THE MVP SPEAKS ABOUT SURF GATE FIRSTHAND

Interview with Tim Walters of Liquid Force (West Coast Sales)

What was your perspective on SURF GATE FIRSTHAND?
From my perspective, the event was a first class ticket with extraordinary hospitality from the crew at Malibu Boats. Being able to indulge in boating with a diverse group of people from a broad variety of action sports heritage was a treat. Furthermore, when the venue is at a private lake in Southern California’s Wine Country, you start to ask yourself how you made it on the short-list on invitees.”

What was your reaction to winning the MVP award? 
I was incredibly honored to be singled out among wake veterans and peers as someone who contributed to the success of this unique event. It was a very kind gesture to say the least.

What are your thoughts on SURF GATE after experiencing it firsthand?
The SURF GATE technology has really pushed wakesurfing’s creativity and performance when it comes to user-friendly waves. SURF GATE creates the longest, largest, cleanest wave I have ever ridden behind a boat. It was so good that I was able to surf up and down the wave on my wakeboard without a rope!

How will SURF GATE make an impact on your Liquid Force customers?
Since the boat can be weighted symmetrically, this makes it easier to drive, decreases wear on the drive train and no longer requires passengers to pile onto one side of the boat. They can also transition from wakeboarding to wakesurfing surfing in seconds, and change sides in a snap. This makes my job easier and adds to the enjoyment for all. WAKESETTER’s with SURF GATE are really a dream come true!

Tags: Malibu Boats |

MALIBU’S “SURF GATE FIRSTHAND” GIVES WAKESURFING A BIG PUSH

Industry Gurus Collaborate On And Off The Water

SURF GATE FIRSTHAND was a collaborative, on-water event hosted by Malibu Boats on April 8-9, 2013 to enhance and improve the activity of wakesurfing on all levels.

As the pioneer of the revolutionary SURF GATE system, Malibu’s staff conducted a day on the water with 20 wakesurfing participants and many more in attendance. The goal was to have fun while collaborating about the sport of wakesurfing and the products used to enhance the activity. Awards we’re handed out for “Best Transfer,” “Best Slam,” “MVP,” and “Most Improved.”

Spirits were up on the water and enthusiasm was running high on both days. Some people were experiencingSURF GATE for the first time and were impressed with the functionality. In the round-table discussion session, breakout groups came up with various ideas for competitions, and improving wakesurfing in every way possible.

All in all, there is no question that wakesurfing is a huge part of what is happening on the water these days, and this process proved invaluable to preserve the vitality of wakesurfing. Malibu is committed to creating the best environment for wakesurfing and to push the sport to levels that nobody thought were possible.

Malibu Boats CEO Jack Springer was impressed with the result of SURF GATE FIRSTHAND, “Remarkable! That’s what comes to my mind,” Springer said. “The concept was simple, yet this far exceeded any expectations we set. The participants were fantastic and I have not been around so many great attitudes at an event like this in a long time. The excitement was palpable, performances were extraordinary in trying conditions. Malibu is committed to producing the best boats for wakesurfing and we value the opinions of our industry experts. With SURF GATE FIRSTHAND, we wanted to get people behind our boats and have a great time while pushing the future of wakesurfing. I couldn’t be more pleased with the result and especially the enthusiasm from all who attended.”

Brian Grubb enjoys the sizable SURF GATE wave.

(L-R): Chad Borba (Best Slam), Sean Mattison (Most Improved), Josh Sleigh (Best Transfer), Tim Walters (MVP).

“Group 1″ docks their WAKESETTER 23 LSV after ripping SURF GATE.

Tags: Malibu Boats |

Minnesota Inboard Gears Up For New Grand Opening!

