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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: 4,000 lb.
Maximum HP: 450
Base price: $72,857
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. In addition to the exceptional LCD dash display that can be seen in direct sunlight on the Wakesetter 247 LSV, Malibu for 2008 has added LCD switches to control aspects such as the ballast, the lighting and new rider presets for Wedge position, speed and ballast levels.
Seating: Malibu excels in practically every aspect of boat building, including seating design. The upholstery overall hits the ideal balance of being cushy yet supportive, with intricate stitching throughout the Wakesetter 247 LSV, even under seats. New this year is the addition of Duraguard Vinyl to resist stains, wider driver’s seats with side-mounted swivel control, and an optional passenger bucket seat in most models.
Bow: In the Wakesetter 247 LSV, the bow is actually smaller than we’ve seen in other 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: Our test team spent a long afternoon in this main cabin, and we had plenty of room to stretch out. This is the real centerpiece of the 247 LSV’s interior. Malibu sacrificed some space in the bow to make the cabin so long. That space and the killer style – including side panels loaded with cup holders, speakers, grab rails and backlit Malibu emblems – make this one of the best interiors anywhere.
Storage: Malibu touts 110 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 Wakesetter 247 LSV comes with the most factory ballast of any model in the Malibu line: a whopping 1,450 pounds total. The two rear tanks have capacity for 250 pounds each, while the center tank holds 600 pounds. The bow tank is an option – and one that we highly recommend getting – for 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. With Malibu’s new LCD controls, we could control the iPod at the dash, the bow walk-through and the transom remote. Even if we had forgotten the iPod, Malibu includes a 1-gig pocket drive and 1-gig built-in hard drive.
Engine: This 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: Our test model sported the new Illusion XS tower. Most striking with this cast-aluminum, forward-leaning design are the saw-like serrated lines along the back edge. That gave this boat a profile we could easily recognize halfway across the lake, while it offered the driver full visibility thanks to only two mounting points situated well behind the windshield.
Graphics: The new “M” design for Malibu and the “Wakesetter” lettering had us thinking “Transformers” during our test trip. There’s definitely a techy, edgy feel to the logo. The choice of 22 gelcoat colors really makes that graphic pop.
More features: The 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.: 84°
Water temp.: 72°
Humidity: 43%
Acceleration
With standard 400 hp engine and 13.5 x 16 prop
To 30 mph: 6.2 sec., 151.1 ft.
To 36 mph: 8.2 sec., 245.3 ft.
Top speed: 43.5 mph, 5,400 rpm
Handling
Bow rise: 20 degrees during typical acceleration. Visibility is slightly limited by the high dash, but overall the driver maintained confident navigation.
Tracking: Able to hold a straight line very well with rider in tow.
Turns: A boat of this size does take noticeably longer to stop and turn, but our fallen riders still didn’t have to wait long in the water.
Max G-force crossing wake at 22 mph: 1.37
Vibration: As with all Malibus, this 247 had little to no rattling. Only a minor whistle from the windshield walk-through.
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.
Wake Detail
1,450 lb. factory ballast, wake shaper at 22 mph
Size: Big wakes, of course, from this nearly 25-footer.
Shape: Super peaky and clean, even with double-ups. Our test riders found their sweet spot with a 70-foot rope at 21 mph. It’s important for riders to have good rope length because the wakes are so wide.
Overall: Of all of Malibu’s wakeboarding boats, we found this one to have the best, most fun wakes, which is really saying something for this Wakesetter 247 LSV. We also used the Power Wedge and passenger rearranging to create a good wakesurfing wake.
STANDARDS
Engine Indmar Hammerhead 383 6.2L, 400 hp
Prop Acme 13.5 x 16 4-blade
Cruise Malibu Precision Pro
Ballast 1,100 lb.; LCD gauge
Tower Illusion XS with quick-pin release
Pylon Retractable, swivel
Mirror Windshield-mounted
Driver’s Seat Swivel, bolster, adjustable lumbar support
Dash Hand-wrapped vinyl, billet aluminum insert, tilt steering wheel
Gauges 5-inch Medallion plus LCD
Gas Fill Dual rear
Cooler 53 qt. and 81 qt., removable, under side seating
Cup Holders 20, stainless-steel
Rub Rail Stainless-steel
Platform Teak, removable
Graphics Core Shield exterior decals
Colors 22 colors in 7 color ways
OPTIONS
Engine Indmar 8100 Vortec 8.1L, 450 hp
Cruise PerfectPass
Ballast 1,450 lb.
Tower 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, Sirius satellite radio-ready
Mirror Tower-mounted
Platform Fiberglass with rubber, removable
Trailer Single- or tandem-axle, disc brakes
Misc. Heater, shower, passenger bucket seat, driver’s seat heater
