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WATERSKI MagazineOverall Impressions
Kudos to Bayliner for being on top of the growing wakeboarding market and delivering a boat designed to please skiers who want to go over wakes rather than slice through them. This is a nice first-year introduction, but we'd like to see two things added for next year: more wake size (they're small for jumps) and tuck-away board storage.
Boarding
Expectations run high for a boat with “wake” and “challenge” in its name. They were met, but only barely. Wakes are on the small-medium side, and create a very wide table. They will be fine for beginning and recreational riders, especially when you add more weight to give the wakes some girth. No significant board storage.
Barefooting
The Black Scorpion-powered sport-V was a little sluggish out of the hole, but gained speed rapidly once on plane. At footing speeds (44 mph, wide open), the curl is excellent for tricks, with its smooth and dished profile. Wake crests are nice too – well-defined with very little foam. The deep table has some turbulence, but nothing that can't be avoided by using an 85-foot line.
Slalom
With a name like Wake Challenger, you don't expect very good slalom wakes. But these are OK, especially in the family-friendly speeds between 24 and 32 mph. On a long line, they are wide, with sharp peaks, which you would expect on a deeper-vee bottom. They are easily crossed on an edged ski.
