Editor’s Note: Our sibling brand, Boating, awards the most coveted prize in the boatbuilding industry, Boat of the Year. The first step towards earning that award is being named as a BOTY Category Winner. For 2023, the Watersports Category award goes to Montara Boats for the Surf Boss 2.0. The following article explains the reasons Montara was so honored.

The Montara Surf Boss 2.0 is one the most innovative boats we have ever tested, seamlessly blending the very best of a V-drive towboat with the attributes of a pontoon boat.

Let’s be clear: this is not some sort of compromise. The Surf Boss 2.0 is not a, “pontoon boat that also provides wakesurf waves and wakeboarding wakes.” It’s not a pontoon boat at all.

The Surf Boss 2.0 runs on a monohull bottom that’s optimized to create the kinds of wakes and waves that expert watersports enthusiasts can enjoy to the fullest. This hull was developed by a team that’s been designing and building—and riding behind—watersports boats for years. All of that combined experience was brought to bear in rendering the Surf Boss 2.0’s hull shape.

Pro wake athletes agree with our assessment. Gunner Daft, who was unaffiliated when we hired him to test this boat with us, was blown away by the wakes and waves delivered by the Surf Boss 2.0. Daft went on to sign with Montara. And, subsequently, Montara garnered the endorsement of legend, Scott Byerly, even developing a “Byerly Edition” of the boat. Visit the Instagram accounts of Byerly and Daft to see this boat’s watersports prowess.

And, though as stated, this boat is not a pontoon, it delivers the sociability of one. The wide-open deck is loaded with sofas and seating and the ability to swallow a whole crew of people and give elbow room and comfort to them all.  Innovations such as the massive storage area that Montara calls, “the basement,” are just so much icing on the cake.

There’s more: Innovation alone isn’t enough. To win a category, the boat must be built to a high standard and meet ABYC standards, as well as the discerning eye of our editors, each of whom possesses decades of experience evaluating boats for a living. The Montara Surf Boss 2.0 ticked all these boxes.

You can learn more details about this boat’s layout, features and construction by reading our boat test or by visiting the Montara Website.

To sum it up, Montara’s Surf Boss 2.0 delivers the best attributes of two very popular boat categories with little discernible compromise.

Congratulations as the 2023 Watersports Category Winner, Montara!

The post Boat of the Year Watersports Category Winner: Montara Surf Boss 2.0 appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

What do these pros have to say about the collaboration? Read on!

On Instagram, Scott Byerly, quoted from among numerous posts about Montara and his 25 Surf Boss 2.0, “Happy to be a part of the @montaraboats family.”

Byerly is credited with the invention of tricks including the classic “Pete Rose”. He developed his own line of progressive products from Wakeboards, Bindings, Wakesurfers, and Wakeskates, which have become universally admired and sought after within the wakeboarding community. Over the years, Scott has amassed a long list of accomplishments from competition, free riding, and several iconic wakeboard movies. Scott is also recognized for his role as a mentor and teacher for younger riders. He continually seeks new ways to push himself and the sport forward, and is praised for his dedication to his craft.

We caught up to Gunner Daft, and he shared his thoughts with us about Montara.

“Super stoked to have signed with Montara boats! The vision this company has is something I truly believe in. Combining the luxuries and comfortability of a high-end pontoon boat with the performance and capabilities of a top-of-the-line wakeboard boat truly is the best of both worlds. Excited to be apart of the Montara Boats family and looking forward to what the future holds!“

At a young age, Daft began to enter local and regional competitions and quickly made a name for himself in the wakeboarding world. He has competed in numerous prestigious events such as Wake Games, the Pro Wakeboard Tour, and Wakeboard World Championships, gaining recognition not only for his thrilling maneuvers but also for his poise and sportsmanship.

Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg is truly enthusiastic of his collaboration with Montara Boats, if his Instagram is any indication. “Checking out the new boat. Pumped to be working with @montaraboats ?? can’t wait to get out on the water with the family.”

Stenberg is a legendary freestyle motocross rider who has revolutionized the sport with his incredible talent and intense style. Born and raised in California, Twitch got his start in motocross at a young age and quickly developed a passion for the discipline.

Stenberg is widely recognized as one of freestyle motocross’s most dynamic and innovative riders. With numerous championships and accolades to his name, Twitch has cemented his place as a trailblazer and leader in the sport. He is renowned for his uncanny ability to execute impossible-looking tricks and aerial maneuvers.

For more information, visit montaraboats.com.

The post Montara Boats Partners With Three Watersports Pros appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

It’s rare for a new boat model from a young company to impress the editorial staff at Boating. We test some 100 boats per year. That said, Montara’s Surf Boss 2.0 wowed us as truly innovative.

First off, make no mistake that this is an all-out wakesports boat. Its bottom—crafted in aluminum—and onboard ballast and shaping systems create wakes and waves that will please the most advanced riders. In fact, we hired a pro rider to help us test this boat, and in this video, you will see for yourself the level of thrill that Montara’s Surf Boss 2.0 can deliver. A wake tower is standard, as is a full-featured fiberglass helm, raised 5 inches and complete with a 12-inch touchscreen. Proprietary software ensures that beginners and experts can both create great wakes and waves.

In addition, this boat offers a deck layout that rivals the space and comfort of a luxury pontoon. Offering seating for 16 (its 23-foot  sister model seats 14), the 25-foot model we tested sported luxuriously upholstered seating, complete with draining stowage within. Two layouts are available, both with the ability to walk right through the boat from transom to bow. A unique feature is the “basement,” a huge, walk-in stowage area in the bow deck. See it in the video.

The Montara Surf Boss is truly two boats in one, and absolutely in a class of its own.

Learn more about the Montara Surf Boss 2.0 here.

The post 2023 Montara Surf Boss 2.0 appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.