Guppydriver
09-15-2020, 02:00 PM
This is pretty much a copy and paste of a post I made on another forum, but I'm super curious what you guys think as I am meeting with my Moomba dealer Thursday.
Long time lurker, recent new poster, and boy I could use some advice. I know this has been discussed ad infinitum but I was looking for some fresh perspective and curious about what opinions you may have on my observation thus far. It is finally time for our family to upgrade to a surf boat that can accomodate not just our family, but friends as well. Unfortunately, we don't have unlimited resources, but want the warranty and experience of buying a new boat. I know many will say just buy a used premium model....maybe that's where we'll go, but that's another thread, and I like to keep this thread focused on brand new models. Remember there are really no more "leftover" new models to be had for ridiculous deals, so my comparison is based on new build-to-order 2021 models.
I seriously feel like I have done to much research and that my head is going to explode. I have spreadsheets, catalogs, lurk multiple forums, and have watched about a thousand "walk thru" videos on youtube. My family decided to make a hard budget of five figures out the door. If there is an value/offer we can't refuse, we could sneak into the very low 100's, but it would have to be something special. Utah tax, doc fees, freight , and registration average about 10% of the price, so that puts our price limit on the boat + options somewhere in the low 90's.
The boat I am absolutely in love with is the MB B52. I thought I had a shot at a classic, but it seems MB raised their prices by about 10%, which puts it in the low 100's before tax. Had I known, I probably would have ordered a month ago or so. I have my local MB putting together a quote but he is ballparking 106 ish, which puts it well out of range when you add the ancillary fees. So my quest has continued, and I'm at the end of rope, need to do something in the next two weeks before I lose my mind. Here are my observations of the boats that are at around price point, I'm very curious at what your opinions are....I will use this boat at higher elevation Utah lakes and will be used to primarily surf. We never wakeboard. When I have to, I'll bust out a tube or knee board for the younger kids, but surfing and leisure room are my priorities. I also refuse to throw a pump overboard and fill portable sacks in my brand new boat. Anything I buy I want to be surf ready with a maximum of 500 pounds or so of lead and maybe a swap of PNP bags...but not much more "work".
1. Axis A22/T23-
Pros- Surf Wave out of the box is in amazing, legitimately surf ready when you drive off the lot. Simple to use, not much to dial in as the surf gate and power wedge are pretty much set and forget. On paper this clearly is the best boat to buy for the money for a surfer on a limited budget. This is probably what I should buy, but I have no real emotional or visceral draw to it..
Cons- Base engine can be weak at high altitudes...tower is like looking at an aborted fetus....Helm tech looks like a 1998 fish finder. The Axis' I have been on also seem to have some fit and finish issues and just don't sound or feel really well built. Free board and rough water ride could be better. This part is objective, but I am almost 50 and like classic, pretty, boats. The Axis is really edgy and aggressive in its style and it would be hard to spend 100k on a boat and not want to look back at it every time I park it.
2. Mastercraft NXT series
Pros- Fit and finish seem impressive, seems sturdy. Tons of storage space. Strong base engine. Convertible rear seat. Name on the side is nice for resale. I almost wrote a deposit check for these until my neighbor told me to check out the Supreme/ Centurion...
Cons- Incredibly stripped of options and customization so as not to cannibalize their higher models (4 speaker in the cabin, No bow filler available, no gator step, plain interior with a lot of fiberglass showing instead of upholstery), no walk through. No 23 foot model available. I've heard these are not very surf ready out of the box, and require a lot to get a decent wave. A little too much cost costing value for the dollar (how much are you paying for the logo?). None right now to demo
3. MB B52(classic)-
Pros- Already mentioned. Gorgeous Boat- every one feels custom...powder coating...interior colors etc.., Surf Wave is pretty epic. Quick Fill Ballast also drains the PNP bags. Fit and finish seem top notch. Tons of standard features. Honestly, I was quoted around 97k (before tax and fees) a month or two ago when I started the process, I would probably make an exception to my budget if this was still the price.
