Upgrading to '16. Need opinions and ideas

[shawndoggy]

I'm just passing through....and not 100% up to snuff on the difference in props BUT figured I'd chime in as I have the 350/1.72/2249 setup, which came factory on my boat and for us loaded down surfing we are ~3500rpms, definitely not 4000rpms. Not sure if that helps at all or if that's considered HIGH rpm, but again, that's my experience.

What speed are you surfing?

[Fman]

I'm just passing through....and not 100% up to snuff on the difference in props BUT figured I'd chime in as I have the 350/1.72/2249 setup, which came factory on my boat and for us loaded down surfing we are ~3500rpms, definitely not 4000rpms. Not sure if that helps at all or if that's considered HIGH rpm, but again, that's my experience.

And how much weight? Passenger load?

[85 Barefoot]

And how much weight? Passenger load?

I'm pretty sure he's a factory set up. So prolly just shy of 3k#'s

[That Guy]

What speed are you surfing?

Usually have it set to 10.6 for most people. Have gone as high as 11.4.

And how much weight? Passenger load?

Wedge down, factory 900 hard tanks, 900's in the rear, 650 under bow and a 750lb loose sack I toss where I need it when light on people. Typically under the observers seat/dash area as we all ride regular.

Most people I have had on the boat is 10, ballast was nearly full except for that extra 750lb sac. I would say total passenger weight was easily 2000lbs as we had 5 guys/5 girls and 3 coolers full among misc other crap we had in the boat.

Edited August 27, 2015 by That Guy

[MTT77]

I'm just passing through....and not 100% up to snuff on the difference in props BUT figured I'd chime in as I have the 350/1.72/2249 setup, which came factory on my boat and for us loaded down surfing we are ~3500rpms, definitely not 4000rpms. Not sure if that helps at all or if that's considered HIGH rpm, but again, that's my experience.

Same engine/gearing/prop here. Stock plus 550s in the lockers and bow sack as full as it will go...so that's what, around 2500 lbs? Plus wedge.

At 2300 feet with 3-4 adults in the boat, surfing at 11.4 to 11.6, we see about 3700-3800 RPMs. We don't need a ton of throttle to get there, though.

Personally, I would not want to run 5k of ballast plus 8 adults at 5000 feet.

[That Guy]

Same engine/gearing/prop here. Stock plus 550s in the lockers and bow sack as full as it will go...so that's what, around 2500 lbs? Plus wedge.

At 2300 feet with 3-4 adults in the boat, surfing at 11.4 to 11.6, we see about 3700-3800 RPMs. We don't need a ton of throttle to get there, though.

Personally, I would not want to run 5k of ballast plus 8 adults at 5000 feet.

That sounds about right as we ride a bit slower, 10.6 vs 11.4 so a few hundred RPM's higher makes sense. And I agree, it gets there just fine. I'm only at 1000' elevation so no clue what 5000' feels like.

[teamerickson]

I'm only at 1000' elevation so no clue what 5000' feels like.

Probably similar to driving the boat in marshmallow sauce!

[pook77]

I wish my '14 had that new transmission. At 5000' 350SS and plug n play full, and a full tank of gas. Mine is maxed out. Need to add another 400 to the bow to get her on plane for wakeboarding and that makes dipping the bow very easy.

[Pnwrider]

85, which engine did you get?

[FarmerB]

Same engine/gearing/prop here. Stock plus 550s in the lockers and bow sack as full as it will go...so that's what, around 2500 lbs? Plus wedge.

At 2300 feet with 3-4 adults in the boat, surfing at 11.4 to 11.6, we see about 3700-3800 RPMs. We don't need a ton of throttle to get there, though.

Personally, I would not want to run 5k of ballast plus 8 adults at 5000 feet.

[FarmerB]

Which prop?

[ibelonginprison]

I disagree on the spinner racks, we use them EVERYTIME we're out as my wife is short/weak so can't reach out/around to put a board on the rack. Also when we kept the boat in a slip for a week at Norris the boat would NOT fit without the racks spun in.

This x100.

Swivel racks are a must, if only even to get them out of the way.

Narrow dock/boathouse. Dry stack storage. Tying up to another boat with a tower... All times when you'll swivel them in.

[ID AX]

This x100.

Swivel racks are a must, if only even to get them out of the way.

Narrow dock/boathouse. Dry stack storage. Tying up to another boat with a tower... All times when you'll swivel them in.

Ya swivels are a must for us. When we go to the cabin we learned it is very nice to turn the dockside racks in. Also nice when towing. I turn them facing the stern and it helps with bugs Edited August 28, 2015 by ID AX

[Fman]

I am still totally confused on some of the posts on this site regarding the 350. My last two 350's in a 2011 and 2013 vlx were dog tired at 2000', even with a 2315 prop they struggled. The 13 with surfgate struggled to hit 10.6 with just 600's in each locker (8-10 passengers in boat).

