world class women’s slalom skier Regina Jaquess to their Pro Water Ski Team. One of the most accomplished women of water skiing, Jaquess has been on fire over the last year tying the world record and finishing well in nearly all of the sport’s pro tournaments. Competing and training behind every major ski boat brand, Jaquess has her sights set on the Malibu Response LXi to help her finish the 2010 season with a bang. The strength in her turns is only rivaled by her strength of character and her passion for the sport, which are the reasons Jaquess is a great addition to Team Malibu.
Born in Atlanta, GA in 1984, Jaquess has been passionate about water skiing since her parents put her on her first pair of skis. She has carried that passion with her, and it seems even stronger today with the accomplishments she continues to string together behind the boat. Jaquess has run 39' off five different times in less than 18 months at record capable tournaments. She has tied the World Record [1 @ 41 off] three times at three different sites with three different drivers. She has set the World Overall Record three times in the last year. She even broke the US National Open Women’s Jump record with a jump of 176’ in 2010. When asked about the accomplishment she is most excited about right now, Jaquess exclaimed, “I have run 39 off more times in the last two weeks behind a Malibu Response LXi than I have in my entire life!”
“We are extremely flattered that Regina thinks so much of the LXi and Malibu Boats to approach us about being on the team,” said Lani Farmer, Event and Pro Team Director for Malibu Boats. “We have just as much respect for her skiing ability and her level of character. That’s why we did not hesitate to bring her on board.”
When we asked Jaquess her feeling about her new Response LXi ski boat she had this to say, “This boat is awesome! I have run more 39s behind it than any other boat. The wakes are so small and the boat makes the pull seem so easy you hardly even know how short the rope really is.” Jaquess continued, “I have been running past 1 @ 41 off in practice and that has a lot to do with the Response LXi.”
Currently sharing the women’s world slalom record of 1 @ 41 off, Jaquess feels she is very close to besting that performance. On her quest to break the Women’s World Slalom Record Jaquess asked to sign with Malibu Boats to train behind the World Record Breaking Response LXi ski boat. Jaquess will put her slalom skill and world record capable Malibu boat to the test October 23 & 24 at the Cory Pickos World Ski Center in Santa Rosa Beach, FL. Jaquess is skiing in the Red Bar Belgian and Eddie Green Opens this weekend.
“I am focused on getting past 1 @ 41' off. I want to own the Women's World Slalom Record,” Jaquess stated.
“We are extremely happy to have Regina on the team and will be pulling for her in more ways than one when she breaks the record,” Farmer concluded.
Visit your local Malibu Boats dealer to experience the record-breaking performance that pro athletes and families seek in the 2011 Response LXi.
“My sponsors Goode, Eagle Sports, Performance Ski and Surf, Masterline, Wileys, and Girls 4 Sports have helped me become #1, and joining Team Malibu will allow me to stay #1!” Jaquess said.
Now training behind the Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) world record-breaking Response LXi, the Mad-City Water Ski Team will be competing in an international water ski competition in Liuzhou, China. Mad-City was selected over several other competing teams to travel for eight days to China and compete in The Sino-American Water Ski Competition. Hosted by the Chinese Water Ski Association, fifteen of Mad-City's most talented skiers will perform 2 days of head to head competition against the Chinese in front of over 20,000 spectators.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for the Mad-City Ski Team,” said Mad-City board member Gary Pickney. “The hard work and dedication the team has put in over the last several years has not only produced 5 National Championships, but now the opportunity to travel all over the world to showcase our talents.”
Area water skiers have been invited to perform in various water ski shows world wide. Recent trips to Jamaica, India, and Dubai have given water skiers a chance to travel the world, and only those that excel are selected. The Mad-City Ski Team has a history of excellence, and they have been rewarded with the chance to compete in China.
“The chance to represent USA water skiing is a tribute to the quality of skiing we have on the Mad-City Ski Team,” said Pickney. “We're excited about heading to China and performing some top notch skiing.”
