05 Vride surf set up- Best it gets for this hull imho.

[Lance B. Johnson]

Just posting this so people with this hull can benefit from my experience:

After a few years of fiddling with my boat trying to get the surf wave dialed, I was ready to give up. I started really thinking hard about selling and upgrading to the 05+ VLX.

The wave was always ok but never that great. The wave was shorter, taller and steeper than I wanted. I tried everything from more weight up front to less in back etc and the changes only made it worse.

This year, on whim, I bought an OJ 532 from Shawndoggy to replace the ACME 537. We have been out on the water 4 times now I think and the surf wave has improved so much that it is safe to say that I will never be able to improve it past this point (with this hull). Thats right all other things are equal. No other change than the prop.

The wave is as bigger/ more powerful and firmer. It is also not nearly as steep. The pocket is much wider and the transition smoother.

The regular setup:

450 Bow (surf side)

500 Center

300 tube under seat

450 on floor (depending on # people) full if only 3 people

750 Locker

Floating Wedge

OJ 532 (makes ALL the difference)

The weight is exactly how I have done it in the past. The difference was the prop. I will post a pic at a later time.

Edited April 29, 2013 by Ruffdog

[rennis]

please post a pic. I just did 750s in the locker and have the 500 mid tank and do a 400 lb sack on the port side when needed.

Why do you suppose the prop made such a huge difference?

[DAC]

Good info and thanks for the post. I have the exact issue with my 99 Sunsetter, which I think is on the same hull. No matter what I did, the wave was steep and short. Have to try that prop.

[demo9asx]

The OJ 532 is pretty close in specs to the ACME 1235. I believe the prop just push more water compare to the stock prop. My setup is pretty close to yours.

Regular setup with only me (surfing), wife (driver) and son (9 yr old)

350 lbs bow (surf side)

400 lbs mid MLS tank (full)

400 lbs under seat (surf side)

750 lbs locker

No wedge

Stock prop (ACME 381) - Good to hear that you see a difference so sounds like this is my next upgrade.

I'm pretty happy with my setup. This is my first v-drive boat and only started surfing last year so I don't know any better. For sure it does not compare to some of the more surf oriented hulls out there but good enough for now.

[Lance B. Johnson]

please post a pic. I just did 750s in the locker and have the 500 mid tank and do a 400 lb sack on the port side when needed.

Why do you suppose the prop made such a huge difference?

I edited because I forgot the center ballast.

A lot of speculation about why the prop made such a huge difference. Some will say the attitude of the boat, maybe. If so its not bow to stern attitude as much as port to starboard attitude.

[Bradley Thornton]

Just posting this so people with this hull can benefit from my experience:

After a few years of fiddling with my boat trying to get the surf wave dialed, I was ready to give up. I started really thinking hard about selling and upgrading to the 05+ VLX.

The wave was always ok but never that great. The wave was shorter, taller and steeper than I wanted. I tried everything from more weight up front to less in back etc and the changes only made it worse.

This year, on whim, I bought an OJ 532 from Shawndoggy to replace the ACME 537. We have been out on the water 4 times now I think and the surf wave has improved so much that it is safe to say that I will never be able to improve it past this point (with this hull). Thats right all other things are equal. No other change than the prop.

The wave is as bigger/ more powerful and firmer. It is also not nearly as steep. The pocket is much wider and the transition smoother.

The regular setup:

450 Bow (surf side)

300 tube under seat

450 on floor (depending on # people) full if only 3 people

750 Locker

Wedge

OJ 532 (makes ALL the difference)

The weight is exactly how I have done it in the past. The difference was the prop. I will post a pic at a later time.

Agree 100% about prop I have the 1235 it made a night a day difference. May want to try my set up I will be trying yours. The problem for me is I don't like that much weight up front. You never dip the bow?

My set up

Bow 0

Center Ballast full 500 + a 400 on top set like this / with the back toward the surf wake.

1,100 in surf side locker full + or - 900lb

Wedge down

The more people I have in the boat the less I put in the locker I have found you can have to much weight in this boat.

We ride 10.8 to 11.2mph

If you haven't upgraded your prop you will never get a great surf wake out of the boat.

[wakesetter8796]

Why does the prop make a difference?

[demo9asx]

Dipped the bow only twice last year and even that was only a little splash. Have to admit that my wife has become a pretty good driver. We just use common sense when the rider is in the water. Slowly cut the throttle to idle speed (no abrupt stop, the rider in the water can wait. We always advice the rider to lift the surfboard above water to make them visible) and turn away from the surf side.

[Lance B. Johnson]

Why does the prop make a difference?

We are not 100 percent sure of anything. It just does. Attitude, cavitation or both?

[Lance B. Johnson]

Agree 100% about prop I have the 1235 it made a night a day difference. May want to try my set up I will be trying yours. The problem for me is I don't like that much weight up front. You never dip the bow?

My set up

Bow 0

Center Ballast full 500 + a 400 on top set like this / with the back toward the surf wake.

1,100 in surf side locker full + or - 900lb

Wedge down

The more people I have in the boat the less I put in the locker I have found you can have to much weight in this boat.

We ride 10.8 to 11.2mph

If you haven't upgraded your prop you will never get a great surf wake out of the boat.

I have in the past. I am a much better driver than I used to be and it almost never happens now. It really just boils down to driving.