My current boat with the 410, full ballast, 850's in each locker and a 650 lb bow bag with wedge 2-3 clicks up, 11 mph with a 2315 runs at 3500ish rpms when surfing. At 2000' I am prob 85% tapped on throttle. With the 948 prop it drops down to around 3100 while surfing. I believe I have a 1.51 transmission, just seems odd to me that someone with a 1.72 ratio is achieving the same rpm base with a 2249 lower pitched prop. Maybe I should check my trans ratio again or possibly my zero off is not calibrated properly for speed.

[85 Barefoot]

I am still totally confused on some of the posts on this site regarding the 350. My last two 350's in a 2011 and 2013 vlx were dog tired at 2000', even with a 2315 prop they struggled. The 13 with surfgate struggled to hit 10.6 with just 600's in each locker (8-10 passengers in boat).

My current boat with the 410, full ballast, 850's in each locker and a 650 lb bow bag with wedge 2-3 clicks up, 11 mph with a 2315 runs at 3500ish rpms when surfing. At 2000' I am prob 85% tapped on throttle. With the 948 prop it drops down to around 3100 while surfing. I believe I have a 1.51 transmission, just seems odd to me that someone with a 1.72 ratio is achieving the same rpm base with a 2249 lower pitched prop. Maybe I should check my trans ratio again or possibly my zero off is not calibrated properly for speed.

you're presuming that the auto set wedge is the same drag as where you had power wedge which its not.

[Fman]

^^^ that is another great question, what is the manual auto wedge on axis set at while surfing at 11? Comparing to a power wedge setting? The manual axis wedge just floats correct? So it's different at wakeboard speed compared to surf speed? Can you lock it in manually at a certain setting if desired?

Edited August 28, 2015 by Fman

[shawndoggy]

fman I believe it'd basically be like zero clicks up (all the way down)

[shawndoggy]

But yeah, knowing what the PCM 350 on a 1.5:1 tranny was capable of in our MB, I WOULD be very skeptical of vastly improved performance in the axis. We ran 3-4k lbs of ballast and at 4000' it would be touch and go to get the boat to surf speed at 12. Would frequently have to dump some opposite side ballast to make it work.

Add the drag of SG and wedge and I'd be surprised whether the 1.72:1 tranny would make that much of a difference, even running a lower pitched prop (and being able to achieve correspondingly higher RPMs).

Not saying the axis powertrain won't work at elevation, but that is something I would definitely need to see for myself.

[ID AX]

Shawn is correct. We stopped using the wedge this year. It does increase the size of the wave but really shortens it. In our '14 A22 we run about 4500lbs in ballast and 2 to 4 people in the boat. My wife surfs goofy at 10.6 and I'm reg at 11.2. We have the 330 motor with the 1.4? gears and 2079 prop. We get to speed fast but max out at 12.5 mph. At 11.2 we run 3600 rpms. This is at 3000' elevation.

[teamerickson]

^^^ that is another great question, what is the manual auto wedge on axis set at while surfing at 11? Comparing to a power wedge setting? The manual axis wedge just floats correct? So it's different at wakeboard speed compared to surf speed? Can you lock it on manually at a certain setting of desired?

I don't think the floating wedge changes position with different speeds. Someone posted a video testing that.

[shawndoggy]

Shawn is correct. We stopped using the wedge this year. It does increase the size of the wave but really shortens it. In our '14 A22 we run about 4500lbs in ballast and 2 to 4 people in the boat. My wife surfs goofy at 10.6 and I'm reg at 11.2. We have the 330 motor with the 1.4? gears and 2079 prop. We get to speed fast but max out at 12.5 mph. At 11.2 we run 3600 rpms. This is at 3000' elevation.

I'd bet moving to a 15" prop would drop rpms by 2-300.

[ID AX]

we are testing a '16 T22 Saturday and will replicate our A22 setup. T22 will have 350 with 1.72 gears and 2249 prop.

[Fman]

Regardless, that is cool that the 1.72 trans is available, seems like a nice perk. Makes you wonder why they don't just do this trans across the board on all Wakesetter and Axis models regardless of engine.

[shawndoggy]

Regardless, that is cool that the 1.72 trans is available, seems like a nice perk. Makes you wonder why they don't just do this trans across the board on all Wakesetter and Axis models regardless of engine.

they sort of are in 16, right? It's my understanding that just the blown motors (LSA in Axis/Roush in 'bu) and the base 6.0 in axis will retain 1.5(ish):1. But base raptor 400 in bu gets 1.72:1 next year fo sho.

[ndahlberg12]

I thought 2016 malibus had the 1:72? Doesn't chatt's have it?

Edited August 28, 2015 by ndahlberg12