One of the best parts of being involved in watersports at a professional level is when partnerships truly come together to serve the customer. This week, Action Watersports, the official MasterCraft dealer for Central and Southwest Florida, brought a brand new MasterCraft XStar 23 down for one of my customers who is seriously considering purchasing one. They wanted him to experience the surf wave firsthand and truly understand what this boat is capable of. Not only did he get a full demo experience, but I also had the chance to ride MasterCraft’s flagship model in our home waters here in Fort Myers, and it turned into an unforgettable day.
We ran the demo on the Caloosahatchee River, where we conduct lessons throughout the winter season. This stretch of water offers deep, safe, calm conditions with miles of natural shoreline and minimal boat traffic. It’s the ideal environment to properly test a boat’s performance without outside interference. When the water is clean and open, you can really see what a wake and surf system are capable of, and the XStar had room to shine.
Ted was first up on the right-side surf wave. Immediately, he noticed how massive the wave was. The face was ginormous with incredible push, allowing him to surf comfortably far back from the boat while still feeling solid drive beneath him. One thing that stood out was how much energy remained even off to the side of the wave. When he drifted away from the pocket, there was still enough movement in the water to keep him going and allow recovery without losing momentum. That kind of forgiveness and lateral support makes a big difference, especially for riders progressing into more advanced maneuvers.
When I switched over to the left side, I found many of the same characteristics. The wave was extremely clean with no wash on top, yet it still had a steep, defined lip that I could use to project up into the air. It had that ideal combination of drive and shape that allows you to build speed and launch off the top. One of the most impressive features was how adjustable the wave felt. When I lowered the wave setting, the overall size didn’t change drastically, but the shape of the curve definitely did. That adjustability makes the XStar incredibly user-friendly. Beginners can ride a more mellow, forgiving curve, while advanced riders can dial in a steeper, more aggressive face without sacrificing push.
After surfing, I kept the ballast full and went out for a wakeboard set. The wake was tall and incredibly smooth up the face, with a long transition that built naturally into a strong kick at the top. What stood out most was how soft the landings were. Even when tricks weren’t perfectly stomped, the wake absorbed impact and felt forgiving on the body. Another highlight was the amount of speed I was able to carry across the wake, which made linking tricks together feel natural and fun instead of forced.
My friend Nate rode next at an intermediate setting with a shorter rope and slower speed, and he experienced the same consistency. The wake was clean with no wash, the transition was smooth, and the landings were soft. The fact that the boat performed equally well at different rope lengths and speeds shows its versatility. The XStar is clearly built for high-level performance, but it’s equally capable of supporting riders who are progressing and building confidence.
At the end of the day, the General Manager from Action Watersports didn’t want to miss out on the fun. In khaki shorts and all, he borrowed my board and jumped in. It had been five years since he last wakeboarded, and you would never have known it. After warming up for a few hits, he started throwing down technical tricks like regular and switch crow mobes. He commented on how firm yet forgiving the wake felt and how quickly it gave him confidence after being off the water for so long. That says a lot about the wake’s consistency and design.
Ultimately, it was an incredible day on the water. Ted got to properly demo the boat he’s considering purchasing, I got to experience MasterCraft’s top-of-the-line model in ideal conditions, and we saw firsthand how the XStar 23 performs at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. Huge credit to Action Watersports for going above and beyond to bring the boat out for a true on-water demo experience. They are the official MasterCraft dealer for the Fort Myers and Naples area, and I’m looking forward to seeing more clinics and demo days happening on our Intracoastal Waterway and within private lake communities such as Miromar Lakes, Esplanade, The Harborage, and The Quarry. These communities welcome wakeboard and wakesurf boats for homeowners who want to maximize the lake lifestyle here in sunny Southwest Florida. If this week was any indication, there are some exciting things ahead.
By: Kirby Liesmann