Pavati Boats (AL-24) Review | Is It Worth It?

They’re often seen in ads with flashy promo videos and brought up in conversations with friends… but you don’t see them a lot in the water, and you hardly know a person who owns one. 

Pavati Boats — the highly expensive and customizable surfing and wakeboarding boats priced at USD 285k-380k per unit. Their flagship product, the AL-24 model, paved the way as the industry’s first V-drive inboard boat made from 100% raw aluminum. 

With 40 years of work experience, Pavati (which means ‘clear water’ in the Native American Hopi language), started as manufacturer that specialize in the construction of work truck bodies and flatbeds made from aluminum. In 2008, they launched and tested their first-ever V-drive wake boat, Al-24, in their main headquarters in White City, Oregon.

But while the specifications of this Pavati wakeboard boat are pretty impressive, a lot of people question its quality and durability since there are only limited reviews about this boat that you can find online. In this article, we’ll give you a comprehensive analysis of the AL-24’s performance and features, useful comparisons against its main competitors, and our non-biased verdict about it. 

Pavati Boats Review AL-24

Pavati Boats AL-24 Specs: 

• Boat Length: 24’8”
• Boat Height: 9’ 3”
• Beam: 8’6”
• Weight: 4894 lbs
• Fuel Capacity: 67 gal
• Ballast Capacity: ~4888 lbs
• Engine Horsepower: 575
• How much is the Pavati 24? The starting price is USD $220,000, the most expensive is $422,414, and the average price of $321,207 (last updated September 2023).

Overview

What does a Pavati cost?!!

Similar to the reaction of most people, we were also surprised when we heard about the astounding price of the Pavati AL-24. An inboard boat that’s worth nearly 300k!? That’s way, WAY much higher than the prices of some of the best boat brands in the market. Do Pavati boats produce gold-coated wakes? 

Pavati is a relatively new name in the business compared to the leading towboat brands such as Moomba and Nautique, which further adds to the mystery what’s the reason behind its tag price. To start this review, let’s look at this boat from another perspective. 

The AL-24 is designed as an elite party wakeboard boat that can accommodate a large group of up to 17 persons. It’s extravagant and upscale, with themes and designs that are fully customizable to accommodate their client’s tastes. 

With 21 cup holders for drinks, a stereo system with 12 speakers subwoofer to listen to your playlists, a plush seating lounge, and LED lighting, this wakeboard boat in steroid eludes luxury, fun, and excitement while you ride the wakes. The AL-24’s main features and technology are for good times with friends, while its engine power is for towing and creating wakes that can be paired with some of the top-of-the-line products in the market.

Performance

What engine does Pavati use?

The AL-24 carries a 6.2L Rouscharged Raptor with a 580 lb-ft of torque and a 575 horsepower engine enclosed in a custom mirrored-finish hood. This model is the first-ever boat with a dual thruster system for full boat control. 

Another innovative feature of the AL-24 includes the Rip Tide 5.0 Surf System which creates the tallest and longest waves among its rivals. With its high-speed trim and tilt systems, you can adjust your ride depending on your preference; V-drive to keep the wakes powerful, or stern drive for skinny water and fuel efficiency. For comparison to other wake boats, its wake performance is as good as Nautique towboats.

Now, the adjustable wheel and trim tab controls make driving the AL-24 a breeze. Even though its size-to-weight ratio technically makes it lightweight, it’s stable in the water and maneuvers easily on tight turns. Lest we forget, the bow and stern thruster system also gives smooth parallel and slip parking steering, so you look like a real pro driver in the water. 

This boat also features the Quick Wake technology that displaces water more efficiently when surfing, at the same time eliminates uncomfortable boat pitches. Without added ballasts, the AL-24 makes flat wakes ideal for slalom skiing. But if you want to create swells, it’ll only need a total of 90 seconds to fill this boat’s twin ballast tanks that hold 1,000 liters each, and just 30 seconds to empty them. 

The tow speed of this boat averages 40 mph, which is a couple of mph slower than Moomba models that can reach up to 45 mph. But while this boat may not be the fastest, it can accelerate and reach its top speed in just seconds, thanks to its Zero-flex hull feature. Finally, the AL-24 utilizes a 1.76-geared Indmar transmission that allows it to save 20% more fuel than other boats with the same engines. 

Controls

This boat’s drive control can easily be accessed with the Garmin 22-inch LCD touchscreen — possibly the largest among all wakeboard boats in the market. From this command center, you can view the engine gauge, battery levels, fuel consumption, maintenance alerts, and the bilge monitoring system. You can also control the boat’s lighting, adjust the wake shaping, and access the GPS and rip tide surf control system.

