Wake of GS20 vs new 2018 Malibu VTX

[Boataholic]

I have a 2015 Sport 200
Curious how slalom wakes compare for 15 off water skiing


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[slappy]

Bump...

Would love to hear recommendations for 20ft crossover boats. I want to make sure I can surf and slalom. Don't care so much about wakeboard. I'll go ahead and acknowledge all the "you need two boats" comments and I don't expect the slalom wake to rival that of a DD dedicated ski boat. Considering the GS20 but Malibu VTX is on the list as well. would consider all options but would love some feedback from those with experience with these boats. Still below freezing here so can't test drive at the moment.

[Wake.BC]

How fast do you ski? I’ve found on a vdrive you really got to get up into the mid 30s, which really sucks for the not so advanced guys.


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[stwilli326]

Love the Gs20, no experience with Malibu. All in family have been able to surf behind with no problems.

Bought addl ballast bags for xmas but havent been on water yet, looking forward to it to see differences with addl weight


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[slappy]

30-32mph ski speed 15-22 off. open water only, no courses.

stwilli- Adding ballast to get wake taller or longer for surfing? Good to hear it is definitely surfable with factory setup.

Thanks for the replies...very close to pulling the trigger on a GS.

[CincinnatiCC]

Have skied and surfed GS20. Nice ski wake, not as good as a DD of course, but definitely fine for open water at 30-32 mph. Surf was pretty good stock with only 3 in the boat. I didn't get to play with it any more than that as it was just a demo day. Visibility was great - much better view than my DD. Rough water handling was also good. Really not much I didn't like about it. Good luck with your choice.

[stwilli326]

Adding ballast for just overall better consistent wake, its our family first boat and like many i assume always varies how many in boat. I picked up some ballast bags cheap during a winter sale and spoke to couple nautique dealers who all recommended ... if the kids feel it adds to their time on water, i am happy, and the occasions i get to get behind boat will be great


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[Boataholic]

Any Sport 200 skiers skiing behind the GS20? The GS 20 weighs more , but maybe the wider hull compensates the additional weight. I know they went to the hydraulic plate vs the slide gate on the sport 200
Is it the plate that knocks down the rooster tail of sport 200?


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[keith]

GS20 for sure. I had and sold a 2017. My 2018 will also be a GS20. Yes, my dealer is also a Malibu dealer. I took the VTX out one day. It is clumsy in comparison. The NSS and NCRS system on the Nautique is far superior. My neighbor is a very good amateur slalom skier. He had a 200. He skied just as well behind my GS20, actually he liked the 38 off better behind my boat. It surfs very well as stock but I am sure if you add ballast it could be very similar to the G21.

[jslipher]

Any Sport 200 skiers skiing behind the GS20? The GS 20 weighs more , but maybe the wider hull compensates the additional weight. I know they went to the hydraulic plate vs the slide gate on the sport 200
Is it the plate that knocks down the rooster tail of sport 200?


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Boataholic,

It sounds like the GS20 is a good option! I heard your son also has a Sport 200. That is reason enough to upgrade to the GS20, right? Can't let him match you! Haha

[Boataholic]

GS20 for sure. I had and sold a 2017. My 2018 will also be a GS20. Yes, my dealer is also a Malibu dealer. I took the VTX out one day. It is clumsy in comparison. The NSS and NCRS system on the Nautique is far superior. My neighbor is a very good amateur slalom skier. He had a 200. He skied just as well behind my GS20, actually he liked the 38 off better behind my boat. It surfs very well as stock but I am sure if you add ballast it could be very similar to the G21.

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[bborder]

We currently have a 2014 SN200 and a 2014 Malibu VLX with the diamond hull. Prior to that I had the VTX alongside the Nautique 196. I recently demo’d a GS20 through the slalom course to evaluate driving and skiing. I can compare the specific boats because I’ve had and have them. I skied 28’ off at 34mph behind the GS20 and it was shockingly harsh. Tracking through the course from a driving standpoint was a handful. I can hands down say that the Malibu has a superior ski wake and driving characteristics are much improved due to increased tracking fin and tow point placement. Sorry Nautique. We are on our 4th Nautique but also have the wakeboard boat alongside and if you’re looking for a crossover, my VLX with the diamond hull has a better surf wake and ski wake and tracking than the GS. I really wanted to like the GS but with a back to back comparison it just doesn’t work as well as I had hoped. If you want more details or video, let me know.

[MT Jack]

Prior boat was 2011 VTX went to the GS20 last season. We are skiers that occasionally surf. I ski open water, 35 mph at 15' off. The GS20 wake is a little harder then the OLDER model VTX but it is still fine for all us rec skiers. And I would consider myself more then a rec skier. My wife skis at 31 mph 15' off she is petite and not aggressive and has no issues with wake. When starting there is a pretty good rooster tail that forms however it disappears before the skier gets there. Once up and skiing their prop wash rooster tail is fairly close at 15' off, and does create a sense of very small double wake. But not enough to be a real concern to us open water skiers who want or need a cross over boat. The GS20 is very sensitive to wait distribution when skiing. Spray out the side needs to be managed by people placement or the ballast shift function. This is no different then any boat but we did find that making sure the weight was even really cleans the wake up for skiing. When skiing I do yard the boat pretty hard from side to side according to my wife. I do not notice this when skiing. I cannot feel my wife pulling. For surfing we only only run Stock ballast. I am 200lbs use a Ronix 5' older board and have no problem going without the rope for as long as I want. We find the surf wake more then adequate for allowing us to drop back from the boat and carve up and down the wake. My crew is my 100 lb wife & 10 and 12 year so not much crew weight. When we have others in the boat we do notice a bigger wake. I am sure adding extra ballast could improve the wake but not worth it to us. Overall we love the space of the GS20 and how solid it feels and drives on the water. Very solid boat if you get caught in rough water. Lots of storage inside and it turns out we use the little transom seats all the time. Overall we ski hard behind this boat and have no issues, just bend your knees and be forward on your ski and let it rip.


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[Kinloch]

I have just sold a 2016 vtx and have a 2018 gs20on order. The ski wake on the gs when I demoed the boat is similar size to the vtx but so much softer, we don’t ski in a course just open water. Can’t wait for the gs to arrive, unfortunately it won’t make it to nz until may which is the start of our winter.

[riversdale]

Very interested in what the wakeboard wake is like behind the GS 20, if anyone has had experience would love to hear.
We currently have a 2016 VTX which has a great surf wave with additional ballast, OK wakeboard wake but the new has made a not so friendly ski wake. Previous boat was a 2014 VTX. We would also love a walkover instead of flogging upholstery every outing. Love Malibu, but if this GS 20 is everything everyone says it is, we will be crossing to the dark side.