CO inhalation when Wakesurfing

[Mark Stiner]

Has anyone ever had an actual problem breathing the CO when wakesurfing?

I read a lot about the dangers, and clearly you can smell it, but I have surfed quite a bit and have not had a problem. Been thinking about putting one of the exhaust systems on that push the exhause down into the prop wash, but then my wedge won't work. I feel like the wegde really helps stand-up the surf wave.

I would love to surf all day long but I get concerned about CO after a few runs. So my question, before I start spending too much money and time trying to solve the problem, is has anyone really ever had a problem with it?

[cyoda44]

I have never had a problem but my exaust is still in the water.

[txwakejunkie]

Never had an issue with it and we surf all day. I can see the steam from my exhaust when im surfing coming out the non surf side, the surf side always seems to be deep in the water.

Edited August 28, 2009 by txwakejunkie

[TxSurfer]

No problems here.

[Baddabboumm]

I never had a problem. We are even body surfing the wave approximately 3 or 4 feet from the swim platform and nobody died yet.

[Tao of Wake]

Here is a great thread on the subject.

[jojano]

I always felt it was mostly an issue at idle speeds. We do surf a lot and never had noticeable problem. And in this video looks to me like it's more of cheese burger levels than CO levels

[Brad B]

Its a Myth.

Think about the dilution factor just 2 ft behind swim deck and 4 ft above the water - HUGE.

10 times more of an issue for persons sitting in the most aft seats when at idle.

Edited August 28, 2009 by Brad B

[RiverRunner]

We are even body surfing the wave approximately 3 or 4 feet from the swim platform and nobody died yet.

That is called teak surfing and people are dead from doing it.

[Bill_AirJunky]

I never had a problem. We are even body surfing the wave approximately 3 or 4 feet from the swim platform and nobody died yet.

This is illegal in most states. Like RR said, people have died from it. I personally have seen small kids pass out & sink from it.

To the OP, maybe the turn down exhaust tips would do you some good.

Edited August 28, 2009 by Bill_AirJunky

[Sixball]

"clearly you can smell it" What you smell is not CO2 . CO2 is orderless you smell HC but what it is telling you is you are in the exhaust stream. My guess is it is to diluted to do much unless you spend large amounts of time back there.

[luvtheBU]

Here is a great thread on the subject.

I watched that video with Ragboy and had to learn more, what an awesome man. You guys should check out this especially those folks who have adopted children. I got really choked up....I see things like this and it's just sooo inspiring.

http://wake9.com/blogs/ragboy/2009/06/26/a...n-lake-almanor/

[luvtheBU]

P.S. Didn't want to hi-jack but it does show a tiny little girl wakesurfing, and after you read the story and watch the 10 min clip you know he wouldn't do anything to hurt this little angel.

[Tao of Wake]

"clearly you can smell it" What you smell is not CO2 . CO2 is orderless you smell HC but what it is telling you is you are in the exhaust stream. My guess is it is to diluted to do much unless you spend large amounts of time back there.

CO2 is DEFINITELY odorless; it's what you exhale when breathing (sorry Sixball; couldn't help myself)! CO is also odorless and is the one that can kill you.

[Tao of Wake]

Here is a great thread on the subject.

I watched that video with Ragboy and had to learn more, what an awesome man. You guys should check out this especially those folks who have adopted children. I got really choked up....I see things like this and it's just sooo inspiring.

http://wake9.com/blogs/ragboy/2009/06/26/a...n-lake-almanor/

He definitely loves his children and wakesurfing. He is probably one of the biggest (not just physically!) and loudest wakesurfing supporters. I'm so glad he takes the time to provide education on the sport to dispel some of the negative press. I really love wakesurfing and hope that legislation does not ruin it for all of us.

[Sixball]

"clearly you can smell it" What you smell is not CO2 . CO2 is orderless you smell HC but what it is telling you is you are in the exhaust stream. My guess is it is to diluted to do much unless you spend large amounts of time back there.

CO2 is DEFINITELY odorless; it's what you exhale when breathing (sorry Sixball; couldn't help myself)! CO is also odorless and is the one that can kill you.

Oops my brain if I have one is on the carbon foot print crap!!!

