Boat setup
Surf gate
A built-in surf system that diverts water flow off one side of the transom to shape a clean surf wave and switch sides at the push of a button.
Surf Gate, introduced by Malibu Boats in 2012, was the first of the now-ubiquitous surf systems. A plate or gate deploys off one side of the transom to redirect water flow, cleaning up and shaping the wake on the rider's side without listing the whole boat. Every major manufacturer now offers its own version (such as Nautique's NSS), and the technology lets riders switch the wave from regular to goofy side at the press of a button.
Because surf systems shape the wave so efficiently, they also let owners run more total ballast for a bigger, better wave while keeping it clean.