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Surf Gate After Market good/bad?


Rmack

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After talking to a few dealers about the new surfgate, I was told that the rear transoms are reinforced along with the swim platform. That's why surfgate can not be added to boats after they leave the factory.

The aftermarket, DIY, surfgates look great, but will they cause transom damage in the future? Or is malibu just handing everyone a line?

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I'm calling BS, there isn't as much force as most people think. The transoms are allready reinforced enough for the platform, wedge, tow bar, and 2 lifting/tie down rings. All of which see way more force than the lateral force of these gates. Jm2c.

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I'm calling BS, there isn't as much force as most people think. The transoms are allready reinforced enough for the platform, wedge, tow bar, and 2 lifting/tie down rings. All of which see way more force than the lateral force of these gates. Jm2c.

what he said

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I have said this before... Go 10 MPH and use your hand to hold the water back, its not that much force as stated above... I have no idea if the added one extra layer of glass in that section though.

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with what i have seem installed after market, the only problem I can see is how they are attached to the swim platform. some of those brackets do not look too solid.

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The force has been calculated on another thread and it's not that much. Nothing against your Malibu dealer, but that reasoning sounds like something that a couple of people invented standing by the watercooler. I have no problem with Malibu saying they won't mod older boats. Frankly, if I was in charge I would make the same decision. If you install game changing technology in your latest boats, the last thing you want to do is allow that technology to be installed in previous models. Why buy a new boat if you can get the same thing for a few grand? -Marc

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with what i have seem installed after market, the only problem I can see is how they are attached to the swim platform. some of those brackets do not look too solid.

Why not get the larger bracket used when you order the under step ladder? It is bigger and stronger.

Edited by bamabonners
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I always find it interesting the things dealers will say to sell a unit or improve their potential for commissions. I heard that story when towers first came out, that the boat was built with extra bracing and fiberglass to support the tower load, but later learned that claim to be inaccurate, only a back plate was added to distribute the load.

Math does not lie, Easy math can effectively calculate the actual load of any aftermarket surf actuation system and it would be surprising if just by adding a larger transom back plate to distribute the load would not be more then efficient if the numbers support additional strength is required. I would be the first to instantly become a Missouri advocate and say SHOW ME!

Let's wait and see what other stories come out regarding not being able to bolt a device to improve a surf shape comes out over the next months.

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I've read all the surf gate posts, luv em, but is there consensus (right?) on what is:

1) Optimum Length

2) Optimum Width

3) Optimum Angle of Deployment

especially when added onto a teak swim platform on a 93 skier (lol...)

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with what i have seem installed after market, the only problem I can see is how they are attached to the swim platform. some of those brackets do not look too solid.

You just proved the point right there. If my rednecked Poorman's gate will stay on the platform while surfing without coming off, I don't think my Teakgate is going anywhere. :)

Before I started anything I messed around with a surf and kneeboard trying to "deploy" it into the water coming off the side of the boat. Sure it takes some muscle, but I could hang onto the board and shape the wake with it.

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You just proved the point right there. If my rednecked Poorman's gate will stay on the platform while surfing without coming off, I don't think my Teakgate is going anywhere. :)

Before I started anything I messed around with a surf and kneeboard trying to "deploy" it into the water coming off the side of the boat. Sure it takes some muscle, but I could hang onto the board and shape the wake with it.

Would you consider that check or check mate? I guess I'm more concerned with long term stress on the brackets. When I saw "poorman's gate" I thought no way in heck that thing is staying on. Only time will tell, but someone said the stress isn't that hard doing 10mph?

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Guys your missing the point of why the dealer and said Malibu won't add in on later. It's simply a litigious reason. No testing was done on previous hulls so besides design being directly for the current hull why would a manufacture want to retro something never tested? I can tell you the rear area is further reinforce specifically where the screws (not your off the shelf style either) intersect with the hull. No one is blind enough to know new advancements w/o retro is a way to get new boats sold....nothing different than any other industry.

