Additional Links:
Malibu Open Web Site
Malibu Open Flickr Gallery
Malibu Open Blog Post
Malibu Open News
The WWA Web Site
Club Malibu Sign-up
Malibu Open Bookmarks
Rainbow Connection
Quake on the Lake

Kevin Henshaw

Malibu Open

Malibu Open VLX

Access to the Pros

Malibu Open Autographs

Malibu Open Crowd

Supercharged boats, distinguished athletes and world record performances will come together, July 18-20, in the mecca of boating recreation, Michigan. Spectators will have the opportunity to witness amazing Open performances and potentially the deciding run of the WWA World Series. Some Club Malibu members will be able to enjoy all of this water sports entertainment free of charge from the event VIP area. And Pontiac Lake will not only host the Malibu Open, but of one of the nation’s premier hydroplane events as well, Quake on the Lake. The profit from this entire event will benefit The Rainbow Connection and help make dreams come true for terminally ill children.

“We are excited to be partnering with the organizers of Quake on the Lake to create this unique, high-energy water sports festival in Michigan,” expressed Lani Farmer, Team and Event Director for Malibu Boats. “We feel like this venue and these partners will enable us to better the Malibu Open just like we better our boats every chance we get.”

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Malibu Open showcases the top slalom skiers, jumpers and wakeboarders in the world. World records have fallen during 7 of 9 Malibu Opens. This year athletes are looking to commemorate the 10-year milestone with more amazing performances. The Malibu Open is an official stop of World Wakeboard Association World Series (WWA). This year’s Malibu Open could not only be best ever, it could be the deciding factor in the industry’s premiere wakeboard series. What an anniversary celebration that would be.

The Malibu Open joins Wakestock and three other World Wakeboard Association sanctioned stops in the WWA World Series of events. After Team Malibu’s Phillip Soven swept the series in ‘07, the Malibu Open could prove to be a big factor in the 2008 WWA World Series outcome.

“Malibu has been a long time supporter of the WWA and WWA World Series with Wakestock,” Explained Shannon Starling, President of the World Wakeboard Association. “It only made sense that the Malibu Open, which has been outside of the US for the past few years, was made a part of the World Series.” Starling concluded, “The standards are always set high for the Open and the WWA  hopes to add to that with the World Series elite.”

Rider points earned in the wakeboarding segment of the Malibu Open will be factored into the World Series standings. The Malibu Open WWA World Series champ. And considering the WWA continues to give the largest payout for an international series, $200,000 total, there are a couple hundred thousand reasons to attend the Malibu Open and cheer on your favorite rider.

Participating Malibu Open male athletes will have the opportunity to compete in slalom, jump or wakeboard events, while the women tear it up in either slalom or wakeboard. Skiing disciplines will be pulled by the World record-breaking Malibu Response LXi while the wakeboarding portion of the competition will be pulled by Malibu’s Wakesetter VLX.

It’s one thing to watch professional athletes compete. It’s quite another to hang with them. Club Malibu members will be granted unlimited access to the athlete’s VIP area during the Malibu Open. Club members will also receive up to 4 free event passes and 2 free event t-shirts per family.

The VIP area at a water sports competition is typically reserved for professional wakeboarders and water skiers. At the 2008 Malibu Open this exclusive area has been expanded to include Club Malibu members. Here these Malibu Boats family members will receive free food and drinks as well as access to their favorite pro athletes. Pros like Dallas Friday, Phillip Soven, Chad Sharpe and Randall Harris will be available for a conversation, an autograph or just a friendly hello.

When asked about this latest Club Malibu benefit, Lani Farmer, Malibu’s Team and Event Director, responded this way, “We always try to treat our owners like VIPs.” Farmer explained, “Club Malibu and events like the Malibu Open just give us more opportunities to show our appreciation. We jump at every chance.”

If you are a Club Malibu member interested in attending the 2008 Malibu Open in style, please contact clubmalibu@malibuboats.com. By sending an e-mail to this address you can claim as many as 4 free event tickets and VIP passes as well as 2 free event t-shirts.

To access the Precision Pro Speed Control screen, push the “Cruise” button positioned in the top left corner of the in-dash LCD screen. Set your desired speed with the up and down arrows at the right. Then push the red button on the left to turn cruise on. Throttle up and when the pace of the boat approaches your set speed you will notice an audible signal and the words “Cruise Eng” on the LCD. Position the throttle and Precision Pro takes over.