With AL-24’s wireless connectivity, you’ll also be able to control the tower, navigation, lighting, stereo, how warm you want the seats to be, and how cold you prefer the cup holders, simply by using the Garmin app on your phone. You can also connect your device to the HDMI port to watch movies or listen to your favorite playlists. 

Design

Pavati’s attention to detail for custom orders is comparable to none. Dressed to impress, the customizable Pavati AL-24 features a wide range of colors and graphics that makes designing it as fun as riding its wakes. When you buy any of the Pavati Boats, you’ll work with their team of experts as you choose fabrics, floor designs — anything you’ll want and need to make the AL-24 your style. Its pattern and theme variations include Rasta, Urban Spike, Street Style, Milano, and Tribal Youth.

The strong aesthetic of the AL-24 isn’t for the conservative type as it’s not as sleek as other boats. But if you’re looking to grab everyone’s attention, then this boat should do you just right.

Since we’re also being honest here, might we add that we don’t see the DuPont paint that AL-24 uses to be as upscale-looking as gel-coated boats? See, the construction material of this boat is aluminum, and the Dupont paint is the only coating aluminum is compatible with. Take note that this is more of our preference, though, and it might take you some time to get used to its feel and texture. 

Now, if the exterior design of the AL-24 doesn’t impress you, then its luxurious interior lounge surely will. This boat has a big flat sun pad that can be extended to maximize seating capacity. In total, this boat comes with 120 inches of comfortable space where you can relax and sleep. 

Made from in-house upholstery and vinyl wraps, the tri-tip bow seating lounge includes backrests, armrests, and grab rails. It also comes with a removable swim platform that features Seadek flooring with closed cell-foaming technology. Meanwhile, the 25 mm thick solid keel wraps the full length of the boat, making it further stand out because of its hard corners.

Construction

Pavati prides itself as the first manufacturer of boats engineered from aluminum; however, a lot of people doubt this material because when you say ‘high-quality’, aluminum doesn’t always come first to mind. So what makes this construction material better than fiberglass?

AL-24 uses 6.35 mm thick aircraft and marine-grade aluminum that’s proven to be ten times stronger than fiberglass. Aluminum is built to last for a longer period, it doesn’t exhume harmful fumes, and it doesn’t break easily. You can pull up at any beach shore and anchor near it without having to use a stone guard for protection. Much better, this material doesn’t require maintenance as it is non-corrosive and oxidation-resistant. 

How much does a Pavati weigh? Since aluminum is 40% lighter than fiberglass, the AL-24 is more lightweight than other brand models, therefore it’s more fuel-efficient when towing and cruising — that is, if the ballasts are empty. And because it’s also less bulky, you’ll have more space for added ballasts. Double displacement, more wakes!

The AL-24 also features the Zero-Flex Hull, the strongest and best-performing hull in the market. It is welded with an inch-thick aluminum billet for reinforcement, with a V-drive design that eliminates water shockwaves for smoother rides. Not convinced with AL-24’s durability? Pavati has a true lifetime transferable warranty for their hull and a 10-year warranty for the paint. 

Storage

The Pavati AL-24 packs a ton with 116 cubic feet of storage capacity and 13 sqm of storage space. It’s got spacious compartments, weatherproof storage for your stuff that pulls out mid-ship, and built-in trash and recycle receptacle under its floor. This boat’s ‘coffin locker’ or the subfloor storage for the ballasts also has an impressive weight capacity of 4,200 lbs.  

We also find the AL-24’s movable swivel rack and transom storage functional as it’s able to hold 4 surfboards or 8 wakeboards along with its bindings. It’s made from pure metal with aluminum side forks to clamp down boards to keep them in place. This also allows you to store the boards vertically so the water drips down outside of the boat. 

Features

Among the Pavati boats’ other firsts is the patented, fully-welded Heliarc Aluminum Power Tower. It offers the most headroom among its competitors, with a 1.9-meter height from floor to tower, and 2.2 meters in width from the tower’s bases. With just a push of a button (can also be accessed through a smartphone), the beam tower folds down when trailered or when being parked inside a garage.

From the Heliarc tower, you’ll find the Bimini fabric, speakers, and the lighting of your boat. 

The AL-24’s two-point Bimini eliminates your need to worry about the sun’s harmful rays. It easily folds and retracts, which also saves you space and energy as you don’t need to pack and unpack it from the boot cover every time you’re going to use it. 

This tower features LED lights with red mode for night driving, and you can also attach fly flags and hang signs on it for added personalization. It is engineered with enclosures that serve 8-10 speakers that have a power of over 9,000 watts. Combine this concert-like music with the LED party light bars of the AL-24 and you’ll have the best night party experience in the water! 

