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Weighted Boat Takes FOREVER to Plane - DIY Solution?


ShawnM

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I've got a 2006 Malibu VLX with the stock factory ballast (500lb rear, 450lb center, and 350lb bow). Then we threw in some 800 pound bags in each side of the rear lockers of the boat. We can't really fill the bow bag to max capacity because it starts pushing the seat cushions up. So I'd say when "full" it's sitting at about 300lbs. When we're wakeboarding, we throw the Power Wedge down and fill all ballast in the boat and depending on how big the crew is that day, the boat takes forever to level out. I'm talking like a solid 45seconds with the throttle cranked down.

Obviously I need a little more weight in the bow of the boat so instead of telling the big guy to sit up front each time, I decided to start brainstorming. I thought about throwing down some lead bags on the floor of the bow or even on the cushions but I really hate to waste space in a boat. There's the little, side storage compartments up front which could fit some good weight but again I don't want to waste space.

So instead I decided to get a little creative (and save a bit of money).

I removed the bow navigation light and found that there is a big ole empty space in between the bow cushions and the actual hull of the boat. So I decided to put a bag in there and fill that bad boy with sand. I went to my local firefighters and told them I needed some sand bags for a storm coming up... :lol: I then grabbed 5 empty bags and 1 full bag of sand (roughly 50lbs). I then quintupled the bags and slowly and carefully filled it up so I didn't spill any sand all over my boat.

I'd say I got the bag inside my boat to weigh about 30-35lbs and it's completely hidden. I could have easily fit about 50lbs of sand in that space but I wanted a little wiggle room just in case I need to reach in for wiring purposes or something. Plus that 30-35lbs are at the very tip of the boat so in theory it should offer more leverage and help the boat plane a lot quicker even though it's only 35lbs... right?

Here's pics: https://imgur.com/a/6j1gelv

I'm heading out to the lake tomorrow to see if I notice any difference at all but I want to hear some feedback from the community! Good idea? Bad Idea?

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7 minutes ago, Choiceind said:

Your prop number might help, its on the back of the prop, arounf the collar by the shaft. If its not a 1235, I would get one.

1235?  It's not 2010 anymore - many better choices now; that's a dated suggestion.

OP - I bet you are running the stock 537 prop.  Time to upgrade to a proper 15" prop.

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5 minutes ago, CJAY said:

What engine, what altitude are you at, where is the wedge set to?  

The standard 340 Monsoon | 1,500 feet in elevation | Wedge is all the way down

15 minutes ago, Choiceind said:

Your prop number might help, its on the back of the prop, arounf the collar by the shaft. If its not a 1235, I would get one.

The prop is indeed a 1235

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7 minutes ago, ShawnM said:

The standard 340 Monsoon | 1,500 feet in elevation | Wedge is all the way down

Odds are you're running a little too heavy with wedge.  You'll need to dump some weight based on size of crew if you want to speed up the planing process.  The good thing is you're getting on plane, so you're not completely over the threshold.  Like you said bow weight will help, it will also firm up your wake.  I'd get a 750lbs bow sack and an external pump and just fill that instead of taking pieces off of the boat itself to fill with lead.  I had a 2007 vtx with the 350 and a 1235 prop running 750s in the back and the bow sack helped us plane faster, but it still took time to get there with that much weight.  Bus love bow weight

Edited by CJAY
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4 minutes ago, CJAY said:

Odds are you're running a little too heavy with wedge.  You'll need to dump some weight based on size of crew if you want to speed up the planing process.  The good thing is you're getting on plane, so you're not completely over the threshold.  Like you said bow weight will help, it will also firm up your wake.  I'd get a 750lbs bow sack and an external pump and just fill that instead of taking pieces off of the boat itself to fill with lead.  I had a 2007 vtx with the 350 and a 1235 prop running 750s in the back and the bow sack helped us plane faster, but it still took time to get there with that much weight.  Bus love bow weight

Where do you put the 750lb bow sack though? Just right on top of the seats?

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1 minute ago, ShawnM said:

Where do you put the 750lb bow sack though? Just right on top of the seats?

Yeah right on top of the seats.  I still do the same with my 25lsv.  If riding is your goal it shouldn't be a big deal

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42 minutes ago, ShawnM said:

The standard 340 Monsoon | 1,500 feet in elevation | Wedge is all the way down

The prop is indeed a 1235

If your the 1;49 to 1 then 2419 or 2315 if you really have a crowd with full ballast , 2419 st your elevation shoukd do it but the 2315 shoukd be a guarantee but an even slower top end than the 2419.  

I need to invest $550 on a 2419’for sea level to upgrade my 1235 and cut my gas bill from those same long get ups or level instead of listed surfing as the prop quickly should pay for itself

and your still gonna need 3-700 lead so the poor fat guy doesn’t have to roast in the bow and the more everybody wdnts to be in cabin or on locker sun pad and wedge , the more you need in the bow thereby with more plow the need for more prop

Even when up there people often sit backwards leaving room on cushions by the windshield end of cushion for on cushion lead in the corners , you can put ALOT of lead in pretty small space with no issues to cushion skins

do you air bleed the front sac to max fill it, snd who cares if it forces the cushion up, if someone sits or walks in that cushion , it will force some water out and it passively drains some anyway whether you walk in it or not

Edited by granddaddy55
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35 lbs in sand isn't going to do it.  As others have said, you need more bow weight.  If you sum up how you've changed the weight distribution...

REAR: +500 lb, +800 lb, +800 lb

CENTER: +450 lb 

BOW: +300 lb, +35 lb 

Now add your crew...which mostly sit in the CENTER or REAR of the boat.  Run less in the rear bags, or add a bow sac. 

