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2011 Wakesetter VLX surfgate


mica

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Hello the crew,

I’m sure I'm not the only one but I have in my winter project to install some surfgate on my 2011 wakesetter VLX.
But to be able to start this project I need some infos… Actually in Switzerland we do not have a boat with the surfgate installed (the first one will be there in a couple months).

I would like to know the dimension of the gate (length, width, thickness and all the angles of the gate).
I will also need to know the distance between the gates when they are closed. (Distance X and Y according to the drawing)
Because I'm not sure that is possible to store the gate enough with the original 2011 swim deck.
If a 2013 VLX owner can give all this info that will be great...

If you can also put a maximum photos of the fixations points and the gate, that will be perfect. :thumbup:

I’m sure I’m not the only one to have some interest in all those info.

Thanks for your help.

P.S. sorry for my english... My mother tongue is French

post-16994-0-18282900-1362401096_thumb.p

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If you can pull this off you will make a lot of money with others wanting your design. I actually added it to my 2011 vlx, it was done by selling it and ordering a 2013!

It going to be near impossible to duplicate the Malibu factory Surfgate. You will def need a new swim platform, not sure how you can tie into the mtc like they did. You might be able to pull off a whiskey tango surfgate, but making it look factory will be really difficult.

Malibu also reinforced the transom for surfgate tabs. I was really surprised how far they deploy outward and the amount of water pushing against them.

My 13 arrives in early April, I will give you all the measurements and pics of SG. Good luck, hopefully you can pull it off.

Edited by Fman
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Hello,

Thanks for your answer.
First of all I will not make money with that is only for my own use.

You're right the best way will be to switch the boat for a 2013... But in Switzerland we are only 8 million people, we do not have the same market than in USA for resale so it's really difficult to sell a boat. And a new 2013 VLX loaded like my 2011 will be something like 110'000$... So it's not a solution for me.
I will not use the mtc to operate the gate but an Arduino like Martinarcher did on his boat.
I need to know the X and Y dimension that are on my schematic to determine if with the original swim platerform the gate can retract enough to not interfered with the wave.

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I was also thinking of the NSS design for my boat. But are we sure it will work well on a VLX hull? Is there on the crew, somebody who tried a similar system on a Bu??? Or who is working on something?

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I was thinking about it, but I don't think there is enough room in that area below the swim deck to fit the actuator. Also, because of the curvature of the hull, it would have to travel quite a bit more than the Nautique system to retract far enough back and then extend enough to get into the path of the water.

I do like the design, but I think I am going to stay with a DIY Surf Gate solution.

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I was thinking about it, but I don't think there is enough room in that area below the swim deck to fit the actuator. Also, because of the curvature of the hull, it would have to travel quite a bit more than the Nautique system to retract far enough back and then extend enough to get into the path of the water.

I do like the design, but I think I am going to stay with a DIY Surf Gate solution.

I will take some measurement to see if I have enough room to put the actuator. You're right I think that we will need more travel for the plate because of the curve shape of the hull... That's why I ordered the 102's lenco actuator with more than 4'' of travel.

I have a question on your DIY gate you have the original swimm platform on your boat? Have you some picture of your gate mounted? You said in an other post that the gate who is not used interfere with the

wave. Is that because it's not possible to retract it enough?

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The only pics that I have are in this thread: http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index.php?/topic/39941-poormans-gate/

Yes, I have the original platform. The gates in the pics above are not the final. I just used cutting boards to try different shapes. I now know the problems that I have are: (1) Gates do not extend far enough out; and (2) gates are perpendicular to the wave rather than angling downward. I plan to correct these this spring by replacing the actuators with the 102s to get further extension and change the angle of attachment to the boat. Once I get these corrected, I will get some black marine HDPE sheets to make the final gates.

I was worried that the offside gate would interfere with the wake, but it didn't. When I angle them even further, they will be even more out of the wake when stowed.

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When using the surf gate, do you put out on the opposite side you are surfing on? So if I am riding starboard surf gate is in the out position on the port side? I am really thinking about a hydraulic trim tab & making one of these.

Also, how far out does the gate need to be? trying to figure out how to fabricate my prototype

Edited by racer808
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Already read everyone of them, post by post. It answers a few questions. A manual version seems easy, what Matt did is impressive but hard to replicate even with his help. Someone needs to start "surf gate for the stupid man" thread

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Hello. I think that will be more easy to make this project in the next months...

Mat will develop an electronic board with everything you need to operate the gate. Then the hardness will be to figure out the size, shape and position of the gate for each hull.

I'm actually looking for the 2 possibilities for my boat. The Malibu gates or the nautic NSS system. If I can make a system like the NSS I will for sure post pics and info on how I did it.

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  • 1 month later...

Hello crew,

Sorry to insist but is there a 2013 VLX owner who can take the measure of is gates? I'm looking for the length and the high at each end of the gate.

Thanks one more time!

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The gates on a 2013 VLX are 12" high by 18" long. They are tapered somewhat, so the end of the gate may be 11.5" instead of 12" (didn't measure that, though).

I don't own a 2013 VLX. I just measured the gate from one. I don't have access to it any longer, though, so I would be unable to get any other measurements.

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  • 1 month later...

Hello,

So I just finish the hardware and software parts of my gates.
I did the first trial yesterday and I need more testing to have a clean wave and avoid the spray that is coming from the gate...

I used an Arduino and some Arduino shield for the control of the gate. I will make some picture of the brain box and the control panel.

There are the pictures of the gates mounted (do not look at the brown mark on the hull I did not get time to clean it before making the pictures... :( )

IMG_3060_zpsf377a27b.jpg

IMG_3061_zps860c66b4.jpg

IMG_3062_zps38f5b78b.jpg

IMG_3063_zpsd55f5d44.jpg

IMG_3064_zpsf31723dd.jpg

IMG_3065_zpse2681e3d.jpg

And a short video of the first test.. We can well see the spray over the deployed gate...

I will for sure post other video and picture when I will have everything dialed.

  • Like 2
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Nice job Mica! Thanks for all the pics and video. Hopefully, you can get that cleaned up a bit, but I think the hard part is over. Now it will be just a matter of "small" adjustments. -Marc

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Thanks all for the comments!

I love that material!

Actually I used some material that we are using at my job to make the windows (guards) on our machine (machine for cutting cardboard)

Nice job Mica! Thanks for all the pics and video. Hopefully, you can get that cleaned up a bit, but I think the hard part is over. Now it will be just a matter of "small" adjustments. -Marc

Thanks High Altitude. Yes I'm sure I can clean it by changing the weight repartition and maybe by changing the angle of the gate deployed.

You also did a real nice job on yours... :thumbup:

Nice work! How much extra ballast was added for the video?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have the 4 factory ballast plus the wedge totally down and a 750lbs bag half full in each rear locker. No extra ballast in the bow (actually I think I will really need some...) and I was alone on the boat.

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Sweet Job Mica, You've added some hope to cleaning up my wake. I think I just need to go a bit shorter lengh and taller height. Really nice job. Congrats! I agree, the hard part is done, the adjustment part is fun!

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Awesome job! I would not worry about the spray, as long as the wave is surf able and your stoked. I know I am for you!

And was it jut me, but was the transfer time to the other wake faster than factory?

Edited by wakebrdr94
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