99 sunsetter vlx surf set up?

[petrie141]

I'm looking to set up my new-to-me wedgeless 99 sunsetter vlx to surf. I'm 245lbs regular foot and a bit past beginner level. Most of the time it will be only my wife and I and she's light... I like to ski, wakeboard and wakeskate occasionally and I'm not concerned about ballast for anything except surfing. I'm thinking

I'm looking to set up my new-to-me wedgeless 99 sunsetter vlx to surf. I'm 245lbs regular foot and a bit past beginner level. Most of the time it will be only my wife and I and she's light... I like to ski, wakeboard and wakeskate occasionally and I'm not concerned about ballast for anything except surfing. I'm thinking 750's in the rear lockers filling port side all the way and starboard halfway. 300 under mid port side seat and 300 or so under the bow seats. I will integrate next spring but will probably fill over the side for now (I live in Minnesota and summer is running out in a hurry).

Looking for advice on:

Weight and distribution

fly high vs sumo (or other) considering I will integrate

No wedge vs wedge

Propeller, i have a 14/18--still need some speed for the fat guy (me) on a little slalom ski-acme 1235 or acme 1273 or ?

And I wouldn't mind a few board recommendations. Thinking about an Inland Surfer Squirt but not sure I'll have enough wake for a 5' and may have to go bigger?

Thank you in advance for helping out the new guy to inboards.

Hey man, look at any of the wakesurfing videos on my YouTube channel (link is in my signature). All of that was done behind our wedgeless 99 sunsetter vlx with only one 750# fly high sac in the surf side rear locker. I'm 6'2" 200# for perspective. We use an inland surfer Tako and love it. Edited August 29, 2013 by petrie141

[hethj7]

Petrie, what speed do you run at? How many other people in the boat? Does your boat have the sac in the ski locker? I've never really added bags or tried to dial in my surf setup, but I have a 750 in the surf side locker, factory MLS full (which is just the ski locker), no wedge, and my wave is not near as crisp as yours. It looks like you've got a lot more push than me. I always chocked it up to needing more weight, but you may be proving that wrong.

[petrie141]

Petrie, what speed do you run at? How many other people in the boat? Does your boat have the sac in the ski locker? I've never really added bags or tried to dial in my surf setup, but I have a 750 in the surf side locker, factory MLS full (which is just the ski locker), no wedge, and my wave is not near as crisp as yours. It looks like you've got a lot more push than me. I always chocked it up to needing more weight, but you may be proving that wrong.

Sorry for seeing this so late. We ride at 10.0mph with a 750# bag in the surf side locker and a 200# bag behind the driver (or on top of seats for the regular footers.) I only ride with my wife as the driver and she's about a buck twenty, so she doesn't help much with ballast. We don't put any weight in the non-surf side, in the bow, or in the ski locker when surfing. That has always tended to make my wave collapse. Have you had any better luck?

[Lance B. Johnson]

Hey just a heads up.... 1k in the bow is ALOT of weight for this hull. If your not an experienced driver in calm waters I don't recommend it.

[petrie141]

Hey just a heads up.... 1k in the bow is ALOT of weight for this hull. If your not an experienced driver in calm waters I don't recommend it.

I agree. One time we had people in the bow that all combined weighed 550, when I slowed down, no matter how slowly, I still had water get up near the rub rail. It was sketchy at best. I've never wanted my wave longer than it is with just one 750# sac and people seated on the surf side, so I've never had the urge to put weight in the bow.

Edited October 29, 2013 by petrie141

[aggie08]

So I know a lot of people recommend the 1100 bag for surfing with this hull (on the estimation that you can fill it ~90% full), but I just finished my integrated ballast system and blew up the 750's I bought with air, and there is NO WAY I'd be able to fill an 1100 to almost 1000 lbs. The 750's take up every inch as is. It presses against the engine divider, the outboard wall, the transom, the seat backs, AND upwards against the sunpad fiberglass deck. I'm not entirely sure I can fill them to capacity. The 1100's are 4 inches wider and 4 inches taller.

So, my question is do Wakesetters have deeper floors than their Sunsetter brethren or something? Or am I just going crazy? (Don't answer that). Either way, I'm glad I talked myself out of the 1100's.

[FastFreddy]

I think the difference is that my 1100 not 100% full doesn't look like a bloated whale. It still has lots of give in it so it can slosh around a little and not put as much pressure on everything. I tihnk I can get a little more weight in there but I never did a true comparison.

[aggie08]

Good point. I guess it would be a little more form fitting with some of the angles down there.

[wakedncsu]

I feel the same way. I went with 750's with some hesitation. Once I filled them up I was very happy I didn't go for 1100's. I don't have the much free space in my 01.