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2018 21 VLX ballast setup recommendations


Blenderhead

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Hello Crew

I have searched the forum for answers regarding the best wave generating ballast setup for my 21 VLX and have had no luck.....   It really doesn't even need to be 21VLX owners that chime in.   I currently have PnP 550 bags in my lockers and 300lbs of Leadwake bags available to shift around in the boat.   It is just the automatic assumption that if you max out all the ballast you will get the best wave, but I am thinking this is NOT the case.  Just looking for some input from the crew.    Also, wedge or no wedge?

Thanks

 

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I had a 2017 21vlx, but it’s the exact same boat. Here is how I had mine set up...

Stock Ballast - all tanks full

550s in the rear - full

600lb bow sac - typically 90% full

wedge @ 2 clicks from ramp 

10.8mph

the VLX really needs bow weight if you are going to max out the rear bags.  

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Thanks @SCMike.   You are right...I found that out messing around with my wedge first time in the water.  Boat got up on end like I never seen before lol.

I have 500 lbs of Leadwake  I will put up on the bow and try that out.   

Also big thanks to @Rceider for his input.   BTW, got out in the water, but didn't get to do any ballast tuning....   turned into a pleasure cruise induced by adult beverages. lol

 

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8 hours ago, Blenderhead said:

Thanks @SCMike.   You are right...I found that out messing around with my wedge first time in the water.  Boat got up on end like I never seen before lol.

I have 500 lbs of Leadwake  I will put up on the bow and try that out.   

Also big thanks to @Rceider for his input.   BTW, got out in the water, but didn't get to do any ballast tuning....   turned into a pleasure cruise induced by adult beverages. lol

 

Good luck and let us know how it goes.  The wave will totally change once you move that weight to the bow.  BTW - your boat looks amazing!  Love the blue and black. 

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  • 2 months later...

I have a 2017 21 VLX and have probably a silly question...  we are having issues with our wake too but instead of adding lead to the bow why can’t you just take out like 1/2 of the plug and play Ballasts?  This is our 2nd summer but still trying to get the wave perfect.  Seems like every time it’s different.

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On ‎7‎/‎7‎/‎2018 at 11:19 PM, Bushnell said:

I have a 2017 21 VLX and have probably a silly question...  we are having issues with our wake too but instead of adding lead to the bow why can’t you just take out like 1/2 of the plug and play Ballasts?  This is our 2nd summer but still trying to get the wave perfect.  Seems like every time it’s different.

Good point.   I think the quality and push of the wave is based on water displacement of the hull.   Consequently, full PnP's with bow weight to match will displace more water.   I have however created a wave with half of my PnPs full with no bow weight and it spit out a decent and surfable wave.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Guys - bumping this thread as I was looking for something similar on my VLX.  

I can make a pretty remarkable wave for the size of boat the VLX is.  I do get the same bow rise that is noted - but we have seemed to manage through it.  My issue is my boat won't get up to 10.8 - 11 with five adults and full ballast.  Throttle to the max and the boat can get to about 10.4...  I have the standard prop on my boat and about 30 hrs on it as I bought it new a few months back.  

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five cent the problem is the pitch of the prop with that amount of bow rise. I have the same setup as everyone else-full factory ballast with 550 pnp in each rear locker. I only have 250# of leadwake bags but they make a big difference. Put them as far forward as possible. This should fix your speed issue. If I have a full boat I just make sure there are plenty of people in the bow and leave the weight at the slip. Even with that I find the boat struggles if you get too aggressive with the wedge, but I rarely put it past midway anyway and the wave is just fine. I have heard you could try a new prop....If you cant hit at least 10mph the wave never cleans up on my boat. I have people move forward and then it hits target speed and cleans up, or I reduce the wedge to 1 click and then bump 1 click from there. It seems to do better once underway versus starting with the wedge down.

  • Like 1
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On 7/23/2018 at 10:55 AM, Weaklink said:

five cent the problem is the pitch of the prop with that amount of bow rise. I have the same setup as everyone else-full factory ballast with 550 pnp in each rear locker. I only have 250# of leadwake bags but they make a big difference. Put them as far forward as possible. This should fix your speed issue. If I have a full boat I just make sure there are plenty of people in the bow and leave the weight at the slip. Even with that I find the boat struggles if you get too aggressive with the wedge, but I rarely put it past midway anyway and the wave is just fine. I have heard you could try a new prop....If you cant hit at least 10mph the wave never cleans up on my boat. I have people move forward and then it hits target speed and cleans up, or I reduce the wedge to 1 click and then bump 1 click from there. It seems to do better once underway versus starting with the wedge down.

What props are other good options?  Moving people around after spending $$$ on a new boat seems tough to swallow.

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2 hours ago, Five Cent Worth said:

What props are other good options?  Moving people around after spending $$$ on a new boat seems tough to swallow.

Don't matter what boat you are in.. moving people around will always happen if you want the best wave/wake... 

Everyone in rear plus ballast makes it hard for any boat to plane, you have little weight in front to compensate for all the weight in back.. 

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On ‎7‎/‎26‎/‎2018 at 11:29 AM, Five Cent Worth said:

What props are other good options?  Moving people around after spending $$$ on a new boat seems tough to swallow.

wakemakers has some options. they have a pretty good explanation of how props work and a prop finder app.

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doesn't the 17+ 21VLX have a 1.72:1 transmission?  If so that 2419 is gonna be overkill.  Like 25 mph top speed overkill.

