Homemade delta wakeshaper

[SoDakSooner]

1 hour ago, southernfried said:

i figured it was due to lack of weight. i plan on upgrading to 750s in the rear soon. does anyone know how big the middle ballast bag is for the 02 vlx by chance?

One thing i have noticed is the stock prop is no longer cutting it.  Might think about upgrading that in the future too if you haven't already.  I am just undecided on what to get.

[southernfried]

15 hours ago, SoDakSooner said:

One thing i have noticed is the stock prop is no longer cutting it.  Might think about upgrading that in the future too if you haven't already.  I am just undecided on what to get.

Yeah i'm slowly figuring out i'm nowhere close to my wake surf goal, always next year

i'm not even sure what prop I currently have. I'll check it out. 

17 hours ago, 95echelon said:

I have a few bags in the classifieds if you need them. 

interested.. do you know if these would work the same way as the tank buster set from wakemakers by chance?

[95echelon]

40 minutes ago, southernfried said:

Yeah i'm slowly figuring out i'm nowhere close to my wake surf goal, always next year

i'm not even sure what prop I currently have. I'll check it out. 

interested.. do you know if these would work the same way as the tank buster set from wakemakers by chance?

To be honest they are probably the same if it is a 750lb kit, but the wakemakers kit will have all the stuff to connect to your factory rear pumps after removing the tanks... I bought a rear kit from wakemaker that I really like.

[MattyICE15]

I am running 2 650's in the rear with no wedge on my 2000 VLX.  I have two batteries back there so the starboard side has the rear sac pullup up just enough so they are not resting on the batteries (The front of the sac extends under the rear bench).  I cant seem to get the wave to curl or have any push at variable speeds.  I have played around with the suckgate and still haven't found my sweet spot.  Interestingly enough, the wave gets worse with the 300 MLS full.  Any ideas on what I am doing wrong?

[SoDakSooner]

6 minutes ago, MattyICE15 said:

I am running 2 650's in the rear with no wedge on my 2000 VLX.  I have two batteries back there so the starboard side has the rear sac pullup up just enough so they are not resting on the batteries (The front of the sac extends under the rear bench).  I cant seem to get the wave to curl or have any push at variable speeds.  I have played around with the suckgate and still haven't found my sweet spot.  Interestingly enough, the wave gets worse with the 300 MLS full.  Any ideas on what I am doing wrong?

See if you can find wedge parts somewhere and install one.  We run wedge, about 200 lbs more than you in the back and I have a 580 lb center locker bag.  Don't know how full it gets but  it pushes the locker door open.  We do try and run a little bit of weight up front but don't concentrate on it.  We push a lot of water and ususally the driver needs to sit on the back of the seat to see over the bow.  The wave this weekend was easily waist high and had a ton of push all the way from just over 10 up to 11 mph. I am fat and overweight so had to run 10.3, but all the lighter people could surf at 11 and the wave really firmed up at that speed.  We have a pretty long pocket and like I said, the wave was massive.  I attach my gate as far back as I can, and right under the "step" in the hull.

[minnmarker]

21 minutes ago, MattyICE15 said:

I am running 2 650's in the rear with no wedge on my 2000 VLX.  I have two batteries back there so the starboard side has the rear sac pullup up just enough so they are not resting on the batteries (The front of the sac extends under the rear bench).  I cant seem to get the wave to curl or have any push at variable speeds.  I have played around with the suckgate and still haven't found my sweet spot.  Interestingly enough, the wave gets worse with the 300 MLS full.  Any ideas on what I am doing wrong?

You're not doing anything wrong, you just don't have enough weight.  To start, your boat weighs 1400 pounds less than a newer VLX.  Add no wedge (-1000) and relatively small 650s in the rear (-800) and 300 MLS (-300 vs a bag in the center locker) and no bow weight (-300 to -600) and you're lighter by more than 3500 pounds.

If this were my project I would in order: 1) get a wedge. 2) move the batteries up under the observer dash so you can fill your 650s all the way. 3) get 750 or 1100 bags for the rears. 4) get two big guys to sit in the bow.  See what the wave looks like.  If you like it then invest in a bow bag or lead/steel.

[MattyICE15]

18 minutes ago, SoDakSooner said:

See if you can find wedge parts somewhere and install one.  We run wedge, about 200 lbs more than you in the back and I have a 580 lb center locker bag.  Don't know how full it gets but  it pushes the locker door open.  We do try and run a little bit of weight up front but don't concentrate on it.  We push a lot of water and ususally the driver needs to sit on the back of the seat to see over the bow.  The wave this weekend was easily waist high and had a ton of push all the way from just over 10 up to 11 mph. I am fat and overweight so had to run 10.3, but all the lighter people could surf at 11 and the wave really firmed up at that speed.  We have a pretty long pocket and like I said, the wave was massive.  I attach my gate as far back as I can, and right under the "step" in the hull.