To position the throttle, turn your attention to the throttle position indicator that appears at the bottom of the cruise screen once the system has been engaged. This indicator is a thick line with a gap and a small solid rectangle floating over the gap. This rectangle represents the throttle position and the gap represents the range of available positions. Keep the throttle position above the gap for proper operation. Move throttle position indicator to the right side of gap to activate the manual overshoot.

Precision Pro Speed Control is another customizable element offered in Malibu’s Rider Preset functionality. Presets include a set speed as part of their make-up. For example, “WKBRD A” [advanced wakeboard] has a set speed of 22 mph. And when you are looking to customize a preset or create your own you can adjust the set speed.

To find the set speed within a Preset press the “Cruise” button twice. This will take you to the Preset screen. Arrow down to the Preset you are interested in and push the “Enter” button. Once you are in the desired Preset arrow down to “Speed” and push the “Enter” button again. Now you are at the Precision Pro Speed Control screen or the Preset you chose. Here you can turn the cruise on or off by pushing the red button or adjust the set speed with the arrows.

Team Malibu Factory Rider, Chad Sharpe recently was the subject of a short video clip put together by Alliance Magazine. This video showcases Chad's riding as well as the wakeboard boat he rides behind. Chad chooses the Malibu Wakesetter VLX.

Chad and his Wakesetter VLX is our favorite video this month.

When asked about the success of their company, the employees at Malibu Boats launch into a story about the people behind the product. Whether the story teller is an employee, Malibu boat owner, dealer or industry partner, you will walk away from the conversation knowing that Malibu is not just about the boats. There is much more to the No. 1 selling water sports boat manufacturer in the world. The difference is the people.

Robert Alkema, President and founder of Malibu Boats, or “Big Dog” as he is known in Malibu circles, started the company in 1982. Initially Alkema’s goal was to “…build the best boat for a fair price and have fun doing it.” That simple sentence remains Malibu Boats’ mission today. Even then, at the age of 25, Alkema was a strong enough leader to know that the key to his company’s success would be the people working along side him as well as those buying the boats. That is why the words “fun” and “fair” are strategically placed in the Malibu Boats mission. Even in the beginning it was about people.

Alkema’s decision to value people over product has not only netted the World’s most successful water sports boat company in the world, it has produced a line of award-winning products. In fact Malibu recently earned their seventh consecutive Boat of the Year Award and raised their total BOTY award count to 18, this year. Alkema gives all of the credit to the people of Malibu. According to him they are the Malibu Difference.

The significance Alkema places on the employees of Malibu Boats was made abundantly clear in 1986. He introduced an Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP) designed to give employees a vested interest in the success of the company. The first of its kind in the ski boat industry, this program eliminated employee turnover, created a higher quality of craftsmanship and hurled, already high moral, through the roof. Today Malibu has approximately 500 employees, 20% of which have been with the company for more than 10 years and 10% who have reached their 20-year mark and beyond. The original five individuals that began working for Malibu in 1982 are still pillars of the company today.

Paul Singer, Malibu Boats Vice President of Sales & Marketing, describes these unique statistics in one sentence. “This isn’t just a job for each of us, it is a personal mission.”

Dealers play an active role in the success of Malibu Boats. “They are Malibu Boats to the buyer.” Singer explains. For this reason, Malibu is extremely discriminating when it comes to dealer relationships. They are not as much interested in dealers who can record big sales as they are in the dealers who have awesome service. When Alkema made the decision to use independent dealers rather than distributors, it was because he wanted to have close relationships with those individuals who are in direct contact with the buyer. He wanted them to understand and practice the Malibu Difference and he knew boat owners would benefit from these strong ties.

The first dealer to join the Malibu Boats family was Tilly’s Marine, in 1983. When asked what they think of Malibu Boats, they had this to say, “We are family. There is no other manufacturer dealer relationship like the one we share with Malibu Boats. And it is this kind of close partnership that enables us to do the best job we can for our customers.” Bruce Hower, General Manager for Tilly’s Marine.

The exceptional people that make Malibu Boats are not limited to employees, dealers and boat owners. Professional athletes have also played an instrumental role in the success of the product and in turn the company. In 1987 professional athletes began to look to Malibu Boats for a competitive advantage on the slalom course. With the introduction of the Malibu Skier came another form of recognition for Malibu Boats. Malibu was being recognized by the World’s top skiers and barefooters as a water sports powerhouse. By the time the Malibu Response LX came along in 1995, the first open bow approved for competition, Malibu was a staple for serious water sports athletes. It was then that the records began to fall. Fourteen World records have been set behind Malibu boats, not to mention countless national and tournament records. These achievements were made possible by the partnerships Malibu shares with its team of athletes.

