RZ2 Has No Push

[tigeunrest]

For me the "wave" is more important then food. I actually have a cooler from Costco under the bow pillow so the bow pillow stays in place. I went for the individual bags for more tunability. But I don't think it makes that much of a difference. I have the 550lbs bags which I fill manually in the front. When I have a lot of people in the boat I need that nose weight. My engine codes when I run it at to much of an angle. So I sink it first then list it.
I think that when you throttle off, turn your boat high side to the wave, let the wave pass then back to the rider usually keeps the water out of the bow.

[Timmy!]

Thanks for the pictures. Timmy! and I have found that our boats have different load configurations to get a good wave. My boat likes a little weight up front. My U-Shaped sac in the bow is the smaller 400# but it gets squished between the bow seat supports so it doesn't fill to capacity, I guess about 250-300 ish up there.

Yep, they definitely do. I still think it has to do with factory ballast vs no-factory ballast and that weight being down lower in the hull or further back depending on the year of the boat. At this point, I have more goofy riders than regular riders on my boat and it doesn't matter which side we are surfing, the bow weight = no bueno. I even have to get kids out of the bow sometimes to get the wave to be good.

[retox1]

To the OP, in my 07 I run a 1100 in each rear locker. I moved my batteries and taps to aft of the engine and made room so my fat sacs go all the way to the transom. They still don't fill all the way, but I would guess they're close to 1000 lbs when full. I also have a 100lb suitcase weight from a John Deere tractor in each rear locker (ya, I'm a hillbilly). I run the same w711 (650lb) sac up front and fill it till my cup holders pop out. I have tried with no bow weight and I prefer it with the bag full. I usually run at 11-11.4 mph and set my taps anywhere between 3-5. This is the setup I run most of the time as it's fast to get going and it doesn't sink the boat enough that some people get uncomfortable. I get a pretty decent wave, but it's definitely not as nice as some of the other guys with the custom sacs. I do sometimes throw a 400lb sac (or 2) on the surf side seat, but I only do that the few times a year I get out without the wife and kids. I also made my own smaller swim platform from 3/4 inch plywood that I fiberglassed and coated in bedliner. This really cleaned up the wave, but not sure if it actually effected the size/shape.

Hope that helps a bit, but your really going to have to mess with it to get where you like. seems like these RZ2s are all a little bit different in what makes them surf the best.

[jbgp1200]

WE HAVE PUSH!!!!!!!!!!

Ok so we spent the better part of 8 hours on the lake Saturday wakesurfing and we had a blast. I was beginning to become a bit concerned that we would never get a surfable wave but I saw a glimmer of hope.

We ran with no bow weight accept for a body up front. In fact for most of the day it was hard to direct people to sit here or there so I just rolled with it. With the 1100lb custom sacs filled on the surf side only (obviously not filled with on the cooler side), taps at 3 at 10.8MPH we had a great wave with plenty of push. Everyone had a blast. Still some tweaking to do but for the most part the wave was great even with people moving around and sitting on the opposite side.

[ragboy]

Is the rub rail touching the water, when at speed? When we had the 2010 RZ2 (same, only different swim deck), that was the key, and a good 4-600 lbs of bow weight.

there are many shots in this video, and you can see the attitude and list of the boat. This day was weighted a BIT heavier than normal and the rub rail was a bit under water. But the wake was as good or better than we ever had it. The only better wake I have seen on an RZ2 was the regular side with a VX in Texas once.



This is how it was on that day, but this is more than normal, normally the water would just be at the rail when surfing.

IMG_0873 by wake9, on Flickr

This is just extra information, lot of other good info here, but that is what I remember on our setups, the key was always get the rub rail kissing the water at speed, and adjust bow weight. Too much bow weight and you take away push, too little and too steep. We usually ran 400 lbs of bow weight but about 6-800 when we added extra weight.

[Timmy!]

WE HAVE PUSH!!!!!!!!!!

Ok so we spent the better part of 8 hours on the lake Saturday wakesurfing and we had a blast. I was beginning to become a bit concerned that we would never get a surfable wave but I saw a glimmer of hope.

We ran with no bow weight accept for a body up front. In fact for most of the day it was hard to direct people to sit here or there so I just rolled with it. With the 1100lb custom sacs filled on the surf side only (obviously not filled with on the cooler side), taps at 3 at 10.8MPH we had a great wave with plenty of push. Everyone had a blast. Still some tweaking to do but for the most part the wave was great even with people moving around and sitting on the opposite side.

Glad to hear it! Next time, experiment with some weight on the opposite side, start small and keep adding until it washes out and then back it down from there. With that 1100 full, the rub-rail is probably at the water line (mine is). I put cupholders on the transom like the '09+ have and if you are doing it right, that cupholder will take on a lot of water!