Edited by TylerH427
grammar
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1 hour ago, granddaddy55 said:

If your the 1;49 to 1 then 2419 or 2315 if you really have a crowd with full ballast , 2419 st your elevation shoukd do it but the 2315 shoukd be a guarantee but an even slower top end than the 2419.  

I need to invest $550 on a 2419’for sea level to upgrade my 1235 and cut my gas bill from those same long get ups or level instead of listed surfing as the prop quickly should pay for itself

and your still gonna need 3-700 lead so the poor fat guy doesn’t have to roast in the bow and the more everybody wdnts to be in cabin or on locker sun pad and wedge , the more you need in the bow thereby with more plow the need for more prop

Even when up there people often sit backwards leaving room on cushions by the windshield end of cushion for on cushion lead in the corners , you can put ALOT of lead in pretty small space with no issues to cushion skins

do you air bleed the front sac to max fill it, snd who cares if it forces the cushion up, if someone sits or walks in that cushion , it will force some water out and it passively drains some anyway whether you walk in it or not

2419 is a lower prop than the 2315 because of the cup

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do you have a tank in front or filling bags under front seats. If bags you are not getting anywhere close to 300lbs. I redid the front of my boat and added a 900 triangle under seats.. the space is still usable, but as bag fills towards capacity, the platform and seats rise..

IMG_20180421_161721149_zpsgkrqlrcw.jpg

IMG_20180421_161709551_HDR_zpszsghpxys.j

IMG_20180421_192846963_zpsklk8ppsl.jpg

Edited by kerpluxal
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  • 3 weeks later...
On 9/27/2018 at 7:22 PM, kerpluxal said:

do you have a tank in front or filling bags under front seats. If bags you are not getting anywhere close to 300lbs. I redid the front of my boat and added a 900 triangle under seats.. the space is still usable, but as bag fills towards capacity, the platform and seats rise..

IMG_20180421_161721149_zpsgkrqlrcw.jpg

what does it look like with out the bag? I have wanted to do this but would be way more comfortable doing so seeing what the finished project should look like. And how exactly did you go about doing the demo? Lots of sanding and smoothing, and probably threw some new carpet in there? 

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7 hours ago, AJwakedevil said:

what does it look like with out the bag? I have wanted to do this but would be way more comfortable doing so seeing what the finished project should look like. And how exactly did you go about doing the demo? Lots of sanding and smoothing, and probably threw some new carpet in there? 

I did not have to do anything to the floor, it is the same as rest of flooring in boat.

For Demo:

  1. Removed seats,
  2. Removed 14 screws holding the U shape support out
  3. Removed U shape support

No sanding, no smoothing. Almost done with my temporary wood platform. I am going use the wood template to cut new piece out of HPDE and carpet that.

 

 

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On 10/17/2018 at 5:51 PM, kerpluxal said:

I did not have to do anything to the floor, it is the same as rest of flooring in boat.

For Demo:

  1. Removed seats,
  2. Removed 14 screws holding the U shape support out
  3. Removed U shape support

No sanding, no smoothing. Almost done with my temporary wood platform. I am going use the wood template to cut new piece out of HPDE and carpet that.

 

 

I dont have perfect memory of my boat, but I have to believe the design changed since 2004 because if I recall correctly mines is molded in, not screwed in..?

 

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On ‎9‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 7:22 PM, kerpluxal said:

do you have a tank in front or filling bags under front seats. If bags you are not getting anywhere close to 300lbs. I redid the front of my boat and added a 900 triangle under seats.. the space is still usable, but as bag fills towards capacity, the platform and seats rise..

IMG_20180421_161721149_zpsgkrqlrcw.jpg

IMG_20180421_161709551_HDR_zpszsghpxys.j

IMG_20180421_192846963_zpsklk8ppsl.jpg

How much weight do you think you can get in that triangle bag under the seat?

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1 hour ago, AJwakedevil said:

I dont have perfect memory of my boat, but I have to believe the design changed since 2004 because if I recall correctly mines is molded in, not screwed in..?

 

should be screwed in.. it looks molded.. but it is not.. if you pull the bow seats up, look for two brackets on each side that are screwed down. I can't really see a molded option and non molded option for the same boat with or without front ballast. 

Although, can't remember when ballast tanks were options on them either. So you could be right with your 2004... My 2000 LX was molded in...

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1 hour ago, Kojak said:

How much weight do you think you can get in that triangle bag under the seat?

I would have to measure it out, apply math, and get back to you... 3 inches more than stock is all I can say right now ;) 

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1 hour ago, kerpluxal said:

I would have to measure it out, apply math, and get back to you... 3 inches more than stock is all I can say right now ;) 

I'm wondering if it's worth it to remove my hard tank and install a bag in order to free up bow seating but I'm not not if I'll have enough bow weight if I do that.

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22 minutes ago, Kojak said:

I'm wondering if it's worth it to remove my hard tank and install a bag in order to free up bow seating but I'm not not if I'll have enough bow weight if I do that.

so for me it works like this... most of the time there is 3 - 5 of us on boat and no one sits in front.. so on those days I fill the front to max and let the seats rise (900lbs).. on the times that the boat has 10 + and people are sitting in front.. then I fill to the bottom of platform as I now have the additional ballast on top so I don't have to fill as full..

I did not have a bow tank in front to begin with, and the horseshoe was not doing the job I needed, I was still filling a center bag with it. 

This was an easier solution and kept the front useable, even when bag is full and raising the platform... I would not let kids up front when full. 

Edited by kerpluxal
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