Help a New Boater, How is the Makai in choppy waters as a "cruiser"?

[cmargosi]

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking for some feedback and help from Makai owners. We are looking at an 2019 Makai for use on Lake Geneva in Wisconsin. I have two kids (7 and 11) and they like to surf and I also enjoy surfing, although admittedly we are all novices. My wife has no interest in surfing and is primarily concerned with comfort of the boat, ride and handling. Lake Geneva tends to get very busy on weekend afternoons with a lot of chop and wind. We won't be surfing afternoons, but we do want to be able to "cruise" in our boat and anchor for the kids to enjoy time on a maui mat, swimmng and sunning. I'm concerned with the low freeboard on a wake surf boat that we might be better off looking at a Penta Sterndrive even if we give up a bit of wave functionality. We like the roominess of the full inboard and can live without the creature comforts that we might get on a comparably priced I/O. Here are a few questions:

-Has anyone had their Makai in 3-4 foot waves and chop? How does it handle the chop?

-How wet is the rear of the boat in chop?

-How does it handle chop and cruising?

-We took a lesson behind a Nautique G25 (totally different boat and price point, can't splash out that kind of money), but we found the handling of chop and freeboard acceptable. Does anyone have a comparison on Makai and the G25 on those fronts?

I have very few concerns about the wake, I know that will be great, but if my wife doesn't like the boat and isn't comfortable, this is going to be the wrong boat for our family. Feedback and thoughts are appreciated.

[dakota4ce]

Couple things: it’s solid as a rock in big chop. I boat Lake Okoboji which is horribly chewed up on weekends. 3’ rollers from every direction. Makai does extremely well. Better than my former boats which included a 24Ve, MB F24 and Supra SE.

Freeboard is huge. Rear is bone dry unless of course you’re out in 25mph winds—which I have been. Even at that it’s still amazingly good.

Wave is as you stated. Solid.

Also: you should buy mine. She’s a beaut! Wink wink....

No complaints whatsoever about Makai. It is as good as it gets for the wave+size+luxury+price factor. It can’t be touched when you consider all of that together. IMHO

https://www.onlyinboards.com/2019-MO...ota-94450.aspx


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[rdlangston13]

I'm concerned with the low freeboard on a wake surf boat

Amazing that the Makai is considered to have low freeboard! You should have seen the old LSVs and outback Vs haha. I have a Mojo and compared to a Makai it has low freeboard and its way taller than my old 08 LSV.

[TXSurf4]

Ya Freeboard is not a concern for us on this boat. We were on Lake Conroe for Memorial Day and it was nothing but 3' chop all day and it handled it great! The boat is super comfortable as far as space goes on the inside and with the chop/rollers the size makes it equally as comfortable to ride in/drive.

[larry_arizona]

This is why some would say the Makai has a relatively low freeboard.

Makai and SE comparison both are 24’5”




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[dakota4ce]

This is why some would say the Makai has a relatively low freeboard.

Makai and SE comparison both are 24’5”




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Very odd post. Makai has MASSIVE freeboard. Simply massive.

If it’s less than an SE, it’s not by much. Mind you they’re sitting on different trailers in a pic like this.

On the water, it’s a beast.




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[dakota4ce]

Here is one at rest with 1700# of lead in the back of it and full of gas.


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[dakota4ce]

Makai and SE nose to nose.


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[rdlangston13]

Very odd post. Makai has MASSIVE freeboard. Simply massive.

If it’s less than an SE, it’s not by much. Mind you they’re sitting on different trailers in a pic like this.

On the water, it’s a beast.




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Yeah I would think the extra 1,000 lb of dry weight in the SE would result in about the same amount of freeboard in the water. Which your picture displays perfectly.

[larry_arizona]

Yeah I would think the extra 1,000 lb of dry weight in the SE would result in about the same amount of freeboard in the water. Which your picture displays perfectly.

Although both are rated at 28” of draft.

Dry weight delta of SE and Makai is 1650#.

I recall both trailers at the boat show being twin axle boatmates. Just the side by side at the show was eye opening.


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