Axis Wakeboard Boat Forum

Hey guys, I recently went to the Jacksonville boat show, and while there were no Axis boats there
MB sports has a boat with the fork shape front end (I think it is called the Tomcat).
Anyhow, just wondering what you Axis owners/riders/drivers thought of the fork front end. I have never been in such a boat on the water. How does it drive? How is sitting in the front?
Functionally the front seems wider and therefore more spacious...

Thanks guys!

as far as the front end the only benefit that is noticeable is the extra seating, and it was designed to push water away when slowing down, but as we all know that only works if you are not hitting rollers with a bow full of ballast, you can still get water over the bow but it isn't too bad. I would say to just go find one and drive it, I love the way mine handles compared to other boats i've driven but thats just an opinion, every boat drives different due to length, and hull design and its just a matter of preference as to whether you'll like it or not, chances are you will but you'll never know until you hit the water in one!! One test drive is all it took for me

Like walter says... Depends on the manufacturer and the hull not the forked front end. AXIS drives like a sports car, other boats do not (with or without a pickle fork). The value of having a forked front end is the extra space in the bow and the look. Some people like the look and some people do not. I am not a huge fan of the MB fork but like the Tige and Axis look. You can take rollers over any bow... supras bow drops in the front so if its weighted you can take rollers over the front.

The F21 Tomcat bow is wide but I'm 6'00" and sitting in the F21 bow my knees have to be bent...in my Axis my legs can be straight with some room to spare. The f21 drives very well, I demoed one a few weeks ago. The wake on the F21 is incredible (my friend did a quick set during demo). The F21 and F23 forked bow is the ugliest out there IMO but the interior main cabin feels as big or bigger than my 22ft Axis. The interior quality is very, very nice. MB is making some serious noise in the $48k-$65k price range with all their boats.

my local dealer sold axis, malibu and mb last year when I bought. I got to drive both the a22 and f21 close together. the f21 is a pig and turns about as well as the mastercrafts. my wife said "no way". the a22 on the other hand handles so much better, just like the bu vlx. I was fortunate to ride and drive a slammed f21 and of course the handling got worse, but the wake was nice, steep and wide... just not for me.

I agree the pickles on the f21 and f23 are ridiculous, as well as the gel schemes, but their interior material quality is top notch and I love the magnetic carpet instead of traditional snaps.

as said before, pickles do nothing for the wake and probably do nothing or little when turning sharp. It does add bow space for people, ballast or storage, and I think it looks rad.

Same exact "mastercraft pig" quote from my wife in my house during our evaluation phase last year. Id swear the the A22 and VLX are the same hull and running gear below the waterline. Its uncanny how they carve up the water. Man the MC xstar has a GORGEOUS interior, but that couldnt overcome the awesome functionality of the Axis in our eval. Price was close to the same for the 2010 Axis or 2007 Xstar and we chose the Axis. The MC was a better deal on paper, but we are very happy about our decision everyday since.

I thought surely after buying the Axis there would be a day where I wish I had another boat, but I truley am glad I made the decision that I did. I have a good friend who has a 2011 XStar and I have been in it quite a few times, after you get past all the fancy gadgets it does nothing better than my boat. Oh other than it cost Twice what I paid for mine @$110K.

I'm sure there are good and bad things about it compared to the other boats, but the reaction you get out of people once they ride in it or behind it is amazing.

Just My $.02

I definitely think the wide pickle style bow adds to the ride of the Axis being much drier in choppy conditions. I had a 23 Moomba XLV and it sprayed like crazy into the cabin in pretty big chop. This past summer I never thought twice at taking my A22 through open big water in 30mph+ winds.

AJ, thats a good point. I have been in very little chop so I have not experienced this, but it makes sense.

Morris, the functionality of the interior is a huge reason that we went with the new axis over the used vlx. the vlx had nicer material and feel, and with carpet everywhere it really feels like a living room, but the a22 follows suit with the supras and nautiques in how functional the interior is.

Good point AJ - I never really thought about it but it makes sense... I have experienced large chop in an XLV and the Axis does stay dry - Even with the open windows on the side.

I have driven a few boats in the same spot that Johnny rides. Its a very tight river type ride spot so turning is huge. John's heavily weighted Axis handles AWESOME. I have driven another boat back in that spot that is just scary to turn. When I first got into boating years ago I had no idea how much different a boat could handle with different hulls.