Side Ballast vs Wakeshaper

[Powderrider]

Hello All,

Trying to decide if I should add another 500-800 lb side ballast or buy a wakeshaper. I have heard mixed reviews. Whats the best setup for a surf wave?

Thanks

[duffymahoney]

What is your current boat and current setup, I run both tons of weight and a wake shaper, both work awesome.

[NICKYPOO]

^^^Yup. Depends on the boat. Sucgate is terrible on my boat but amazing on my buddy’s boat.

[duffymahoney]

Curious why your boat would be different. You have the same basic hull shape as me. I do listed+ suck gate. Just suck gate isn't great, equally weighted and suck gate isn't great. Suck gate and listed but opposite mostly full is bonkers.

[BCRider]

^^ Can't agree with this more. I find running dead level and a suck gate on my 22ve is not a good wave at all. I now run fully listed with a suck gate and the wave is amazing. The suck gate adds length and power while running listed produces a better cleaner wave.

[NICKYPOO]

Duffy, I have a flat bottom d-drive. My buddy has a 21v. My boat hates the sucgate. His boat, no matter what gate, what ballast, absolutely loves it. Even with the opposite side full and surf side empty, so long as the gate is on there, it produces a great wake. Obviously that’s not ideal but we tried it just to see and I was floored by how good it was.

[duffymahoney]

Interesting, I thought the 22i was the same deep v hull. Thanks for the info.

[NICKYPOO]

Mine is the old 22i, not the Mikacich 22i. Totally different hull.