Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV
The Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV is a 23-foot ski wake, built from 2014 and still in production. Across 62 listings we have observed (model years 2000–2026), the median asking price is $62,500, with most boats asking $30,000 to $97,500. The engine we see most often on this model is PCM / Indmar ski-wake inboard (GM-based).
BoatVerdict market snapshot
These are asking prices. No free or public source publishes US used-boat transaction prices, so nobody — us included — can honestly show you what these boats sold for. What we can show you is what 62 sellers are asking, which is the number you are actually negotiating against.
45 priced listings across 20 states is a national sample, so the range is stable.
Method: Asking prices from active listings, de-duplicated so a re-posted boat counts once (214 raw listings collapsed to 62 distinct boats). Quartiles, not averages, so one outlier cannot move the band. Rounded to $500.
Coverage: Model years 2000–2026, 20 states, 40 metro areas. New-boat listings excluded.
Sources: BoatVerdict market observations (craigslist + rightboat) · US state vessel registries (5,047 registered Malibu hulls)
Looking at a Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV for sale?
Paste the listing and we will score that specific boat against everything on this page: asking price versus our observed range, engine and hours risk, the known issues for its model year, and a negotiation position. The verdict is free.
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The BoatVerdict take
- BoatVerdict listing data
Asking prices vary widely: the middle half of listings runs $30,000 to $97,500, a 3.3x spread. On this model the year and the condition matter far more than the badge, so a headline price tells you very little until you place the specific boat on the year table below.
- BoatVerdict listing data
Supply is national: we saw listings in 20 states. You can shop this model without flying somewhere, and you will not be the only boat on the market when you sell.
- BoatVerdict listing data
Between the 2004 ($24,000 median) and the 2022 ($125,000 median) asking prices fall about 9% a year. The steepest part of that curve is behind any boat more than five years old, which is where the value sits.
- BoatVerdict analyst
Best resale in the wake segment — the 23 LSV is the most-wanted used wake boat in the US. Surf Gate + Power Wedge equipped commands a premium.
- Recall (USCG/CPSC)
3 federal recall campaigns on file touch this builder. Check the specific hull against the recall list below before you put money down; remedies are free but only if the work was actually done.
Each point is tagged with the evidence behind it. Nothing here is a claim we cannot trace back to a counted listing, a federal record, or a named analyst judgement.
Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV prices by model year
| Model year | Listings | Typical asking range | Median asking | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | 1 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2023 | 5 | 1 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2022 | 3 | $115,000 – $130,000 | $125,000 | |
| 2019 | 7 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2018 | 5 | $95,000 – $105,000 | $99,000 | |
| 2017 | 3 | $75,000 – $80,000 | $79,000 | |
| 2015 | 2 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2014 | 3 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2012 | 2 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2010 | 4 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2007 | 3 | $35,000 – $38,500 | $36,000 | |
| 2004 | 4 | $19,500 – $26,000 | $24,000 | |
| 2003 | 2 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2001 | 2 | 1 priced — too few to publish a range | — |
Asking prices from active listings we observed, not sold prices. No public source publishes US used-boat transaction prices; anyone showing you "sold" data for this market is estimating it. Years with fewer than 3 priced listings show the count only.
Method: Median and quartiles per model year, computed only where at least 3 priced listings exist for that year.
Sources: BoatVerdict market observations
Known problems on the Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV
- Medium Surf Gate actuators and Power Wedge II hydraulics need verification — repairs are dealer-level.
- Low Ballast and the MaliView/touchscreen can glitch; confirm software is current.
Severity is BoatVerdict's rating of what the fault costs to put right and how likely it is to end a deal, not a manufacturer classification. Recalls are listed separately below because a recall is a federal record and a known issue is not.
Method: Hand-authored from service patterns, owner reports and federal records for this model, then reviewed against our listing data.
Sources: BoatVerdict analyst profile: Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV
Recalls affecting Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV
3 federal recall campaigns on file. Recalls are issued against hull-identification ranges, so a campaign listed here may or may not cover the specific boat you are looking at — check the HIN. Remedies are free from the builder, but only if the work was actually performed, and there is no central database that proves it was.
- ⚠ Recall
20SD00127/7/2020FUEL SYSTEM
- ⚠ Recall
190036T6/4/2019FUEL SYSTEM
- ⚠ Recall
21SD00012/19/2021Other
Method: Matched to the builder by normalized company name and MIC. A campaign is shown when it touches this builder; the model and year columns say how narrowly it applies.
