BY Wesley Echols

The Mako XT was my 1st surfski I got a number of years ago. It was affordable, had adjustable foot pedals, and most of all, it was stable. Back then there were not too many choices within the stable class of skis. Within a few weeks I was comfortable on the XT, within a few months I thought I was ready to step in up to a High Performance Ski.

That is how stable the XT is. The XT has a wide shallow bucket that fits virtually all comers. I padded out my bucket for a more custom fit. At 19 feet long, it can feel more manageable than the longer skis of 20-21ft. It is one of the most stable surfskis in all conditions. The steering is pinpoint and it turns on a dime. It is also is one of the easiest skis to remount do to its very shallow bucket and low gunwales.

As for as speed, downwind, the XT is surprisingly faster than you may think. Even in the sloppy conditions it can hold its own. I remember vividly at one of the Blackburn Races feeling confident in my S1R w/4in rudder talking with a fellow skier, Jim Gilligan, who had been paddling his XT for many, many years. At the Gloucester Harbor jetty (mile 17), who is behind me but Jim Gilligan, in his XT. He passes me with two miles to go. Jim easily breaks three hours for the course and I had my best time to date just breaking three hours.

Overall, the XT is great beginner ski and rough water ski. However, upwind and on a flat days, it is the slowest of all the skis. It has been around forever and most of us here in New England have owned an XT before transitioning to another ski. I have had two XT’s both in glass but always wanted to try a carbon XT to see if the weight difference would make a noticeable difference in speed.