Wakesurfing help

[Turkish]

Hi,

I'm after a bit of advice on setting up my 2003 WakesetterLXI for surfing. At the moment I have 3 x 540lb sacs and the centre MLS for ballast as well as the wedge. I'm 6'3 and 230lbs and have a 5'6 Inland Surfer blue lake. At 11mph with wedge down, MLS full and 3 sacs on the side (from the rar seat to observers seat) we get a clean wave but I still can't drop the rope. I can maintain momentum by holding the rope wiht my index finger and thumb and only have to use very little force to move forward but just can't stop drifting slowly off the wave regardless of how much weight I try to have forward on the board. I've tried 1 sac in the bow with the other 2 in the back corner but still with no luck. At the moment it's justmy wife and I that head out so we don't have any extra people for ballast.

Does anyone have any suggestions on placing the fat sacs or any other set up tips? I guess I could always get down to 205lbs again but I can't fix that overnight.

Thanks in advance.

[Chia]

unless your boat has a definite list to the surf side, you need more weight on the surf side rear.

[CRASH]

You can try slowing it down to 10 or 10.4 wont be as long but may help you.

[Turkish]

First off, thanks very much for the quick replies.

I'm getting 1/2 the teak platform under water on the surf side but I've heard that the boat can take a lot more weight on the ride side as it rights itself when it moves off. one thing I did notice was the corner of the platform kind of slices the wave when it starts out under the boat. I'm asuming this is normal but would this affect the wave? would removing the platform just for surfing increase the wave size ?

As far as accurate speed goes our speedo only starts at 10 mph (guess you can't ski under 10!) and we don't have perfect pass or a GPS so we kind of adjust the speed off when the wave starts to look clean.

Maybe i may have to get the running shoes out of retirement and lay off the weights for a bit!

[maligetsyoubooty]

by removing the platform, you will actualy be taking away from the size of the wave. it is the last thing on your boat that is displacing the water as it plow through the water. so by removing that you will get a taller wave that will give you little to no pull. you have to put as much weight in the boat as possible. i put 350lb in the play pin, 450lb on the right seat and 750lbs in the rear right locker. fill your front, center and right side ballist. start off running the boat around 10 mph and then work from there.

[JasonK]

I don't think you should have a problem. Maybe you need your feet further forward to keep from drifting back and put more weight on your toes to keep from drifting out. If you still can't get it, slow the boat down and surf closer to the platform. I think you should leave the platform on to help keep the board or your arm, from hitting the rudder/prop. oh wait, i guess it would hit the wedge.

It's OK if the wave breaks over onto the back of the board. I can even surf mine if it's all washed out white, with hardly any wave at all.

My 200 lb. friend can surf my landlock behind my boat. and believe me, the wake doesn't get that big.

[Jimmypooh]

Do you have any pictures we can see to help diagnose the problem. Most of us don't see a problem with the weight or setup. How deep is the lake? I've noticed that when I'm below 8 ft the wake drops to nothing not matter how much ballast I have. You may also be riding a funny part of the wake. the easiest part for me is just off the platform looking down the side of the boat. Take a look at some pictures of other people surfing, their wake and position. As for the speed, I usually just speed up just until the wake becomes clean (the slowest clean wake you can get). It should also make the nose of your boat be the highest. Hope you get it soon!

[-BS-]

I would guess depth is your problem....maybe not tho, just make sure you're in at least 10' of water. Also, don't know if your riding on a river or lake (might have said, but I missed), anyway, If you are in a river; surfing against the current is best. Sometimes, if the river is flowing fast, surfing with the current will slow the 'spin' of the wave down dramatically. Also, maybe try without the wedge, we have never used for surfing (many people DO though, just an idea). And I don't know if you've heard the same, but I was taught:

If your wave is too small: you need more weight

If your wave is sloppy: you need to adjust where your weight is

If your wave is too short: you need more weight in the front

Maybe in your case the 'sweet spot' is too small to ride around in, which could mean your wave is too short?

Just some ideas. Good luck.

Edited November 20, 2008 by bs001

[saskie99]

I would guess depth is your problem....maybe not tho, just make sure you're in at least 10' of water. Also, don't know if your riding on a river or lake (might have said, but I missed), anyway, If you are in a river; surfing against the current is best. Sometimes, if the river is flowing fast, surfing with the current will slow the 'spin' of the wave down dramatically. Also, maybe try without the wedge, we have never used for surfing (many people DO though, just an idea). And I don't know if you've heard the same, but I was taught:

If your wave is too small: you need more weight

If your wave is sloppy: you need to adjust where your weight is

If your wave is too short: you need more weight in the front

Maybe in your case the 'sweet spot' is too small to ride around in, which could mean your wave is too short?

Just some ideas. Good luck.

I totally agree try making a very slight turn with the wave and this will hel to shape it and stop from washing. Also just keep adding some more weight and play with you configurations of ballast placement

[smedman]

Having a picture of you guys riding would be great (as Jimmypooh mentioned). I know you said it just you and the wife that go out, but would be great if there was a way to capture a shot - I'm sure there's someone in the neighborhood that wouldn't mind tagging along...

Agree with a lot of folks here, you should be able to lose the rope -- everything you described sounds right.

[Turkish]

Thanks for all the advice. Maybe I just have to dig into the wallet again and get another 540lb sac to solve the problem? I seem to be doing most of everything thats been mentioned. We ski / atempt to surf in a dam that is fairly deep and I've got as far forward as is possible on the board (a nice nose-dive let me know when I was too far forward!). I was wrong about the size of the blue lake - it's 5'4 not 5'6 - not sure if it's too small for the size wake the boat will produce? I've tried posting 2 pics but couldn't find how to in the help area and can't find anywhere where I can do it in the reply area (even tried searching for posting pictures but had links to a thousand topics).