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SurfGate review thread


-BS-

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So it sounds like enough people have gotten a chance to demo SurfGate that it's time for a thread devoted to reviews on the system. I think there's enough information out there on exactly what it is and how it works to avoid including that in our posts. I'm curious......

What boat did you ride behind (LSV, VLX, MXZ)?

How much ballast was being used (and where was it placed)?

What speed?

What was your overall impression of the wave?

What was your overall impression of SurfGate?

What is the biggest advantage to SurfGate?

What boat/wave are you riding behind currently and what is it like? (I think this info helps readers & potential boat buyers gain perspective on your opinion of the new system)

Let's hear it ! :thumbup:

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I rode behind a vlx surf gate .... It was great! The boat we were in had stock ballistic plus 400s in both back lockers. With the wedge and surf gate deployed it was tough to get the boat past 10 mph . We had a great time even if it needed a different prop. The wave was long and had a lot of push.... I only wish we had longer to tweak the wave.

That being said I had the ability to demo a new tige z-3 and Enzo 233 the same week. I like them all but I loved the surf gate the most to the point I just ordered a 23 lsv with 450!!

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I rode behind a vlx surf gate .... It was great! The boat we were in had stock ballistic plus 400s in both back lockers. With the wedge and surf gate deployed it was tough to get the boat past 10 mph . We had a great time even if it needed a different prop. The wave was long and had a lot of push.... I only wish we had longer to tweak the wave.

That being said I had the ability to demo a new tige z-3 and Enzo 233 the same week. I like them all but I loved the surf gate the most to the point I just ordered a 23 lsv with 450!!

Nice! Which engine did you go with?

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I also demo'd a VLX with SG. Setup: Stock ballast (both rear, center, bow) plus a 400# in each rear locker. Speed: 11MPH. I found that the wave had A LOT of push, and was clean and long. I am 5'11" 200#. I didn't have my board to test, so I used the dealer's; it was a CWB Ride. I was very impressed with the wake. I sat back as far as I could on the wake, and I found it difficult to fall out the back. I stomped on the back of the board to see what it would take.

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I think most have already given their feedback in other threads. I will say I surfed behind an mxz with sg on saturday. Rear factory plus pnp, wedge approx 30%,3 people in the boat, 11.8mph. The wave was pretty awesome although there was some spray. I also don't think the driver knew how to weight the boat optimally. Good push, mid thigh height, pocket maybe 8-10' back..

I rode an mxz sans sg earlier in the summer. Everything was the same except for the factory bow tank was full. The wave was nice but not as good as sg. Length was surprisingly similar but less peak (naturally).

Either way, they were both much better than my vride with 2400#, full wedge and 2 people.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

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Rode behind a 23LSV surgate....was very impressed....never thought I'd see a wave that size off a 350 without a serious prop job. Very high quality wave.

Lots of pros for SG: level boat, speed to surf, convienience, switching goofy/regular etc etc....but in terms of wave size, quality and length at this point, still haven't seen SG beat what a dialed in slammed and leaned boat can already produce. Seems to have biggest most pronounced reaults on the smaller boats.

It will be very interesting to see how the technology continues to evolve over the next few years; gate sizes and shapes, angles, other add ons etc.... LOTS to still figure out, play with and dial in. I feel as though the technology is its infancy as we currently see it.

Edited by nyryan2001
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Is this a VTX? The boat looks bigger than 20 feet but I'm no Malibu expert. The wave does look real good on both sides. Also, the 3-way split video is really cool. I didn't realize how far the surfgate sticks out. -Marc

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I demo'd behind a 350hp VTX and 350hp VLX with SGs. I was very impressed with both however as you would expect the VLX was a little deeper and longer . Nonetheless, I was so impressed with the VTX SG wave that I am likely going to upgrade to a new VTX with the surf gate.

VTX demo: We had 750 lb rear bags in our demo. However, the dealer told us that he felt the 550s were better (more suited for the boat size). We had 4 people in the boat and one surfer on the port side. We noticed that the port side wave cleaned up a little nicer when we put 2 of the persons on the port side of the boat, 1 person center back and the driver sat in his normal seat. The point is that the VTX still likes a little lean on the port side but nothing to obnoxious like the pre-surf gate setups we are all used to. Just a little weight bias on the port side of one to two hundred pounds is required in my opinion which could mean just a slide passenger readjustment.

I quite often surf with no spotter (only driver and surfer) so my plan is put a port side bag underneath the port side bench seat to ensure I get this slight port side lean. My 2011 VTX setup has this option. I am also inquiring about putting a plug and play line tied into the center tank that would hook up to a 400 lb tube bag underneath the bench.

We noticed that the starboard side threw a nice wave regardless of seating arrangement during our test.

VLX demo: We noticed that we could not get the boat to go faster than 10mph. That was sufficient for a surf but if I was to buy a VLX I would get the 450 hp option or buy a large bow ballast bag to bring the bow down to gain more speed.

Edited by jacko
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VLX demo: We noticed that we could not get the boat to go faster than 10mph. That was sufficient for a surf but if I was to buy a VLX I would get the 450 hp option or buy a large bow ballast bag to bring the bow down to gain more speed.

Did the VLX have the high altitude prop? If not, that is a good reason to at least order that prop with a VLX ,if not an motor upgrade.

Edited by Cory
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So it sounds like enough people have gotten a chance to demo SurfGate that it's time for a thread devoted to reviews on the system. I think there's enough information out there on exactly what it is and how it works to avoid including that in our posts. I'm curious......

What boat did you ride behind (LSV, VLX, MXZ)?

How much ballast was being used (and where was it placed)?

What speed?

What was your overall impression of the wave?

What was your overall impression of SurfGate?

What is the biggest advantage to SurfGate?

What boat/wave are you riding behind currently and what is it like? (I think this info helps readers & potential boat buyers gain perspective on your opinion of the new system)

Let's hear it ! :thumbup:

First ----Hmmm, I'm highly suspicious of this post :)

Second-----next season the three of us should demo a vlx.

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Is this a VTX? The boat looks bigger than 20 feet but I'm no Malibu expert. The wave does look real good on both sides. Also, the 3-way split video is really cool. I didn't realize how far the surfgate sticks out. -Marc

Seriously, a promotional video displaying unsafe practices,,lawsuit anyone? No life jacket worn by riders and worse, that rope just flopping away in the wake, glad she didn't fall into that.

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