Wakeboarding Rope Length and Speed on the VTX

[cbixby]

Just wondering for you VTX owners what you use for Wakeboarding per rope length and speed.

Right now I am at 70' or 75' running at 23.5 MPH... with full ballasts (all 4) and full wedge (manual). At the moment I am running a bit fast for the 70' which downplays my wake a bit but allows me the speed to clear the wake consistent. Although Tantrums and trip flip tricks I am having a hard time with at 23+ MPH. I would like to be at 70' & 21-22mph but I don't feel the wake is big enough to clear consistent on the wake, although the slower speeds allow me the time to trip my flips.

This wake is new to me as well so I may need more time behind the boat to get consistent.

I still feel like the wake needs to be a bit bigger though so I am thinking about adding 2 sacks to compensate, but was just wondering what everyone else thought or ran?

Thanks!!

[boarding6]

I'm running the vlx and for me 18.4 to 20 is plenty fast, any faster and the wake is reduced. Try going slower and match the rope length to the clean part of the wake for me it's 60 feet.

D

[cbixby]

I'm running the vlx and for me 18.4 to 20 is plenty fast, any faster and the wake is reduced. Try going slower and match the rope length to the clean part of the wake for me it's 60 feet.

D

I think your right. I am going to try to slow it down a bit to increase the wake, shorten the rope to 65' and hopefully I will get a bigger pop.

Thanks!

[Black&Blue'Bu]

Just wondering for you VTX owners what you use for Wakeboarding per rope length and speed.

Right now I am at 70' or 75' running at 23.5 MPH... with full ballasts (all 4) and full wedge (manual). At the moment I am running a bit fast for the 70' which downplays my wake a bit but allows me the speed to clear the wake consistent. Although Tantrums and trip flip tricks I am having a hard time with at 23+ MPH. I would like to be at 70' & 21-22mph but I don't feel the wake is big enough to clear consistent on the wake, although the slower speeds allow me the time to trip my flips.

This wake is new to me as well so I may need more time behind the boat to get consistent.

I still feel like the wake needs to be a bit bigger though so I am thinking about adding 2 sacks to compensate, but was just wondering what everyone else thought or ran?

Thanks!!

First off not a pro boarder by any means.

We usually run at 60 feet and 21 MPH. If I feel good and energetic then we try 22 MPH and 65 feet. No wedge. Also no inverts yet. Turning 42 this year and my goal before I die is to learn at least one invert trick. So you may not want to take my advise.

I kind of agree about the wake size though. If I were better it would probably not matter but for me I will be adding two 400 lb fat sacs as soon as they get here UPS.

[MalibuTime]

Hmm, that reminds me, I was going to go out and measure my rope length. (edit - 70') I have been running about 21.4 with 3 tanks full and wedge all the way (min) No bow tank. I have not dialed in the wedge yet, sometimes run it more towards maximum. This speed for me is boarderline too slow, but I figured I was making up for bad form by speeding the boat up, where as I should be working on good cuts an proper angle at the wake. To me, a 1/2 MPH difference is very noticeable and a little bit of extra boat speed makes it a lot easier to clear the wake between speed off the ramp and narrowed down wake.

A this line length/speed/ballast with usually 2 or 3 in the boat, I have to make a nice clean cut and jump to land on the downside of the other wake.

Edited July 29, 2008 by TheBlackPearl

[johnsvt]

Wake should get bigger and wider as the boat goes slower? Conversely, the wake should get slightly smaller, narrower, but harder as you speed the boat up.

I was always told more weight up fornt helps to make the wake more "rampy" and more weight to rear will make the wake "steeper."

I would shorten the rope before slowing the boat down, but that is just what I have been told to do when trying new tricks.

[WakeGirl]

Pretty much all good advice, but the one thing that you need to do is to be sure that your speed is correct. Most of the boats that I've seen from the factory are off, lately it's been by about 2mph (it would read 20 but actually be traveling at 22). Get a little GPS to keep in the boat & calibrate your speedo before you do anything else, then make your adjustments from there. By doing that, you have a good, accurate baseline to build on.

[cbixby]

All excellent information.

I am taking the boat out today so I will try a multitude of things and let everyone know my findings.

Thanks!

[MalibuTime]

Pretty much all good advice, but the one thing that you need to do is to be sure that your speed is correct. Most of the boats that I've seen from the factory are off, lately it's been by about 2mph (it would read 20 but actually be traveling at 22). Get a little GPS to keep in the boat & calibrate your speedo before you do anything else, then make your adjustments from there. By doing that, you have a good, accurate baseline to build on.

I am very close. It was a bit choppy, throwing off an exact speed but the GPS pretty much matched up exactly, +/- a couple of 10ths. Next time is it glass I will get some exact readings.