New to ballast systems...HELP!

[blerb340]

I currently own a 2008 20i with no ballast system, just TAPS. I just ordered (being delivered in July) a 2011 RZR with factor surf ballast. Question - for sking do you just use TAPs or do you add some front ballast? As a matter of fact, what is the purpose of the front ballast tanks? Thanks

[bobbysky]

for skiing I would recommend no ballast and taps at 1. Front ballast would be used for wakeboarding and to a certain extent surfing.

When you wakeboard you want the hull to be dropped fairly evenly in the water. Therefore most go by the rule of 40/60 ratio, front and back. I run 50/50 when I wakeboard.

For surfing, some say that the front ballast will get a longer wave. I personally haven't ever run weight in the bow while surfing.

Hope this helps.

[somebodyelse5]

Bobby got it right for wakeboarding, 40/60 is typically how to run it, but play around with it and see how you like it. its all about preference.

For skiing, just put the taps on 1 and dont fill any ballast.


For your boat with surfing, some will tell you different but in my experience this is the best way to do it, weight the surf side rear corner as much as possible (we run an 1100# here) add a small amount of weight under the seats on the surf side if you dont have people with you. I always have some weight under those seats, just removed (2) 10 gal fresh water tanks that we always run even with the boat full of people and replaced it with a 350# long sac (wont fill all the way but it will weigh more than those jugs.) Then we fill the front bow sacks with about 200-250#. Make sure you have everyone cram on the surf side as well, heaviest people in the rear corner.

Basically heres the run down, adding weight in the back will add heigh, adding weight up front will add length speed also adds length without taking much away from the height. We've found that heavily weighting the rear, lightly weighting the front, and using speed to lengthen the wave works the best. with our 20V and that weight (im actually putting a new prop on this afternoon to account for all the weight) I ride at 11.5-12 mph on my Shredstixx Elevation, and my friends typically ride at 11.2 on a hyperlite coex or LF venture.

[Timmy!]

If no ballast and taps at 1 doesn't work, you can try adding a little bit to the front to knock down the wake a little bit. My preference for the RZ2 surf wave is as much as you can get in the corner and nothing in the front, speed at 10.6-11.0 and taps in the 5+ range. For wakeboarding, I don't run ballast that much but I like the weight in the rear and hardly any in the front because I feel like the front knocks it down too much.