Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

What size wake for my "new to me" boat?


MNNewb

Recommended Posts

After years of drooling I finally took the plunge this weekend.  Big thanks to this forum for giving me the confidence to make the purchase.  Lots of late night hours researching:)

Anyway, to my question.  Surf rookies and need to start shopping boards.  When asked, what kind of wake do I have?  Small?  Medium?  guessing not large with what else is out there nowadays

2013 VLX with stock ballast(includes bow option) and power wedge.  Have Plug n Play but won't be using that until right away.

Link to comment

That would prob be a smaller wave.  I would suggest getting plug and play bags. Prob 750’s. Would help tremendously. Also maybe some lead for the bow or a sack to throw up there. That’s if you want a really nice surf wave. It would take it from small to medium and def open up your board selection. 

Link to comment

I have the VLX, the stock wave is on the smaller size for surfing, nice and rampy for wakeboarding, and manageable for skiing.   If you slam it with people, lead and ballast bags you can get the surf wake to a large size quickly.  The boat loves weight and has plenty of free board.   

Link to comment

You will be impressed with the surf wave behind the VLX; we have a 2018 VLX (wake hull), with PnP, but don't often use it. Every wakesurf boat loves more weight (people) but if you only go out with a small crew (i.e your immediate family) then I would recommend investing in a bow bag of at least 600lbs. This allows you to use the PnP, full stock ballast, and have 4 people sit comfortably where ever they want with the bag in the bow. Bow rise is minimal then and the wave is huge...huge.

Surfing ropeless behind your boat should not be a problem at all - the wave is one thing...boards are another. I have personally had riders of all sizes (ranging from 50 pounds to 300 pounds) find the pocket and surf ropeless with ease. I suggest getting two boards for your different riders (ability, size, etc.).

Have fun!

Link to comment

Get the plug and play bags.  If you have a local surf shop or dealer ask if they demo boards.  Boards are all personal preference and trying out a demo beats forking out $100's for something you never ride.  If you ever have the opportunity to ride someone else's board,  do it.

The biggest difference in boards is the style, so IMO 1 skim and 1 surf style is a good place to start.  Look at the suggested rider weight before buying.

To save money so you can buy the bags look at Hyperlite and Liquid force.  If you have smaller kids definitely get one for their size. My 10yr old rides and Phase 5 Scamp.

Good luck! 

Link to comment
On 8/22/2018 at 10:35 AM, dcarl said:

Get the plug and play bags.  If you have a local surf shop or dealer ask if they demo boards.  Boards are all personal preference and trying out a demo beats forking out $100's for something you never ride.  If you ever have the opportunity to ride someone else's board,  do it.

The biggest difference in boards is the style, so IMO 1 skim and 1 surf style is a good place to start.  Look at the suggested rider weight before buying.

To save money so you can buy the bags look at Hyperlite and Liquid force.  If you have smaller kids definitely get one for their size. My 10yr old rides and Phase 5 Scamp.

Good luck! 

Thanks for the tips.  Bags are on the list for next year, just want to get things settled before the all to short season ends soon.

We will have some differences in rider weight and goals.  My wife is 120# and would love get up.  I'm at #195 and with much crashing I was getting ropeless on when we tried surfing for the first time.  We have different backgrounds, we're a boating family and her's did other things.  I don't know if we can find 1 sort of beginner board for my wife and general boat loaner board to get started.  Then maybe another board for me once I get a little better?  Thoughts?  

 

As for places to demo, do you know any?  I'm down the road from  you during the week and we use the boat in the Brainerd area?

Link to comment

The-House in Little Canada, they are a big online company that has a selection of boards you can demo.
Pinewski's in Anoka will let you demo any board for $30 and if decide to buy they take that off the price.
Both places have knowledgeable kids working there that will be able to help.

I'll be on the Whitefish chain labor day weekend if you want to demo ours:)

 

Link to comment
20 hours ago, MNNewb said:

Thanks for the tips.  Bags are on the list for next year, just want to get things settled before the all to short season ends soon.

We will have some differences in rider weight and goals.  My wife is 120# and would love get up.  I'm at #195 and with much crashing I was getting ropeless on when we tried surfing for the first time.  We have different backgrounds, we're a boating family and her's did other things.  I don't know if we can find 1 sort of beginner board for my wife and general boat loaner board to get started.  Then maybe another board for me once I get a little better?  Thoughts?  

 

As for places to demo, do you know any?  I'm down the road from  you during the week and we use the boat in the Brainerd area?

Awesome, welcome to the wakeboard/surf fam. in the MN area.

Everyone is going to prefer a different ride, but a good all around board is going to be something that is durable, on the longer side, and has a friendly shape. For example, the liquid force fish or the Ronix Rocket are friendly boards. Throw those on your stock VLX wave and have a good time. As you get better you can still have fun on those, but you may also want to invest in some other more aggressive boards. Pinewskis is a good spot to check boards out. Its more of a demo program than renting as you do put the demo money towards the final price of what ever board you end up buying.

Sounds like you keep the boat up in Brainerd, but if you are ever down in the twin cities area with the boat and wanted to see what more ballast would do we could meet up for a ride day and I could bring out some of my ronix ballast bags and a surf board. You are always welcome to come ride with our group as well on our older VLX. Just shoot me a message.

 

Also give Minnesota wakeboard and surf club a search on facebook. Sometimes get meetups put together, find others to ride with, ask questions.. all that stuff for the local minnesota area.

Minnesota watersports gear exchange is another page we started for swapping and selling gear in the MN area.                                   SHAMELESS PLUG :) 

Link to comment

@MNNewb I bought a 13 vlx earlier his year and picked up a liquid force happy pill for the all around board for beginners.  We have taught so many to get up and go ropeless with it summer. Brought lots of smiles to peoples faces. I am on Pelican lake up by Brainard. I was planing to try and give MN inboard a call in Baxter this week to see about demoing as well. Good luck!

 

Link to comment

Thanks a bunch for all the help!  Flipped a couple coins and a CWB Tsunami showed up at the door today.  Hoping for good weather this weekend and will give it a shot.

Link to comment
On 8/28/2018 at 10:38 PM, Elkinsa said:

@MNNewb I bought a 13 vlx earlier his year and picked up a liquid force happy pill for the all around board for beginners.  We have taught so many to get up and go ropeless with it summer. Brought lots of smiles to peoples faces. I am on Pelican lake up by Brainard. I was planing to try and give MN inboard a call in Baxter this week to see about demoing as well. Good luck!

 

Go Pill, have moved on but it taught many and ridden by many and still go to to teach

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...