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VTX Rider Preferences


TrickyNicky

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Hey guys, we just became owners of a 2007 VTX with diamond hull, floating wedge and 4 ballast tanks, illusion x. The boat should be home within a week or two, but once it gets here I want to be riding right away. So I was wondering if you fellow VTX owners can help me out with your set-ups. VTX owners only please.

1-Wakeboarding, Your ballast and wedge set-up, speed and line length.

2-Surfing, Your ballast and wedge set-up (4 stock tanks ONLY), and speed. I know more ballast will help, but for now it's going to have to be people ballast.

3-Slalom, I like to ski around 32 and 15 off, Let me know your ballast, and I'm open to speed or line length suggestions.

4-Barefooting, Both shortline boom and longline, any suggestions for getting rid of side spray

Any and all help is appreciated,

Thanks

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We have only wakeboarded behind our VTX with stock ballast . I don't have the front ballast. I fill all ballast and drop the wedge. We board with a 75' rope. watch were you put people in the boat though it makes a difference as to when the wake curls and washes out. Have fun and experiment with it, we love ours.

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We have an 08 VTX with Diamond hull, power wedge and 4 tanks, so similiar setup... here is what we do:

1. Wakeboarding- 22-23 MPH, 65-75 foot rope... all tanks full and wedge down. Speed and length vary by rider. For me the sweet spot seems to be at around 22mph with 70-75' of rope.

2. Surfing- Front and middle tank full. Tank full on the side of the surfer. Keep the rest of the weight to the rear with a couple people sitting right in the riders corner of the boat. Other rear tank empty. Wedge up. Right around 10 mph.

3. Slalom- I like 30-32 mph at 15' off. Usually run no ballast if the boat is pretty empty. If there are a few riders in the back may put a little weight in the front tank.

4. Haven't started barefooting....yet.

Just how we do it, but maybe that helps a little. Play around with it. The VTX with the diamond hull seems to be a boat that people moving can greatly improve the wake in some areas. Have fun, its a great multi sport boat, we love ours.

Edited by Cunningham1143
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i have a cut diamond vtx,

for wakeboarding i only have the 3 tanks and floating wedge. we usually ride at 80feet, full ballast 300lbs in each locker, a 500lb sack between the observer and driver seat and a 350lb bag up the front. i took out the seats up the front so we could put heaps of gear up there and since no one uses the bow in our boat. and i ride 24.4mph

very nice lip and shape

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i have a cut diamond vtx,

for wakeboarding i only have the 3 tanks and floating wedge. we usually ride at 80feet, full ballast 300lbs in each locker, a 500lb sack between the observer and driver seat and a 350lb bag up the front. i took out the seats up the front so we could put heaps of gear up there and since no one uses the bow in our boat. and i ride 24.4mph

very nice lip and shape

Wow! That must be a great wake. I have the same hull. 3 tanks full and power wedge at maximum and adjusted for best peak. Usually there are also several passengers to move about. We ride at various lengths depending on whom is riding. I think up to 80 or 85' with the handle.

My wife skis at 15 off usually around 31 or 32 and I ski 15,22 or 28 off usually about 35 or 36. Filling the center tank a bit seems to help flatten out the wake, bow tank if you have it. When you ski, use the RPM mode for the speed control, when you wakeboard or surf you can use MPH mode.

For the OP, the more weight the bigger the wake pretty much. This hull is pretty sensitive to weight placement as cunningham mentioned.

Edited by MalibuTime
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Hmmm... we usually ride with pretty full load of people so no extra bags, but I've never dropped back past 75'. Might have to throw the extra lengths in and check it out at 80.

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Wow, Everyone loves to add weight for surfing. I've only surfed behind a DD and we just threw in a a few garbage cans and rubbermaid bins filled with water (Ya it's cheap but it's fast and concentrated right at the back LEFT corner, Also fills and empties faster than any other system I've seen. Manpower!Rockon.gif). So with the stock system I was curious what effects it will have. I'd love to add sacs or weight but I hate aftermarket systems. Malibu (and all companies) should offer more ballast options. Since the boats located at a cottage we don't need nearly as much storage as is supplied in the boat. Still can't wait to get out on the water and find out for myself!

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Congrats on the boat. You are going to love it.

1-Wakeboarding, Your ballast and wedge set-up, speed and line length.

