2005 Malibu Boats Wake Setter VLX

In the world of wakeboarding, the Malibu name is as well-recognised as Nike is in athletics, Tommy Hilfiger in fashion or Ferrari in motorsport. The American company builds one of, if not the biggest-selling, and therefore most popular, watersports boats in the world. Here in Australia, where the marque is built under licence by Albury-based Malibu Australia, the brand is pretty much the top of the heap. Want evidence? Head on down to any of the boat ramps around Echuca, Lake Eildon, the Hume reservoir or the Hawkesbury River and do a quick trailer poll. Chances are you'll spot more Malibus than most other brands.

The are a few reasons for this: Malibu boats have towed 11 wakeboard riders into the world record books, so you can be sure the wake is nothing to be sneezed at; the company has bagged 12 Boat of the Year Awards in the US, so quality, performance and value for money are all above average; and the boat enjoys the winning combination of being an object of desire for trendy 20- and 30-somethings because it can boast of both substance and style. The boats aren't obscenely expensive and they hold their resale value very well. They deliver tsunami-sized perfectly-shaped wakes and provide a scintillating drive. They offer excellent passenger comfort and are built to last.

While Malibu isn't the only wakeboarding boatbuilder to deliver ticks in all of these criteria boxes, sometimes choice is instinctual: you go with a brand you can trust. And Malibu does offer some crucial points of difference which may well sway a potential buyer.

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