My gate is all the way back and about halfway to 3/4 into the waterline.  When we are running the boat isn't riding high enough to where I need to stand or sit on the back of the seat.  I agree the wedge may help but haven't had any luck finding parts for one. I feel like I have done enough homework that our wave should at least curl somewhat, but it just doesn't seem to want to form.

[minnmarker]

http://www.malibumarine.com/gear_accessories/platforms_wedges_windows_lights

This place usually has wedges - sometimes transom plates.  Worth a bookmark or a call.  I think they strip salvage boats.

[MattyICE15]

Just now, minnmarker said:

You're not doing anything wrong, you just don't have enough weight.  To start, your boat weighs 1400 pounds less than a newer VLX.  Add no wedge (-1000) and relatively small 650s in the rear (-800) and 300 MLS (-300 vs a bag in the center locker) and no bow weight (-300 to -600) and you're lighter by more than 3500 pounds.

If this were my project I would in order: 1) get a wedge. 2) move the batteries up under the observer dash so you can fill your 650s all the way. 3) get 750 or 1100 bags for the rears. 4) get two big guys to sit in the bow.  See what the wave looks like.  If you like it then invest in a bow bag or lead/steel.

I suppose this helps enlighten me a little bit.  I'm pretty sure I've read that some of the older VLX's similar to mine have been able to get a good surf wave with a similar setup but they must have been sacked out.  I do like your list.  I was looking at ways to bring the batteries up front but didn't have enough closure on the process to order parts yet.  All in all I think I'll need to at least move the batteries, get bigger sacs, and get a better prop to be in the ball park.  If I can find a deal on a wedge, that would help.  Overall it looks like it'll cost me about $1,500-2,000 just to have a look at a decent surf wave =(

[95echelon]

36 minutes ago, MattyICE15 said:

I suppose this helps enlighten me a little bit.  I'm pretty sure I've read that some of the older VLX's similar to mine have been able to get a good surf wave with a similar setup but they must have been sacked out.  I do like your list.  I was looking at ways to bring the batteries up front but didn't have enough closure on the process to order parts yet.  All in all I think I'll need to at least move the batteries, get bigger sacs, and get a better prop to be in the ball park.  If I can find a deal on a wedge, that would help.  Overall it looks like it'll cost me about $1,500-2,000 just to have a look at a decent surf wave =(

It cost me that. Probably 800-1000 in ballast stuff. Then the boards and ropes... Totally worth in it my opinion.

You could also try a different size face on your shaper. I find a larger face makes a longer more uniform wave (my preference) but the smaller face makes a pushy wave. I don't like my wave without a wedge at all, but I would be trying listed if I didnt have a wedge. Have you tried doing a 650 on the seats, one in the locker, and maybe get a big 1000 pound bow sac?

Also if you are trying to surf regular, switch to the goofy side and ride switch or heelside. It's worth it.

[SoDakSooner]

3 hours ago, MattyICE15 said:

My gate is all the way back and about halfway to 3/4 into the waterline.  When we are running the boat isn't riding high enough to where I need to stand or sit on the back of the seat.  I agree the wedge may help but haven't had any luck finding parts for one. I feel like I have done enough homework that our wave should at least curl somewhat, but it just doesn't seem to want to form.

My gate sits completely under water, and with our ballast, my platform sits 3 to 4" underwater. We are certainly not surfing experts, barely novices, but we kind of lucked into "our" sweet spot.  The gate made all the difference as now I can fill both bags, where before we would run listed and only fill the surf side and a few fat sacs we had laying around.

You are right, it isn't cheap to pick up all the bags, and wedge if you can find one, but @95echelonis correct, once you hit a formula that works it is totally worth it.  Now we can actually have fun and not have to concentrate so much at staying in a little 4' long pocket.

Just be patient and eventually a wedge will come up for sale.  Make sure it is the correct version for a vlx.  Floating wedge will work too(and looks better) so if you see one of those, snap it up.

 

Good luck!

[Chatty21VLX]

So if there is no curl the wave isn't surfable?

[racer808]

11 hours ago, Chatty21VLX said:

So if there is no curl the wave isn't surfable?

I don't think so, but it looks pretty.  My Surf Assist wave looks like crap with a very small curl & it's one of the best waves I've ridden.  When I use a ghetto gate I get a very pretty wave with a huge curl, that is also a very sick wave just as good just can't surf as far back as I can with GSA

[95echelon]

53 minutes ago, racer808 said:

I don't think so, but it looks pretty.  My Surf Assist wave looks like crap with a very small curl & it's one of the best waves I've ridden.  When I use a ghetto gate I get a very pretty wave with a huge curl, that is also a very sick wave just as good just can't surf as far back as I can with GSA

I found that the larger ghetto gate paddles make the more "GSA Style" wave. Mine is just a big wall of water with my large paddle, and with the small paddle it is a cool looking curl. I actually dont want the curl because the wash in the back of the wave from the curl will slow you down and cause you to lose the wave.

