I surf off a ‘99 Malibu response. I load two blue plastic 55 gal drums in the back. Play sand bags in the bow, 4-5 people in the boat, homemade wake shaper and surf all weekend. Total Cost $6500 for everything. My previous boat was a ‘95 pro star 190. Same thing. Just as much fun as the $150k boat on the lake. And no payments when it out of the water all winter.i even use a sump pump from my basement. Takes two minutes to load a barrel.
DUDE..... How is this not the most watched video... Saving 100k and you blew my mind with your understanding and explanation of lead v water bow weight. Great vid
Just bought a 2022 heyday wt surf with 370 motor and gonna use the swell. Never surfed in my life but gonna try it . been trying to educate my self as much as possible still got a month before going to the lake so hopefully I learn this 😂
You should mention speed. I've found significant differences with the wake for various speeds in relationship to various weights. Going .4 mph slower/faster can start to change things significantly. Also it can take some experimenting with how far forward/back the surf gate is placed on the boat. I've found we haven't needed bow weight because we use a large bag in the middle of the of the floor (in back seating area) which along with the our center factory tank and rear locker bags (and surf gate) and which seems to more equally displace the whole hull down (2007 Centurion Elive V). Another good thing to consider is having at least 1 pump ready to quickly hook up in case you need to get water out of the bags quickly in an emergency swamp situation.
Hi K C- I have the same boat as you and looking to dial in a surf setup before this upcoming season. What size bag do you use in the middle of the floor of the back seating area & what size bags do you use in the lockers? What speeds do you find this boat, weighted as you describe, provides the best wake?
Most add on Wake Shapers recommend having both sides evenly weighted. Do you still find the offset weight distribution better? You have to be careful placing your Fat Sacs on top of your seat cushions as the additional weight can tear the seams. Depth of water also has a large effect on Wave size. Thanks for posting.
No. In my experience, 50-70% max on non-surf side. The one thing you need to keep an eye on is the gate coming out of the water when you list it. Simply lower it down if that happens.
Good video - bow weight was key to get my wave long. Had a friend float a 550 bag out of the bow to the back of the boat once without sinking the boat - doubt lead would have the same result. Do you really need that much list if you have a boat with a surf system?
Great video! Great attention to details. I have one question: can you wake surf with a very small boat? I have a F18 open bow Bayliner and that thing is light! It fits eight but very cramped. Thanks for your answer. :)
you do not want to surf with any boat that has the prop in the back of the boat. If it's under the boat you can. The more you weigh it down, the better the chance are.
BTUFF - very well done video. I have a Glastron GTS 225. Longer swim deck, so the prop IS quite a bit "underneath"... Would this approach be something you'd say should/could work for a boat like that?? Thanks!
I've got a 2008 VTX (20ft) we're struggling to get a wave with enough push to drop the rope. We've got the rear piggy backs and the bow underseat bags. I guess we'll try even more weight in the front. Do you have your center stock tank full too? Also we've found that put the wake plate down gives us a significantly dirtier wave. Any thoughts?
It's so hard, every boat is different. I swear everyone just spends thousands and hopes to find the answer. I own 4 boards trying to see if that would work. I would suggest trying to change the weight side to side and maybe more to the front, changing speeds (most people go 10.8ish) and a surf gate. I've got $2000 in boards and sacs. We have a 2001 Natique that the prop spins the opposite direction, for those years. It surfs great for right foot forward and we can't get it right for left for forward. The wave just rolls over.
BTUFF, Great job on this video. We’re trying to set up a 2005 VLX with a 340 Monsoon. Could you tell what you’re running for a prop on this setup ? Thanks very much.
@@btuff Hi Billy, I ordered the 2419 which is the same size as the 2315 but the cup is a little different making it a little more aggressive. That's what ACME suggested going with due to the 1.5 to 1 transmission ratio and the ballast which will be the same as yours. Do you think we'll be ok with the 2419 prop ? We pull the kids tubing some also. I realize the 2315 might be a better all around prop. I just ordered it so can possibly change it if you think necessary. Thanks again.
Hey bud, thanks for the tips, just wondering what prop your running? Have the same boat but an 07 and matched your set up...running a mission delta shaper... just can’t get the push out of the wave...thanks in advance
Hey BTUFF. Great video. We just got a 2008 23 LSV and working finding that perfect surf wave. This helps. We have the Tsunami pump with the original tube, and I cannot see the tube for a week. I want to buy the better tubing from wakemakers. Can you tell me what the internal diameter of the house is to order? I think it is 1", but want to confirm with someone that has done it. Thanks.
Sure. I have 3 that I ride. Ronix Blender, Ronix Sprocket and a Ronix Koal thruster. The Thruster has a lot of push but can be loose. The Koal is fast but tight. The blender is in between. If you're looking for straight thrust, the Bylery Speedster is fast.
@@michaelpintacura8596 I'm 225. All of those boards will work. Don't get a board just for push tho. You want something that allows you to have fun on the wave too. The Ronix Sprocket is my fav.