The Mad-City Ski Team has been performing shows on Sunday nights in Madison for 48 years. Shows run from Memorial Day to Labor Day on Sunday's at 6:00 p.m. As one of the finest show ski teams in the country, the Mad-City Ski Team has won 5 National Championships since 2004.
Local sponsors Lands End, Evinrude Outboards, Skipper Buds, Malibu Boats, Mueller and Future Foam have helped outfit the team to send them to China.
This Malibu Boats (@MalibuBoats) photo was sent to us through the Malibu Boats iPhone App. Chris & Marci Eyer are the proud owners of this 2007 Malibu Response LXi Chris tells us “Our secret hiding place on the Pend Oreille River in Eastern Washington, taken moments before we headed out for a ski. Get water like this all day. Love this place”
Thank you Chris for sharing your “secret hiding place” photo with us! Hopefully it stays a secret!
If you capture or come across a cool Malibu Boats-related photo like this one let us know. We would love to post it on the Malibu Boats Blog and Flickr Channel. We will even Tweet about it on Twitter and add it to the ever-changing Malibu Boats Screen Saver. You can also submit your photo or video through our Malibu iPhone App.
E-mail blog@malibuboats.com with links and/or images. Also make sure to include the name of the person who took the shot and give us a short description of the photo's contents. If you do not know this information and you are only forwarding a link, we can track it down. Thanks!
There’s no better example of Malibu Boats ground-breaking 2011 model year than the new Sunscape 247 LSV. The new look is only the beginning. The 247 LSV offers innovative control and comfort inside the boat with Malibu Touch Command (MTC) and a new transom seating area. Malibu performance excels in this 24-footer with a digitally shaped bottom for precise handling, the L96 410hp engine for specifically calibrated power and the Shift by Wire Throttle system for fingertip control. As your family grows this boat accommodates them, their stuff and their water sports preferences with water ski and wakeboard wakes made to satisfy all skill levels. The truth is on the water. Test-drive a 247 LSV today!
Performance. You might expect a 24-foot 7-inch luxury water sports boat with room for 17 to be a challenge to handle: not if it’s a Malibu. Precise electronic throttle and shift join fingertip steering for effortless flat turning. Built on a hull optimized for a smooth ride and precision handling, the Sunscape 247 is as nimble as it is a wake maker.
Whether your brand of wake is of the flat, soft variety or you prefer huge, rampy water for launching, the 247 LSV can accommodate. The hull design is three-pronged. It’s built for handling, ride and versatile water sports wakes. At skiing speeds the water behind the boat flattens creating a free-skier’s paradise. At wakeboarding speeds the 247 LSV displaces more water and creates wakes that beg to be ridden. Add a boatload of Malibu-exclusive wake enhancement like the Patented Power Wedge and sub-floor hard tank ballast to get even higher.
If you really want to ride, add the optional Illusion G3 wakeboard tower with weightless fold-down. Made in-house by Malibu Boats, this wakeboard boat accessory comes standard with a set of swivel combo fork board racks to accommodate surf and wakeboards.
Dash. The 2011 dash looks bad in a good way! You’ve never seen a dash like the one you’ll find in a 2011 Sunscape 247 LSV. Two-tone, hand-wrapped and studded in stainless steel the Malibu Boats dash is an extra step that is noticeably worth it. Not only does Malibu carry their high performance look through to the interior, function follows.
The MTC projective capacitive touch screen combined with the new Italian-made Isotta Vista Steering Wheel, the available MaliView Dash System and the optional Rockford Fosgate Stereo touch pad are just a few of the heroes on this dash. Now consider the functionality they deliver and it’s almost unbelievable. The dash offers intuitive control over nearly all of the boat’s functions with Malibu first’s like Rider Presets combining this control in customizable rider profiles. MaliView and the Rockford Fosgate Sound System have been upgraded for 2011 to include USB video playback and increased iPod®/iPhone® control. Just when you think boat design has been taken as far as it can go, Malibu Boats does it one better.
