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MasterCraft X-9: Performance Test

MasterCraft X-9 is a well-rounded tow boat for the modern age.

By Staff

December 3, 2001

The MasterCraft X-9 proved to be an outstanding tow boat for water-skiers and wakeboarders. (All photos by Tom Newby)

Thanks to the wakeboard craze, competition in the inboard tow-boat market is fierce. Almost every serious builder has a dedicated slalom boat, a dedicated wakeboard boat and, especially nowadays, a hybrid of the two.

We appreciate purpose-built machines, but for our money a hybrid is the way to go—especially if it happens to be the X-9 from MasterCraft. Measuring 20' 1 1/2'' long and 8' wide, the X-9 had conventional inboard specs and a traditional layout, but the boat was anything but conventional or traditional. In terms of dual-purpose towing ability, it could be one of the best ski boats we've tested.

Without question, it was the most spendy. Base price for the X-9 with a 310-hp 5.7-liter EFI Predator engine is $44,300. The manufacturer delivered our test model to our Performance Trials site on Captiva Island, Fla., with a list of options—including a 330-hp 5.7-liter LTR MPI motor—that would fill this page. So equipped, the X-9 rang in at $58,652, including a tandem-axle trailer.

Skiing

A classic teak swim platform was attached to the transom of the contemporary towing machine.

Oddly, an option the X-9 didn't have was a ballast system. Rest assured, the boat can handle one. Our wakeboard tester, however, wasn't sure such a system was necessary. The wakes from the X-9 didn't have the size of some he'd seen behind other boats, but their shape was perfect, right to the kicker lip at the top of each crest.

"Plus, the way this boat cuts through its own wake would make double-ups a lot more comfortable than they are in some other boats on the market," he said.

That ride came courtesy of a semi-V, variable deadrise bottom. The hull had a slightly negative chine and four strakes. Roughly 1 foot from the keel, the inner strakes stopped about 4 feet from the transom. The outer strakes ran full length.

Our wakeboard tester found the pull out of deep-water starts uncommonly smooth. The tower, which was hinged and flipped forward for trailering and garage storage, certainly didn't hurt. He also was impressed by the tow boat's tracking. Even his hardest turns couldn't budge it.

Looking at the X-9's wakes at slalom speeds before hitting the water, our skier had doubts about how smooth they'd be to cut across. He thought they looked a bit "wide." Turned out they were perfect. Entries and exits through the wakes, at a variety of boat speeds and rope lengths, were "smooth," a word our ski test team frequently used to describe the X-9's towing performance.

Ski and board stowage options were nearly unlimited. They included an area under the observer's seat, which raised on gas struts, and a trunk all the way aft. And, of course, adding racks to the tower was a fine and dandy option.

Our ski and wakeboard test drivers we're as delighted with the pulling punch of the X-9 as they were with its handling manners. Getting a slalom skier or boarder up from a deep-water start took a mere nudge on the throttle. Our skier did his best to get the driver's attention with wicked slalom cuts, but the driver couldn't feel him behind the boat. Thanks to a well-positioned rearview mirror, however, the driver easily kept track of him. Come pickup time, when tight turns matter, our drivers found the boat responsive and nimble.

The tower and a center-mounted tow pylon made rope-tending easy for our observer. She also offered praise for the rear-facing observer's seat.

Performance

In straight performance testing, our lead test pilot echoed the sentiments of the ski and wakeboard drivers: The X-9 handled beautifully. It carved high-G slalom and decreasing-radius circles with the kind of stick-to-the-water authority that would leave the uninitiated feeling nauseous.

The boat earned perfect scores for tracking at all speeds and was impervious to passenger weight shift.

The X-9 channeled the juice from its 330-hp engine to a direct-drive (1:1) with an OJ 13" x 13" four-blade nibral propeller at the business end. Top speed for the boat was 44.4 mph at 4800 rpm. That's not blistering fast. Then again, the boat shot there in 15 seconds, which is quick.

"Quick" certainly could be used to describe the X-9's 2.8-second time to plane. From a standing start, the boat ran 40 mph in 10 seconds.

But it was the performance whole, rather than the sum of its parts, that most impressed our lead driver. "I have to say, this is the nicest boat MasterCraft has brought us in years."

Workmanship

Behind the pristine 15-mil gelcoat, which showed off the boat's superior mold work, MasterCraft employed a host of lamination materials. Among those were 1- and 1 1/2-ounce mat, 1808 biaxial glass, 1810 bi-ply, Spray Core and H.D.P.E. plastic for screws and added support. To keep the X-9 free of dings, a plastic rubrail with a rubber insert was installed.

Hardware included Accon Pull-Up cleats?, a walk-through windshield that fit the boat like it came out of the mold as part of the deck and a teak swim platform. The previously noted tower held four Cerwin Vega speakers.

Under the engine hatch, which was supported by two gas struts, the fuel-injected motor was installed on a multipoint mounting system through-bolted to the fiberglass liner. The liner created a smooth bilge finish and tidy appearance, as did the PVC channels for X-9's wiring.

Interior

At 6'4'' tall, our lead co-pilot tends to put open-bow lounges to the ultimate test. The open bow of the X-9 passed with flying colors—he never felt cramped. "You could probably put two people my size up here," he said.

Wooegrain dash panels gave the helm station an elegant appearance.

The boat's aluminum sole was neatly carpeted. In the cockpit, the driver benefited from an adjustable bucket and a six-position tilt steering wheel. In addition to the usual tow-boat gauges, including dual speedometers, the X-9 had Perfect Pass cruise control. The system enables drivers to select and maintain consistent speeds for skiers and boarders and, although it's pricey, we think it's worth having.

The rear bench was as comfortable as the observer's seat. Plus, with the stereo cranked up, it was a perfect place to hear all the tunes—even when the boat was running wide open.

Overall

Sure, the X-9 equipped the way we tested it costs big dollars. Then again, it is two boats—water-ski and wakeboard—in one. Make that two great boats in one.

Hull and Propulsion Information

Deadrise at transom	NA
Centerline	22'
Beam	8'
Hull weight	2,850 pounds
Engine	Indmar 5.7-liter LTR MPI
Cylinder type	V-8
Cubic-inch displacement/horsepower	350/330
Lower-unit gear ratio	1:1
Propeller	OJ 13" x 13"

Pricing

Base retail	$44,300
Price as tested	$58,652

Standard Equipment

Competition throttle, dual exhaust system, dual fuel filtration system, gauge, rack and pinion steering, chronograph clock, Clarion AM/FM CD stereo system, heavy-duty marine carpet, fire extinguisher, sunpad, teak swim platform, stainless-steel deck hardware, adjustable oversized windshield, no-spill gas fill, side panel ski storage.

Options on Test Boat

209 Tandem Axle trailer (($4,430), two sets of tower speakers (($2,910), custom metal-flake paint ($2,273), LTR 1:1 drive ($2,182), Perfect Pass Pro Series Speed Control ($1,819), rack lights ($1,455), 2 board racks ($1,237), four-speaker CD stereo ($1,155), tower cover ($700), depth gauge ($319), aluminum spare tire ($300).

Acceleration