Waterskiing, knee boarding, and wake surfing (aka wakeboarding) are popular water-sports. They can be done on any body of water that is large enough to accommodate a relatively fast-moving boat. MasterCraft boats can do all three, but specialize in wake surfing.
I went to Alcova Reservoir near Casper, Wyoming to try wakeboarding and a MasterCraft X24 for myself. I’m not an expert at water-sports, but I’ve inhaled more than a little lake water in my lifetime – usually while doing stupid things that involved being towed behind a fast-moving boat. Let’s just say that I know the value of a good life vest.
Wakeboarding is an easy-going water-sport that is safer than many other options on the lake. It’s basically surfing, but on the waves made by the boat instead of the ocean. The surfer stays near the boat and doesn’t have to hold onto the tow rope once up and surfing. Unlike the other two options, however, wake surfing requires a boat that makes a large enough wake. This requires some technology.
Different boat makers approach the idea in different ways, most of them using the same basic principle: paddles in the water to one or both sides of the boat make larger waves for the boarder to ride. How those paddles do their thing, though, differs between boat designs. Some are fixed in place, some are adjustable in one or two directions, and some are larger or smaller or only work to one side of the boat. And then the surrounding technology also differs. MasterCraft, as I learned back in 2023, has some pretty smart tech to make theirs operate.
MasterCraft’s SurfStar system is centered on two paddles, one to port and one to starboard at the rear of the boat. Via the user interface near the steering wheel, the captain can choose to make the waves short or tall, or anything in between (on a scale of 0-7) to either side of the boat. Ballast added to the boat, in the form of water taken in from the lake itself, weighs the boat down, pushing it lower into the water for steadier running and to put the equipment deeper into the water for better wake production. MasterCraft boats can take in a range of ballast, depending on model and design–up to 4,300 pounds (1,950 kg). Our X24 that day could carry 3,500 lb (1,587 kg). It took about five minutes to fill the ballast to full, which we did while leaving the low-wake area of Alcova Marina. It takes about twice as long to empty the ballast once done.
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
The MasterCraft X24 is a V-drive design, which means that the propeller is tucked well underneath the hull so those outside and behind the boat aren’t in danger of its blades. A 6.2-liter engine turns the prop with a lot of power, giving the X24 a great amount of both thrust and speed. With full ballast, I found top speed to be around 25-30 mph (about 21-26 knots or 40-48 km/h). That’s pretty prime speed for most powered water-sports. Emptying the ballast allows the X24 to go much faster.
Our expert guide to wake surfing was Austin Ellis, a mechanic from Casper Marine and Recreation in Casper, Wyoming. He hits Alcova and other area lakes almost every weekend, rain or shine, summer or not. For Austin, setup was easy. He floated in the water, feet on the board, and yelled “tension!” I throttled slowly forward to make the rope taught and he gave a thumbs up and “go!” and I shoved the throttle all the way forward. He was up out of the water and surfing in about two seconds. He let go of the rope and rode the waves behind the boat for quite a while as I slowly steered in a wide loop. The wind made things a little choppier than usual, but the large wake (I had it set to max on the SurfStar screen) was easy for Austin to ride.
It was good to see someone who knew what they were doing because most of my attempts ended in me getting a face-full of chop or my feet coming off the board during liftoff and my going over backwards and back into the water. Each time taking in about fifty gallons of water up my nose. Which is way better than it going up the other end, I guess. I was grateful for the optional fold-down step on the rear deck after all that water inhalation.
Driving the boat for a scenic look at what’s around lake Alcova, after dumping the ballast, I noted that there was another control marked by percentage. Austin explained that this controls the tabs, but the most important one is at center. Think of it as an air wing on the back of a car, but going the opposite direction and into the water behind the boat. This addition on MasterCraft boats keeps the prow down in the water while driving at speed, countering the forward lift of the boat’s prow. It allows for not only very smooth running at any speed, but also extremely good maneuverability. The X24 was one of the only boats I’ve ever driven that can do a U-Turn at top speed with full rudder and not get bouncy or tippy-feeling. It’s possible to make a full loop inside of about four boat lengths and bounce your own wake.
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
About the only thing I wasn’t impressed by in the MasterCraft was its sound system. Not because it was bad, because it’s extremely good and is a point of pride for the company. It’s just that I don’t really want loud music while out on the water. It’s not my thing. That said, even at full throttle, it’s possible to have a normal conversation within the plush X24 and during slow running through the canyon, we could hear birds and nature pretty well. This MasterCraft was surprisingly quiet.
The 2025 MasterCraft X24 is a great water-sports boat. It blends pro-level performance with user-first innovation and luxurious practicality. Yes, it’s a serious investment at well over US$200,000, yet it delivers proportionally in enjoyment, control, and capability. Novice, expert, or pro, the MasterCraft is easy to pilot.
If you’re after a craft that’s as tech-forward as it is socially engaging; one that lets you dial in perfect waves while sipping cold drinks on ultra-comfy lounges … this is it.
Product Page: MasterCraft