Sources: US Coast Guard recall database · CPSC recalls
Engines we actually see on the Wakesetter 23 LSV
- PCM / Indmar ski-wake inboard (GM-based)
Direct-drive / V-drive GM-based inboards in MasterCraft, Malibu, Nautique, and Tige. Reliable powerplants; the risk in a wake boat is the ballast/surf system and hard wakesurf-RPM use, not the engine block. A documented, regularly-serviced wake boat is a safe engine bet.
Service reality: Impeller, transmission fluid, and V-drive oil on schedule. The engine usually outlives the boat's electronics — focus the inspection on ballast pumps and surf actuators.
Full PCM / Indmar ski-wake inboard (GM-based) reliability profile →
Method: Engine family matched from the listing's engine fields and title text against BoatVerdict's engine-family profiles. Prevalence is share of our sample, not factory fitment rates.
Sources: BoatVerdict market observations · BoatVerdict engine-family profiles
Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV specifications
| Length overall | 23 ft | Builder spec |
|---|---|---|
| Beam | 8.5 ft | Builder spec |
| Hull type | ski wake | BoatVerdict classification |
| Segment | watersports | BoatVerdict classification |
| Production | 2014–present | Builder history |
| Primary use | Freshwater | BoatVerdict classification |
| Model years traded | 2000–2026 | Our listing data |
| Malibu hulls in US registries | 5,047 | TX + NY open data |
Rows marked "our listing data" are measured from listings, not published by the builder, and will differ from a brochure. Rows without a source we can name are not shown at all.
What to inspect on a used Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV
- Cycle Surf Gate on both sides and the Power Wedge through full travel on the water. Model-specific item from BoatVerdict's Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV profile.
- Confirm all ballast tanks fill/drain and the touchscreen controls everything. Model-specific item from BoatVerdict's Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV profile.
- PCM / Indmar ski-wake inboard (GM-based): Impeller, transmission fluid, and V-drive oil on schedule. The engine usually outlives the boat's electronics — focus the inspection on ballast pumps and surf actuators. Seen on 3 of the 62 Wakesetter 23 LSV listings we track.
- Get the hour meter reading and divide by the boat's age. Above 120 hours a year is heavy use for a PCM / Indmar ski-wake inboard (GM-based). Threshold from BoatVerdict's engine-family profile for PCM / Indmar ski-wake inboard (GM-based).
- Assume saltwater service unless the seller can prove otherwise: pull the engine cowling and look at the powerhead, check trim-cylinder rams for pitting, and open the battery and fuse boxes for green corrosion. 65% of the listings we observed for this model are in coastal states.
- On the older hulls, core moisture is the deal-breaker: sound the transom and the deck with a plastic mallet, and treat any soft or dull-sounding area as a survey-stopper rather than a bargaining chip. We observe listings back to 2001, so boats over 25 years old are actively traded in this model.
- Work the 2 known issues listed above into the sea trial, not the walkaround. Most of them only show up under load. BoatVerdict analyst profile for this model.
This list is specific to this model: analyst items for the hull, plus items driven by the engines and the regions we actually observe on Wakesetter 23 LSV listings. It is not a generic pre-purchase checklist, and it does not replace a surveyor.
What a Wakesetter 23 LSV costs to own
$3,750 – $10k per year
- 23 ft ski wake, the published length for this model
- Saltwater berth, based on where most listings we see are located (CA)
- Includes insurance, storage, routine service, fuel at moderate seasonal use, and a reserve for wear items
- Excludes loan payments, major engine replacement, and refit work
This is a modelled band, not observed spend. Real cost swings hard on where you keep the boat and how much you use it.
Method: The same ownership-cost model BoatVerdict's paid Deal Report uses: boat class and length set the base band, then saltwater berth and size adjust it.
Sources: BoatVerdict ownership-cost model
Where Wakesetter 23 LSVs are for sale
- CA 13
- TX 11
- MN 5
- TN 3
- NV 3
- MT 3
- FL 3
- AZ 3
- WA 3
- SC 2
Counts of distinct boats we observed per state, from 62 listings in 40 metro areas. We publish the distribution, not the listings themselves.
What else buyers cross-shop
- Harris Cruiser 230
- Nautique Super Air G23
- Yamaha SX230
- Yamaha AR230
- Chris Craft Concept
- Bayliner VR6
Chosen by measured similarity — same builder first, then comparable length — and limited to models whose own page meets our evidence bar. No paid placements, no filler links.
Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV FAQ
How much does a used Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV cost?
What are the common problems with the Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV?
Are there recalls on the Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV?
What engine does the Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV come with?
What does it cost to own a Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV per year?
Looking at a Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV for sale?
Paste the listing and we will score that specific boat against everything on this page: asking price versus our observed range, engine and hours risk, the known issues for its model year, and a negotiation position. The verdict is free.
Get the free verdict →No account needed. The paid Deal Report is optional and comes after.