Surf’s Up: What Separates an Inboard Wake Boat From the Crowd

I went down to the Miami International Boat Show as a guest of MasterCraft to see what the latest top-spec inboard wakesurfing boats have to offer. In a nutshell, they offer a really good time on the water, both behind and in the boat.

We whipped up this fun little video from the experience. It shows top pros Austin Keen and Parks Bonifay doing their thing and features a few journalists like myself experiencing the massive surf wave the MasterCraft X24 has to offer. The stoke was real for all involved!

While the action clips in the video are fun, the real info comes from Chris Sullivan, NW U.S./Western Canada MasterCraft Sales Rep. He takes us through the MasterCraft X24 in the booth at the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show to illustrate what separates an inboard wake boat from other tow boats on the market.

Runtime: 7.5 minutes

MasterCraft X24

The MasterCraft X24 is a sweet spot in all-around premium wake boats, in my opinion. At 24 feet long, it offers a ton of interior room for up to 18 people, is maneuverable enough to work on small waterways, and is big and heavy enough to offer up a smooth ride when on open water and conditions get bumpy. It is also loaded with the latest tech and amenities.

A massive 6.2L supercharged V8 offers up big power and performance. This power is key for both getting around your local waterway quickly, but also for getting riders up quickly behind the boat. This is true for both wakesurfers and wakeboarders, who will both thoroughly enjoy the super tunable wake.

A top-spec boat from a top company in the industry will set you back some big coin, however. Starting MSRP is $216,000 for the X24. The fully optioned boat I surfed — and the one shown on the show floor — had a sticker price of around $300,000.

With that said, you can get into an entry-level, but still top-quality, wake boat for just over $100,000 with MasterCraft’s NXT line. I was also told it puts out nearly the same quality wake but just has a lot less content/features. Something worth looking into further, for sure.

Wake Surf Boats

Money is relative, so if you can afford it, I doubt you’ll be disappointed. The massive smiles and memories of time with friends and family on the water are worth every penny.

If you haven’t tried wakesurfing yet, do it. It’s so fun and is super low impact compared to other tow sports like wakeboarding, waterskiing, slalom skiing, and barefooting. It’s also super social, as you’re within the high-five range of the passengers on the boat.

Find out more about MasterCraft tow boats and find a local dealer that will be stoked to get you on the water.

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