[ragboy]

Timmy is absolutely correct, but the RZ2 is a bit touchy to opposite weight. Always get us much on opposite it will tolerate. Same on any boat.

[Duncan]

My '07 RZ2 with no factory ballast doesn't like bow weight either. ... My boat is like yours, bow weight = no push and collapses the wave height in half. We usually run in the 10.6 to 11.2 range with taps between 3 and 4. Also, my wave is best when the gas tank is more than half full.

Timmy! and I have found that our boats have different load configurations to get a good wave. My boat likes a little weight up front. My U-Shaped sac in the bow is the smaller 400# but it gets squished between the bow seat supports so it doesn't fill to capacity, I guess about 250-300 ish up there.

Our 2009 (with a full length surf mat) behaves more like Ragboys 2010 -- it is difficult to get too much bow weight. I have a pair of 300s plumbed separate in the bow and I fill both as much as they will hold (250?) (with fewer people, I use 100% bow surf side weight, 50% off side bow, to get more lean). Rear 1100 and internal 250 hard tank. Passengers sit on surf side until rub rail touches (then a person can go sit in the bow surf side). TAPS 2 - 3, speed 11.6 to 11.8 (11.2 for a skim board).

I ride goofy -- it is decent. Needs bow weight (usually a person to avoid off side rear weight). I go a little slower, 11.4-11.6 and TAPS 3-4. Pocket not quite as long. Without the surf mat, the dark side wave is much sloppier.

The mat makes a difference in how clean the wake is -- but i don't think it has much impact on shape other than solidifying the lip.

[Duncan]

2009 RZ2. This starboard side wave used custom surf side rear sack (1100 but does not fully fill with cooler); 250 internal rear surf side; driver; two adults surf side rear; one adult offside rear (no other offside rear weight); surf-side bow 300 and offside bow 300 (each fills to 250?); one adult in bow; two preschoolers scattered around; TAPS 3; speed 11.4; full length surf mat; depth 12 ft.

Wind was 10+ so a little messier than normal -- without the mat, spray would have been miserable.

[jbgp1200]

So our current set up we are using custom 1100lb sacs and manual pumps. We had the U shaped Sac but Mike at MLA was kind enough to swap it out for 2 separate 400lbs sacs so I didn't have to remove the fiberglass divider/support under the bow. I have not tried the separate bow sacs yet but will this weekend.

We have no factory Ballast and ive decided to wait till winter to drill holes and plumb everything. Truth is the Manual filling hasn't been that bad. Once we fill up one side we just transfer the water from bag to bag. It takes 8-10 minutes to switch sides and even with Manual pumps it hasn't been that bad. With that said I always end up with 150 or so lbs left in the opposite side. I will be experimenting with more or even no offside weight.

Ragboy, What speed were you moving at in that video? We had the rub rail in the water when not moving. I don't recall where it was at when we were at speed. Ill pay more attention to that this weekend.


Might need you guys to talk me off the ledge on this concern as I'm sure its stupid and really nothing to worry about. But with that much weight in the boat in choppy conditions, its gets a bit scary when a wave comes into the side of the boat. I know the boat isn't gonna tip but holy cow it's still a little unnerving. How do you guys over come this? Play musical chairs and tell everyone who you already asked to sit on one side of the boat to quickly move to the other side when at idle?

[Ewok]

I don't list or surf in choppy conditions.

[jbgp1200]

Well that solves the problem then.

I guess I should have been clearer. Not white cap choppy, mostly choppy from our own wake and that of a couple other boats wake surfing near by. Do you every get that OH #$%^ unstable feeling as the boat rocks hard to one side? my guess is there really isn't anything one can do accept point the boat in the right direction. Never an issue when I'm driving its usually when I stop and am rolling up a rope or putting a board up.

[jbgp1200]

Went out for a quick 3 hour trip yesterday and although I didn't get a chance to fill up the front ballast but we still got a decent surf able wave (I think) with only 3 adults in the boat. Tried a lot of your tips which really helped. Thank you all. Still not getting that long pocket i want but I'm sure adding some bow weight will fix that.

Had what I would guess was 900lbs on the surf side (Rub rail was not all the way int he water. Taps at 6 (usually we have had this at 3 but at 6 no splashing from the swim platform) speed at 10.8

Still fun even though not perfect. Here is a clip.

[Timmy!]

Looks pretty good! The only way you get rid of that wash/line in the middle of the wave is to update the swim platform.

[tigeunrest]

I cut mine
Left Side Cut by Tige Unrest, on Flickr