Factory Ballast Wake Pics

[ragboy]

Customer: I want to spend money, Dealer: Sorry, we dont take that here

This is what I don't get. I ordered my boat and if they would have said I would have liked the wake better with ballast, I would have ponied up, but the salesman which I feel did a great job in every other area said he didn't think Tigé boats needed ballast. I guess I should have checked into it more, he does own a nawtweek.

That is why I think it is more than money. They know the factory ballast is problematic. I agree with da.bell about technique. My wake is GREAT for boarding. It is surfing that has put the twist in my panties about ballast.

[dogbert]

This is what I don't get. I ordered my boat and if they would have said I would have liked the wake better with ballast, I would have ponied up, but the salesman which I feel did a great job in every other area said he didn't think Tigé boats needed ballast. I guess I should have checked into it more, he does own a nawtweek.

Well, like someone said, there is some truth to it. I can tell you my boat without ballast kicks butt as far as the wake is concerned compared to other boats. Add ballast and watch out. On the other hand, a super big wake compensates for technical issues in your riding, so it may be good sometimes, but if you want to be really good, you may want to dial back the wake a bit to improve your technique.

So, to make a long story short, there is no short story

[Ks]

See here is my deal,

The wake is great if I can gather and bring 4-6 of our friends, but this is not always possible. We have a large group of recreational boaters we go with every time and getting people to leave the beach/family/beer/ etc to be human ballast is not always easy.

Alot of the time, it is one spotter and me driving. this is making a very inconsistent wake for my Wife to learn on. ( at this point I really enjoy driving the boat LOL) I want the ballast system to create a equal wake as to when we have friends in the boat. and or to balance the boat in travel. I hate when you have a group of people in one area ( women) talking and are hesitant to break up and move to balance the boat so it tracks straight.

I agree the boats do not need the factory ballast to have fun but it sure does make it easier to have fun when you have it installed.

Is Rival the way to go?

is 900LBS enough? If I am going to do it I want to do it right and get the most possible.

Sorry for hi jacking the thread, but maybe all of us 2006/2007 owners should work together and get a group buy ging with Rival

[Matt Garcia]

I dont think 900lbs is enough. I run an additional 900-1000 pounds on top of the stock ballast. I consider myself and intermediate rider and they more weight I have in my boat the more fun it is.

As far as wake surfing you almost always have to use additional sacks or people weight to get a really good wave.

I wonder if Rival has a system that will tie in to the Tige stock ballast?

[dogbert]

Sounds like we need a surf-capable ballast system (2 buttons: port and starboard). It would be neat to be able to use some of that wasted space in between the seat backs and the gunwhales of the boat, 'cause that's where you would want to put the weight.

[wakeboarder247]

I have it in my RZ2, should be the same setup. What did you need to know?



I thought the same with the front sac but its not partitioned and you could fill the entire bag with just one fill pump. There are two fill pumps and two empty pumps.


By the way the surf wave looks great!

Korgae, each rear tank is 300 and the front bow sac is 300. However I personally think the front bow sac is a little more like 350-375.

I was just wondering about the front sac being partitioned or not. That is kinda dumb that they have a designated and labeled port and starboard fill and empty when they just fill the same sack. And what are we supposed to do for surfing? just fill the whole thing? or fill it half way and then we you overload one side the water would just go to that side (gravity) and the other side would be empty. (like having separate sacs) How do you do it for surfing?

I dont think 900lbs is enough. I run an additional 900-1000 pounds on top of the stock ballast. I consider myself and intermediate rider and they more weight I have in my boat the more fun it is.

As far as wake surfing you almost always have to use additional sacks or people weight to get a really good wave.

I wonder if Rival has a system that will tie in to the Tige stock ballast?

I agree that the 900lbs isn't enough. this is evident when you have over 6 people in the boat b/c the wakeboard/surf wake is GREATLY increased the more bodies you get in there... but then what happens when there are only 2 people in the boat and 1 rider? you need more ballast..

What you said about the Rival system that will tie into the Tige stock system is exactly what I have been wondering since I purchased the boat. I got the stock ballast knowing that it would greatly improve the wake.. but also knowing that down the road I am going to want more ballast in there. I am sick of throwing a pump over and filling sacs because this is what I always had to do in my '95 Tige and it really gets old after a while. I was wondering if anyone has added any sacs to their factory ballast and plumbed them in so that it is still fully automatic.. but with more weight.. Any thoughts?

[wakeboarder247]

Sounds like we need a surf-capable ballast system (2 buttons: port and starboard). It would be neat to be able to use some of that wasted space in between the seat backs and the gunwhales of the boat, 'cause that's where you would want to put the weight.