Cons- Increase in price. New Alpha may make the classic seem dated the before you buy it. Antiquated technology (no touchscreen). Also...Not very deep inside at all. The hard tanks take up so much space that it you never really feel like you are in the boat when sitting on the benches. Raptor 400 might not be enough at 4500-5000 feet (my lake elevations). 3 year warranty compared to industry standard 5 (big deal to me). Can't fine tune surf tabs (all or nothing surf left or right)
4. Supreme s238- The new front runner! I think it may be the most underrated boats in the industry.
Pros- Value and size for your money. 24 foot boat while most others are 22-23. Doesn't seem like a "budget boat" by the quality of the materials. Vee Hull gives you a great rough water ride. 409 Engine is more powerful than the competition's motor. Now has 750 a side PNP from the factory as standard.
Cons- Does it surf well enough? I need a wave with push and I will not buy portable sacks and throw a pump overboard in a brand new boat. I am willing to buy about 500lbs of lead , but don't feel like towing an extra thousands pounds to the lake or when I'm tubing the kids. No convertible rear seat. I hear rumors of a drastically changed/update S238 in the near future. None in inventory to demo.
If I was sure I could produce a nice surf wave with no more than 500lbs additional lead (I don't expect it to have the same wave as a 150k boat, but I want it to be easily surfable without the rope), I would buy one tomorrow.
5. AND OF COURSE...Moomba Max or Mojo- Don't really know much about them...I go look at them Thursday... I've heard good things fit and finish wise, but I hear they are quickly getting more expensive. I don't know much about their stock wave but the boats seem very deep with tons of freeboard. I'm not the biggest fan of the big a "Moomba" on the side, but they are a hot product right now. A Moomba would also require that I buy "sight unseen" whuch would be weird for such a big purchase ? I've heard they need a little help surfing as well, but I don't expect the wave out of the box to be the same as a 150k SA or Fi... like the S238...I need to have adult rope-less push with just some additional lead and maybe a rear locker bad upgrade. I'm hearing the new Mojo should be sweet but it might also climb into 6 figure territory,
Would you guys/gals generally agree with these assessments or did I drastically miss the ball? Is there one particular feature/reason that swayed you to the Moomba brand or was it mainly because it was the most cost effective option. Any opinions are appreciated, want to have a deposit check in someone's hands by the end of next week.
Thanks so much for reading this TLDR post. LOL
Long time lurker, recent new poster, and boy I could use some advice. I know this has been discussed ad infinitum but I was looking for some fresh perspective and curious about what opinions you may have on my observation thus far. It is finally time for our family to upgrade to a surf boat that can accomodate not just our family, but friends as well. Unfortunately, we don't have unlimited resources, but want the warranty and experience of buying a new boat. I know many will say just buy a used premium model....maybe that's where we'll go, but that's another thread, and I like to keep this thread focused on brand new models. Remember there are really no more "leftover" new models to be had for ridiculous deals, so my comparison is based on new build-to-order 2021 models.
I seriously feel like I have done to much research and that my head is going to explode. I have spreadsheets, catalogs, lurk multiple forums, and have watched about a thousand "walk thru" videos on youtube. My family decided to make a hard budget of five figures out the door. If there is an value/offer we can't refuse, we could sneak into the very low 100's, but it would have to be something special. Utah tax, doc fees, freight , and registration average about 10% of the price, so that puts our price limit on the boat + options somewhere in the low 90's.
The boat I am absolutely in love with is the MB B52. I thought I had a shot at a classic, but it seems MB raised their prices by about 10%, which puts it in the low 100's before tax. Had I known, I probably would have ordered a month ago or so. I have my local MB putting together a quote but he is ballparking 106 ish, which puts it well out of range when you add the ancillary fees. So my quest has continued, and I'm at the end of rope, need to do something in the next two weeks before I lose my mind. Here are my observations of the boats that are at around price point, I'm very curious at what your opinions are....I will use this boat at higher elevation Utah lakes and will be used to primarily surf. We never wakeboard. When I have to, I'll bust out a tube or knee board for the younger kids, but surfing and leisure room are my priorities. I also refuse to throw a pump overboard and fill portable sacks in my brand new boat. Anything I buy I want to be surf ready with a maximum of 500 pounds or so of lead and maybe a swap of PNP bags...but not much more "work".
