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Adding a Wedge to my Echelon


MIKEGOUGH1

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I would like to add a wedge to my Echelon LX. Is this something I can do myself or should I have a dealer do it? Are there different models of wedge available, and if so, what is the difference and what would be best for my boat, and what should I expect to pay for the wedge and for the install if I get a dealer to do it?

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I would like to add a wedge to my Echelon LX. Is this something I can do myself or should I have a dealer do it? Are there different models of wedge available, and if so, what is the difference and what would be best for my boat, and what should I expect to pay for the wedge and for the install if I get a dealer to do it?

You're looking at about 1k +/- for the install, wedge and bracket if a dealer was to do it.

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Maybe I just ran into a great deal but I paid $350 for a complete wedge and plate that had only been in the water a few times. I installed it myself.

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I saw that on e-bay, that is just the plates. I did not know if all of the wedges will fit that plate. I would hate to buy the plate and hardware and not be able to find a wedge for it.

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If you read their description, it seems that they sell the wedges also. I'd drop them a line because I don't see it in their ebay store but, I think people on here have bought them from this company.

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Hey Mike,

So your ready to get some more wake out of the ole Echelon. (kids must be getting better at boarding)

We put the Wedge 23 on our 93 Echelon (Non-Diamond hull)

I was told by the engineers at Malibu that on the Non-Diamond hull boat we could use either the original Flat Wedge or the V shapped Wedge 23. They said that the Flat Wedge would give a slightly larger wake, but that the Wedge 23 would have a nicer wake shape to it.

We purchased the complete Wedge kit from a (Do it yourself freindly) dealer about 5 years ago for $650.00.

I'm not sure how much it is now, let me know if you want me to look into pricing out here for you.

I Installed the wedge myself using the attached link as a guide and found the article to be very helpful.

http://www.wakeboarder.com/features/uwbbpart1.phtml

You want to install the wedge as close to the bottom of the boat as

possible. (keeping in mind the the thickness of the boat bottom and where the plate on the inside will be)

I installed mine as close to the bottom as I could and still needed to put a spacer between my swim step and bracket to get clearance for the wedge in the up position. Make sure you measure everything until your comfortable with the position of where the wedge will mount and that it will be square with the bottom of the boat before you start drilling holes.

When considering which Wedge to go with, one thing I have found is that some TMC members that have the Flat Wedge and a swim step with slots in it, have a problem with water spraying in the boat when the Wedge is in the up position. I donot have that problem with the Wedge 23, just a clearance problem with the bottom of the swim step that we were able to fix.

There is also a good article on the old MBO site for modifying your swim step to

access the wedge. http://www.malibuboatowners.com/swimstep.php

To help the Wedge balance out the wake you want to run a fat sack up in the bow as well. You want around 3-400lbs up front to work well. The one we use is made by Skylon and is ther locker sack 18"W x 10"H x 60"L. It works well in the closed bow of our boat and holds about 600lbs when all the way full. You may want to look at something else that will fit your open bow better.

This set up puts out a pretty decent wake, not Wakesetter size, but decent.

We recently have been playing with 2ea 350lb sacks. One on either side of the engine and have seen the wake size increase a few inches with these. I like having the bigger wake but hate having the sacks laying on the floor. They take up too much room.

Mike

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Hey Mike,

Great info. That is exactly the kind of input I was looking for. We are finally getting to the point of

needing more wake, the lead weights just are not giving me enough. I really do no want to put fat sacks, I feel like we don't have enough room as it is. The other option is that we have been considering an upgrade to maybe a SLXI. I could have the best of both worlds, still have a decent slalom wake, and a great wakeboard wake. This may be a year or two away though, so in the mean time if I did not have to put out too much cash, I thought the wedge would be the way to go. Thanks for the input, I can always count on you to come thru with the goods.

Mike

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My brother has the flat wedge on his Echelon, and I find it makes the wake rather steep. Kind of like hitting a brick wall. I have not tried the bent wedge or adding a sac up front but His Surf wake is really good for a DD with about 6-8 People in the boat and just the wedge. I do get a nicer wake than his by adding a Sac at the back 700lbs ( I think) and about 350-400 lbs up front in the bow. But then I always have about 5 people in there as well and it gets rather cramped. I put the sac under the rear seat. My brother's 97 Echelon's rear seat does not come up as a sundeck like the older models so the extra room is needed in his. He also gets a spray through the sundeck.

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  • 5 months later...

Bump,

I just picked up a wedge and am giving alot of thought on mounting it myself.

None of the pictures work on the links in this thread that take you to the how to section over at the old site.

I am looking for pictures on where the wedge is mounted on a echelon and pics of the trap door.

Please feel free to post any pics here or email me

Thanks again,

Shawn

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Pennery,

I picked up the wedge and bracket from a fellow member that has upgraded to the new floating wedge.

Thanks for the offer on the pics but I think I will do some more searching and start getting after the mount.

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