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Wakesurfing Help


MN_LSV

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We have been trying to get into wakesurfing, but haven't been able to quite get the knack of riding ropeless. We have spent many hours over the last year trying to dial it in, but haven't been able to catch the wave for more than 10 or 20 seconds. If any of you are surfing studs please help us!!

Here is our info:

Boat: 2003 Wakesetter 23LSV (diamond hull), 8.1L 425hp, acme 381 prop

Speed: Tried from 8.5-13.5 mph, it seems like around 11.2 works the best.

Boards: Liquid 2006 Force Venture and the 2008 Phase 5 Oogle.

Rider weight: 220-230 lbs

We are both goofy, so we set up on the right side.

We have tried all sorts of configurations, with and without the manual wedge.

750 bag in locker

right rear factory ballast,

550 along side on seat behind driver

550 on right side of bow

Center ballast full (and empty)

550 bag in locker

right rear factory ballast

550 along side on seat behind driver

Center ballast full (and empty)

Right rear factory ballast

550 along side on seat behind driver

550 on right side of bow

Center ballast full (and empty)

550 bag in locker

Right rear factory ballast

550 along side on seat behind driver

750 on right side of bow

Center ballast full (and empty)

750 bag in locker

Right rear factory ballast

2-440 bags along side on seat behind driver

2-550's in bow

Center ballast full (and empty)

Basically just about every combination of 1-750, 2-550's and 2-440's, right rear ballast, center ballast and manual wedge.

What the heck are we doing wrong?? Do you think we need a bigger board because of the rider weight?

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It seems like you have enough ballast to create a good wave. A bigger board would probably help, but weight distibution on the board is needed to be able to stay ropeless behind any wake. Try putting a little more weight on your front foot especially if you feel yourself slipping out of the wave.

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I'll second the weight distribution and gettinga bigger board.. i've got an 08 vlx an with just the factoy middle tank, factory left rear tank full and wedge down i can ride all day long with out the rope on a hyperlite landlock ( i weight 160 )

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It seems like you have enough ballast to create a good wave. A bigger board would probably help, but weight distibution on the board is needed to be able to stay ropeless behind any wake. Try putting a little more weight on your front foot especially if you feel yourself slipping out of the wave.

Plus1.gif You might try putting the wedge down. start extra slow 7-8 mph get the rider up and where the "sweet spot" should be. Then slowly raise your speed until the rider feels the wave pushing the board toward the boat. Give the rope some slack and try to stay in the pocket by changing feet positions. Feet forward for more speed and back for less. Keep the rope until you find the spot where you can lean slightly forward to go faster and lean back to slow down. That will give you the control of your board you need to stay in the "sweet spot"

Also remember that crew counter balances your sacks. Good rule of thumb..... the rub rail should be close to the water if not under water. Make her lean over!!

Edited by cyoda44
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We have been trying to get into wakesurfing, but haven't been able to quite get the knack of riding ropeless. We have spent many hours over the last year trying to dial it in, but haven't been able to catch the wave for more than 10 or 20 seconds. If any of you are surfing studs please help us!!

Here is our info:

Boat: 2003 Wakesetter 23LSV (diamond hull), 8.1L 425hp, acme 381 prop

Speed: Tried from 8.5-13.5 mph, it seems like around 11.2 works the best.

Boards: Liquid 2006 Force Venture and the 2008 Phase 5 Oogle.

Rider weight: 220-230 lbs

We are both goofy, so we set up on the right side.

We have tried all sorts of configurations, with and without the manual wedge.

750 bag in locker

right rear factory ballast,

550 along side on seat behind driver

550 on right side of bow

Center ballast full (and empty)

550 bag in locker

right rear factory ballast

550 along side on seat behind driver

Center ballast full (and empty)

Right rear factory ballast

550 along side on seat behind driver

550 on right side of bow

Center ballast full (and empty)

550 bag in locker

Right rear factory ballast

550 along side on seat behind driver

750 on right side of bow

Center ballast full (and empty)

750 bag in locker

Right rear factory ballast

2-440 bags along side on seat behind driver

2-550's in bow

Center ballast full (and empty)

Basically just about every combination of 1-750, 2-550's and 2-440's, right rear ballast, center ballast and manual wedge.

What the heck are we doing wrong?? Do you think we need a bigger board because of the rider weight?

you have too much weight in the bow. try this

750 in right locker

400 in your walk through

750 on top of cooler seat

400 on floor next to cooler

front and center ballast fool

half wedge / full wedge

11-12 mph

you are a big guy at 220-240 i would suggest a red woody from inland surfer.

