24Ve maximum ballast writeup...

[duffymahoney]

How far forward does this area run?

[Timmy!]

Wow! I'm impressed that you went to these lengths!

[ragboy]

I wonder what it would take to remove the foam and replace with a hard tank from newer Ve.

[Timmy!]

+1. Wonder if they redesigned the floor in the newer ones to accommodate a bigger tank. You can get a 2,000 lb system in the new boats and I think it's a hard tank in the rear, isn't it or is it a hard tank plus a bag? Also, do they put a different prop on the boats with the pro system or do they require to go up to the 409hp engine?

[IDBoating]

How big are the custom sacs gonna be?

For clarity, all of this work was started back in March and finished in June. The battery shelf was conceived in April-May and the last step, the custom Fly High fat sacs, were installed in June. It's not "gonna be", this system is up and operational and has been generating surf waves for about eight weeks and 80 engine hours so far this season. Waahoo!

The fat sacs are ten feet long (!!!) when fully deployed. I was going to post this photo in a later installment, but here is one of them inflated for testing with my 9YO son standing behind it:



It's somewhat deflated by this point, but you can still get a feel for its volume. The locker sections are 62 inches (over five feet!) long, 30 inches high, and 31 inches wide. When deployed, the arms add even more volume. The main section could theoretically hold over 30 cubic feet of water, but allowing for the sloped hull and various protruberances the actual filled volume is probably around 25-26 cubic feet in the main locker.

The arm adds almost 12 additional theoretical cubic feet, likely about ten allowing for restrictions. Total ballast volume of each side is thus around 37-38 cubic feet. (I'm very jealous of your Rule 19-based fill/drain rates, Duffy! But I traded speed for volume and I can always wait an few extra minutes.)

There is one of these fat sacs on each side, differing only in the arm length (seven extra inches on one side). For those of you with RZ's, Tige puts the 24Ve's cooler under the seat that is directly across from the driver. This yields locker/underseat areas on both sides of the boat that are almost identical, other than the ~7 inches of length difference mentioned. (I'll take and post a photo of this sometime.)

It is my understanding that the RZ's have their coolers farther back, which interferes with proper ballasting and makes it hard to fully ballast that side of the picklefork hulls. Another reason the previously maligned 24Ve's are turning out to be a very respectable surfing machine!

Thanks!

[IDBoating]

I wonder what it would take to remove the foam and replace with a hard tank from newer Ve.

I don't think you could stuff a hard tank in there once the deck and engine are in place. Remember, I couldn't get the foam out in one piece and it's the same size as the tank.

Besides, why would you want to go to a hard tank? If you're removing the floor and foam, just make the fat sac the proper size. Far simpler than plumbing a combo tank+sac system.

[IDBoating]

Serious? Hmmm, this could be huge.

See my response to your earlier post, above. My fat sacs are ten feet long and have over 35 cubic feet of volume. Each.

[IDBoating]

Wow! I'm impressed that you went to these lengths!

Thanks! Do it once, do it right!

[duffymahoney]

How far forward did the foam area run?

[duffymahoney]

Does the foam counter you weighting the boat? Meaning does removing the foam help the boat sink more?

[Dan and Christy]

35 cu ft = 2,185 lbs

[duffymahoney]

Gosh I would love to try and fit even bigger sacs in! I bet I could figure out something for my pumps and batteries.

[Timmy!]

Can you just post a picture of the wave? If you have a 2,185 lb sac in there, I am pretty sure you have the most ballast of anyone in the rear lockers.

[embo]

Does anyone know if this foam insert and floor design is the same for a 05 22v? If so, what is the purpose of this design as oppposed to leaving the actual bottom of the boat exposed and just putting carpet over it?

Love the pics and description of what you have done. Looking forward to the "rest of the story".

[Fiveflat]

Not sure why you would want to replace the volume of a battery with water. The battery is going to weigh a lot more that that same volume of water. Unless it's on the wrong side for you.

I get it though. Have fun!