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Heyday WT-Surf (2020-)
Captain's Report
Editor’s Report by Capt. Peter d’Anjou
Brief Summary
The Heyday brand of wakeboats is produced by Bayliner, part of the Brunswick Boat Group. The fiberglass, single-engine, 25' (7.62 m) wakeboat model known as the Heyday WT-Surf is being positioned as an affordable entry-level wakeboat whose bottom design produces wave-generation without added tabs, flaps, or deflectors - challenging more expensive builds.
Key Features
- 17-person capacity
- Crusader 350-hp gas inboard
- Fold-down tower
- Dual-axle trailer
Mission
The Heyday WT-Surf is a dedicated wake boat at an affordable price that, with its 17-person capacity, offers room for socializing. Its dual console configuration provides social zones in the bow, cockpit, and stern with flexible seating and removable backrests.
At 25' (7.62 m), it is one of the bigger wakeboats on the market and it is Heyday’s largest model. Year-over-year updates include faster ballast pumps, new hull colors, and an ability to upgrade the powerplant with multiple engine options.
Distinguishing Features
- Bailing strakes
Major Features
- 2,800 lbs. (1,270 kg) of integral ballast
- Hydraulic steering
- Speed control
- ‘Hot tub’ seating
Design
Cotton Welshan is the wake hull engineer being credited with the WT-Surf hull design. It is a v-hull forward, tapering to a flatter run aft.
Since total displacement is an indicator of potential wave height, we note that the 2,800 lb. (1,270 kg) capacity ballast tanks can be augmented with an additional plug and play ballast option (650 lbs. / 295 kg) that puts this boat in the heavyweight division of wake boat displacement. The main ballast tanks are integral, not ballast bags.
For wakeboarding, flood all three ballast tanks, left, right, and forward. For wake surfing, we are told it is best to flood the WT-Surf’s forward ballast and either left or right tank depending if you surf left or right foot forward.
Construction
Bayliner acquired Heyday Boats in 2016 and kept on the father and son owner/design team of John and Ben Dorton, John as a consultant and Ben as manager of business development at Bayliner. Heyday construction was transitioned from Bryant boats to Bayliner. The boats are now built in Bayliner’s ISO-9001 certified Reynosa, Mexico plant on the banks of the Rio Grande. Heyday WT-Surfs come with a limited lifetime structural hull warranty.
Boat Inspection
Bow
Helm
The helm has a three-spoked tilt wheel and hydraulic steering assist. A Rockford stereo head is pre-set to allow speaker expansion of the system.
Cockpit
Swim Platform / Transom
Specifications
BoatTEST has not tested the Heyday WT-Surf at the time of this report.
The Heyday WT-Surf has a LOA of 25’1” (7.65 m), a beam of 8’0” (2.44 m), and a draft of 2’5” (.74 m). Dry weight is 4,300 lbs. (1,950 kg) and the ballast capacity of the boat is 2,800 lbs. (1,270 kg). The fuel capacity of the boat is 60 gallons (227 L).
Equipment Discussion
The 5.7L Crusader Challenger 350-hp engine is standard, but can be upgraded to a Coastal Edition that adds protections for use in salt water. Higher horsepower is available in a 6.0L Crusader 409-hp freshwater-cooled engine which also has a Coastal edition at that horsepower.
Mercury 6.2L inboards rated at 320-hp or 370-hp are also available in both regular and Coastal editions.
Since we have not yet tested the boat ourselves, we cannot comment on what that means to the performance.
Price
Base price of $57,999 includes engine, tower, and dual axle-trailer.
The a la carte menu of options is long; this approach lets the buyer select exactly what they want within their budget.
Optional Equipment to Consider
- GatorStep Deluxe flooring ($540)
- Cockpit table ($340)
- Battery switch ($115)
- Plug-and-play ballast system (650 lbs.) ($410)
- Zero Off GPS Speed Control (Crusader engines only) ($1,275)
- Ski tow pylon ($850)
- 2 swivel wakeboard rack ($1,065)
- Sound system upgrade ($2,895)
(Rockford Amp, 10" Sub, 2X 8" Tower Speakers)
- LED light package ($945)
- Soft-sided cooler ($125)
- 9” Touchscreen with engine data (Crusader engines only) ($1,815)
- 9” Touchscreen with engine data (Mercury engines only) ($2,415)
- 9" Glass dash (Mercury with VesselView Engine Data) ($2,680)
- Digital depth indicator ($550)
- Bow block-off (requires bow filler cushion) ($215)
- Bow filler cushion ($215)
- Stainless steel package: rub rail and cupholders ($715)
- Kickback lounge: ‘hot tub’ seat filler cushions ($1,215)
- Sunshade for tower ($990)
Observations
Give Heyday credit, they have a professional team of boarders who are being allowed to influence the design by providing feedback on what makes a good wave. Heyday is listening, providing an entry level boat that does the job without overly complicating the onboard wave-making equipment and still competes with the high-end wakeboats that can cost two or three times as much.
As always, BoatTEST looks forward to getting on board and testing her for you.
