2000 Sunsetter VLX

[moto96s]

Hi folks,

Newbie here. Didn't want to hijack someone elses thread, so i am starting my own.

Just picked up a 2000 Sunsetter VLX(SV23 Wake hull I believe). My first Malibu and I am really liking build quality and layout.

However, i am not to impressed with the wake yet. Boat came with a factory tower and no ballast system, so here is what I have so far. BTW, it is usually just my driver and i in the boat, 75% of the time.

I looked under the front seats, and there does not really seem to be enough room to make an integrated bow sack work properly, especially in the very front, so I put a 48 x 48x 12 side sack under the front seats on each side and fill them until the seats pop up, then I curse and pump a little out(weight unknown).

I have a 62x16x10 Tube sac in the ski locker and can pretty much fill it up(300lbs?).

I have 2 42x16x16 (400lb) Vdrive sacs in the rear lockers that came over from my last boat.

I have about 150 lbs of lead under the spotter seat.

I am beginning to think about selling one of my kids, or blood, or something so I can put a set of 750s in the rear lockers, but need to know if it will really make a difference before I committ the extra money. Also, if I can get the 750s to fit, will i have to add yet more weight in the front?

I usually wake at 20mph on a 65' line. I am just an old F#*t with no major skills, but am used to a slightly larger wake, and was hopng for a larger one yet. One of the folks I go out with likes to wake at 22 at 75 feet, and the wake really is not impressive at all at that speed with my current set up.

Also running the idmar monsoon 325HP with an OJ 14x18 4 blade prop.

I have done some searching, and folks say the 750's will fit back in those lockers once i move the battery, but is it really worth it?

Thanks for any help!

[FastFreddy]

It will definitely be worth going from the 400s to 750s. The 750s will fill completely back there so that's an extra 700lbs in the boat. I used an integrated bow sac up front and plumbed it from the ski locker drain plug. It fills it up quite nicely and I'm sure I can get 300lbs+ of water in there. To see if it will work "hire" (pay with beer) a bunch of people to sit in the boat. Add 4-5 people in the back and see what the wake does.

[Nitrousbird]

750's will fill fully in the rear locker with room to spare. 1100's will fit but don't fill fully (will fill to about 1000lbs).

You can do about 500 in the ski locker (Fly High W705). Integrated bow sack does fit (W711), will fill to about 300lbs.

Sounds like your boat doesn't have a wedge either. Adding that will also increase your wake size.

[shawndoggy]

there is no way you will get out of the hole with 750s and a 14x18 prop. you will need to upgrade that too.

[Bradley Thornton]

Put the lead up front. The 2 400s in back. 300 on the back seat. Put the rest in the center and move it over to the observer side as needed to balance the boat. Order a new prop it wall change everything I say a 1235 if you don't ski a lot.

[moto96s]

Thanks all.

And that was my next worry.

I think was I researching an ACME 1235 prop. What are people thoughts?

I know they make a slightly less agressive one, but I want to do this once.

Is that overkill? I really do not need top end, I rarely go 30 mph.

Anything wrong with going with the more agressive prop?

On to the subject of the wedge. I have read sevearl threads and of course get more confused every time.

For this hull, the SV23 wake, do I want fixed, floating, and are there different shapes?

Once I decide(read as you folks tell me what I need), do I just order it from the dealer?

Thanks.

[moto96s]

Hey Bradley,

I guess we were typing at the same time.

So it sounds like my next purchase might as well be the 1235.

I was considering it anyway as I can not get my perfect pass to control as tight as I want it to, and I believe it is due to that 14X18 prop.

Are we the same hull?

[Nitrousbird]

Fixed or floating will work - cost is the bigger factor. If is very difficult to find a floating setup used, and new is $1200. A fixed wedge new is around $1000 but they can be found used from time to time (I just happen to be selling a full fixed wedge setup...bracket, backing plate, wedge, even the nuts, bolts and washers).

As for the prop, what motor are you running...that makes a difference in what prop you should go with.

[moto96s]

Hey Nitrousbird, how have you been?

I am running the Idmar Monsoon 325hp.

[shawndoggy]

go 1235 or oj 468 or oj fusion if you want to save a few bones on a new one. There are a couple of used 1235s on the wakeworld classifieds that may be worth a look.

[Nitrousbird]

With the Monsoon, 1235 would probably work well for you since you don't care about going above 30. 1273 would also be a good choice and keeps the RPM's a bit lower on the higher speeds.

[Bradley Thornton]

Hey Bradley,

I guess we were typing at the same time.

So it sounds like my next purchase might as well be the 1235.

I was considering it anyway as I can not get my perfect pass to control as tight as I want it to, and I believe it is due to that 14X18 prop.

Are we the same hull?

Yes, we have the same hull. 1235 will work great. At some point you may want to sell the 400s and get 750s so you can surf.

[moto96s]

OK,

1235 came in and installed. Some random rpm/ speed info off PP GPS.

