Malibu VLX or Nautique 211

Chrishau · Backside 180 Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 919 City: Aurora

Im a local Canadian Rider pushing the sport of wakeskating and is in the market to buy a new boat. I just finished selling my cottage and want an awsome boat to help my riding. I have done all the boat test from Malibu to nautique including Master craft. All you guys ride i want to hear your opion on these 2 Boats Below? Which on is better and why.

1.2007 Malibu VLX (Grubby's Ride)

2. The Crossover Air Nautique 211 (The everyone rider boat)

I set up a poll Please vote.

Michael Manzer · Posted: Sep 19, 2006 10:01 pm Post subject:

dude, if you're in the market to throw down 50K plus for a new boat, there is no way in hell you should even consider buying one before you take it out for at least a 2 hour test. use/test anything and everything you can imagine you would ever do in the boat and whichever one you like best....go for it. personally....i'd get a pwc.

dirtyohioriver22 · Backside 180 Joined: 13 Mar 2006 Posts: 1705 City: cincy

your askin a bunch of wakeskaters on what 50 grand wake boat to buy, u might not have much luck because few of us even ride behind something with a tower

Chrishau · Backside 180 Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 919 City: Aurora

Yeah Man We had a cottage and sold it. So Our family is looking at a new boat. But ill be riding it mostly and we have done both The nautique and maibu tests over 4 hours both and i just wanted to hear The other people opions. Before i make a decision. And i already got a pwc. I dont mean to brag and stuff im just doing my research on the boats. Thanks guy keep the opions going. Laughing

Jama · Guest

Haha that stuff would have helped in the first post. IMO the Malibu's wake can be dialed in a little more with the wakeplate and ballast and you make it pretty nice and mellow or play with the lip size for lip tricks. I just found out last month a kid lives a block from my lakehouse with a Malibu VlX....how does that happen?! It is a welcome break from the ski.

Evan71 · Posted: Sep 19, 2006 10:16 pm Post subject:

Malibus wake is massive, Ive ridden behing both and personally like the malibu more

lake weir ocala FL · Backside 180 Joined: 06 Jun 2005 Posts: 1241 City: Ocala

I've never ridden the 211 but i have ridden behind the vlx and it is nice...one of hte best wakes i have ridden besides my cousins x-1

deltarider · Guest

go ask the people at wakeworld.com Smash

scott a · "a" is for angel Joined: 17 Feb 2004 Posts: 4126

The VLX was built from the ground up for wakeboarding. The Nautique 211 is a "crossover" boat, and was meant for people who ski, tube, wakeboard, etc. If you want a sick wake then forget about the 211 and get the VLX. The Malibus are also going to give you significantly more interior space to stash all your stuff. Nautiques are also more expensive...not that either boat can be had for $50K out the door.

If you want a wakeboard specific boat, then check out the Nautique 210 and the Malibu Wakesetter VLX.
If you want a boat that can kinda do everything- wakeskate, tube, ski, etc. then check out the Nautique 211 and Malibu Sunsetter.

RC · Backside 180 Joined: 11 Jul 2006 Posts: 1033

i have and 02 malibu VLX and was going to buy an 06 air 211. when i rode behind it i immediatly knew i wanted to keep my malibu. the only natique i like are teh 226's. idk bout teh 220, never ridden behind 1. Birthday

tad · 360 flip Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 5031

scott a, funny you said the 210 and the wakesetter vlx cause those are the two boats my buddies have.. i personally love the malibu.. and we have the 210 pretty much filled up with as much fat sac as you can put on it.. so the wake is massive.. theres like three 07 malibu's on my lake now and ive heard nothing but good things about them..

DRAGON88 · Dragoon Joined: 01 May 2004 Posts: 1020 City: Portland

Scott pretty much nailed it, 211 can make a good wake, but the VLX will make a better wake IMO. 210 (95-06) would be a more fair comparison. I've had both an '05 210 Team and an '06 VLX and ride behind Dave's '07 VLX occasionally.

Both brands are great and IMO they are on a level playing field. I miss some things on the SAN, and I love some things on the VLX. It's a trade off of personal taste, CC has a new 210 coming out for '07 that should be "interesting" personally I'm not really interested in any Nautique's except the current 210 because of it's wake, without that unique shape (that not everyone likes.) CC just becomes another bland so so brand. I like that Malibu seems to really listen to their riders and make improvements for the better each year...

To summarize, go with the one that fits your needs best, but if you're comparing boats I'd suggest comparing apples to apples. (210 to VLX)

Steven M · Posted: Sep 20, 2006 12:33 am Post subject:

Also, if you don't want to spend 50G's, a V-Ride is an option. It's basicly an '04/'05 VLX starting at 35G's.

But I am lucky enough to ride off the '07 VLX every now and then and can say the wake is great and the boat is awesome. I have not ridden behind the 211 or any CC boat except once and I forget the model, but I enjoyed the change in wake shapes.

If you have already tested both boats out, and are looking for peoples personal opinions on the two, I personally would go with the VLX.

ollieshuvitz · Posted: Sep 20, 2006 12:34 am Post subject:

Steven M, Super Air Nautique (aka "210"). Same hull, same design, just a few years older.

Both CC and Malibu make great boats. Malibu's seem more spacious and family oriented, where as CC are a little bit narrower and seem more rider oriented to me. Both are great boats, I would say you need to decide what wake/boat you personally prefer. Malibu's wake can be changed from rampy to steep like the 210's, so keep that in mind.

DRAGON88 · Dragoon Joined: 01 May 2004 Posts: 1020 City: Portland

ollieshuvitz · Posted: Sep 20, 2006 1:46 am Post subject:

DRAGON88, perhaps I should have done my homework before posting. I do not wish to become one of the ignorant posters on this site. With that being said, I was actually basing that off of my 2000 Super Air and an '02 I have ridden off of as well. You're right though, the '05 did feel more family oriented vs. my '00. Good point (since '03).

Either way, I love my '00 Super Air.

DRAGON88 · Dragoon Joined: 01 May 2004 Posts: 1020 City: Portland

Don't get me wrong the 210 hull (95-06) is hands down still my favorite hull, but really all the big original wakeboarding boats (VLX, X-star, 210) were all just lucky that they happened to pump out awesome wakes.

I don't think your post was ignorant at all, and if you were making it based on the 210 then I completely agree, because the 210 IMO is on the extreme end of a "fundamentalist" boat. It doesn't have much room. That's why I love that boat so much it's just a wake machine.

Regardless I'm somewhat of a self proclaimed boat nerd, I love em all.

Rob · Posted: Sep 20, 2006 5:13 am Post subject:

I have ridden behind both models (as well as the 210) and my advice is that you should go with the VLX. Sickest wake ever! The 211 is more mellow, kinda shiznackle wake. If you consider a Nautique you'd be better off with the 210 team edition.

The VLX is roomy, has good quality and a sick ass wake (if you weight distribute it correctly) The one I usually ride behind has factory ballast, mid ballast, two more fat sacks in the back and one more up front. Then there's the Power wedge also that creates a sweet, sharp lip.

Just buy it!

Scotty B · Pop Shuvit Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 183 City: Markham

hey man where do u ride in ontario?? go with the naughty if you buy it from pride of muskoka they have good service

ZoSo · Backside 180 Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 900 City: Winnipeg

Rode behind a 210 this summer and it was sick...we had the ballast full, two fat sacks and like 15 people it in and it had a sick wake. Can't say much about the VLX because I've never ridden behind one, but the 210 is a nice ride.