Z3 custom ballast sac. Worth the $$$?

[Ewok]

If you are struggling with riding rope-less, I would evaluate your board and stance. A minor adjustment in foot placement usually makes a huge difference. The quality of the board can also have a huge impact on speed.

I think this is the problem, moving your feet by 1/2" makes a huge difference on how the board rides and your ability to ride rope less. When I weighed 230 I was able to ride rope less on my rz2 with basic ballast (250 in the corner).

[383ws6]

Ok, went back out Sunday & tried a few different setups. Filled the front stock ballast (400#) 100%, put a 400# sac in the bow seat as far front & port as I could get it, filled starboard rear 50%, port rear 100% with a 400# sac under it, & a 750# sac under the port seat. Made a longer wake for sure, but still didn't feel like it had any push. Drained the starboard rear sac to 0%, but it wasn't any better. Had some friends that showed up that wanted to give it a try, so I put everything back the way I had it before (which meant moving the front 400# sac back onto the port rear seat. There it was again, all the push we needed. I tried several different speeds, taps positions, footing positions on 3 different boards before we moved the front sac to the back, to no avail. For whatever reason, the only way I've been able to get this boat to make a wake good enough for me to go wireless is to put all of my weight in the surf side rear. Leaving the stock front ballast full did at least give me a little longer wake to play with.

[383ws6]

On a side note, I had to go to the doctor Tuesday because I had caught what I thought was strep throat. Turned out it was just a bronchial infection, but they did give me the full work-up, & I only weigh 213. The shredd stixx seems to be the only board that holds me in the pocket in a way that feels comfortable.

[Bruizza]

We have an RZ2 with the pro ballast set up so 2000lbs. We fill the surf side 100% full and the non surf side 25% full. We ride at 10mph. There is a ton of push with this set up. Most people say the Z3 is one of the best surf boats out of the box. Maybe start with just the stock ballast and play with it, figure out your weight splits 60/40 rear front, 50/50, 70/30 then side to side 100/25 100/50 or whatever. The start playing with all the extra sacs you have and keep the same basic weight distributions.

For the record I weighed myself this morning and I was 214lbs so I'm the same weight as you and can ride wireless no problem behind our RZ2.

[383ws6]

Yea, I got my hopes up that I'd be able to go wireless with the factory ballast, but it just doesn't seem possible. I've tried just about every combination (taps, speed, weight) with the stock setup, & it just won't push me. It seems like it just wants the extra 1500# in the port rear.

[Bruizza]

That just seems so odd to me but I've never surfed a Z3. You will get it dialed sooner or later!

[hunter2010]

I'm running a Z3 right now and with stock pro ballast had no problems going wireless right away, I'm 220 lbs and use either a Phase 5 Colt or Model X, even a shorter Oogle and Inland Surfer Sweet Spot. I have added the Z3 custom sack from Wakemakers just to help out when only a couple people in the boat. With that setup I fill the custom sack 100%, both front bags 100% and 50% on opposite stock ballast. I think the custom sack is defiantly worth the money. I will be doing both custom sacks next year on my 2013 with the reversible transfer pump. We only ride goofy a couple times a weekend but it will be nice to empty and fill quicker. The Z3 wave is unreal and it's hard to understand its giving you problems getting dialed in.

[383ws6]

Ok, so mine only has the 2 sacs in the back that can be hidden up against the hull with the little Velcro cover (600# each?), and one U-shaped sac in the bow (400#?) The only difference between this and the pro setup is I've only got 1-400# sac up front instead of 2, correct?

[houstonshark]

The Surf Ballast consists of:

400lb Bow Sac
2) 250lb Rear Hard Tanks
2) 350lb Fold Out Rear Sacs

I don't totally get the lack of 'push'. To me, it's all about your positioning on the wake, foot placement and balance on the board. I weigh just over 200lbs (and have been surfing occasionally for the last couple months) and feel like as long as the wake is even somewhat formed I feel like I can stay in the pocket and ride all day.

In the beginning, I kinda thought that the wake was going to magically push me once it was set up right. It has soo much more to do with your balance and position on the wake. You should work on just finding the sweet spot in the wake where you can stand perfectly balanced and have slack in the rope. Then work on speeding up (shifting your hips towards the boat) and slowing down (hips away from the boat).

With that much weight on the surf side and very little in the bow, I bet the wake is very large and short. That would make it difficult to stay up because the sweet spot will be very small.

I might have missed it but when you are moving the weight around are you also adjusting TAPS and speed? Very minor adjustments can make a huge difference in the wake shape, size and how clean it is.

[chpthril]

Is this your boat/wake? From what I see, I see a perfectly ride-able wake. Not the best a Z3 will produce, but ride-able none the less. Does that kid wake board? Looks like he's pretty much on his heels by the way he's bent over at the hips. He's hard on the brakes (weight on the back foot) and his front foot is too heel side. he needs to get up on the balls of his feet and straighten up back. Also, I would take your surf rope in a little as the rider is right where the wake breaks.

Not being critical of the youngster, just critiquing what I see as it may be useful to you and the rest of your surfers.

I would love to see a better shot of the wake, as well as you riding. Im still thinking stance and technique is where its at.

Im also not quite understanding how or why you are filling a sac under the OEM surf sac. its designed and intended to fill across the floor and up. I dont how its working with another sac filled in the locker with it trying to fill over top of it. I think you may be costing yourself some net weight. I would take Ragboys advice on the factory setup, then dial the wake in using speed and TAPS. See where that gets you.

[383ws6]

In that video, I have all the added weight on the surf side rear, about 50-75% in the bow, & nothing in the starboard rear. Taps at 5, speed was at 10.2-10.4, me driving (213#), his dad and my wife near the observers seat (210# combined), & 2 4yr olds in the bow (60# max). He has never surfed, wakeboarded, ski'd, anything. I was trying to get him to pull up on the rope one knot to put him in a better spot, but we weren't wanting to "push him" into anything he wasn't comfortable with. The only video I have of me going wireless is on my iPhone, so I'll try to get that uploaded soon.

[383ws6]

[383ws6]

Ok, I have no idea why my videos aren't loading correctly.

[Timmy!]

Yea, I got my hopes up that I'd be able to go wireless with the factory ballast, but it just doesn't seem possible. I've tried just about every combination (taps, speed, weight) with the stock setup, & it just won't push me. It seems like it just wants the extra 1500# in the port rear.

It's technique. I went wireless on my RZ2 with NO BALLAST AT ALL, just 3 people on 1 side. You need to change your footing and refine your forward and back movements. Surfdad can surf a door behind boats with less wake than a factory ballast Z3, it's all technique. Practice, practice, practice!

[Timmy!]

Just use the youtube video id.