The people Alkema has entrusted to take his company to the next level have helped Malibu make history in the industry and helped further the overall Malibu mission. In November of 1992, Malibu Boats became the first and only towboat manufacturer to operate multiple production facilities. The Loudon, Tennessee plant was built to ease transportation costs and at the same time make Malibu Boats more accessible to the east coast. Led by the Vice President of Tennessee Operations, John Sisson, Malibu Boats Tennessee has expanded twice since the first Echelon rolled off the line 16 years ago and now they are working on a third explosion in size. But Tennessee isn’t the only land where Malibu broke new ground.

In 1995 Malibu made another industry-leading move by partnering with an established boat manufacturer to build Malibu boats in Australia. This agreement brought the design efforts and technology of Malibu to a growing market with unlimited potential, while creating a shorter delivery route to other growing international markets. Headed by Xavier West, this company is young and energetic and very closely mirrors the entrepreneurial spirit that drives Malibu Boats stateside. Today Malibu Boats Australia is the largest custom ski boat manufacturer down under with control of more than 30% of the tow boat market.

Relationships don’t end with those people building, selling or buying Malibu boats. Malibu partners with industry suppliers like Chuck Rowe and Indmar Marine Engines, to build and install the highest performing, most reliable engines out there. Strong vendor ties improve research and development to help Malibu deliver exceptional product. “Bob and company treat customers and vendors with respect, making each of us feel as if we are part of the Malibu family. Some organizations talk about building partnerships. Malibu does so as second nature, ensuring the well being of all parties,” explains Chuck Rowe, CEO of Indmar Marine Engines.

We have met a lot of cool people through our MySpace page. We have added the "MalibuSpace" section of our newsletter to introduce you to some of these friends.

We met Herbie when he became a Malibu friend on MySpace. Read on to find out what Malibu Boats means to Herbie his brother Lee and his son Herbie IV.

Malibu and wakeboarding have made my bond with my brother even stronger than it already was! My brother owns a Malibu Wakesetter and would not have any other boat on the market. He is an amazing rider with all of the tools to go pro if that is what he wanted to do, but we just love to hang out together on the Malibu every weekend and ride!

We pull each other all day long and work on new tricks together. Malibu makes that a lot easier.  The wakes behind a Malibu are the best wakes that you can ride in our opinion and it makes pulling off new tricks a lot easier.  

We involve the whole family in our sessions like my son, the wives/ girlfriends, little sister and friends. Even mom jumps on board sometimes, even though it scares her to watch us ride. The boat brings everyone together and lets everyone enjoy time together on the water.  The Malibu has plenty of room, and is extremely comfortable.

You cant find a stronger bond between Brothers than what we have and Malibu is definitely a part of that. Malibu is a part of our family and just like the water has always been a part of our family...Malibu will be too!

When we asked Herbie about his favorite boating story, he didn't hesitate.

When my brother and I taught my son how to wakeboard. We did it by holding him in front of us while we where getting up and then placing him between our legs and letting him stand on our board while we rode. He was only 5 years old.  Now he is 10 and rides great!

Here's a little more information about our friend Herbie.

I love family, wakeboarding, snowboarding, barefooting, taking long rides on my boat, and hanging out with my son just laughing with him and singing and dancing...even though we may not be the best at it. I am currently divorced and my son lives with his mother in Charlotte North Carolina, but I get him for the summers and holidays. My Father died when I was 15 so I know all about pain and what life can bring, but you have to keep going and you have to stay strong for the ones you love, because in the end....Love is the most important thing you can leave behind. Love is Forever.

Visit MalibuSpace to meet more of our friends. To learn more about our friend Herbie visit Herbie's MySpace page.

If you're in the Michigan area to attend the Malibu Open, why not make the short trip up to Toronto, the following weekend for Wakestock. July 24th - 27th, 2008 in Toronto Islands, Canada. The WWA World Series action will continue with Wakestock, the largest wakeboard competition in the world.

Take your drinks straight from your Malibu boat's ice chest into a Malibu Drink Koozie. These multi-colored drink insulators are branded with "Malibu Boats", accommodate bottles or cans and fit neatly into a Malibu boats' oversized cup holders.

Visit the Malibu Boats Gear web site to make your purchase today.