Malibu Boats Wakesetter 22 MXZ

The Malibu Boats Wakesetter 22 MXZ 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 22 ft 0 in (6.71 m) of hull with a beam near 9 ft 5 in (2.87 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 11 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.

Underway the Wakesetter 22 MXZ behaves the way a well-sorted large bowrider should. It comes onto the plane early, holds a low tow speed without wallowing and tracks flat through a hard turn instead of skating out. The extra waterline length pays off in chop, where the bow keeps working rather than slamming.

Power is a 175-265 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.

Anglers do well out of the Wakesetter 22 MXZ. The bow converts to a casting deck once the cushions are stowed, there is room to swing a rod without hitting the screen, and lockers swallow tackle, nets and a cooler. It is not a dedicated fishing boat, but it catches fish and it still takes the family out the next morning — which is the entire argument for owning a bowrider.

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 Wakesetter 22 MXZ 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 Wakesetter 22 MXZ is US$122,000 - US$161,000 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 Wakesetter 22 MXZ is a straightforward, well-judged expression of it.