General Wakeboarding Frequently Asked Questions

What is wakesurfing and how is it different from wakeboarding and wakeskating?

This is a question we actually get quite often.  Wakesurfing involves riding a thin surf board, without hanging on to a rope, on a wave created about 6-8 feet behind the boat when it is going at relatively slow speeds (8-11mph).  It is best to weight the boat more on one side than the other in order to make a bigger cleaner wave. You often start holding on to the rope but can let go once you find the ‘sweet spot’ on the wave.
Wakeskating is a cross between wakeboarding and skateboarding:  you ride hanging onto the rope, further behind the boat (>60 feet), on a specially designed board, resembling a short wakeboard, that is not attached to your feet at all.

What should I look for in the best and biggest wakeboard boat?

The shape and size of the wake is the most important thing in a big wakeboard boat, as well as the build quality and engine reliability.  Other things to think about if you have a big family or a lot of friends that you want to take out, is the seating capacity, the overall size of the boat, the amount of storage space, the engine power, a cruise control system to allow for easier driving, and other convenience items like a great stereo, esky, etc.

Why are wakeboard boats different to water ski boats?

Wakeboarding boats are specifically designed for allowing the rider to jump off the wake the boat creates.  The size of the wake is important and is related to the boat’s hull size, weight and shape.  The bigger and heavier a boat is, the more water it will displace as it travels across the water surface, thus making a bigger wake pop up behind the boat. Ballast tanks allow the user to add water to the boat, temporarily increasing the weight of the boat, and increasing the size of the wake.  On top of size, the shape of the wake is important in how easy it is for the rider to jump and perform different tricks.  The shape of the boat’s hull determines the shape of the “ramp” that the rider jumps off, but also the slope of the landing area on the other side of the wake.  These major factors make jumping and landing a lot easier on the wakeboarder or wakeskater. 
Waterski boats are made to be flat, small and light in order to skim across the water and make the smallest possible wake behind the boat. A smaller wake impedes a skier less when they are trying to cross the wake.

What is a V-drive wakeboarding boat and how is it different from a centre-mount boat?

V-drive boats are ideal for wakeboarding as they place the weight of the engine closer to the stern of the boat with the aim of making a bigger and better wake shape for jumping.  They also allow for a larger wrap-around seating area in the cabin. In V-drive boats the drive shaft from the engine points toward the nose, and through a gearbox is transferred to the final drive shaft that points back towards the stern.  This forms a “V” configuration which delivers power to the propeller. 
Centre-mount boats offer the ideal weight distribution and handling characteristics for slalom skiing. The engine sits towards the middle of the boat and a single drive shaft runs rearward to the propeller through a conventional gearbox.
Crossover boats are attempts to achieve the best of both worlds, but always end up compromising to some degree on the wakeboarding or water skiing performance of the boat. Crossover boats can be either v-drive or centre mount.

Frequently Asked Questions about the MB Brand

Why should I pay $90,000 for an MB rather than buying a cheaper boat?

The main difference is the build quality and the many functional features of an MB when compared to cheaper boats.  The materials are heavy-duty and the craftsmanship is precise.  Every boat is put together entirely by hand.  Everything on the boat is sturdy.
All MBs come with huge fast filling ballast systems, amazing stereo systems, Zero-off GPS cruise control, a fold down tower, removable fibreglass swim platform, large removable Bimini, dual batteries, hydraulic engine cover, 240 Litre Fuel Tank, 15 people seating capacity, huge amounts of storage space, all 6061-T6 aluminium fittings, a custom dual axle trailer and the list goes on.

Where can I look at one of these boats? How can I go wakeboarding behind them?

Call us! We’ll give you a ride and a drive of the boats for free, and have boats ready to go in Sydney and Melbourne, with more on the way.  Also check out our ticker on the homepage to see where we’ll be next on our 2010 East Coast Tour and Demo weekend schedule.

Why do MB wakeboarding boats cost $10,000 to $15,000 less than the competition if they have many of the same features, a similar warranty, and a massive wakeboard wake?

We build boats on an individual basis. We don’t have massive marketing budgets to pay for, athletes and competitions to sponsor, inventory to stock, or sales quotas to reach.  With far fewer operating expenses, we can offer substantial discounts to competitors’ retail prices, while still offering unsurpassed quality and performance.  MB is a small, family-owned company – by choice.