On 7/26/2018 at 9:29 AM, Five Cent Worth said:

Moving people around after spending $$$ on a new boat seems tough to swallow.

If you put a bunch of ballast and a bunch of people at the back of the boat, you can't really complain that you get a ton of bow rise and the boat won't plane out.  Is what it is.  

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The 2018 21VLX has a 1.5:1 tranny and I am pretty sure the 2017 does too.  The 22vlx has the 1.76:1 tranny.   I am running the OJ945 prop which is the Malibu prescribed high torque prop and it kicks a**.   Running 550s PnPs in my lockers and I have zero problems getting my boat up on plane with full ballast.

I find it funny that I am answering questions in the thread that I originally created lol.   I have been doing a LOT of homework and tweaks. :)

 

Edited by Blenderhead
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On 7/28/2018 at 8:32 PM, Blenderhead said:

The 2018 21VLX has a 1.5:1 tranny and I am pretty sure the 2017 does too.  The 22vlx has the 1.76:1 tranny.   I am running the OJ945 prop which is the Malibu prescribed high torque prop and it kicks a**.   Running 550s PnPs in my lockers and I have zero problems getting my boat up on plane with full ballast.

I find it funny that I am answering questions in the thread that I originally created lol.   I have been doing a LOT of homework and tweaks. :)

 

Where are you located? I use Nettles prop in Austin... Very informative and helped me with my 3rd different prop... ACME can do the same...  I run a crap load of weight and people and now run the 2777 with a 350 motor at sea level.... can push all the weight (4300lbs plus wedge plus crew of 4) to 23 mph... However I do run my ballast distributed correctly (2300 rear lockers, 600 rear/mid coffins, 500 mid, 900 front).

Best advise I can give is to use your movable ballast (people) around to find what makes the best wave for you... Once you find that, invest in lead or additional ballast bags... 

Edited by kerpluxal
  • Like 1
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On 7/28/2018 at 5:53 PM, shawndoggy said:

doesn't the 17+ 21VLX have a 1.72:1 transmission?  If so that 2419 is gonna be overkill.  Like 25 mph top speed overkill.

If you put a bunch of ballast and a bunch of people at the back of the boat, you can't really complain that you get a ton of bow rise and the boat won't plane out.  Is what it is.  

I guess it's about perspective.  I wouldn't normally consider 4 - 5 adults for a boat with a seating capacity of 12 (13?) to be a bunch.  But, this is our first tow boat.

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2 minutes ago, Five Cent Worth said:

I guess it's about perspective.  I wouldn't normally consider 4 - 5 adults for a boat with a seating capacity of 12 (13?) to be a bunch.  But, this is our first tow boat.

It is about perspective -- you gotta look at people as ballast.  Boat has to be balanced to be weighted correctly.  People will throw you off, in the same way that throwing a couple of 400lb sacks in the same place without the people would.  move a couple of humans to the bow, or dump some weight in the back to correct.  Not hard.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On ‎7‎/‎28‎/‎2018 at 8:32 PM, Blenderhead said:

The 2018 21VLX has a 1.5:1 tranny and I am pretty sure the 2017 does too.  The 22vlx has the 1.76:1 tranny.   I am running the OJ945 prop which is the Malibu prescribed high torque prop and it kicks a**.   Running 550s PnPs in my lockers and I have zero problems getting my boat up on plane with full ballast.

I find it funny that I am answering questions in the thread that I originally created lol.   I have been doing a LOT of homework and tweaks. :)

 

What's your top speed like with that prop? With my stock prop I top out at about 40mph and I'm getting left by the tri-toons on our way to the restaurant.

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On ‎8‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 4:21 PM, Weaklink said:

What's your top speed like with that prop? With my stock prop I top out at about 40mph and I'm getting left by the tri-toons on our way to the restaurant.

Good question.  I am not sure what my top speed is.... I will have to do a test this weekend.   Those tri-toons are fast!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just my two cents. 18’ 21 MLX. I fill all ballast to include PNP bags to 100%. If I have extra people on board I move them around accordingly i.e. heaviest person on the rear surf side and maybe two people on the bow if I have them (typically only have 2-3 on the boat). I run the wedge one click down on ramp and surf at 11. The issue is getting to 11 with the stock prop so I get going full power and start dumping the bags until I get there +maybe another 20 seconds. The wave cleans up and has plenty of push. It was enough for a 225 lb surfer on a 4’8” board to do whatever he wanted. 

Take this advise with a grain of salt though as this is my first tow boat and I have maybe 20 hours on it surfing so far. 

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  • 10 months later...

Guys, question please on an older thread.

My family and I are totally new to this and close to purchasing a 2019 21 VLX

Does anyone have a 21VLX and not run the additional PNP bags? (stands for plug and play I believe)

Really hate to give up any additional storage space, can you still surf without the additional bags? Particularly a wimpy beginer wave? Is this something that can be purchased later easily if we change our mind? 

thanks

 

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7 minutes ago, bob93713 said:

Guys, question please on an older thread.

My family and I are totally new to this and close to purchasing a 2019 21 VLX

Does anyone have a 21VLX and not run the additional PNP bags? (stands for plug and play I believe)

Really hate to give up any additional storage space, can you still surf without the additional bags? Particularly a wimpy beginer wave? Is this something that can be purchased later easily if we change our mind? 

thanks

 

The PNP bags can be easily purchased later but please get them now. You’ll hate the wave and have buyers remorse if you don’t. Promise.

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