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KristinBoat Review
NMMA Certified
Length: 24’7”
Beam: 8’6”
Load capacity: 16 / 2,400 lb.
Fuel capacity: 87 gal.
Dry weight: 3,900 lb.
Maximum HP: 450
Base price: $68,889
Features
Construction: In our tests and factory tours, we have been consistently amazed with Malibu’s superior construction and industry-leading fit and finish. Credit goes to the patented Fiberglass Engine Chassis System that anchors the soft ride, as well as everything from Malibu’s in-house machine shop that forges the swivel pylons and Wedge to its on-the-water designers who craft the tournament-quality hulls.
Dash: This is one of the plushest dashes anywhere. We’ve seen the technicians hand-wrap the vinyl that envelops this sweet console with huge billet insert. The exceptional LCD dash display can be seen in direct sunlight.
Seating: Malibu excels in practically every aspect of boatbuilding, including seating design. The upholstery overall hits the ideal balance of being cushy yet supportive, with intricate stitching throughout, even under seats. New this year is the addition of Duraguard Vinyl to resist stains and wider driver’s seats with side-mounted swivel control.
Bow: In the Sunscape 247 LSV, the bow is actually smaller than we’ve seen in other wakeboard boats in this supersize class. That’s because Malibu designed this interior with the windshield nudged closer to the bow, allowing the main cabin to be longer. The bow is still a good place to sit, surrounded with stainless-steel grab rails.
Main cabin: This is the real centerpiece of the 247’s interior. Malibu sacrificed some space in the bow to make the cabin so long. This new 24 LSV has the option for dual bucket seating, giving the passenger a fully swiveling chair, too. We measured the lounge area at 90 square feet, with a gunwale height at the driver’s seat of 2 feet 6 inches. This is one of the most comfortable, most luxurious interiors on the market.
Storage: Malibu touts 126 cubic feet of storage across this massive 24-plus-foot boat. Stainless hinges, sturdy hydraulic lifts and full carpeting make these big compartments among the best we’ve ever seen. That’s not even mentioning the storage lighting, removable insulated cooler liner and fixed storage pockets on the underside of the sun-pad panels.
Ballast: The Sunscape 24 LSV has an optional ballast system with an impressive capacity of 1,350 pounds total. The two rear tanks have capacity for 200 pounds each, while the center bag holds 600 pounds. The bow tank adds that final 350 pounds. Levels are tracked on the LCD display at the dash.
Stereo: As soon as our test team got a first glimpse of the new USB port in the optional Rockford Fosgate sound system, the iPod shuffle was plugged in and cranking. Even if we had forgotten the iPod, Malibu includes a 1-gig pocket drive and a 1-gig built-in hard drive.
Engine: This Sunscape 247 comes standard with the Indmar HammerHead 6.2-liter with 400 horsepower and new ETX catalytic converter. It’s rare in this market to have a boat come with so powerful an engine standard, even at this size. The 8.1-liter Indmar 8100 is the available upgrade to 450 horsepower.
Tower: This Malibu Sunscape 247 has the option for the new Illusion XS tower. Most striking with this cast-aluminum, forward-leaning design are the saw-like serrated lines along the back edge. It offers the driver full visibility thanks to only two mounting points situated well behind the windshield. The smoother Illusion X and the traditional Titan III are also available.
Graphics: A simple Malibu logo on the transom is the main look here. We like that the name on the exterior gunwale is a stainless-steel piece rather than a decal.
More features: The swivel racks and tower speakers finish off the luxury look and feel. The optional Power Wedge is very easy to raise and lower, with the gauge reading showing when the wake shape is increasing as up to 1,200 pounds of displacement is deployed. We lit up the night one evening with Malibu’s new LED docking lights, 18 in all.
Test analysis
Location: Lake Tulloch, California
Elevation: 520 feet
Air temp.: 87°
Water temp.: 74°
Humidity: 36%
Acceleration
With standard 400 hp engine and 13.5 x 16 prop
To 30 mph: 6.22 sec., 151.1 ft.
To 36 mph: 8.16 sec., 245.3 ft.
Top speed: 43.5 mph, 5,150 rpm
Handling
Bow rise: 17 degrees during typical acceleration. The Malibu dash is fairly high but still fine to see over.
Tracking: Able to hold a straight line well with a skier or rider in tow.
Turns: Downed skiers, riders, surfers and footers had a little extra wait time as this nearly 25-footer stopped and turned back.
Max G-force crossing wake at 30 mph: 1.19
Vibration
As with all Malibus, the 247 had minimal rattling. Tower to hull seemed solid.
Test measurements
Bow: 18 sq. ft.
Floor to tower: 6 ft. 1 in.
Gunwale height: 2 ft. 6 in.
Main lounge: 90 sq. ft.
Sun pad: 26 sq. ft.
Platform: 11 sq. ft.
Wakes
This boat is great for cruising a larger lake, but our skiers figured they’d try a recreational set behind it. Sure, these wakes are sized better for wakeboarding, but they became smaller and more skiable as the speed increased. Besides free-skiing sets, you can use the 247 for wakeboarding, barefooting, wakesurfing, tubing, anything. That’s the definition of multisport.
STANDARDS
Engine Indmar Hammerhead 6.2L, 400 hp
Prop Acme 13.5 x 16 4-blade
Cruise Malibu Precision Pro
Ballast Option only
Tower option only
Wake shaper Option only
Mirror Windshield-mounted
Driver’s Seat Swivel, bolster, adjustable lumbar support
Dash Hand-wrapped vinyl, billet aluminum insert
Gauges 5-inch Medallion plus LCD
Stereo Option only
Gas Fill Dual rear
Cooler 30 qt. and 20 qt.
Cup Holders 20, stainless steel
Platform Teak, removable
Trailer Option only
Graphics Sunscape series
Colors 22 colors in seven color ways
OPTIONS
Engine 8100 Vortec 8.1L, 450 hp
Cruise standard only
Ballast 1,350 lb. total (bow tank, center bag, 2 rear tanks)
Tower Illusion XS, Illusion X, Titan III, swivel racks
Wake shaper On-the-fly or manually adjustable foil
Stereo Rockford Fosgate unit with USB port and 1-gig hard drive, 1-gig USB pocket drive, up to 8 Rockford Fosgate speakers, amp, subwoofer, transom remote, swivel tower speakers, satellite radio-ready
Platform Fiberglass with rubber, removable
Trailer Single- or tandem-axle
Misc. Heater, shower