Now if I was in a high traffic area/ with big boats I might think twice.

[Bobby Light]

I too have experimented with props on my boat/boats. What I've concluded is the following. No two boats are the same so the experience will be different for each setup. Props will have a different effect on the wave/wake. Some will throw monster rooster tails others a smoother or non previlant rooster tail. This in iteself effects the shape of the wave. If you have a big rooster tail the prop is shooting the water upwards under the boat, the smoother flatter rooster is getting shot back under the water more. This is what I've experienced. I've also noticed that the OJ props tend to be a mellower rooster than the ACME's. I have an ACME 537 on my boat now that seems to work pretty well on my current boat.

No forumula here just what I've experienced and seems to be in line with what Ruffdog has discovered on his sled as well.

[Lance B. Johnson]

I have in the past. I am a much better driver than I used to be and it almost never happens now. It really just boils down to driving.

Now if I was in a high traffic area/ with big boats I might think twice.

This pretty much describes what may be happening. For me it was such huge difference.

[demo9asx]

If prop does not cost $600, would be nice to have a selections to try out

Edited April 29, 2013 by demo9asx

[Lance B. Johnson]

I will get more soon.

[Lance B. Johnson]

How are people posting larger images? I have to downsize it so much to get it to upload?

[DP167]

I have an '06 Vride with 750lb fatsac in the locker and another on the seat of the side we are surfing on. Also have an upgraded prop too. Great wake, just took a few times to get dialed in...

[shawndoggy]

post to photobucket, copy image url from there, click on picture icon here, paste in image url from photobucket. voila.

[Lance B. Johnson]

I have an '06 Vride with 750lb fatsac in the locker and another on the seat of the side we are surfing on. Also have an upgraded prop too. Great wake, just took a few times to get dialed in...

Right, I wasted several years only to realize the whole time it was the prop causing the issue.

Edited May 1, 2013 by Ruffdog

[Ndawg12]

Ruff, did it change the "trough" that we talked about a while back, causing the board to pearl and dive on the outside?

[Lance B. Johnson]

Ruff, did it change the "trough" that we talked about a while back, causing the board to pearl and dive on the outside?

That's exactly the best part. The pocket is so much more rounded and smooth. Catching an edge isn't nearly the problem it was.

[rennis]

cain.png

I will get more soon.

More pics! (that one is tiny!) but that looks awesome.

[08oregon v-rider]

Just posting this so people with this hull can benefit from my experience:

After a few years of fiddling with my boat trying to get the surf wave dialed, I was ready to give up. I started really thinking hard about selling and upgrading to the 05+ VLX.

The wave was always ok but never that great. The wave was shorter, taller and steeper than I wanted. I tried everything from more weight up front to less in back etc and the changes only made it worse.

This year, on whim, I bought an OJ 532 from Shawndoggy to replace the ACME 537. We have been out on the water 4 times now I think and the surf wave has improved so much that it is safe to say that I will never be able to improve it past this point (with this hull). Thats right all other things are equal. No other change than the prop.

The wave is as bigger/ more powerful and firmer. It is also not nearly as steep. The pocket is much wider and the transition smoother.

The regular setup:

450 Bow (surf side)

500 Center

300 tube under seat

450 on floor (depending on # people) full if only 3 people

750 Locker

Floating Wedge

OJ 532 (makes ALL the difference)

The weight is exactly how I have done it in the past. The difference was the prop. I will post a pic at a later time.

Did you replace the hard tank with the 750 in the locker? Is that 500 center the mid ballast or added? I've been looking at the wakemakers tankbuster kit just not sure if thats the best route to go. We also have a 450lb sack that will probably go up front. We usually have a pretty full boat so every time we talk about getting more sacks we cant think of where we ever put them all. What area of the boat by adding more weight do you think made the biggest difference for you? I got pretty bored last year with the size of our wake so I'm hoping to really improve it now.

[Lance B. Johnson]

The 500 mid is factory.

So 450 bow on surf side.

500 mid (factory)

300 or so tube sack under seats

450 floor depending on crew

750 rear locker factory tanks removed and 750s plumbed in their place.

Wedge

A few tips on replacing the hard tanks. First run your drain line to opposite sides of the boat so it doesn't siphon. With the list the water will drain. Use a sealant or consider gluing the fly high fittings into the bag. Several people have water in the lockers after surfing and I finally traced it to the fittings. The o rings just don't do the trick with that pressure.

[wakedncsu]

I wonder if teflon would work to help seal the fittings. I like to be able to remove my bags when I clean the boat. Plus with the water it is nice to get them out and let them dry. Also, sometimes my pumps have some trouble priming. So popping of the fill line and sucking in a little water gets it to prime.

[Ndawg12]

The 500 mid is factory.

So 450 bow on surf side.

500 mid (factory)

300 or so tube sack under seats

450 floor depending on crew

750 rear locker factory tanks removed and 750s plumbed in their place.

Wedge

A few tips on replacing the hard tanks. First run your drain line to opposite sides of the boat so it doesn't siphon. With the list the water will drain. Use a sealant or consider gluing the fly high fittings into the bag. Several people have water in the lockers after surfing and I finally traced it to the fittings. The o rings just don't do the trick with that pressure.

I had to semi/permanently glue mine in as well. Teflon tape or pipe dope won't work on plastic fittings.