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Is a manual "gate" really worth it on the 247?


Dsingram

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I have a 2008 247 LSV. We surf a lot with center, frant and right full. 750 in the locker, 400 right seat and 400 next to it on the floor. I use mobile ballast (riders) to sit up front. I love the wave... But better is always just a few dollars away, right?

Has anyone out there had luck with any of the fixed "surf gate" like mods on the 247. Most of the comments I can find talk about it for the smaller boats. Did I miss a holy war thread on the 247?

Thanks!

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I have one question about a fixed gate maybe someone can answer. It's turning the boat, I notice if my surfgate is extended if I try and turn around quickly past 7 mph it's very difficult to get the boat turned around with all the weight in the boat along with the wedge deployed. With a fixed gate does the boat turn around with no issues?

Seems like a cool idea and very well priced.

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martinarcher

They are terrible to turn with a manual gate. Think of a canoe with someone dragging a paddle on one side. That's why I automated mine. Driving a boat with a manual gate was not a permanent solution for us. The steering is more affected on smaller boats and/or larger gates.

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Steering aside? Does the gate make a better wave than bags on the surf side? Or at least a similar wave with the same overall weight?

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I would personally go with a dong sack for your 247 over a gate. Multiple pumps on the dong sack will resolve fill time issues. That said, I was unhappy with my ghetto gate, both from a driving perspective and total lack of push. I may try to make a version 2.0 but maybe not...other SV23 hulled members have had my same lack of success with it.

With the 247 running a pile of listed weight, you don't have to be as particular on where people sit. It still matters but not as much as on a smaller boat.

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So far Malibudog is your only source of good information. Don't listen to opinions on the gates unless they have been bolted to 247 like yours. PM Malibudog or NorrisMike. They can help you get a gate built up for little money. I would do that first before spending money and time plumbing in a dong sack.

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Thanks all. I got a skateboard ramp and some Velcro, so I am going to try a cheap surf shaper Velcro style mod. That and 3000# should be fun to try. I'll let you all know how it goes

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Malibudog

Holy crap you are blowing my mind. I seriously had made up my mind to sell my boat and get a SG boat until I read your last post. I have been experimenting with a home made surf gate I made this summer and have been on the bubble. I think you seriously just changed my mind and made me want to goof around with my gate and ballast some more before I sell my boat and drop another 20K on an upgrade. Everything you said makes sense and your video is the proof. Wow, I just convinced my wife that we need a new boat, but now I am thinking I just need to drop a few K into the one I have and I can get my wave where it needs to be. You da Man!

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The Velcro didn't arrive in time from Amazon, but oh what a difference the extra weight makes.

I was 750 rear right (goofy), 450 on seat, 450 on floor wil right and center hard tanks full. Good wave, we enjoyed it for two years and bragged about it.

Now 1100 in rear locker, 750 floor back, 450 on right rear seat, 450 in passageway to front and center/right/front all full.

What a magnificent difference. We have 10ft of pocket and push to spare. It isn't much taller but the front weight makes all the difference.

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I got some manual gate for my VLX. They make a longer wave, but make it nearly impossible to turn sometimes. It is so much easier to fill and list, that I rarely put them on.

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  • 4 weeks later...

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