I am not the best wakeboarder you are going to get an opinion from but here is mine: Fill the back & middle but not the front and powerwedge is at 2nd or 3rd from bottom setting at 20 mph with 65' line length. The front ballast depends on where people are located in the boat. If I have a bunch of people in the boat and no one is up front then I fill the front ballast. But again, I am not the best boarder (far from it) that you will get an opinion from.

2-Surfing, Your ballast and wedge set-up (4 stock tanks ONLY), and speed. I know more ballast will help, but for now it's going to have to be people ballast.

I don't surf much but have been able to do it with just stock ballast and a couple of people in the boat. I fill the rear side and have everyone sit on that side. I also have the center 1/2 full and play with the wedge and speed (about 10 mph) until I get a good curl.

3-Slalom, I like to ski around 32 and 15 off, Let me know your ballast, and I'm open to speed or line length suggestions.

I also ski at 15 off but now run 34 mph (Was 32 mph behind my '96 Response). However, I do have to admit that I didn't have speed control on my Response so we may have been running a bit faster than 32. Also, fill the front ballast. You may want to try going just a little faster than you are used to. To me the wake gets noticably better with some bow weight (and very little other weight) and going just a little faster. Regarding line lenght. If you want to shorten your line, skip 22' off. There is a noticable rooster but shorter than that (at 34 mph) it gets really nice.

4-Barefooting, Both shortline boom and longline, any suggestions for getting rid of side spray

Boom barefooting: I bought my VTX (diamond hull) with the Titan 3 tower and use a tower boom so side-spray is not an issue. I do angle the boom forward slightly. I don't know what you should do with a boom mounted to the ski pylon. You are probably going to have to angle it forward quite a bit. Also, don't have any weight or people in the bow and you may want to fill the rear tanks to get where the boat cuts the water back a few inches. The good news is the Diamond Hull has less side spray than the wake hull so you have the best chance of getting a spray free experience. The biggest issue for me was boom height. When I first mounted it, I had it straight out. I now angle mine down some to make it easier for me to do back deeps. when the booms are high off the water it is tougher for me to do a back deep. I really have to force my chest and chin into the water when it is higher.

Longline barefooting: No ballast and it is great. I have footed at 100' and 75'. Either length is good in my opinion. Some footers don't like the '07+LXi with the diamond cut hull but the VTX with the diamond hull must have a different table and wake because it is nice. In my opinion it is close to my '96 Reponse, just a little bigger wake but not "bad" like what some pros have said about the '07 or newer LXi.

I did also buy the Hammerhead in mine for footing (I wanted to make sure it was fast enough) and am glad that I did. Most people will likely be happy with the Monsoon but the tests on that were 43.? mph w/o a footer. I will be interested to hear how you like it with the Monsoon. I have a friend who has a PS197 that topped out at 43 mph w/o a footer and we had to run wide open to hold good speed for long line one footing. My '96 Response tops out at 46 mph w/o a footer and that is just enough extra that we back off some for footing. I know someone will say that my form is the issue rather than speed (I can't argue that) but I know his PS197 dropped 2 mph while pulling a footer. By the way, he eventually found a prop that gets him another 1.5 mph top end and it makes a significant difference for footing. One other note about the PS197 was that it has a lot more side spray than a '96 Response or the VTX with the diamond hull.

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Congrats on the boat. You are going to love it.

1-Wakeboarding, Your ballast and wedge set-up, speed and line length.

I am not the best wakeboarder you are going to get an opinion from but here is mine: Fill the back & middle but not the front and powerwedge is at 2nd or 3rd from bottom setting at 20 mph with 65' line length. The front ballast depends on where people are located in the boat. If I have a bunch of people in the boat and no one is up front then I fill the front ballast. But again, I am not the best boarder (far from it) that you will get an opinion from.

2-Surfing, Your ballast and wedge set-up (4 stock tanks ONLY), and speed. I know more ballast will help, but for now it's going to have to be people ballast.

I don't surf much but have been able to do it with just stock ballast and a couple of people in the boat. I fill the rear side and have everyone sit on that side. I also have the center 1/2 full and play with the wedge and speed (about 10 mph) until I get a good curl.

3-Slalom, I like to ski around 32 and 15 off, Let me know your ballast, and I'm open to speed or line length suggestions.

I also ski at 15 off but now run 34 mph (Was 32 mph behind my '96 Response). However, I do have to admit that I didn't have speed control on my Response so we may have been running a bit faster than 32. Also, fill the front ballast. You may want to try going just a little faster than you are used to. To me the wake gets noticably better with some bow weight (and very little other weight) and going just a little faster. Regarding line lenght. If you want to shorten your line, skip 22' off. There is a noticable rooster but shorter than that (at 34 mph) it gets really nice.