That is how the stock system "appears" to be. There are two port switches and to starboard switches so when you want to switch sides for surfing you just click two to empty and the other two to full.. the problem here is that the front sac isn't partitioned so it would be filling and emptying at the same time.. I think Tige made a mistake by putting one sac in the front but making it appear as though you still had side to side filling capabilities by having "FWD Port" and "FWD Starboard" switches.

[wakeboarder247]

I dont think 900lbs is enough. I run an additional 900-1000 pounds on top of the stock ballast. I consider myself and intermediate rider and they more weight I have in my boat the more fun it is.

As far as wake surfing you almost always have to use additional sacks or people weight to get a really good wave.

I wonder if Rival has a system that will tie in to the Tige stock ballast?

Sorry I should have asked earlier but the extra 900-1000lbs that you are adding.. are you using the old throw a pump over technique to fill/empty?

[Matt Garcia]

I was just wondering about the front sac being partitioned or not. That is kinda dumb that they have a designated and labeled port and starboard fill and empty when they just fill the same sack. And what are we supposed to do for surfing? just fill the whole thing? or fill it half way and then we you overload one side the water would just go to that side (gravity) and the other side would be empty. (like having separate sacs) How do you do it for surfing?

For surfing I have two different methods, with people and without.

I ride goofy so I fill the rear stock tank, fill another 550 pound in the starboard side storage, have all people on one side, TAPS at 5, speed at 10.6. The front and port side tanks/bags are empty.

Without people I do the same method, but fill the front sac, and add two more 350 pound sacks. One sac is on the seat and one on the floor, same speed and TAPS setting.

Same method for Port side surfing. I have noticed I can clean up the port side better than starboard. Not sure if its just the prop rotation or if I need to change the speed and weight. I can make the Starboard side cleaner and longer but I have to speed up thus loosing the steep pocket. I just need to spend more time on it and find a balance.

Sorry I should have asked earlier but the extra 900-1000lbs that you are adding.. are you using the old throw a pump over technique to fill/empty?

Yes that is what I do. Tsunami pump is the way to go.

[ragboy]

With a family of 8, we love all the storage. And my wife is really killing me on doing something that loses all storage. Does anyone have a Ve with pictures of what the ballast does to your storage? Do you lose the rear lockers completely?

[Matt Garcia]

With a family of 8, we love all the storage. And my wife is really killing me on doing something that loses all storage. Does anyone have a Ve with pictures of what the ballast does to your storage? Do you lose the rear lockers completely?

ragboy, with that many family members you would really only need one sack. A 600 filled in the rear locker. Especially if its just your kids surfing. You would still have plently of room. You could also distribute people in the boat for fine tuning.

I typically have 7 (3 are kids) of us on my boat and still have room when I sack it out.

An no you dont loose your lockers, I still store jackets and other stuff on top of my sacs.

[dogbert]

With a family of 8, we love all the storage. And my wife is really killing me on doing something that loses all storage. Does anyone have a Ve with pictures of what the ballast does to your storage? Do you lose the rear lockers completely?

Dude, you gotta limit their gear.

Like Matt said, you won't lose all your storage. Also, if you do have a lot of people, they make better ballast than fat sacs. You're gonna need more weight to affect the wake on your 24Ve.

[da.bell]

I know exactly what ragboy feels. We have 7 (5 kids/2 adults) and we need the space.

doesn't the rival system take up locker space?????

[xpjim1]

If you use fatsacs they will take up storage space.

[wakeboarder247]

With a family of 8, we love all the storage. And my wife is really killing me on doing something that loses all storage. Does anyone have a Ve with pictures of what the ballast does to your storage? Do you lose the rear lockers completely?

w/ the stock ballast we have a TON of room in the rear lockers with the stock ballast. the tanks are pushed very far back in the locker, almost all the way under the transom activity center, and we still have room to store a big ice chest on the starboard side locker and a box full of those orange USCG approved vests in case we ever get checked for life jackets! The only space you really lose is in the bow. The front sac takes up all the space under the 3 front cushions. (see pic)

Hey Matt what do you know about Tige changing the way they do their ballast. We test drove an '06 22Ve and purchased an '07 22Ve and our dealer said that Tige changed their stock ballast to give more room in the rear lockers. I seem to remember the rear tanks taking up a lot more room in the lockers and I don't remember the wrap around bow sac in the '06... didn't they have 2 separate soft sacs for the front in '06? I could be mistaken though..