Aside from those things, this wakeboard boat also features a total of four 360-degree cameras that can be connected to the AL-24’s Wifi connection. These waterproof cameras include 3 wired ones and 1 Garmin VIRB for recording and viewing your sessions. 

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Is the Pavati AL-24 worth it?

Now that we’ve discussed this boat’s specifications and compared it to some of the other best wake boats in the market, it’s time to give our final verdict about the Pavati AL-24. 

Like other people, you’re also probably wondering why this wakeboard boat has a lot of promotions, but not enough credible reviews from its users. The reason for this is simple: there are not a lot of people who own it. First, it was very expensive. Second, it’s not constructed for mass production.

The Pavati brand focuses its business concept more on the custom order niche, which means not all of their boats are the same — the main reason for their boats’ staggering price tag. 

What concerns us, however, is that Pavati has zero dealership networks. The only headquarters/dealership they have is located in White City, Oregon. Say, you’re wakeboarding in Lake Michigan and your AL-24 suddenly decided to stop working, you’ll be having a mental breakdown because there is absolutely no service center at a reasonable distance near your location.

If you’re buying that kind of boat with those features and technology, don’t you think you should also get excellent services for your boat’s maintenance and repairs?

Aside from the meh dealership, it’s also said that Pavati’s dash interiors are also a mix and match of off-the-shelf products from different brands thrown into one. Unlike big brands like MC and Moomba, this company doesn’t have its own partner manufacturer that creates integrated devices specifically for them. (Psst… someone who used to work for this brand also claimed that the welded parts of the Pavati boats are subpar when not yet put together.)

So, do we think Pavati Al-24’s worth the investment, or can you find a cheaper wake surf boat to do the same thing? If you have USD 300,000 stacked in somewhere, then we suggest you go for the Nautique Paragon G23 instead. 

The Paragon G23’s finish, design, techs, and features are way better. Nautique has a really good reputation when it comes to wakeboard boats; it has multiple dealership networks scattered around the globe so repair and maintenance aren’t a problem; of course, a Nautique boat had a great resale value even after years of owning it. For further comparison, check out our article on the Best Wakesurf Boats.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the Pavati boat AL-24 any good?

A: Pavati is one of the most revolutionary manufacturers when it comes to wake surf boats’ technology and specifications. Pavati’s first-ever aluminum boat, the AL-24 is a highly customizable party boat that is designed to create powerful wakes. This boat’s best features include the quality of construction, massive storage space, and luxurious interior lounge. 

Q: How much does the Pavati AL-24 cost?

A: The base price of the Pavati AL-24 starts at USD 280,000. If you’ll have it customized and further upgraded, you’ll be looking at a price tag that costs more than USD 300,000. 

Q: What is the Pavati Boats AL-24?

A: The Pavati Boats AL-24 is a high-end wakeboarding and surfing boat designed for use on lakes and other bodies of water.

Q: What is the construction of the Pavati Boats AL-24?

A: The Pavati Boats AL-24 is constructed with an all-aluminum hull, which makes it lightweight, strong, and durable.

Q: What is the length and weight of the Pavati Boats AL-24?

A: The Pavati Boats AL-24 is 24 feet long and weighs approximately 5,000 pounds.

Q: How many people can the Pavati Boats AL-24 hold?

A: The Pavati Boats AL-24 can hold up to 17 people.

Q: What type of engine does the Pavati Boats AL-24 have?

A: The Pavati Boats AL-24 comes with a 6.2L Indmar Raptor engine, which is a high-performance engine specifically designed for wakeboarding and surfing.

Q: What are the features of the Pavati Boats AL-24?

A: The Pavati Boats AL-24 comes with a variety of features, including a surf system, a ballast system, an audio system, a touchscreen display, and more.

Q: What is the surf system on the Pavati Boats AL-24?

A: The surf system on the Pavati Boats AL-24 is called the Liquid Lead Ballast System, which creates a large, customizable wave for surfing.

Q: What is the ballast system on the Pavati Boats AL-24?

A: The ballast system on the Pavati Boats AL-24 is a series of tanks that can be filled with water to increase the boat’s weight and create larger waves for wakeboarding and surfing.

Q: What is the audio system on the Pavati Boats AL-24?

A: The audio system on the Pavati Boats AL-24 is a high-quality JL Audio system with speakers throughout the boat.

Q: What is the touchscreen display on the Pavati Boats AL-24?

A: The touchscreen display on the Pavati Boats AL-24 is a large, high-resolution display that allows the driver to control various features of the boat, including the surf system and the ballast system.