"The thing about wakeboarders, even the pros, is that they always want to bring a lot of stuff along," says Steve Present, nudging the throttle and pulling the boat away from the ramp and into Lake Austin proper. "They have gear bags, all of their friends, and it all needs to go somewhere. That's why you need a lot of space, storage and seating in a good watersports boat." Present knows whereof he speaks. He's one of the head honchos at Texas Ski Ranch, an extreme sports school and camp in New Braunfels, about an hour south of Austin, and he spends a lot of time in watersports boats and with wakeboarders. So when he calls to say he's really impressed with MasterCraft's new X-15, so impressed that he wants to take you out for a day on the water to check it out, you figure it's going to be worthwhile.
Even as the boat sits on the trailer, awaiting splashdown, you can see that MasterCraft's design squad wants the Mastercraft X-15 to be something special. The mercurial, graffiti-inspired graphics that were an X-Series trademark are nowhere to be seen, replaced by a bold, almost aeronautic color scheme and logo. More substantively, the X-15 hull is deep. Super-deep, with a stepped hull. Seeing this boat out of the water definitely leads you to believe that once it's in the water, the ride is going to be notably smooth and dry, regardless of water conditions.
In addition to the dramatic hull
and graphic scheme, the Mastercraft X-15 sports an angular muscularity that echoes, believe it or
not, Cobalt's mid-range boats. Deliberate? Quite possibly. Regardless, Present says that the X-15's
design has already proven popular, and that he saw a number of buyers choose the Mastercraft X-15
over upmarket runabouts during the winter boat shows. "This just has more going for it," he
explains.
There's definitely more room - a lot more room - inside the Mastercraft X-15 than you'd expect from a 21-foot boat. The deep hull translates to comfortable and secure seating for passengers. The added gunwale height allowed MasterCraft's designers to install legit seat backs that are tall enough to provide real support while still keeping the seat bottoms high enough off the deck to put you in a comfortable seating position. Too often, in an effort to give us some back support, boat designers put the seat bottoms so low that it can seem as if you're sitting right on the deck, with your chin resting on your knees. That's not the case in the X-15, and that's a bonus.
Interior width is increased without adding beam by narrowing the gunwales. It adds only a few inches, but when you're talking about the interior of a 21-foot boat, even a single inch here or there can make a huge difference; adding several inches makes the X-15 interior feel more like a 23-footer.
To go along with the spacious
cockpit, the Mastercraft X-15 provides copious storage (138 cubic feet of it), so there's plenty of
room for six or seven people (plus gear bags and coolers) to fit without it feeling crowded. Just
what the watersports crowd wants.
As Present opens the throttle, the Mastercraft X-15's deep hull performs as expected. It's a semi-blustery morning on Lake Austin, the sort where the water can't decide if it wants to whitecap or not, and even heading into the teeth of the wind, the ride is dry and stable. This isn't the flat-bottomed ski boat of yesteryear, not by a long shot. The hull slices cleanly through the chop and neatly deflects the spray well off to the side.
The Mastercraft X-15 is a nice ride, but it's a nicer drive. The aeronautic theme is strong at the helm, with the gauges mounted in a multi-turbine array atop the dash and lots of stamped aluminum fascia to give you the illusion you're piloting a Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk instead of a MasterCraft X-15.
The throttle is silky smooth thanks to the throttle-by-wire architecture, which MasterCraft calls Digital Throttle Control (DTC).The throttle and engine are connected electronically, not via cable, so there's no sticking, and you can even adjust (slightly) the throttle tension, so the throttle offers the amount of resistance you find optimal.
If you're used to a cabled throttle that will more or less stick in place to hold speed, it may take you a little while to get used to the responsiveness of the Mastercraft X-15's wired throttle. It's sensitive, and some may get frustrated to find the boat speeding up and slowing down when it seems you've done nothing more than look at the throttle. Once you develop the touch, the driving experience is far superior to cabled throttles. Besides - if you're really serious about holding steady speeds, you'll invest in a speed control system, right?
As with any stepped hull, the
Mastercraft X-15 feels light and responsive in the water. The question now is how long it will take
MasterCraft to take the next step and upgrade to drive-by-wire technology like that found in cars,
eliminating the steering cables for improved response. According to Present, it's an idea that's
been kicked around, but is still a ways off. As far as we're concerned, it's an idea that can't be
implemented soon enough.
Fancy, drive-by-wire steering systems may be pipe dreams right now, but high-performance engines are a reality, as well as a MasterCraft tradition. (Remember when the company started offering Cadillac NorthStar engines?) This particular boat is outfitted with a 350-hp Vortec HO MPI MCX, and it would be silly to ask for much more. Even with the hull's huge entry V and not-at-all anorectic 3,575-pound dry weight, the Vortec accelerates the Mastercraft X-15 from 0 to 30 mph in a brisk 5.6 seconds, and from 0 to 36 mph in 7.4 seconds. Not ski boat quick, but good numbers for a watersports boat of this size.
The top speed (as measured by GPS) of 44.4 mph may not sound like a world-beater, but it's as fast as a watersports boat ever needs to go. Remember, this is a boat designed to do most of its work at speeds ranging from 17 to 36 mph, not a boat designed to clock speeds rivaling those of high-performance "muscle boats."
That's not to say the muscle-boat guys won't be impressed. The Mastercraft X-15 is a boat that boaters and non-boaters of all stripes and sartorial bent will notice and appreciate. The bet here is that it will especially resonate with those in the 35 to 50 age bracket, still involved in watersports but ready and able to move up in class. With the X-15, MasterCraft is offering up a boat that's aspirational and athletic.
The Verdict
A watersports boat that's going to have a strong appeal for traditional runabout buyers. The deep cockpit and hull offer a dry, smooth ride that's great for families. Outstanding fit and finish elevate the X-15 in both styling and price, but the real payoff is in the power and performance. An all-around winner.
MasterCraft X-15
LOA 21'8" (w/o swim platform)
Beam 8'4"
Weight 3,575 lbs.
Fuel 45 gal.
Top Speed 44.4 mph
(w/350-hp Vortec HO MPI MCX)
Time To Plane 3.4 seconds
0-30 mph 5.6 seconds
Decibels @ Idle 68 dB-A
Decibels @ 30 mph 79 dB-A
Decibels @ WOT 94 dB-A
Base Price $60,060
(w/310-hp Vortec RTP-1)
Price As Tested $74,959
(w/350-hp Vortec HO MPI MCX)
Hull Warranty Limited Lifetime
NMMA Certified? Yes
MasterCraft Boats
100 Cherokee Cove
Vonore, TN 37885
(423) 884-2221
www.mastercraft.com