Malibu Boats 23 LSV

The Malibu Boats 23 LSV is a large bowrider built in moulded fibreglass by Malibu Boats of United States, a builder trading since 1982. On our measurements it works out at roughly 23 ft 0 in (7.01 m) of hull with a beam near 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m), which places it squarely in the trailerable family bowrider class: one vehicle, one trailer, one afternoon of prep, and the boat is in the water. The watersports specialist whose open-bow models double as premium family boats.

Layout is classic bowrider and that is the whole point of the boat. Twin lounges run forward of the windscreen with a walk-through to the anchor well, the helm and companion seats sit amidships behind a wrap screen, and a full-width lounge spans the transom for sunbathing and socialising. Around 12 people fit aboard comfortably in sheltered water. Cushions lift out, backrests fold and filler pads convert the cockpit from a conversation pit into one long sun bed in a couple of minutes.

On the water the 23 LSV is easy to like because nothing about it is demanding. Trim it out, settle into a mid-throttle cruise and it holds course with a finger on the wheel. Turns are progressive rather than sharp, wake crossings are soft, and the boat is forgiving of an inexperienced driver — an underrated quality in a family bowrider.

Power is a 190-285 hp inboard V-drive or direct drive package, and that suits both the hull and the way these boats are used. An inboard sits the engine amidships under the floor, which centres the weight, cleans up the transom and produces the shaped wake that wakeboarders and slalom skiers chase.

Watersports are well covered. A tow point is standard on almost every boat in this class, and Malibu Boats owners regularly add a pylon or a folding tower for wakeboarding. With inboard power the wake is the boat's headline feature and rope work is its natural job. Skis, ropes and vests live in the under-floor and under-seat lockers so nothing sits underfoot while the boat is loaded.

Fishing is the quiet strength of this hull. Pull the bow cushions and the forward lounge becomes an open casting platform with clear access all the way around the bow, and the rear lounge lifts out to open up the transom and side gunwales. Ten minutes of work turns the family boat into a genuinely capable fishing boat, and ten minutes the other way turns it back again before anyone gets home.

Build and finish sit where you would expect for a luxury boat from United States. Malibu builds towboats first and family boats second, which is precisely why its open-bow models are so good at both. Ballast tanks, Surf Gate wave shaping, Power Wedge hull attitude control and precise cruise-control speed keeping are core engineering rather than bolt-on options, so the wake and the surf wave are shaped and repeatable instead of accidental. Around that performance core sits a genuinely premium interior: heated helm seats, tower-mounted speakers, gel-coat detailing and lockers designed around wet boards and vests. Inboard V-drive power puts the engine under the rear lounge, which frees the transom for a huge sunpad and swim platform but means the boat is heavier and thirstier than an equivalent outboard bowrider. If skiing, wakeboarding and wake surfing are the main event and family cruising is the bonus, an open-bow Malibu is the sharp end of the market. Resale is exceptional, with strong demand from surf-focused buyers keeping used prices high across Australia, the US and Europe.

Options worth having on the 23 LSV are the practical ones: a bimini for shade, a decent bow and cockpit cover so the upholstery survives being stored outside, an upgraded sounder if you fish, and a stereo package that can be heard over the engine. On fibreglass, a ceramic coat or a good polish once a season keeps the gelcoat looking new and protects resale.

As a used buy, check the same things you would on any bowrider in this size band: transom firmness, stringer and floor soundness, hours and service history on the engine, steering and trim function, and the state of the upholstery seams, which are the first thing to fail on a boat that lives uncovered. Boats from this builder hold their money well, so a tidy example will not be cheap, and that is usually a sign you are buying the right one.

Our price guide for the 23 LSV is US$133,000 - US$175,000 new, which moves with engine choice, trailer, tower and how recently the boat was refreshed. Judged as a whole, it does what people buy a bowrider for: cruise, tow, swim, fish and entertain in one boat, without asking the family to compromise on any of them. Malibu Boats has been refining that formula since 1982, and the 23 LSV is a straightforward, well-judged expression of it.