2014 VTX surf set up

[NorrisRyan]

I have a 2014 VTX with plug and play 550's in the rear with full factory ballast. Just curious on how to set up bow weight and wedge. The boat plows without bow weight and the wedge all the way up set up for just factory ballast. Looking for some expertise. Thanks.

[old skool malibu]

Run full ballast especially the bow. Put your speed at 10.4-11 depending on the number of people in the boat. Keep the wedge fully deployed (0%, vertical) or at the most 2 clicks up from the bottom. I also run a bow sac and have now gone to 200lbs of led for the bow. I think with the surf gates and the extra weight in the rear extra weight is needed up front. I have no idea why Malibu has such a stupid factory setting on the Maliview surfing.

[timbos]

I have left, right and centre ballast, surf gates and a power wedge on my 2014 VTX. What settings do you guys recommend for the best wave while wakesurfing?

[wakesetter8796]

Everything full. As much weight as possible.

I would get 750s in the rear lockers and a bow triangle. The VTX likes to porpoise at wakeboard speeds with the wedge down.

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[DanSWilliams]

Weight in the Bow is a must to get a longer sweet wave.

We run 2 x 750's in the rear, and a 400 filled 60-70% in the front. Over fill the bow and you will take a wave if not carefull.

Old school Malibu is right, wedge all the way down, factory settings are wrong.

[River Monsters]

I wonder if 750's in back is too much weight. The only time my VTX wants to start bouncing is with everything full in the back and a light bow. I will be putting 200 lbs of solid weight up front this year along with my 400 lb bow sac. I only have 400s over the rear tanks and that seems plenty when we are trying to dial in surfing or wake boarding. 2008 with no surf gate.

I couldn't get on plane with full 750's and bow sac either. Not with my current prop anyway.

[CJAY]

We ran 750s in the rear and a 750 bow sack. For Wakeboarding it took forever to plane out with this config(had the 1235 prop and the 350 motor), and we couldn't have more then 3 people in the boat, it would never plane with me riding this full( I'm in the 230s). Surfing we were listed, but would run one of the backs full with the 750 and the bow with the 750 bow sack and the wave was great. No problems taking water over the bow as long as you drove well.

[DAC]

Bumping this one here. New VTX. Running full ballast (inc bow plus 300# in people or weight) plus PNP in corners, speed about 11 with wedge 100% or at most 2 clicks up. Seems to be a little bit better with non-surfside PNP empty, and more weight surf side. Mostly surfing port side (regular), 1235 prop. Anyone else with new opinions/setups? Better weighted towards surf side or not weighted?

[kherzog]

ive got a 2014 vtx, if i run full ballast left & centre with more than 3 adults in the boat and full wedge (at max wake) not full down. I cant even get up to 9.2mph. 350ss and a 15x14.5 prop. Anyone else have this issue. seems better if i load the bow but if i dont the power just isnt there. i was thinking of going to the acme 1615 which is 14.5x13.75 i believe. also not sure what stock is on these boats as my dealer swapped it out for the current one when i complained about the power. any help is appreciated.

[brijuls1]

I have 2013 vtx and it took some time to get the wave right, my boat has factory rear Left and right and center tanks. In addition it also has the Plug and play bags in each rear locker.

Having said that, we just bought the boat in April, I had wedge down all the way ballast full and plug and play full as well. Boat just would not go, emptied plug and play totally and we got a decent lil wave.

We don't have bow bag as I don't want to use that space up. We ski and surfing is for after while have some bl's.

In all, so far we run 75% factory ballast with wedge down no plug and play and its a fun wake. Throuw some people in the bow and I can increase to 100%.

Next time out I'll play with 100% full and wedge up a bit. Current Speed 9.8-10 MPH with just wife and 2 lil kids in boat.

We shall see and hope this helps.

[brijuls1]

kherz, I had same problem and I really thought it was a scam LOL. Not happening with this boat as the bow shot up to the moon. Just takes some messing with. From my post above Plug and Play is a waste as with no weight in the bow the boat just plows...

[kherzog]

I was just at Wizard picking up my boat and looked under a 22MXZ had a 15x12 on it which i think im gonna try, should get better fuel mileage surfing and a little more power. Loaded up the front with ballast or people does make a big difference as you said as well. I can get a killer wake @ 100% wedge and full rears with myself the wife and 3 kids which is good because the older boats just wouldnt produce that kind of wave with no gate. Thx for the response brijuls1.

[brijuls1]

Exactly, I run the same thing pretty much with wife and 2 lil ones. My dealer said to get a 13 1/2x16 to help. My thoughts after talking with Acme is surfing isn't our main sport, just fun to mess around so we don't need a 5 foot wave. LOL

The 100% with bow ballast or people makes sense. Just takes time to mess with. Enjoy

[goingboating]

I purchased a 2014 VTX in August.  I purchased 750 lb fat sacks for the rear locker plug and plays.  If only 2-3 in the boat (light boat), I don't chance a lousy wave and I fill up 400 pound sack for the bow.  All of the stock ballast full.  The port side surfing -  rear bag on surf side is full, rear bag on starboard side is 60 to 75% full since the driver is already on that side.  I set the Power Wedge for Max Wave per the gauge on the LCD panel (wedge is pretty much sticking straight out from back of boat).  I get a good wave.  The Power Wedge does behave strangely in my opinion as it goes to all the way down in neutral and idle speed - then upon throttling up to surf speed - cruise set at 9.8 to 10.2 - the Wedge adjusts to the setting of straight out, the wedge moving creates a speed-up, slow-down, speed-up pattern as the wave forms (so you have to gt used to that and I swear that it did not do that the first month that we owned it - but we were using a pre-set that the boat came with).  When we have a loaded boat and I can get several people to sit/ observe from the bow, then I can skip the ballast bags in the bow - but weight in the bow is key to have enough boat in the water for the wave to have a real "push" - especially for a 220 pound guy like myself.  I fill everything to the max and just move a person around depending on the surfer - and for goofy side (starboard side), the wave is really awesome - wish I surfed that side.  Anyone have any tips or rationale as to why the power wedge drops to all the way down until the boat gets up to surf speed?  Is it a safety matter?  Or is something weird going on with my boat?  We surfed on Sunday which is bonus time for October in Michigan.

[ahopkins22LSV]

Sounds like you have auto wedge on which will out the wedge at the least aggressive setting, ramp in your case, the move to the position you had previously selected. This helps the boat get up to speed. 

[goingboating]

@ahopkinsVTX  Thank you for that insight.  I was not aware "auto wedge" existed so I will study up on that....it was awkward with just my buddy driving and me surfing as the boat got up to 10 mph quickly, then slowed as the wedge moved into the selected position, then sped up again.....but that could/ would be helpful with a boat full of people in order to get up to speed quicker.  Lots of "auto" stuff on this boat - I graduated from a 2005.  Thanks again for sharing that info.