Post your Ballast Set Up

[WorktoLive]

Boat: 2006 Tige 24 ve

Wakeboard: a 1,100lb jumbo fat sac in each rear locker (they hold probably 900 lbs), a v-drive 400lb sac under each seat in the bow (they probably hold 250lb each)
Taps 3,
Speed 23 mph.
Result: if everyone is sitting correctly you'll have a very firm an clean wake on both sides, wake is closer to a supra vs a nautique if that helps anyone.

Wakesurf: a jumbo sac in the rear locker corresponding to if the rider is goofy or regular, a v-drive sac under the bow seat correspeonding to if the rider is goofy or regular
Taps: 5.5
Speed: 11 MPH.
Result: medium to large verticle sized wake, long pocket, great push.

We've been experimenting every single weekend multiple times a day and the two set ups listed above have been the best so far when the Tige is equipped with a large fiberglass platform.

[kx250frider617]

Boat: 2001 2100V

Wakeboard: 250 port locker, 250 star locker, 600 or 400 in front of back seats, 750 in the bow.
Taps 3
Speed 24mph

That wake is money!!! Except when the tide goes out and its only 6 feet deep.

[Ruger761]

Boat: 1997 Pre 2150WT

wakeboard: 200 under rear seat, 350 on each side of motor
taps: wakeboard (8)
speed:18-20

Surf: 200 under rear seat, 350 each side of motor, 2-3 220# guys on the rear corner, 1 200# guy on observer seat and my NSS Plate
Taps:wakeboard (8)
Speed 11

Still experimenting with the NSS Plate and weight combination, thinking I still want 300 in walkway/bow and 300 more in locker for that little extra push and pocket length

[wired1236]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1370870253.921133.jpg

Surf:

2006 20v
750lbs in rear locker
200lb in front locker
Taps at 4 roughly (have the wife adjust as we go. She's getting pretty good at it)
11mph roughly (river)
2 people behind driver 1 on bow

Lip needs a little work but its better than this pic depicts. I think good length for a 20v but still a work in progress. Any suggestions?

[LTtige22v]

03 22v 550 in each rear locker and u shaped bow bag thinking 350 to 450, taps 3 to 4, 23 mph and 70 ft rope. Wake is nice and clean. Looking to add more weight midship.

[lollyudubber]

Worktolive, I have the same boat and have been trying to dial in the right ballast set-up. You stated that you place the v-drive sac in the bow under the seat. Do you mean the locker behind the bow seats? It does not seem like there is sufficient room under the seats.

[Formulaz]

02 21i
540+350 sacs in rear locker
350 sac under rear seat
2x250 sacs in port locker
2 kids, a dog, and a 60lb bag of cement in aft port corner plus my wife driving.
10.3mph taps 1
Input?

I still can't throw the rope. 3 times out now. :-(
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1372891905.634555.jpg

[IDBoating]

I still can't throw the rope. 3 times out now.

You're too far back to drop the rope. You need to be much closer to the swim platform, down in the pocket. Once you gain experience going ropeless you'll be able to fiddle around back where you are in that photo but for right now you should be much closer.

Come forward, keep the pressure on your toes, and the board's nose pointed along the same axis as the boat's, and I bet you'll be dropping the rope pretty soon.

And I do mean DROP the rope. When we're teaching people, we find that beginners lose balance from trying to throw the rope. If you're ready to go ropeless, the rope will already be slack - so just open your fingers, let it drop, and let someone in the boat pull it in. That way you won't shift your balance with a throwing motion. Doesn't seem like it should matter but it's amazing how much effect it has when you're a beginner.

Report back!

[Formulaz]

Thanks a lot!

I'll try your tips this weekend. So the wave looks ok?

[IDBoating]

It looks good enough to learn on. Purists might find a few things to complain about, but don't worry about that right now. Just have fun, practice, and report back!

