Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

Bow ballast idea...


VLX_Fixation

Recommended Posts

K let me know what u guys think. Dont have all the kinks worked out, clearly...but here's my plan. I am going to integrate the fly high 1000lb bow ballast sac under the seat of my 07 VLX. I plan to remove the carpeted seat support structure and make a floating seat support that will be mounted to the outer gel coat seat structure. I have the center filler seat. So the sac will be completely hidden. Other than completely eliminating the storage of the bow...do you guys see any other issues i may run acrossed. Like i said, i know this is very vague but let me know if i can answer any questions...

Link to comment

Been there done that.. you have to use a self priming/ revesable pump for starters. Second off you can't fill the bag 100% so if you want all the weight yor headed in the wrong direction. Second issue is the lip your floating off of is not strong enough to support all the weight of people walking on it. The stock tank will give you the best bang for the buck. If you still need more weight you can stuff 150-200lbs. Of lead around the tank. I was in your position a few years ago. Three attempts to make it work. I ended up with the stock tank. There a big write up on it in the forums. Plus the vlx does not like 1000# in the bow. It turns into a submarine quick.

Link to comment
Been there done that.. you have to use a self priming/ revesable pump for starters. Second off you can't fill the bag 100% so if you want all the weight yor headed in the wrong direction. Second issue is the lip your floating off of is not strong enough to support all the weight of people walking on it. The stock tank will give you the best bang for the buck. If you still need more weight you can stuff 150-200lbs. Of lead around the tank. I was in your position a few years ago. Three attempts to make it work. I ended up with the stock tank. There a big write up on it in the forums. Plus the vlx does not like 1000# in the bow. It turns into a submarine quick.

I measured it all up a few days ago an quickly realized that the bag would not fill completely and i am ok with that...i have 1600 lbs in the rear lockers so i need more than the factory hard tank offers in the bow. I plan to use a jabsco reversible...thank you for the warnings. What if i use the 600lb integrated bow sac instead and build a center spine support the gel coat lip that i will build off of? A buddy just threw that idea at me too, he pointed out that we have a better chance of getting that one full so a solid 600lbs and i figure that even with the 1000lb sac with as much as I can get in it would still be around 600lbs at the most.

Link to comment
Been there done that.. you have to use a self priming/ revesable pump for starters. Second off you can't fill the bag 100% so if you want all the weight yor headed in the wrong direction. Second issue is the lip your floating off of is not strong enough to support all the weight of people walking on it. The stock tank will give you the best bang for the buck. If you still need more weight you can stuff 150-200lbs. Of lead around the tank. I was in your position a few years ago. Three attempts to make it work. I ended up with the stock tank. There a big write up on it in the forums. Plus the vlx does not like 1000# in the bow. It turns into a submarine quick.

The stock stank is 250lbs?

Link to comment

i'll have to do a little more research and get back to you. i really need atleast 600 lbs up there and would like to keep it hidden. i also plan to build a support to close off the gap under the seat and the walkway so you can't see up under there at all, and the support will go all the way up to the bottom of the windishield and create a back rest so you can sit in the middle seat facing forward. it will fold down so you can still walk through obviously...

Link to comment

Add 250 lead and you will never look back. Friend had a 08 VLX. The only thing we would do is move it all to one side when surfing.

I have reversible pumps to fill my back 1100s lb I added a Y and use one side to fill on the floor in the back and the other pump with a Y to fill a 400 lb up front when need be.

Edited by Bradley Thornton
Link to comment

If you don't care about sitting room do the 1000 lb on top and fill as much as you want.

A little FYI

My friend with the 08 VLX gives lessons. So when he starts people out (kids most the time) He would just ride stock but the 250 lb lead would be up front and so he could ride at a little lower speed and the wake would still be clean.

Link to comment

I still need all the sitting room up front so thats why everything will be under the seats tucked away...no messing with unrolling bags or puttin them away or anything. Im thinking the 2 400lb sacks with a y valve or at least seperate plumbing and building a spine in the floor to help support the new seat supports ill be building.

Link to comment

I have a 06 V-ride and I used a X2 sack if you wanted to go with a single sack this is what I used simple and works great.

http://www.bakesonline.com/detail.aspx?ID=2524

http://www.bakesonline.com/detail.aspx?ID=2524 This is a pic of the integrated sack it doesn't fill as good in the Malibu

Thats not what the X2 sack looks like this is what it looks like.

http://www.wakemakers.com/fly-high-mastercraft-x2-bow-sac.html

Link to comment
I have a 06 V-ride and I used a X2 sack if you wanted to go with a single sack this is what I used simple and works great.

http://www.bakesonline.com/detail.aspx?ID=2524

http://www.bakesonline.com/detail.aspx?ID=2524 This is a pic of the integrated sack it doesn't fill as good in the Malibu

Thats not what the X2 sack looks like this is what it looks like.

http://www.wakemakers.com/fly-high-mastercraft-x2-bow-sac.html

You leave your factory seat supports alone? Didnt take them out? Im taking mine out either direction i take just to get as much weight up there as possible an hidden.

Link to comment

This is how it looks. Hope it helps. I ran the pump on the drivers side and the water just pumps out one of the holes by the drivers window. Ran the hose from the center pump with a Y up the passenger side to the left side of the bag. I use the front hole as a over flow with some check valves. Need anything else just ask.

IMG_0461.jpg

Center tank Y valve.

IMG_0490.jpg

Link to comment

Thanks Bradley. I'm gonna do some more research and possibly tear into it this weekend, mock up the 2 400 lb bags and see what kind of plumbing i'm getting myself into. i'll keep you posted what i come up with

Link to comment

You could always get the W711, then either put a 400 under the playpen seat or stuff as much lead as possible under it. That might give you 750 with 350 for the sac and 400 of lead.

Link to comment

You could always get the W711, then either put a 400 under the playpen seat or stuff as much lead as possible under it. That might give you 750 with 350 for the sac and 400 of lead.

i don't like the idea of having 400 lbs in the bow constantly that i can't remove if needed. just my personal concern of swamping the bow if i empty the 1600 lbs in the rear. i like the idea of being able to completely empty the weight when done riding. and i already have all the sacks needed that's why i'm kinda leaning towards that idea...

Link to comment

k sorry guys, i might not be clear with my ideas...it's fairly complicated to explain so i understand it's not easily visualized. i'll just have to trial and error this one i suppose. i have a buddy that is good with plumbing ballast so i'm sure he'll let me know when my ideas don't make sense. lol i'm not changing any weight with my boat, i know how well it performs with each amount of weight and where to place all of it to get the best wake for wakeboarding...i'm not changing any weight, it's all the exact same as i have always ran it but just trying to get ideas of how to hide it. i want to be able to completely drain all of the weight when i want, i have riders along that don't need any weight so no point in wasting gas when i can run dry. i will post pictures as it comes together :)

Link to comment
This is how it looks. Hope it helps. I ran the pump on the drivers side and the water just pumps out one of the holes by the drivers window. Ran the hose from the center pump with a Y up the passenger side to the left side of the bag. I use the front hole as a over flow with some check valves. Need anything else just ask.

IMG_0461.jpg

Center tank Y valve.

IMG_0490.jpg

Have you ever measured how much weight you actually get in this set up?

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...