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95 Echelon WakeSurfing - Should I Bother?


95echelon

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We brought a 95 echelon back to life that was bought new by my father. I am now stuck on an extremely busy lake (in laws lake place, ours is 600mi away), bad for wakeboarding.

So we have the Echelon LX (open Bow), is it worth trying to set this thing up for wakesurfing? It has a manual wedge and the 350 MPI EFI, 260 HP. I saw a L shaped flyhigh sac, and maybe a ski locker sac or something. Woould that be enough? What kind of board would a 220 lb guy need? Also what height of wake should i expect and will my neighbors at the lake try to kill me?

At the lake now on the cell modem, but I will watch for replies, thanks!

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While you can't load up tons and tons of ballast in an Echelon due to the relatively low freeboard, you should be able to get a pretty decent surf wake out of that hull. It won't be great, but it should be plenty surfable on a longer board. I would think the locker sack and the L shaped sack would get you a decent starting point with the wedge down. How much weight does the L shaped sack hold?

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While you can't load up tons and tons of ballast in an Echelon due to the relatively low freeboard, you should be able to get a pretty decent surf wake out of that hull. It won't be great, but it should be plenty surfable on a longer board. I would think the locker sack and the L shaped sack would get you a decent starting point with the wedge down. How much weight does the L shaped sack hold?

L sack is 1000 LBS and i am thinking 5.5foot board. For wake surfing you want one side weighted more than the other i assume? What is a freeboard BTW? And how much weight on top of the 1000LBS should i shoot for and where should i put it? Sorry complete newbie here. Maybe after i learn the ropes i can make a post about repurposing an old inboard for wakesurfing to help out guys like me.

Also, my pops dropped by The Edge (local dealer) and they said they had a new prop that would work better than the brass 3 blade michigan we have now. I assume i should shoot for lower pitch for wakesurfing (maybe only one step down).

Thanks!!!!

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We surf my Euro and it's fun. I can surf it ropeless with just a few people, I'm 150 lbs., riding a 5'6" landlock. It gets a lot better with 7 people, 2 full coolers on the swim platform, and ballast bags/containers along the surf side. We move people around as needed. With a lot of ballast we need 3 people up front.

Freeboard is the sides of the boat. Our boats are shallow and have low freeboard.

Sorry i can't help with actual weight figures. I have 2 lounge seat sacs, but we've only used one so far (need fittings for the other) and I don't know the weight of it or the coolers/people/other ballast.

When we first got the surfboard we filled up 2 garbage cans and coolers. Yes, we are ghetto!

When we stop, water sometimes comes over the stern. The driver has got to be good with all that weight!

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  • 11 years later...

Figured I'd ask here, I've got a 97 echelon lx open bow. Just purchased 2x straightline 540lb bags and 1 500lb bow bag, and a wakeshaper.

The wave was pretty large like 3 or 4 foot. But it didn't seem to have energy when I put one 540 parallel and centered on rear seat. And one 540 about half full length ways between driver and passenger seat, wedge down as well.

Would adding more weight at the bow create more energy or should I try both straight bags at the stern and maybe a bit in the bow sac.

I'm on a 5'4" coaster and weight 205lbs.

I prefer to not fill all the bags up but just need something I can surf ropeless

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You still need to list it, even with the wakeshaper.

My set up:

Wedge down

400lb sac in ski locker

Five 115lb fat sacks arranged next to engine (which side depends on the rider)

1 passenger up front in bow (if available), one driver, one tender of the rope on the side we are listing.

Wicked Wake gate attached to platform

Driving in large circle in the direction of the list

 

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Lol, the stars must align to surf behind our boats! Based on that, I'll try an "L" shape with two straightline bags as far back as they'll go. Then my bow seat bag filled up, plus wedge down and wakeshape. If that doesn't work I'll try moving one of the straight bags to the skilocker area by driver's seat and bow bag in the back with other 500lb bag to list.

I'll try and take a pic tomorrow of each setup

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  • 3 months later...

@DOJOLOACH2 did you get pics? I've got a 1993 Echelon and would like to try setting up for surfing before I cave in and sell it for a surf boat... Also, interested in further comments since it's been most of the summer :)

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 8/24/2020 at 4:03 PM, EddieRock said:

@DOJOLOACH2 did you get pics? I've got a 1993 Echelon and would like to try setting up for surfing before I cave in and sell it for a surf boat... Also, interested in further comments since it's been most of the summer :)

Hey there sorry for the late reply. Surfing was pretty mediocre for me on the boat. Partyl because I weigh more than most (215lbs).

Having said that people new to surfing enjoyed it, energy spots of the wave were too small for me to really enjoy( I'm spoiled by my pals wakesetter)

Picture attached is with a surf gate, two 540lb bags in an "L" and 3 riders, one of which in the bow at like 125lbs. I had it setup this way but took 3 big guys out with 275lbs at the bow and the wave was very good!... But inexperienced driver put about 30 gallons of water over the bow.

 

FullSizeR_3.jpg

Edited by DOJOLOACH2
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  • 8 months later...

HI DoJO, 

I have a 96 Echelon and have been struggling in getting  a wave that I can throw the rope. I'm 240 and was wondering what board are you riding that gives you more push or buoyancy?

last year i had around 1200lb in the back and 450 in the bow, wedge down with wake diverter. I thinking i am going to try to lisp it a little this year. I purchased Hyperlite time machine wake surf board but still couldn't get enough push last year. 

I know you can throw money at this and have been the past few years. I am getting close and think the board might be the final part.  Any info would be great!!

 

Thanks,

Chris

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Wow 450lbs in the Bow?!  How is the driving and handling with that? Most I have tried is 300lbs. My setup is basically the same as yours though as far as ballast, wedge, etc. I am lisping the boat to surfside with the back ballast bags only.

I'm using a 2019 Slingshot Coaster, slingshot pushed the board as being easier on smaller wakes. Very small "pocket" on the surf wave but easily doable. I'd let you try mine out if you lived closer. Definitely worth trying over your time machine

 

I've really struggled teaching other people how to drive the boat when weighed down so much... Ended up getting tired of splashing 30-50 gallons of water in the boat everytime I wanted to surf LOL. I lost all joy of it as  i watched the boat get swamped on the way to pick me up... Best of luck to you with that bow weight!

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