[Ruger761]

Formulaz I'm just learning like you but pull in close and you will fill the rope tension go to nothing and basically slack line the full time you hold it. Then like WA was saying drop it. I was trying to toss it first and it will throw you off. Feels very good once you drop it and can go rope less for a little bit.

[NICKYPOO]

02 21i
540+350 sacs in rear locker
350 sac under rear seat
2x250 sacs in port locker
2 kids, a dog, and a 60lb bag of cement in aft port corner plus my wife driving.
10.3mph taps 1
Input?

I still can't throw the rope. 3 times out now. :-(
[ATTACH]34778[/ATTACH]

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up. First things first. A bag of cement? Why? 540+350 in the rear locker?

You're telling me you've got 890#s in the trunk of a 21i? 100+ gallons of water? Then you've got 350 under the seat? 41 gallons? Under the seat? Nearly 150 gallons? So, the equivalent of three 50 gallon drums full in the back of a 21i? It just doesn't add up dude. You might want to re-calculate what you can actually fit in there. As an example, I have a highly customized trunk in my 22i. It has two custom sacs that will hold 650#s each. However, with the use of math, my best conservative estimate for how much water will actually fit once installed is 450#s for each. This effectively doubled my previous capacity. What are the dimensions of your trunk?

Judging from the one pic you posted, the boat ain't the problem. It's you. Is that your usual stance? It's awful. You have zero control like that. Stand up and put your knees together. Your head should be over your feet. Your's is over the wake. Next, don't expect the wake to do all the work. You are the one surfing. You have to generate speed. You have to control that speed. It's wakesurfing, not wake standing. Once you learn how to generate and control speed, you'll be able to stand there and play with yourself. Even then, you will be making constant tiny adjustments. The others are right, you are too far back. That ain't the only issue though. I would suggest getting an INDO board. They really are very effective at building muscle memory for how you need to ride a wakesurf board.

What board do you have? Much like a tow vehicle, if you are anywhere near the weight capacity, you might as well be over it.

I'm sorry if this ain't sugar coated but, that just wouldn't be me. Post up some real ballast numbers and, for gods sake, stand up and put your knees together. You look like a gorilla back there.

[Formulaz]

Hahaha!! Love it! Thanks for the honest reply.
First - yes I suck. There are many reasons for this. Generally speaking I look ridiculous walking down the street let alone surfing lol.
I appreciate the tips on technique and ill give it a shot this weekend.

The board is a phase 5 oogle with a 210lb capacity. I'm close at about 190.


Anyway - you could be entirely correct that my numbers are off to some degree. These ballast bags are manually filled and likely not entirely full. Having said that, I am using a 540lb "launchpad" bag in the rear locker with a 350lb "big bag" beside it.
Another identical 350 is under the seat, and 2 of the 250lb "sidesacs"are stacked in the port locker under the stereo. (all straightline brand i think) The bag of cement? I left it outside at the cottage by mistake. It hardened into a 60lb slug so while loading the boat I thought, why not? It's on the floor in the aft port corner.
Also this boat is the newer 21i. Not to be confused with the earlier model which is quite a bit smaller. If you look up 2003 21i, that's my boat. (No relief pockets in hull) so it's quite a large rear compartment. 102" beam and I think the boat weighs 3700lb.

I just wanted to make sure this wave looked surfable to you guys.

[NICKYPOO]

I'm glad you see things that way. It's the only way I know. You've got more than enough weight in the boat. You just need to surf it. Attack!

[NICKYPOO]

Boat-
2000 22I
350 Mag MPI Ski
Velvet drive
Acme 911
FAE
Top speed @ WOT - 40.1mph @ 4890rpm

Surf-
450 surf side rear
~250 opposite side rear
~250 bow walkway
Taps 4, +/- 4
Crew "comfortably" to surf side, wherever.
10.1 - 10.6 mph

Wake-
900 rear
~250 bow walkway
Taps 8
70' rope
22 - 24mph

Ski-
0 rear
0 front.
Taps 2
15' off
32 - 34mph