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I would ignore the mph and look at the wave. When your wash on the surf side just starts going away and you start getting that curl, you will have the tallest wave you can.

Start with that. I agree that it's most likely your position on the board. I surf on a 4'8" board all day so I doubt it's the size of the board.

Post up some pictures with the riders in position and we might be able to help more.

When you get better, you'll want a longer wave rather than just a taller one and so then you'll want more weight up front and you'll want to go a little faster.

I'm sure you're set up to go ropeless you'll just need a little work on the technique.

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IF you have been wakeboarding before surfing, you may still be putting your weight on your back foot.

Picture yourself like an ocean surfer and center your weight over your stance, since you are goofy,bend your knees reach toward the boat or nose of the board with your right hand. Leaning forward more will make you speed up and leaning back will slow you down.

Also, your right foot (forward) may not be in the right place, try inching your toes closer toward the wave side of the board so that the center of your foot is a little past center of the board.

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+ 1 on the technique. I have a 2000 LSV (diamond hull) and at 230 lbs I can ride ropeless all day with just a 750 in the rear locker and about 800 lbs in the bow. More weight on your front foot will help you keep the wave. Also edge into the wake a little so that you stay up on the wave.

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We use one 750 in rear locker plus all the factory ballast on right side with an Thumbup.gif 08 23 lsv and can ride just fine without a rope. I am about 240 lbs and agree you need hyperlight landlock or Inland surfer red woody. I have them both but the red woody is an awesome board and worth the extra $$

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I agree with the above you have plenty of weight in the boat its your weight placement on the board thats causing problem. I would suggest not throwing the rope in until you can ride in the sweet spot with slack in the rope for as long as you want, this will give you the ability to pull yourself back in the sweet spot if you start sliding out of the wave. If you are to big for the board it will be harder to catch back up as you will be displacing more water and much slower. We have been surfing behind my 25 LSV for a couple years now until a friend of mine purchased a 43 ft cruiser yatch that puts out a huge wave and now we spend hours behind it.

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without seeing the wake, i have to think it is technique, find someone that knows how to surf and take them out. The learning curve of trying to figure everything out by yourself is pretty steep.

a lot of the newbies we take out get swept back and over the wake because even though they think they have weight on the front of the board, from the boat you can tell the weight is on the back foot.

1.Don't bend at the hips (as if to touch your toes), bend your knees and use your hips to shift your weight forward and back. (keep your back straight, knees bent)

2.find a sweet spot. for a newbie, the sweet spot near the boat is a good place to learn, just don't panic as you get too close to the boat.

3.riding is a series of small adjustments in weight shifting. getting too close to the boat, put on the brakes, but immediately shift weight to the front of the board, do not wait until you think you need to, by then it is too late.

4.you want to be at the bottom of the wave, that is where the push is.

5.burning quads on back leg are from too much weight on that leg. you are not in the right part of the wave and have to keep the brake on to avoid ramming the boat.

6. a good ride has you balanced on the board, back straight, knees slightly bent, effortless.

The size of the board and the weight ratings for the board are meaningless if you have a good wave. Big rider, small board should be no problem. we regularly have 200+ lb riders on the phase 5 scamp which is rated for <90 lbs.

Edited by Cervelo
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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks to everyone who offered up advice for surfing. We started trying lots of different setups and speeds, and what ended up working the best suprised us. As weird as this sounds, this is what we ended up doing to get ropeless.

Back right factory ballast full, the rest of factory ballests empty.

550 on right side seat behind driver

550 on floor on right side beside seat behind driver

No weight in front, center or back right locker......

9.5 MPH

The wake looked alot cleaner with different setups and at 10.5, but this is what worked.

IMG_0163.jpg

IMG_0162.jpg

When we added weight to the front right side (bag or people) the wake lost some of it's push and didn't make it longer.

The pictures where taken with just the driver in the boat (in MN you don't need a spotter if you have a regulation mirror).

Do you think when we put weight in the back locker, the platform may cause our wave to loose push? Or maybe it's just that our 8.1L 425hp motor weights more than the monsoon?

Anyway, glad we figured out a setup that works, but just a little puzzled why it is so different than normal.

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Thanks to everyone who offered up advice for surfing. We started trying lots of different setups and speeds, and what ended up working the best suprised us. As weird as this sounds, this is what we ended up doing to get ropeless.

Back right factory ballast full, the rest of factory ballests empty.

550 on right side seat behind driver

550 on floor on right side beside seat behind driver

No weight in front, center or back right locker......

9.5 MPH

The wake looked alot cleaner with different setups and at 10.5, but this is what worked.

