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Plumbing for bow ballast in VTX


CJAY

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I have an 07' VTX wihtout bow ballast. I have friend that has an axis and the plug and play gave me an idea. I don't want to put in the bow tank for two reasons.

1. I don't want to get rid of the walk through

2. I need more weight up front than it offers

So I'm thinnking of putting in a plug and play like system for the bow ballast where I could connect a 750lbs sack when I need it, or even a 1000lbs bow sack if I wanted.

Anyone done anything like this? any tips?

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In an Axis the system is setup specifically for the Plug-n-Play option, and because of that, is different than the system in your boat. The issue you'll run into is that the pumps used by Malibu are not self-priming, meaning they can't pull water out of a bag, only discharge it from the pump location out the fitting on the side of the boat. So without installing a dedicated drain pump for the extra bag you install you'll have a really hard time getting very much water out of it.

Honestly, for the small increase in cost, if I were you I would install new dedicated pumps for the bow bag location, with a switch on the dash to automate it. That's the best way to set it up, and it won't cost much more than trying to install a system like the Plug-n-Play option that Axis costs, but it will work MUCH better. We've actually had quite a few Axis customers that we've helped install that type of system because the factory setup doesn't work very well.

If you want some more details let me know and I'll be happy to help out.

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I was actually thinking of going with a two pump system for the bow ballast. I wasn't aware the axis was a one pump system. I was more thinking just the connector. I would really appreciate the help on it. I'm thinking of doing this as a winter project, along wiht doing piggy back bags on the back tanks. I'm tired of moving bags around and using an external pump. What bag would you reccomend for the bow?

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Gotcha, that's definitely how I would recommend setting it up. If you don't make use of the storage space under the bow seats regularly I would use the Integrated Bow Sac; it can be hidden completely, and everything will still function correctly. If you do use the storage under the bow seats and need to maintain that then you could set it up for a bag you fill in the walk-way, but you'll probably want to use a reversible pump if you go that route.

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I'd like the intergrated bow sack, but I'm not sure how much weight I'd get out of it in the VTX bow. I haven't decided what size I want to piggy back in the back. I was thinking 750's, but 400's may be more realistic. I want atleast 60% of the weight I have in the back up front to help me plane out and also lengthen up my pocket for surfing and firm up my wakeboard wake. Planing out is the biggest concern though.

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I dunno if I'd put that much weight in the bow. With factory bow tank full and a person or two in the bow its real hard to keep my VTX from chili dipping. The axis is a bigger boat and can take more weight in the bow before swamping it, just like my older 21LSV could. I'd put people up there and calculate just how much weight you want to deal with before you start plumbing in 1000 pound bags...

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Yeah that's been my problem, no weight up there and the wake isn't that great. We started putting a 500lbs sack in the walk way, which helps, but we still have to add wieght to plane out when we have a full boat. I'd like to have at least 500lbs in the bow that I don't have to use an external pump for. If I can free up the walk through all the better.

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I'd like the intergrated bow sack, but I'm not sure how much weight I'd get out of it in the VTX bow. I haven't decided what size I want to piggy back in the back. I was thinking 750's, but 400's may be more realistic. I want atleast 60% of the weight I have in the back up front to help me plane out and also lengthen up my pocket for surfing and firm up my wakeboard wake. Planing out is the biggest concern though.

If you're looking to get the best possible surfing wake you definitely want the 750s; you won't fill them completely (obviously) for wakeboarding, but you'll want that biggest bag you can fit to get the best surf wake out of the boat. Assuming you run them at most a quarter full when wakeboarding (which is what most of our customers will do), and that you use the Wedge, a 50/50 split would be pretty hard to achieve. The Integrated Bow Sac will give you approximately 450 pounds of capacity in a VTX, which is about the most you'll get from any bag short of an Open Bow Bag, which most people aren't willing to use.

I've spent a fair amount of time on a VTX setup like that, and the wake and performance was really nice.

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What engine and prop were they running. I'm running the 340 monsoon with an acme 1325 at altitude. I'm split between the 750 and 400, 400's would be nice for space and the wave we get with that 500lbs sack is great, just needs a longer pocket

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What engine and prop were they running. I'm running the 340 monsoon with an acme 1325 at altitude. I'm split between the 750 and 400, 400's would be nice for space and the wave we get with that 500lbs sack is great, just needs a longer pocket

when drained the 750 isn't really that much bigger than a 400. In fact I always have to pull both out and look at them to figure out which is which. So the 750 won't really take up more space (except when it's full, which is what you want anyhow).

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What engine and prop were they running. I'm running the 340 monsoon with an acme 1325 at altitude. I'm split between the 750 and 400, 400's would be nice for space and the wave we get with that 500lbs sack is great, just needs a longer pocket

It was my boat ;) Monsoon and a 1235, but for the most part we ride closer to sea level, so the 1235 was all of the prop we needed. You will be amazed at how much better the boat accelerates with addition weight up front. Without the bow rise is substantial, and that changes the angle of the prop shaft, which directs the prop down instead of back.

More weight up front will lengthen the pocket, but it will also make the perceived height of the wake smaller, so you really need to be running the biggest bag in the rear of the boat that you can.

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No problem, I figured that's what you meant. That boat has qMLS, but other than the difference in execution, the Integrated Bow Sac would be nearly identical from a performance standpoint.

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