Boats

MasterCraft Boats MariStar 215 2008

By Wakeboarding Magazine

Updated: January 1, 2008

Wakeboard Boat Review

Don’t discriminate against the MasterCraft MariStar 215 just because it doesn’t have the ever-popular pickle-fork bow design. In its third model year, the MasterCraft MariStar 215 has plenty of top-notch design behind it thanks to MasterCraft’s research and development department and with just the optional 650-pound factory ballast system it creates some impressive-sized wakes.

Hull: MasterCraft Boats’ engineers hit a home run in smart wakeboard boat design when they shook up the sport with their MasterCraft X-Star. Its hull featured a wide beam that has a step-in at the transom so the wakes aren’t too wide. The MasterCraft MariStar 215 design incorporates that similar idea while still using the width to help maintain stability in turns.

Ballast: This wakeboard boat’s optional 650-pound rear bag probably doesn’t sound like quite enough to send riders running to the dealership, but our test team was really surprised at how big the wakes were with just that stock ballast. That weight and the running surface work well together.

Tower: The optional tower and board racks shouldn’t be optional for you. The ZeroFlex design is a favorite in the office and does one of the best jobs at incorporating the wakeboard racks into the overall look, rather than just having them added on. The swivel wakeboard racks are the centerpiece of the rear supports and have the pointed profile to go with the tower’s angles.

Highlight feature: The VDIG. That’s MasterCraft’s new video display gauge, and it could revolutionize the dash. Seriously, its potential blew us away. Video highlights, ballast diagram, depth map — it’s all good.

The wake: We found plenty of meat in these really solid wakes that didn’t give at all when we hit them. They were much bigger than we expected with only factory weight. Wakes are steeper than similar wakeboard boats like the MasterCraft MariStar 200, but still have plenty of ramp, a small lip, clean peak and cushiony landings.