1. Axis A22/T23-
Pros- Surf Wave out of the box is in amazing, legitimately surf ready when you drive off the lot. Simple to use, not much to dial in as the surf gate and power wedge are pretty much set and forget. On paper this clearly is the best boat to buy for the money for a surfer on a limited budget. This is probably what I should buy, but I have no real emotional or visceral draw to it..
Cons- Base engine can be weak at high altitudes...tower is like looking at an aborted fetus....Helm tech looks like a 1998 fish finder. The Axis' I have been on also seem to have some fit and finish issues and just don't sound or feel really well built. Free board and rough water ride could be better. This part is objective, but I am almost 50 and like classic, pretty, boats. The Axis is really edgy and aggressive in its style and it would be hard to spend 100k on a boat and not want to look back at it every time I park it.
2. Mastercraft NXT series
Pros- Fit and finish seem impressive, seems sturdy. Tons of storage space. Strong base engine. Convertible rear seat. Name on the side is nice for resale. I almost wrote a deposit check for these until my neighbor told me to check out the Supreme/ Centurion...
Cons- Incredibly stripped of options and customization so as not to cannibalize their higher models (4 speaker in the cabin, No bow filler available, no gator step, plain interior with a lot of fiberglass showing instead of upholstery), no walk through. No 23 foot model available. I've heard these are not very surf ready out of the box, and require a lot to get a decent wave. A little too much cost costing value for the dollar (how much are you paying for the logo?). None right now to demo
3. MB B52(classic)-
Pros- Already mentioned. Gorgeous Boat- every one feels custom...powder coating...interior colors etc.., Surf Wave is pretty epic. Quick Fill Ballast also drains the PNP bags. Fit and finish seem top notch. Tons of standard features. Honestly, I was quoted around 97k (before tax and fees) a month or two ago when I started the process, I would probably make an exception to my budget if this was still the price.
Cons- Increase in price. New Alpha may make the classic seem dated the before you buy it. Antiquated technology (no touchscreen). Also...Not very deep inside at all. The hard tanks take up so much space that it you never really feel like you are in the boat when sitting on the benches. Raptor 400 might not be enough at 4500-5000 feet (my lake elevations). 3 year warranty compared to industry standard 5 (big deal to me). Can't fine tune surf tabs (all or nothing surf left or right)
4. Supreme s238- The new front runner! I think it may be the most underrated boats in the industry.
Pros- Value and size for your money. 24 foot boat while most others are 22-23. Doesn't seem like a "budget boat" by the quality of the materials. Vee Hull gives you a great rough water ride. 409 Engine is more powerful than the competition's motor. Now has 750 a side PNP from the factory as standard.
Cons- Does it surf well enough? I need a wave with push and I will not buy portable sacks and throw a pump overboard in a brand new boat. I am willing to buy about 500lbs of lead , but don't feel like towing an extra thousands pounds to the lake or when I'm tubing the kids. No convertible rear seat. I hear rumors of a drastically changed/update S238 in the near future. None in inventory to demo.
If I was sure I could produce a nice surf wave with no more than 500lbs additional lead (I don't expect it to have the same wave as a 150k boat, but I want it to be easily surfable without the rope), I would buy one tomorrow.
5. AND OF COURSE...Moomba Max or Mojo- Don't really know much about them...I go look at them Thursday... I've heard good things fit and finish wise, but I hear they are quickly getting more expensive. I don't know much about their stock wave but the boats seem very deep with tons of freeboard. I'm not the biggest fan of the big a "Moomba" on the side, but they are a hot product right now. A Moomba would also require that I buy "sight unseen" whuch would be weird for such a big purchase ? I've heard they need a little help surfing as well, but I don't expect the wave out of the box to be the same as a 150k SA or Fi... like the S238...I need to have adult rope-less push with just some additional lead and maybe a rear locker bad upgrade. I'm hearing the new Mojo should be sweet but it might also climb into 6 figure territory,
Would you guys/gals generally agree with these assessments or did I drastically miss the ball? Is there one particular feature/reason that swayed you to the Moomba brand or was it mainly because it was the most cost effective option. Any opinions are appreciated, want to have a deposit check in someone's hands by the end of next week.
Thanks so much for reading this TLDR post. LOL