Not only is Minnesota Inboard one of the best Malibu and Axis dealers around, they have made a huge impact in the entire Minnesota boating market. Recently credited with selling more Malibus than any other fiberglass boat brand in the entire state, this success has created a need for a newer, larger location. Accessible from all directions, Minnesota Inboard sits right on HWY 7 in Exclesior, Minnesota and easily accessible from all directions. And their Baxter, Minnesota location is still going strong in the northern part of the state.

Owners Joe and Pam Mueller are ecstatic with their recent achievements and are psyched for the grand opening of their new location on June 1. “It’s a great move for us to be able to expand and display our boats in a better way,” Joe Mueller said. ”In addition to the convenient location, we also have a new delivery bay, which allows us to better serve our customers. The Lake Minnetonka area has been great to our dealership for the past 21 years, which is why it was so important to stay in this community.  It took a long time to find the right location and opportunity, but we couldn’t be happier with the result.”

Along with record sales in the region, Minesota Inboard has garnered many accolades in the past year including:

WSIA “Retailer Of The Year” — Sept. 2012

Malibu Salesmanship Award, Matt Mueller — Nov. 2012

Malibu Customer Service Award — Nov. 2012

Best Malibu Dealer Web Site — Nov. 2012

Recognition in WSIA’s “Dealer Alliance” — Summit In The Snow, Feb. 2012

If you’re in the Minnesota area, be sure to mark June 1 on your calendar and give them a call sooner if you want to test drive a new Malibu (with SURF GATE) or Axis Wake Research boat.

952-474-1742

mninboard.com

Tags: Malibu Boats |

Waterski America: New Location in Texas!

Waterski America, in Lewisville, Texas held a grand opening party for their new location on March 1-2, 2013. The Dallas area has proved to be a huge market for Malibu and Axis fans, and the newer, larger location will allow for better customer service than ever before. Tim Cvar, owner of Waterski America is thrilled with the new site and its potential. “We had a lot to celebrate, considering our 21 years in business, and with our new location, we are looking forward to the next 20 years.”

If you live in the Dallas area and would like to try out a new Malibu (with SURF GATE) or a new Axis Wake Research boat, give Waterski America a call now!

Waterski America
375 Oakridge Blvd.
Lewisville, TX 75057
972-221-2377

Tags: Malibu Boats |

Keith McAlevey Leaves Wakeboarding To Serve The Country

By Tony Stracke of Tilly’s Marine

So often, we forget that it’s a privilege to do the great things we love, like wakeboarding and hanging out on a beautiful lake with our family and friends. A few years ago, I had the honor of meeting a young man named Keith McAlevey. He was pumped on wakeboarding and wanted to ride all the time. I took him out on my weighted-down Malibu WAKESETTER and he was boosting on every trick. Other people on the lake were giving us the thumbs up and said they enjoyed watching us ride. Keith was just doing what he liked to do and was super humble about it all.

Fast forward a few years and Keith is still wakeboarding and riding like a champ. After graduating high school, he made the admirable decision to join the US Army. After graduating boot camp, I got a text from Keith, “Hey man, I’ll be home for a couple weeks. Can we go wakeboarding??? Because after that, the only wakeboarding I’ll be doing is in the sand!” The reality of the situation hit me pretty hard.

Awesomely enough, we had the Tilly’s Marine 2012 CampOut scheduled for the week he was in town. Keith came out to the lake with his girlfriend Zulie and hung out and rode behind Tilly’s Axis A22 until his arms were going to fall off.

After Keith was stationed overseas, he posted a picture of him with a TV, a magazine, and what looked like an automatic assault rifle. He was on guard duty. His job was to sit in a metal shed in 110-degree heat and guard ammunition. I’m sure it was tough for him to know everyone was at home having fun, but what he was doing allows us to do the things we do.

The choice that Keith has made is huge and it was for OUR benefit to live in this country enjoying our freedom. The next time you are out on the boat and get mad at someone or get bummed that its windy or you can’t land a trick, think about Keith sitting in a metal shed looking at pictures of wakeboarding and counting the days till he can get back on his board.