[racer808]

51 minutes ago, 95echelon said:

I found that the larger ghetto gate paddles make the more "GSA Style" wave. Mine is just a big wall of water with my large paddle, and with the small paddle it is a cool looking curl. I actually dont want the curl because the wash in the back of the wave from the curl will slow you down and cause you to lose the wave.

I agree.  The suck gate I had till it became the lakes property had the smaller face & it was a huge wall of water.  I ordered the Tsunamiwake device, can't wait to see how it works in comparison 

[FlipOn30s]

https://goo.gl/photos/VTHYdAtH89QDEKrA6

https://goo.gl/photos/roHgXLjwM4BZz7G6A

Theres a couple pics of my gates I made and they work well. Have sold quit a few on my lake and surrounding areas as everyone seems to Love it and how it performs. 

[Clutch-n-Throttle]

7 hours ago, FlipOn30s said:

https://goo.gl/photos/VTHYdAtH89QDEKrA6

https://goo.gl/photos/roHgXLjwM4BZz7G6A

Theres a couple pics of my gates I made and they work well. Have sold quit a few on my lake and surrounding areas as everyone seems to Love it and how it performs. 

Those look great!  Is that 1/2 in HDPE?

[FlipOn30s]

42 minutes ago, Clutch-n-Throttle said:

Those look great!  Is that 1/2 in HDPE?

Thanks!!! No it's actually 1/4 and the front plates are 7" wide at the bottom and I came in 3/4" on both sides so it's 5.5" wise at top and 10" from top to bottom on a 75% angle back with 6 holes from bottom up on each side starting big for first 3 And stepping down on the next 3 with #8 stainless screws holding it together. My buddy has the Delta so I took couple measurements sat down and drew it out on card board with is my stencil for cutting each one out. 

[NCVride]

On August 31, 2016 at 10:10 AM, minnmarker said:

http://www.malibumarine.com/gear_accessories/platforms_wedges_windows_lights

This place usually has wedges - sometimes transom plates.  Worth a bookmark or a call.  I think they strip salvage boats.

I was just re-reading this topic and stumbled across this link.  This site is pure gold for the crew.  Wow.  Plenty of replacement parts.  

[Webfooter]

Built my own Suckgate for the 07' Response LXI. Tried it out this past weekend with human ballast and an 800lb sac in the back.

 

[Webfooter]

Here is a pic of the wave. Not bad for a Bu RLXI.

 

[NHolladay]

On 8/31/2016 at 7:43 AM, SoDakSooner said:

See if you can find wedge parts somewhere and install one.  We run wedge, about 200 lbs more than you in the back and I have a 580 lb center locker bag.  Don't know how full it gets but  it pushes the locker door open.  We do try and run a little bit of weight up front but don't concentrate on it.  We push a lot of water and ususally the driver needs to sit on the back of the seat to see over the bow.  The wave this weekend was easily waist high and had a ton of push all the way from just over 10 up to 11 mph. I am fat and overweight so had to run 10.3, but all the lighter people could surf at 11 and the wave really firmed up at that speed.  We have a pretty long pocket and like I said, the wave was massive.  I attach my gate as far back as I can, and right under the "step" in the hull.

I think you need to list the boat harder

[southernfried]

Finally got a few pictures to compare. 02 VLX 250s in the back, 100Lbs of Kettlebells, 150lbs of plates, 500lb?? in middle, and the wedge down. I didn't have any bow weight, maybe next time. My buddy(160lbs) was able to ride ropeless. I wasn't(185lbs) able to throw the rope but I'm also pretty new and haven't spent enough water time surfing. I do think once I get better I could ride ropeless with the 250lbs hard tanks.  Winter plans are to get 750s in the back

 

EDIT- simplified picture(s)

 

Edited September 25, 2016 by southernfried
new pic

[BlindSquirrel]

Sub'ed, I need to make one of these...

[erervin]

Built my own surf gate for my 2009 VTX with the diamond hull.  Still list the boat a little with body weight, but overall very impressed for the low cost.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f205/er_ervin/2005173A-45B2-42FF-AAA4-CD54AF762576_zpshysdxway.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f205/er_ervin/C0127616-A91B-4B89-A4A4-2AD241412FDB_zpsioct3w9r.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f205/er_ervin/6BCA54CA-FC95-4B50-ACF8-72995E1BF2C7_zps6b40uwzh.jpg