4-Barefooting, Both shortline boom and longline, any suggestions for getting rid of side spray

Boom barefooting: I bought my VTX (diamond hull) with the Titan 3 tower and use a tower boom so side-spray is not an issue. I do angle the boom forward slightly. I don't know what you should do with a boom mounted to the ski pylon. You are probably going to have to angle it forward quite a bit. Also, don't have any weight or people in the bow and you may want to fill the rear tanks to get where the boat cuts the water back a few inches. The good news is the Diamond Hull has less side spray than the wake hull so you have the best chance of getting a spray free experience. The biggest issue for me was boom height. When I first mounted it, I had it straight out. I now angle mine down some to make it easier for me to do back deeps. when the booms are high off the water it is tougher for me to do a back deep. I really have to force my chest and chin into the water when it is higher.

Longline barefooting: No ballast and it is great. I have footed at 100' and 75'. Either length is good in my opinion. Some footers don't like the '07+LXi with the diamond cut hull but the VTX with the diamond hull must have a different table and wake because it is nice. In my opinion it is close to my '96 Reponse, just a little bigger wake but not "bad" like what some pros have said about the '07 or newer LXi.

I did also buy the Hammerhead in mine for footing (I wanted to make sure it was fast enough) and am glad that I did. Most people will likely be happy with the Monsoon but the tests on that were 43.? mph w/o a footer. I will be interested to hear how you like it with the Monsoon. I have a friend who has a PS197 that topped out at 43 mph w/o a footer and we had to run wide open to hold good speed for long line one footing. My '96 Response tops out at 46 mph w/o a footer and that is just enough extra that we back off some for footing. I know someone will say that my form is the issue rather than speed (I can't argue that) but I know his PS197 dropped 2 mph while pulling a footer. By the way, he eventually found a prop that gets him another 1.5 mph top end and it makes a significant difference for footing. One other note about the PS197 was that it has a lot more side spray than a '96 Response or the VTX with the diamond hull.

Wow, Thanks for all the feedback, much appreciated. As far as the surfing goes, Im stoked to hear the no extra ballast. I'm sure it would be better with more but we have big crowds and I'm happy that will be suffice. I've wakesurfed before behind DD's and i've ONLY heard of ropeless surfing, so got worried when people said you'd need more weight to drop the rope. Also I heard bow ballast is good for skiing and needed that feedback whether to have it full or half full etc. Finally for barefooting, we have the LCR 320 so top speed drops down even more. If we'd ordered we'd have gone with the monsoon, but beggars can't be choosers. I figured I've barefooted longline behind an outboard that has a top speed of 45 with no gas, one driver and trim up, which means when barefooting we were going 36-38 at best. So if the LCR can get anything above 40 with a footer, i won't be complaining, if she struggles than people are getting out of the boat!

Thanks again for the feedback, although not I'm just more frustrated about my wait for the boat to arrive!!!

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  • 3 weeks later...

My Boat : 07 VTX Wakeboard Hull. Stock Ballast. Stock Wedge.

Ballast Tanks: FULL

Wedge: Dropped

People:12+

With 10+ people in my boat all of the time, I usually have plenty of ballast, and my wakeboarding wake is phenomenal. I board at about 70' to 75' pending on the other riders i put them at 65' to 70'. Clean crisp wake, nothing fancy.

Surfing: I have a 450lbs custom sac that lays down the walkway to the bow of the boat. I then have everyone in the one sit on one side pending on how many people there are. Surfing @ 9.5mph. Full ballast: Wedge is usually up. When the wedge is down it washes out the wave. Weight distribution is key when getting your surfing wave dialed in. Don't neglect the bow of the boat. It needs weight to keep the nose down and shape the wake. In time buy some sacs for the ski lockers, you will be glad the days you go out and only have 3 people in the boat.

Skiing: 30+mph pending on skier, rope length is personal preference. The VTX creates no wake at all after you hit 30mph. With the diamond hull it will be buttery for skiing. Pretty self explanatory there.

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  • 2 weeks later...

sorry it took so long for me to get a photo of me riding behind my boat, im pretty sure this is the exact setup as i described earlier

vtx2.jpg

vtx.jpg

vtx3.jpg

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