When we added weight to the front right side (bag or people) the wake lost some of it's push and didn't make it longer.

The pictures where taken with just the driver in the boat (in MN you don't need a spotter if you have a regulation mirror).

Do you think when we put weight in the back locker, the platform may cause our wave to loose push? Or maybe it's just that our 8.1L 425hp motor weights more than the monsoon?

Anyway, glad we figured out a setup that works, but just a little puzzled why it is so different than normal.

How deep is it there? You generally need at least 9 ft to surf decently.

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speeding up a little bit should clean up the wave, but your saying you loose the push?? that shouldnt be.

maybe now that you have the feel of the wave push, you can play around with getting it cleaner and possibly longer.

my wake can look like that if there are bodies on the opposite side of the boat, it's still ridable but the sweet is smaller and the wash can be a mental.

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Thanks to everyone who offered up advice for surfing. We started trying lots of different setups and speeds, and what ended up working the best suprised us. As weird as this sounds, this is what we ended up doing to get ropeless.

Back right factory ballast full, the rest of factory ballests empty.

550 on right side seat behind driver

550 on floor on right side beside seat behind driver

No weight in front, center or back right locker......

9.5 MPH

The wake looked alot cleaner with different setups and at 10.5, but this is what worked.

When we added weight to the front right side (bag or people) the wake lost some of it's push and didn't make it longer.

The pictures where taken with just the driver in the boat (in MN you don't need a spotter if you have a regulation mirror).

Do you think when we put weight in the back locker, the platform may cause our wave to loose push? Or maybe it's just that our 8.1L 425hp motor weights more than the monsoon?

Anyway, glad we figured out a setup that works, but just a little puzzled why it is so different than normal.

How deep is it there? You generally need at least 9 ft to surf decently.

12-17 feet of water.

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I'll be up there on the 21st if you want to head out and play around some more. :)

I think you probably need more VAB to really dial the wave.

We had another 3 people (450 lbs) in the boat on another set. Two on the back seat to the right as far as they could get, and one in the front, that didn't make too much difference. Then with just two on the back seat (300lbs) made the wave steeper, but sweat spot bigger, longer. This is totally backwards from what I have read. Weight in the front should lengthen the wave.

Speed does clean it up, but then it is very hard to stay with the wave. I'm sure practice will help that.

One more thing, the lake was pretty rough that day with high winds, that could be making the wake look sloppy too.

Edited by MN_LSV
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I am wondering if the sac on the floor behind the driver's seat should be moved to the rear locker???

Also, we have peeps sitting on the rear transom lined up toward the driver. weight towards the middle will cause the wash out to start happening.

rough water will make it more challenging...

do you have the wedge deployed?

Surfing.gif

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I have the same boat '03 WS23 LSV.

Differences are 1235 ACME prop and I've removed the factory hard tanks and replaced them with 750 Pro-X plumbed in.

For goofy/starboard/right/ghey or whatever side this is how we do it.

Fill the rear 750

fill the ski locker

I have a 500 that fills the area under the seat behind the driver - fill it.

Fill a 750 on that seat.

I have a Pro-X bow sac filled about 3/4 and adjust as needed to lengthen wave.

Drop the wedge

Speeds are between 10 and 12 - I'm not anal enuff to gps the damn thing every week but I'm told my real speed is probably 10.7.

We used to hang 1 off the side of the tower for extra lean.

Oh and Alvie in the back corner.

Its been successful for us for about 6 years now.

Heres an old pic from 04 or 05

tortureLSV.jpg

Edited by Brad B
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I am wondering if the sac on the floor behind the driver's seat should be moved to the rear locker???

Also, we have peeps sitting on the rear transom lined up toward the driver. weight towards the middle will cause the wash out to start happening.

rough water will make it more challenging...

do you have the wedge deployed?

Surfing.gif

In the past we have always tried with a 550 or 750 in the back locker, but haven't been able to get ropeless that way. I just really don't get why! We have tried so many weight setups, with weight in the back, front, along the side, with VAB all on one side. This was the first time we didn't put weight in the back locker and the first time we put it on the floor along side the right seat, but somehow it worked. 3 of us got ropeless for an extended run for the first time. I don't get it, but hey we got ropeless finally.

Yes we did have the manual wedge down.

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I'm betting that Alvie is more effective than the sling. ;)

HA! We should have tried Alvie in the sling! Gonna need a bigger sling though. Alvie was always happy sitting right in the back corner though.

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I'm betting that Alvie is more effective than the sling. ;)

The husband tried hanging off the side of the tower until I told him to get his butt back in the boat! It wouldn't have been so bad, but he was supposed to be driving!!

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