Now not adding surfgate to the vrides is something, I know the hull is different and it would increase the price as an option....but it's just that an option and still keep the price reasonable.

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Guys your missing the point of why the dealer and said Malibu won't add in on later. It's simply a litigious reason. No testing was done on previous hulls so besides design being directly for the current hull why would a manufacture want to retro something never tested? I can tell you the rear area is further reinforce specifically where the screws (not your off the shelf style either) intersect with the hull. No one is blind enough to know new advancements w/o retro is a way to get new boats sold....nothing different than any other industry.

Now not adding surfgate to the vrides is something, I know the hull is different and it would increase the price as an option....but it's just that an option and still keep the price reasonable.

The OP stated a few dealers told him the reason for no retro is because the transom is not strong enough, which is simply BS IMO. However, I'm not one of the ones crying about no retro, I understand Malibus position, and I'd rather tinker around with my own design anyways rather than spend thousands on something that has had little R&D, IMO malibu's 2013 surfgate is a great concept, but the performance isn't there yet. Plenty more R&D needs to be and will be done. I'd even venture so far as to say that MartinArcher's setup on an 87 SS has produced a better looking/performing wave than anything I've seen on a 2013 SG boat without or with extra weight.

I don't know what Malibu should tell their dealers to tell customers, but the transom thing is sorta insulting...

Can you tell I voted Republican :biggrin:

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The OP stated a few dealers told him the reason for no retro is because the transom is not strong enough, which is simply BS IMO. However, I'm not one of the ones crying about no retro, I understand Malibus position, and I'd rather tinker around with my own design anyways rather than spend thousands on something that has had little R&D, IMO malibu's 2013 surfgate is a great concept, but the performance isn't there yet. Plenty more R&D needs to be and will be done. I'd even venture so far as to say that MartinArcher's setup on an 87 SS has produced a better looking/performing wave than anything I've seen on a 2013 SG boat without or with extra weight.

I don't know what Malibu should tell their dealers to tell customers, but the transom thing is sorta insulting...

Can you tell I voted Republican :biggrin:

And why the 99% of lawyers, ruin it for the other 1%.

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The OP stated a few dealers told him the reason for no retro is because the transom is not strong enough, which is simply BS IMO. However, I'm not one of the ones crying about no retro, I understand Malibus position, and I'd rather tinker around with my own design anyways rather than spend thousands on something that has had little R&D, IMO malibu's 2013 surfgate is a great concept, but the performance isn't there yet. Plenty more R&D needs to be and will be done. I'd even venture so far as to say that MartinArcher's setup on an 87 SS has produced a better looking/performing wave than anything I've seen on a 2013 SG boat without or with extra weight.

I don't know what Malibu should tell their dealers to tell customers, but the transom thing is sorta insulting...

Can you tell I voted Republican :biggrin:

Well I can tell you I've talked to the lead designer of surfgate and the transom is reinforced in certain areas.

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Anyone got their boat at home? If putting way under 150 lbs of force/weight on the swim platform brackets is a problem, there is probably a warning sticker somewhere in the rear comparment that says so. Look next to the sticker that says not to exceed 75 lbs of weight in the rear compartments. :)

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We're all arguing the same thing. These things are not easy to make either, so I'd pay the option if I bought a new boat -- in a heartbeat. Thank you Malibu for pushing forward.

But if you think the hull requires more... add a backing plate like I did. I beleive it was unneccesary, but I'd rather overbuild than under.

I posted my gates in another thread a while back -- but never did post the bracket/backing plates. Maybe it's relevant here. This is a different shaped transom.... so it bolts up horizontal and is not going to be the same for most, but you get the idea. Just like wakeboard tower mounts.

Mine were not automated (...next summer?). But we put a lot of hours on these and the only issues we had were with my telescoping poles, which is an easy fix. Hull was fine.

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