Malibu Sunsetter Boats For Sale

The Malibu Sunsetter is an inboard ski and wakeboard boat built across model years that include the 1987 original, the 1995 20-foot ski boat, the 2001 LXi, and the V-drive VLX of the early 2000s, with hulls ranging from 20 to 22 feet. Most Sunsetters use a V-drive inboard layout, which places the propeller well forward of the transom and keeps it away from skiers, wakeboarders and swimmers at the back of the boat. The open, center-focused seating plan suits families who want a boat that can handle skiing, wakeboarding and wakesurfing with added weight. A Malibu Sunsetter ski boat shows up regularly on the used market, so condition and engine hours vary widely from listing to listing.

Engine choices changed over the production run. The 1987 Sunsetter ran a Chevy 350 MerCruiser 5.7-liter sterndrive, while later inboard models carried Indmar Monsoon power. A 2001 LXi uses the Indmar Monsoon 5.7-liter EFI rated at 320 horsepower, a 21-foot VLX runs an Indmar 5.7-liter fuel-injected engine, and a 2002 V-drive VLX is fitted with a 6-liter Indmar Monsoon making 375 horsepower. These are based on standard Chevrolet V8 blocks rather than fully proprietary marine units, which keeps parts and service straightforward. Owners report the fuel-injected engines plane the boat quickly and run smoothly.

Out back, the Sunsetter carries a low-mounted swim platform — teak on the V-drive VLX — that sits close enough to the waterline to make loading boards and dangling feet easy. A manual wedge drops down to shape the wake; on some boats you reach under the platform and pull the pins together, while the LXi adds a small latch hatch for access. Boats are commonly equipped with a factory or aftermarket tower with a Bimini and board racks; the 2001 LXi wears a factory Titan tower with a factory blue Bimini, and a four-blade prop is fitted on the 21-foot VLX. A ski pylon is standard on the inboard models.

Inside, the cockpit is laid out with a captain's seat, a companion seat, wraparound rear seating, a sun pad over the transom, and a bow that can be opened up with a removable filler cushion for walk-through access. Storage runs under the seat bases, in side compartments, and through a pass-through area in the bow, with a dedicated ski locker on some boats. Capacity on the 2002 V-drive VLX is rated at 10 persons or 1,500 pounds. Early-2000s models came without subfloor ballast, so owners add fat sacks to put down weight for surfing and wakeboarding. Audio setups range from a basic four-speaker JVC system to tower, rear and front speakers with an amplifier and subwoofer.

The V-drive Sunsetter is built with fiberglass below the floor and behind the side panels with no wood, which eliminates the floor rot that plagues older wood-cored boats. When buying, check engine hours closely — used examples turn up anywhere from roughly 650 hours on a one-owner 1995 ski boat to around 940 hours on a serviced 21-foot VLX — and confirm the hour meter actually works, since at least one older boat had a non-functioning meter. Look for salt corrosion on engine bolts and mounting brackets, feel the exhaust risers for uneven heat to gauge the cooling system, and check that the V-drive transmission fluid is bright red. Common cosmetic items include faded trailer grip tape, chipped windshield-frame paint, cracked gauge lenses, and gel-coat scuffs around the transom where boards are loaded.