[kent]

Im not so much worried about me when Im surfing, but one of my buds likes to sit on the back of the boat with his feet on the platform to toss the rope and what not. Im worried the location he is at is more dangerous. what do you guys think?

[Bill_AirJunky]

Im not so much worried about me when Im surfing, but one of my buds likes to sit on the back of the boat with his feet on the platform to toss the rope and what not. Im worried the location he is at is more dangerous. what do you guys think?

Johnny Law would have a heyday with that around here. And if the guy ever passed out from it, then he'd fall in the water & get mowed over by your surfer. People do it around here all the time too. Doesn't seem smart to me.

[Swampy]

Im not so much worried about me when Im surfing, but one of my buds likes to sit on the back of the boat with his feet on the platform to toss the rope and what not. Im worried the location he is at is more dangerous. what do you guys think?

I always feel like I get more fumes sitting in this area of the boat than if I'm out surfing.

[zad0030]

C02 and and CO can both kill you. But it takes about 10,000 ppm of CO2 to be lethal whereas CO is lethal within a few hundred ppm. Both are odorless and colorless.

I have had times where I have stood on the platform and put things away in the locker. A couple times I have started feeling dizzy. I just realizd that when I stand on the platform for long times I usually have a headache on the way home.

Bottomline is, if anyone is on, near, or around the platform the engine is OFF! Would you let someone sit on the bumper of your car or in an open trunk for long periods while the engine is running?

[Larry Mann]

It has been clearly proven that the wake surfer gets little Carbon Monoxide (CO). In 2004 we, Fresh Air Exhaust (FAE) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) performed a detailed study of the concentrations of CO that a wake surfer was exposed to. The CDC concluded:

"The FAE system reduced CO exposures to wake surfers by approximately 80%; however, in general the wake surfer exposures were fairly low even without the FAE system (mean = 17 ppm)".

The concern is for the people sitting in the back of the boat during wakesurfing. Most times people in the back of the boat are fine; but the potential for dangerous levels of CO are real. The typical complaints you will hear from boaters that experience CO toxicity are headaches, nausea or malaise. I have been on a V-Drive set up for surfing, sitting on the engine cover/deck area and the CO levels rapidly exceeded 500 ppm. This level substantially exceeds every CO safety standard in the world. Children are the most susceptible and a fetus is especially at risk.

The station wagon effect is what used to happen when station wagon cars had a rear window that would open. People driving would loose consciousness and crash the car. The worst case scenario for the station wagon effect in a boat is slow and bow high (wake surfing). To make matters worse, people sitting at the back of the boat increase the eddy currents (reverse flow of air) such that increased levels of boat exhaust come into the boat.

If you smell exhaust, you are exposed to CO. In a boat, the levels will vary moment to moment; but be aware that CO levels build up in your blood as long as you are exposed.

[Chia]

i have not had any exhaust smell behind this boat. do the catalytic converters reduce the amount of CO put out by the engine?

[martinarcher]

i have not had any exhaust smell behind this boat. do the catalytic converters reduce the amount of CO put out by the engine?

Our 88' doesn't have cats and no one has ever been able to smell exhaust while surfing. It just seems that your head is nice and high above the exhaust outlets and with the forward movement, you're going to get nice fresh air over the top of the boat.

I agree with the above comment about the back seat being the best place to be exposed to CO. When we are trolling I have had people say they can smell the exhaust. Once we are towing someone, the smell goes away. At that slow speed it seems the exhaust gases can make their way up the transom and into the back of the boat. The faster speeds seem to sweep them back with the air moving over the boat.

[Sixball]

i have not had any exhaust smell behind this boat. do the catalytic converters reduce the amount of CO put out by the engine?

Don't know the makeup of the cats being used but will say HC, CO, and NOX. same as automotive.

[Tao of Wake]

i have not had any exhaust smell behind this boat. do the catalytic converters reduce the amount of CO put out by the engine?

Don't know the makeup of the cats being used but will say HC, CO, and NOX. same as automotive.

If your boat has the ETX/CAT system, CO emissions will be reduced by up to 98% and HC & NOx by over half. I know that in '07 only the Monsoon had the ETX/CAT system. In either '08 or '09 they added it to the HH. Then starting in the '10 model year, I believe all engines will have it. Not sure about all of this, though. I'd check with your dealer to determine if your boat has it.