Its sublime profile – classic MasterCraft lines, freshly enhanced – is a visual queue that the joy of skiing and wakeboarding takes hold before the all-new X-9 ever leaves the trailer. It is only later on, under speed, when you fully appreciate what you can’t see – a re-tooled hull design that slips effortless over the water at slalom speeds, laying down a velvet trail of froth that beckons a hard-edged slalom at dusk or a pair of combos on a weekend crossing. Engaging the X-9’s dual KGB ballast system pumps an additional 700 pounds on board, to beef up wakes steeped in X-Series lore – thick at the bottom, rounded on top and shaped to send riders to the flats. Set the standard MasterCraft Cruise to the desired riding speed, and your only worry will be finding an endless run of flat water.

Inside, the same spacious interior that garnered its predecessor the title of “world’s largest tournament-approved towboat” has been refined in the established MasterCraft direct-drive tradition. In the rear, happy feet will be plentiful since the X-9 now features an extended, wraparound rear seat for extra legroom. Skis and gear stow neatly underneath and out of the way.

The X-9 is a boat that looks good from any angle – on the trailer, in the seat, or behind the transom.