Keith is currently in Fort Knox and is getting ready for his month in the field — 30 days with no showers or amenities. When he has time off, he tries to get out to Wake Nation to ride the cable. It’s a trek for him, so he usually spends the weekend there and sleeps in his truck. He is already trying to set up times to ride when he comes home in December for a few days. It’s getting cold out there already so I’m sure his stories will be gnarly when he comes home in December.

Thank you very much Keith McAlevey and everyone else that has, or is currently serving this great country. Here are some photos that were taken at our local lake, Lake Piru here in Southern California, when Keith came out for a recent visit. Plus some inspirational quotes from the man himself!

“I like to ride because I’ve grown up with it my whole life and I love the people I’ve met and the friends I’ve made through wakeboarding. But also it’s a chance for me to show people what I’ve been able to teach myself and learn from other riders.”

“My personality comes out alot when I wakeboard. I like to go big but also put style in my riding. A lot of people have all the tricks but it looks robotic. I like when a simple trick looks dope. It’s not about the craziest trick you have. It’s about the style you put into your riding. That’s what sets riders apart. Being able to know your board. Know the wake. Know the water and how it’s all going to respond is key.”

“Now I’m in a place where we all look the same. We all have the same haircut. Same uniform. Eat at the same place. Wakeboarding is a huge chance for me to put that all to the side and show my originality and style. I tend to look up to the pros that have so much steeze and make every trick look so good and different from everyone else’s. That’s how I like to ride. I like my tricks to have steeze and style.”

“Wakeboarding has made my life so great. Whether it’s learning new tricks behind a boat, riding a glassy wake surf wave, learning new rails at the cable park or going out with friends to clear 17-foot waterfall gaps. My mind always wants to keep going for the next thing in wakeboarding.”

“Even here in the Army. I write down new tricks, jot down new rails or Google new winch spots for when I come home. It’s truly the greatest sport and gives me endless amounts of happiness.”

Malibu Boats, LLC has a company-wide initiative to support all aspects of the US Military. Check out what Axis Wake Research is doing with their RECON edition. This package is available on the A20 or A22 and a portion of the proceeds goes to Jared Allen’s Homes 4 Wounded Warriors.

http://vimeo.com/malibuboats/axis2013recon

Tags: Malibu Boats |

Customer Satisfaction Awards Presented To Malibu & Axis

NMMA Program Recognizes Malibu & Axis With Customer Satisfaction Awards

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) recognized recipients of the 2012 Marine Industry CSI Awards for the award period from April 2011 through March 2012. Malibu Boats and Axis Wake Research were both recognized for excellence in customer satisfaction as part of NMMA’s Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) program.

The Marine Industry CSI Awards program honors participating manufacturers that actively measure customer satisfaction and pursue continuous improvement to better serve the customer. Award recipients achieved and maintained an independently-measured standard of excellence of 90 percent or higher in customer satisfaction over the past year, based on information provided by customers purchasing a new boat or engine during the period between April 1, 2011 and March 31, 2012.

Participating manufacturers must survey all new boat buyers during this period. For this reporting period, the program surveyed more than 32,000 consumers. “It is an honor to recognize these manufacturers for their outstanding focus on the creation of quality products and an enjoyable customer experience,” notes Terry Leitz, NMMA’s director of CSI programs. “Recipients of the CSI Awards are leading the recreational boating industry forward by ensuring feedback from their customers is an integral part of their planning and manufacturing functions.”

Tags: Malibu Boats |

Malibu Salesman Takes Gold In Canada

On August 26-28, over 80 participants rode in the Canadian Wakeboarding Championships in Kamloops, British Colombia. Mathieu Lizotte, a Malibu and Axis salesman from Aqua Sport Marine in Quebec, was the only "Frenchy" to bring home a gold medal, placing first in the Masters Division.












Tags: Malibu Boats |
Tags: Canadian Wakeboarding