Hey, the one thing I find confusing about this video is that you mention to fill back ballast 100% on side you're going to surf on, but then the surf gate thing ends up getting put one the other side (the side of the boat that is lifted out of the water). I sort of thought the surf gate would go on the side you're surfing on as well? Or no? Thanks
If the gate is low in the water, it will stay in the water. It will be closer to the top of the water tho. If it comes out of the water, it's too high.
@@btuff Hey what I was saying is that in this video it looks like you set up the boat low on the left side, but the gate is on the right side of the boat. And so based on my limited knowledge I'm watching this video thinking that the boat is being set up left side, but once I see the gate on the right side it confused me. If you're surfing on the left side of the boat, you want that side lower in the water correct? And the surf gate being on the right side was maybe just solely focusing on surf gate at that time and it wasn't necessarily on the desired side of the boat for a left side surf?
What speed are you going in this about? I’ve only wakesurfed once and we went 8kts with bow mega high. Deffinitly weren’t planing. Total displacement wake
you don’t ever get worried about going over your weight capacity? mine says 11 or 2500 lbs and i have 2 850s in the back plus one 675 in the very front
This is my problem. I have a Moomba Mojo 2.5 with 1,500 built-in ballast in the rear left and right and also a center ballast. I also have a WakeSurf Wedge, but no matter what set up I try, I can’t get the wave to where I wake surf without a tow rope. The wave is big and looks great, but I don’t think it’s long enough. I guess I need a bow fat sac ballast.
i have a mojo 2.5 also and you need alot more weight. bow weight would be the first to add, then upgrade the rears to 1100 each side. I think wakemakers has a 950 IBS bag that fits the mojo
I'm not sure. I'd have to check with Malibu what they have in the tanks. I have 4 stock tanks in the boat. 1 in front, 1 in middle, 2 in back. It's a stock platform but I put a gator step on it.
Anyone know if you can add a wake shaper to the side of a Vortex 223 VRX jet boat? Has 1100lbs of ballast with the 2 rear sacs and 250lbs up front. My thinking is being it's a real boat hull and not like the old seadoos, maybe it will work?
Question I have 2006 vlx with a lot of weight in stereo equipment and batteries. With filling stock ballast only the bow of my boat is inches off the water and without being careful I have had the surf wave bury the bow when I turn to pick up a downed surfer if I dont let the waves die down. Is there a reason my bow is dropping so low in the water? I do make a nice surfable wave but its nerve racking worrying about sinking the boat. Anyone have any ideas
Most people pick people up wrong when wakesurfing. Stop in a straight line. Spin the boat out in the middle and pick up your rider. DO NOT venture out to meet your wake. All boats will take in water. Adding weight to the rear will help with the front as well.
@@btuff Yep, you are right. I added the exact same rear ballast (sweet system) and a bow bag. Wave is bigger but we could not get enough push to drop the rope. Factory rear and center ballast tanks full. I have the newest Swell surf gate. Got the biggest wave at about 9.6 mph - steep but still kept going out the back. Power wedge is all the way down. Rear ballast was evenly weighted. Am I getting close? Any other suggestions? Maybe list the boat a bit? Thanks! And that's a sweet boat. I have the same one just black and white;-)
@@jefftormey If you increase the speed the wave becomes harder. You also might want to try pushing people side to side to see if that changes things. Getting the perfect wave is such a mystery of trial and error.
Throw your plastic bag in the water and hold on to it. You’re not going to sink to the bottom. Throw lead on and hold onto it. If your boat got submerged under water, the lead is going to drag your boat to to the bottom. That’s basic physics. Prove me wrong and hold a 50lb bag of lead while swimming.
So crazy that I came across this reply years later. And still so crazy that you think 1 lb doesn't equal 1 lb inside a boat. A pound of feathers, a pound of water, a pound of person, or a pound of lead. It's all exactly the same inside the boat. Archimedes proved this thousands of years ago.
Usually skiers are up at dawn on glassy water. Wake surfing doesn't need glassy water. Wake boarding it helps. Not very many people are water skiing anymore.
@@btuff Yes, fewer skiers these days. Most people are now taking their fat kids from the living room couch out to the water to sit on a tube (some of them even LOOK like couches) and dragging them around on the lake, making waves just like wake surfers. It's a shame but a reflection of the fattening of America. Why ski? It's too hard. Little Olivia and Liam (those are the most popular names in 2019) can't do anything hard, and fat mom and dad don't want to put out the effort. Sad but true. Regarding early morning and glass, sure, I'll take the early morning glass any time. It's sad, though, watching the tubers and surfers stinking up midday glass, though, when they could be learning to do a real water sport that's physically demanding. But that's all gone with the wind, so to speak.
The future is now old man. I think it’s awesome you want to outlaw an activity that gets people out of the house, being active, and spending time with loved ones just so a couple people can have “their” glassy water.
Skiers are out early. Glass doesn't tend to happen midday. I love getting up early to carve up the butter, and I love to surf because it can be done all hours of the day, and it's easier to teach new people who come out with us. Try harder not to be such a snob - you don't have to give up what you love to allow for others to do what they love. Is it any wonder you make grammar videos? ;)
I see people pulling up mad hogs at all the lakes. I have seen no data that fishing has suffered in the last 10 years because of wakeboard or wake surf.