Malibu Touch Command. The new Malibu Touch Command (MTC) is amazing on so many different levels; what it is, what it does and the fact that it is standard on all Sunscapes including the new 247 LSV. Made with Projective Capacitive Touch Technology typically reserved for high-end personal digital devices, you won’t find a feature like MTC in a high performance car let alone anywhere else in the boating industry. Malibu Boats is way ahead of the game with touch-sensitive switching based on intuitive hi-res graphical menus of the boat’s functions. Command ballast control, Wedge adjustment, interior lighting, coded keyless ignition, available GPS navigation and more through Malibu Touch Command.
Ignition. Forget the keys. Go ahead. You won’t need them in your 2011 Sunscape 247 LSV. All Malibu Sunscapes have keyless ignition standard. Type in your code; touch the “Start Engine” icon and motor. No more worries about getting to the lake and forgetting the keys. Malibu’s got you covered.
Power. Because Malibu powers boats with standard engines that are built specific and anything but standard, the new L96 6.0L makes its home in the new 247 LSVs. With 410 horsepower this Indmar engine pulls every water sport you’re into with 400 foot-pounds of torque. Low-end power or top-end speed, the L96’s Variable Valve Timing (VVT) automatically adjusts giving you the absolute best performance in either situation. If you’re looking to upgrade your 247 power Malibu offers the Supercharged LSA 6.2L. This 550 horsepower engine tops Malibu’s list of engine options as the first production supercharged Gen-IV small block engine the marine industry has ever seen. With 545 ft-lb of torque the LSA doesn’t mess around.
Interior. Malibu engineers created a cab-forward design to increase the lounge area by 30% more than any other boat in its class. And while a lot of attention has been paid to the common seating area of the Sunscape 247 LSV, the bow and new transom seating is just as comfortable and roomy as any other spot. The bow transforms into a playpen with the addition of the removable filler cushion. The new rear-facing transom seating provides a comfortable front row seat complete with convenient cup holders and more swimstep-accessible wet storage. The Sunscape 247 LSV is geared for family, but you’ll want to be seen and heard in it.
Available 8” Rockford Fosgate M2 full-range speakers add the perfect amount of punch to the Sunscape 247 LSV. Exclusive to the new 247 LSV interior, these 8" speakers are UV and moisture-resistant for great performance in harsh marine environments. Great sound, good looks and an element hardy design make them irresistible.
Look. Moving or still, the new body design of the Sunscape 247 LSV presents an aggressive shape with sharp lines. Eight color areas can be customized with 21 gel coat colors to make a Malibu boat that is all you. The leaned-back style of the MH4 windshield contributes to the impressive style. Custom designed and branded fresh air vents work with the new lines of the 247 to create a look as incredible as the boat itself. Add the available forward swept Illusion G3 wakeboard tower and your 247 LSV will have that unmistakable Malibu look even from a distance.
Visit your local Malibu Boats dealer to experience the 2011 Sunscape 247 LSV and 11 other new models, features and options that are pushing the limits of wakeboard and ski boats.
Will not only won the 3 Sisters ProAm, he set a new course record of 4 @ 41 off. This latest podium-topping finish joins a 1st at the Malibu Open, 1st at the Global Invitational and 1st at the Princess ProAm!
Twenty six years ago, I went from hard of hearing to deaf in an instant. I was water skiing on my bare feet and crossing over the wake when I caught a toe and hit the water sideways. When I climbed into the boat, I thought I simply had water-stuffed ears; it wasn't until weeks later that I realized that being deaf was here to stay.
Last fall, my husband sent me a link to the Today Show featuring Judy Myers, a 66-year-old woman who took up barefooting at the age of 53. Judy competes in tournaments and she can barefoot backwards and on one foot. Judy inspired me to get on the water again. In the spring of this year, I flew down to the World Barefoot Center and I went back to barefoot water skiing at the age of 44. I've been having a blast ever since.