Where are the boats built?

MB boats are built by hand by MBSports in Atwater, California, USA.  MBSports, the parent company, is American-owned. The boats are imported to Australia and sold by Australians. 

What are the details of the warranty? What is an average wakeboarding boat warranty? 

The average wakeboarding boat warranty is typically 3 years.  The details of MBs warranty is as follows:

How will my boat be serviced? How often do I have to get my wakeboarding boat serviced?

There are MB recommended service centres in each Australian state that specialize in PCM engines.  Warranty repairs are also done by these service centres , and paid for by MB Boats USA.  A service has to be done on a new boat after run-in at 25 hours of use, and afterward a service is recommended once a year, or every 75 hours of use.

How long does it take to deliver a boat once purchased?

It takes roughly 2-4 weeks to build each boat, 4-6 weeks to ship and 2 weeks for Port Release and Pre-delivery activities. So you should get your boat within 12 weeks and be wakeboarding, wakesurfing, or wakeskating in no time.

What if I want to use my MB wakeboard boat in saltwater?

The anodized components that resist saltwater corrosion are standard on MB Boats and use in saltwater will not alter their lifetime warranty coverage.  A closed-freshwater cooling system is standard on the upgraded 410hp engine, and available as an option on the base 343hp engine. Alternatively if you haven’t upgraded to the closed freshwater cooling system you can still use your boat in saltwater provided you flush your engine with freshwater after use. It is best to wash your boat thoroughly after any exposure to saltwater to limit the effects of corrosion.

Are the F21 and B52V the only MB Boat models available in Australia?

No.  These are our two most popular models, but other MB models are available on an individual, Price on Application basis. 

Are there any additional costs?

The retail price includes trailer, registration, boat cover, bimini, GST and delivery within 100kms of Melbourne and Sydney.  We can easily arrange to have your boat delivered to other locations at a small additional cost.

Frequently Asked Questions about MB Wakeboarding boat options

What are the stereo options and what do I need in a wakeboard boat in terms of stereo options? Will the boat charge my IPOD? Is a subwoofer standard?

Every MB boat comes with a Clarion marine CD / MP3 / IPOD ready stereo with 6 marine speakers and a 10” subwoofer.  Tower speakers are the only additional stereo option.  The tower speakers make it possible for the rider behind the boat to hear the music whilst they are wakeboarding or wakeskating.  The MP3 player input jack in an MB Boat is a USB interface that will charge your IPOD or MP3 player at the same time it is playing. It will also accept a simple flash drive and the Clarion head unit can be used to search through and control the music store on it.

Do I need tower lights? What are the LED surf lights?

The bullet tower lights are a useful option if you will be docking your boat or putting it on the trailer in the dark.  The two tower lights illuminate a large area in front of the boat.  The LED transom surf lights illuminate the area immediately behind the boat for added wakesurfing visibility at dusk or dawn.

What makes Zero-off cruise control the best cruise control for wakeboarding and wakesurfing?

Zero-off cruise control is run by GPS satellite data:  this means that boat speed is held constant by ABSOLUTE methods rather than by older methods based off engine RPM or the speed at which the water hits a sensor dragging in the water.  It means that little things such as wind and wakeboarders tugging on the line don’t alter your speed, resulting in a better, much more consistent, wakeboarding experience.

Why don’t MB boats have a wake shape or wake enhancing device?

The MB CAD-designed hulls optimize water displacement and wake shape, making added enhancing devices unnecessary.  Wake-enhancing foils and plates are just another system that can break or be damaged on a boat.

What is the difference between the 5.7L 343hp and the 6L 410hp wakeboarding and wakesurfing performance?

The base 5.7L 343hp engine in the MB F21 Tomcat and B52V Wide Body is an upgrade with most competitor brands. The 5.7L 343hp engine is ideal if you’re going to be using the boat mostly as a family wakeboarding boat and will be more than enough power for most uses.  The 6.0L 410hp engine is more suited to those that want serious power and might be adding extra weight to the boat on top of the ballast system in search of those professional level wakes.