6 Excellent Wake Boats 24 Feet and Larger
Americans love boating. Every weekend, the nation’s waterways teem with people and boats. Who knows exactly why? Maybe we have some epigenetic memory of our ancestors crossing the Atlantic, and we long for the ocean waves, even in places like Indiana and Kansas.
Sure, chilling on the water is great, but at some point Americans feel the need for adrenaline. That’s why it’s no surprise that wake sports and wake boats are so popular. And wake boats 24 feet and larger create those monster wakes that boarders and surfers love.
Many smaller wake boats do a great job, too, and they cost less. But if you have the budget and want a larger wake boat, take a look at these six.
Why a Bigger Wake Boat?
Towed sports such as wakeboarding and wakesurfing have grown in recent years. Because of that, boat manufacturers have poured tons of research and engineering know-how into creating boats that can produce the biggest, cleanest, most precise wakes.
Since water displacement is the goal, the weight of the boat that’s pushing aside all that water is key. That’s why true aficionados of wake sports—including the pros—tend to favor wake boats 24 feet and larger.
Need some other reasons why bigger is better? For starters, the more the merrier, right? When you can take 18 or 20 people out, the party just gets more fun. Plus, more people means more weight, which translates to ballast.
The extra space on a larger boat also means you can have extra popup seats or adjustable seats in the stern, which means more people can enjoy the action. Larger boats also likely have extra space in the bow for people to chill, chat, or just take a break. They have more space for built-in coolers and storage for all your gear.
So with all that said, read on to find out more about a few wake boats 24 feet and larger—the big boats of the wake world.
Moomba Makai
The 24-foot, 5-inch Moomba Makai is a jolly beast, sporting 4,000 pounds of ballast and weighing in at a hefty 5,200 pounds. It can take on 18 passengers and displace some serious agua for the wake sports crowd. The combination of the Flow Surf system and the Moomba SmartPlate gives you total control over the size, shape, and contours of the wakes you create. The touchscreen at the helm and redundant analog controls give you the power to alter the SmartPlate on the fly.
A big addition to the 2024 model was the optional E/Pex power tower, which allows you to lower the Bimini all the way down to the windshield, keeping it flat. It can fold and retract at the touch of a button. Plus, it has 360-degree rotating speakers, surf tow points, extra storage on top, and it provides a generous shade cover. The starting MSRP on the Moomba Makai is $127,800.
MasterCraft XT25
With a price point close to $200,000, the MasterCraft XT25 might be considered a bit of a fancy boy. But, man, does it have a lot of practical assets to offer. It is 25-feet, 1-inch long and can carry 18 passengers. A 92-gallon fuel tank holds the juice for its 420 hp engine. And 3,200 pounds of ballast boost the wake. Yes, the XT25 is large but sleek and maneuverable.
Of course, the crown jewel of the MasterCraft brand is the SurfStar system, which comes with factory presets, custom slots, and wake foil options. The proprietary screen offers intuitive diagrams of the waves to help you envision wave characteristics and seamlessly switch between riders of various skill levels.
Net baskets placed on either side of the engine are clever additions. You can let wet gear drip outside of the boat. The focus on every detail continues to the generous seating. You’ll find a convertible rear bench, beautiful scalloped seatbacks, and optional CoolFeel for those hot summer days. The base price of the MasterCraft XT25 is $191,000.
Supra SE
The Supra SE is the biggest of the Supra line, measuring 24 feet, 5 inches LOA. It seats 18, carries 4,700 pounds of ballast, and comes standard with a 450 hp Raptor by Indman. Buyers can option up to 575 hp.
The Supra line is known for bringing a luxurious feel to tow boats without sacrificing any technical ability. From stem to stern, this model has immaculate, luxury-level upholstery with versatile, multiposition seating. Features include an optional table, induction-cooled seats, and flip-up seat backs on the sun deck. There’s an optional drop step at the stern. The upgraded Supra Tower includes:
- Fully automated Bimini deployment
- ClampForce board racks
- Additional roof storage
- Integrated DSD audio system speakers
- Surf tow points
At the helm, a new addition is a rudder position graphic on the screen. It shows you where your rudder is and features an automatic “return to center” function, which activates when you release the wheel. Price is available upon request, but the 2023 XE started at $203,000, so that may be a useful guideline.
Yamaha 255XE
Turning to the Yamaha 255XE is quite a 180, but here we are. This is a quality 24-foot, 6-inch boat whose price point is half of some others on this list. But being budget conscious here doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice quality in your wake boat. The 255XE comes standard with a pair of 1.8L Yamaha SVHO jet drive engines that produce up to 500 hp combined. That’s plenty of juice to get you up to speed for any watersport.
The 1,600-pound triple ballast system is controlled by a Connext touchscreen at the helm where you control all the boat’s systems. You can shape the wake by selecting presets. But you can also create user-defined wake and wave profiles using the WakeBoosters system.
The boat includes plenty of storage. A nice touch is a storage space at the copilot’s station that’s perfectly sized to store a toilet or a changing station for the comfort of up to 12 passengers. Like we said, this is the bargain boat on the list, with a base MSRP of $109,999.
Aviara AV28
The gorgeous Aviara AV28 comes with a massive LOA of, yes, about 28 feet—2 inches longer, to be exact. But not to worry: It packs major heat in terms of engine power. Propelling this sleek, beautiful 28-footer is a 430 hp Mercury 8.1L V-8 that cranks the Bravo Four S sterndrive. That combination delivers plenty of punch to carve out huge wakes and waves.
That’s accomplished using the MasterCraft SurfStar system, accessible through a multifunction helm screen. Users can tweak 1,800 pounds of ballast and the wake plates, easily switch between presets, or create their own wave and wake profiles.
The AV28 is rated for 15 passengers and comes standard with a power-folding hardtop and tow tower that has board storage on top and surf tow points. However, the main draw of the Aviara AV 28 is the luxury it brings to a yacht-certified, high-quality wake boat. The seating is lush, featuring dual loungers, convertible helm seatbacks, L-shaped cockpit seating, a deep, comfy bow area. All of the seating features CoolFeel vinyl, optional additional sunshades, and optional heated seats.
Additionally, its size allows for a full-feature head complete with an electric toilet, a holding tank, and a sink with pressurized water. This boat definitely calls for the biggest budget on this list, with a starting MSRP of $298,625.
Supreme S240
With the Supreme S240, the builder wanted to offer watersports enthusiasts all the boat they could hope for in a big yet affordable package. Boasting a fat 4,800 pounds of ballast, a GM Marine 6L, 409 hp engine, and the company’s trademark EZ-V hull, this 24-footer can make symmetrical, clean wakes using the Stinger Plate System. With the optional QuickSurf system, it can also produce the kinds of top-notch waves wakesurfers desire.
The S240 can run level in the water even with a rider in tow. That lets the driver see the horizon and allows the boat to create longer, bigger waves. Up to 16 passengers can fit aboard the S240, and there’s plenty of lounge space for everyone. Aft is playpen-style seating, while the loungers in the bow can comfortably fit two adults.
The oversized sun shade helps keep you cool while also offering additional board storage above. Supreme doesn’t offer a standard MSRP on its site, but across various sources, it looks like the base S240 will start around $140,000 to $150,000.
Bigger isn’t always better, it’s true. But in the case of boats for entertaining and making the biggest wakes and waves possible, you can’t do much better than wake boats 24 feet and larger.
Photos are courtesy of the respective manufacturers.
Kurt Brighton
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