With 800 in rear lockers and about 300 in ski locker and about 200 under front seats,

Driver and I in boat(about 450 lbs ), and my 150lbs under seat, here is what I got:

3000rpm 22.5mph

3500rpm 28.4mph

4000rpm 34.5mph

It sure pulls out of the hole better and the perfect pass is more accurate!

So if i want to cruise at 30mph I would probably be doing about 3800rpm.

Any harm running at 3800 RPM, besides gas consumption, for 5 or 10 minutes at a time.

I really almost never go over 26.

Now I need some real tech advice.....

Anybody know how I take a JPG pic from my pictures on my c: drive and insert or attach it to a post??

Thanks,

[Bradley Thornton]

What did you think of the wake.

[Bradley Thornton]

Open a photobucket account upload pics click on the photo Click on the one that says HTML it will say copied. When you go to type on the crew you will see a pic just below the smily face click it then past and you have it.

[moto96s]

Thanks for the info Bradley.

I must need to move to the 750s in the back.

I am still not that impressed.

I may try losing some weight up front.

Maybe pull the 12x 12x 48s from under the front seats and put them on the back seat and floor??

I dunno.

[Mjlee1985]

you said you pulled sacs from your old boat...what was that?even with no ballast or maybe just the locker full you should be looking at a "nice" wake. i know some that were once on the dark side..nautique....might take some time to get used to the ramper wake.

[Bradley Thornton]

you said you pulled sacs from your old boat...what was that?even with no ballast or maybe just the locker full you should be looking at a "nice" wake. i know some that were once on the dark side..nautique....might take some time to get used to the ramper wake.

Was wondering the same thing I can run my boat center full and the wedge down and I could be happy with just that yes I do more but thats the American way

[moto96s]

Hi MjLee,

I had a 96 Centurian Elite V. I ran 300 up front and the 2 400s in the rear. Wake was larger. However, you are right, this is a cleaner, "harder" wake on the Malibu. I am Jumping just as high and far on the "smaller" wake. The wake is rampy as you say, with an almost flat top, no peak to punch through. Also there is no white wash at all on the Bu. All the more reason I want to make it bigger !!.

[moto96s]

Hey Bradley,

Yeah, the wedge may be a critical element. I have to get hold of Nitrous to see what he wants for that set up he has!!

[racer808]

The wedge will make the lip firm and rampier, not so much bigger. I have the same hull and with 500 in the ski locker and 300 in each rear my wake is huge. How much bigger you trying to get? The wedge will deff make the surf wake way better

[Bradley Thornton]

The wedge will make the lip firm and rampier, not so much bigger. I have the same hull and with 500 in the ski locker and 300 in each rear my wake is huge. How much bigger you trying to get? The wedge will deff make the surf wake way better

[aggie08]

I thought I'd piggy back this thread since I'm trying to dial in my no wedge '99 Sunsetter VLX.

I went with 400's in the back for now for a variety of reasons (I'm the only decent rider in my crew; I'm kind of a perfectionist, so the idea of partially filling two bags evenly would drive me crazy; if I went with the 750's and filled them, I'd also have to buy an integrated bow sack for balance which seems like an excessive cost for our collective skill level; we usually have a decent sized crew; I won't have an automated system until fall at the earliest, so manually filling four bags in a crowded boat is just too much of a pain for me; I just throw both 400's on the same side for surfing). All that said, I'll probably buy at least one 750 when I do plumb my system.

Anyway, I'm going to Lake Powell in two weeks, and I wanted some suggestions on where I should put a 4th sack (if I get one) on both the wake and surf wake.

Here are some pictures of the current set-up:

Wake:

Two 400# V-drive sacks full, rear seat sack in the ski locker (~500#), 8 people (3 in the bow)

I really liked the wake that day. It was super poppy and fun. I rode 75' at about 24.2 and probably could have ridden 80' (which is my goal). If I have less people and an extra sack, where should I put it? Was bow weight the key? How much do you think I should have up front with 800 lbs. in the rear? I generally stick to 60/40, but tend to count about half of the ski locker as bow weight.

Surf:

400 in surfside rear locker

400 on surfside seats

Ski locker full

0-1 person in bow

My friend can ride ropeless all day, but I'm still struggling (partially because I'm too big for my board...Slayer Pro on the way). Add more weight/people up front to lengthen the wave? Or???

[shawndoggy]

for the surf wave, hate to say it, but adding the 750 to the rear corner vs the 400 will definitely make a difference. Then more weight on the side, then weight in the bow. esp without the wedge you need a ton of weight in the corner.

[aggie08]

for the surf wave, hate to say it, but adding the 750 to the rear corner vs the 400 will definitely make a difference. Then more weight on the side, then weight in the bow. esp without the wedge you need a ton of weight in the corner.

Yeah I figured that would be the verdict. My friend (pictured) is the only good surfer, and I'm confident I'll be able to ride ropeless for longer durations on a bigger board, so i'll probably stick with the two 400's (one along the seats) until everyone in the crew gets better then upgrage about the same time I integrate the ballast. Do you think I should add bow weight to the current, temporary set-up, or do I need all the rearward weight I can get? It's actually right at the rub rail as is.