Fuel Vent Surfing Sunsetter

[NYSKIER]

Hi all new to the forum, 

Just bought a 99 sunsetter lxi w/o a wedge around a month ago and I totally love it.  We mainly ski so obviously it's a great ski boat but I read some threads on here that it was possible to surf it (We don't car how big the wave is as long as it's surfable).  Talked to the Malibu dealer and he informed me that they would not put on a wedge one to a 99 sunsetter that did not already have a bracket.  He said that the transom would have to be reinforced (Not sure if that's true or not)  Regardless of this we bought some fat sacs and tried to surf this past weekend.  We came close but no cigar.  I've surfed off friends boats so I know how it should feel and I made sure to get a large board I just think I need to move the weight around.  Reason for my post is I'm worried that since I'd be surfing on the starboard side where the fuel vent is water could get in the vent.  Seen a lot of posts on the topic of what to do but I never saw any concrete answers.  Is there any way that I can switch the direction of the vent or cover it in some way until I am able to move it forward in the offseason?  Would I need to go through the back compartment where the fuel tank is?  Thanks in advance for the suggestions

[MadMan]

36 minutes ago, NYSKIER said:

  Is there any way that I can switch the direction of the vent or cover it in some way

Which way is yours facing?  the opening on mine is toward the rear.

With mine sacked out, the rub rail is under water at the rear while under way.  Haven't had an issue with water getting in the fuel vent as far as I know (but I was worried about it a few years ago).

[NYSKIER]

My vent is facing down that's why I was seeing if anyone knows how to move the opening so it is facing the rear.

[BlindSquirrel]

Not sure about the vent but you need a surf gate, or “suck gate” to help out. If you search the site for suck gate you’ll find plans to make one. 👍 

[Eagleboy99]

AFAIK all the hulls were the same and nothing extra added to the 99s for Wedge install.  You will need fat sacs incl bow weight.  And a suck gate ($80).  It will surf well.  But you might have a probelm with the vent.  You MUST tape it up (like duct tape) otherwise you will get water in the fuel.  ASk me how I know.

[formulaben]

I installed one of these.  I had to add some line and make a vertical loop as high up as possible in the gunnel, but it works great and looks more modern. 

I used a Dremel with a sandpaper barrel attachment (standard accessory) to widen the hole from the old vent.  Just use a vacuum when you're sanding...it goes fast and you don't want to breathe that fiberglass dust.  A good first project for cutting fiberglass on your boat if you've never done it.

Edited September 25, 2019 by formulaben
clarified procedure

[NYSKIER]

7 hours ago, Eagleboy99 said:

AFAIK all the hulls were the same and nothing extra added to the 99s for Wedge install.  You will need fat sacs incl bow weight.  And a suck gate ($80).  It will surf well.  But you might have a probelm with the vent.  You MUST tape it up (like duct tape) otherwise you will get water in the fuel.  ASk me how I know.

Thanks guys, any issues with taping it up? I've seen it mentioned on a couple of forums/posts.  Do you just cover it completely and then open it up after every ride to give it air? Also are you saying I'd be good to go ahead an put a wedge and bracket on?  Like I said when I talked to the dealer he said no problem just have to call malibu to get the part.  Then after he said Malibu told him they wouldn't sell him the floating wedge and that my boats transom couldn't take it.

Edited September 25, 2019 by NYSKIER

[MadMan]

43 minutes ago, NYSKIER said:

Thanks guys, any issues with taping it up?

I don't think I would tape it up, and pull a vacuum on the fuel tank.

[Eagleboy99]

3 hours ago, MadMan said:

I don't think I would tape it up, and pull a vacuum on the fuel tank.

Never had a problem getting a good surf wake when it was taped.  Only had issues when the tape job was not good.  That said, it is a bit risky and there needs to be a better vent routing.

[Chia]

I got tired of water in the tank from the vent. Taping was a hassle all the time.

I pulled the vent line off on the inside and stuck a lip balm into the hose and did up the clamp.

This was about 4 years and several hundred hours ago, no problems.

When i did it i thought i would just crack the fuel cap a bit every once in a while, but never did.

ymmv

Edited September 25, 2019 by Chia

[NYSKIER]

9 minutes ago, Chia said:

I got tired of water in the tank from the vent. Taping was a hassle all the time.

I pulled the vent line off on the inside and stuck a lip balm into the hose and did up the clamp.

Chia let me see if I'm understanding correctly you put lip balm in the vent hose so you now have no ventilation? I'm not following with the lip balm into the hose and doing up the clamp

[Chia]

2 minutes ago, NYSKIER said:

Chia let me see if I'm understanding correctly you put lip balm in the vent hose so you now have no ventilation? I'm not following with the lip balm into the hose and doing up the clamp

correct. I have no venting. the lip balm happened to be handy and about the right size as when i was slightly pissed about water in the tank.

Edited September 25, 2019 by Chia

[Eagleboy99]

20 minutes ago, Chia said:

correct. I have no venting. the lip balm happened to be handy and about the right size as when i was slightly pissed about water in the tank.

Nice work McGyver!    Water in the tank is no fun.

[NYSKIER]

26 minutes ago, Chia said:

correct. I have no venting. the lip balm happened to be handy and about the right size as when i was slightly pissed about water in the tank.

Interesting so no issues with no venting?  Anyone else have any opinions?  Really appreciate all the input just trying to get as much insight as possible.   Sorry for all the questions just trying to gather as much info as I can. Big fan of my new boat and like I said I'd love to be able to surf it I just want to make sure I'm not ruining anything

[Eagleboy99]

The only down side I can think of with no vent is that if your tank is full and sits in the sun, where does the overflow go?  Rare, but I have had a superfull tank overflow on expansion.  We rarely have a full tank though - unless we plan to surf.  And isn't it weird that on a car if the gas cap is loose you can get a Check Engine Light?

[MadMan]

1 hour ago, NYSKIER said:

Interesting so no issues with no venting?  Anyone else have any opinions?  Really appreciate all the input just trying to get as much insight as possible.   Sorry for all the questions just trying to gather as much info as I can. Big fan of my new boat and like I said I'd love to be able to surf it I just want to make sure I'm not ruining anything

There's got to be another vent (leak) somewhere,  for every gallon of fuel you burn it must be replaced with a gallon of air.  Could be a faulty gas cap, or marginal hose connection. 

[justgary]

3 minutes ago, MadMan said:

There's got to be another vent (leak) somewhere,  for every gallon of fuel you burn it must be replaced with a gallon of air.  Could be a faulty gas cap, or marginal hose connection. 

Or more likely, the plug he put in isn't perfect, and it keeps most of the water out while still allowing vapor to pass.  The vapor doesn't need much room to move, nor does it need to move very fast.

[Chia]

17 minutes ago, justgary said:

Or more likely, the plug he put in isn't perfect, and it keeps most of the water out while still allowing vapor to pass.  The vapor doesn't need much room to move, nor does it need to move very fast.

the hose is detached from the vent and the lip balm is hose clamped inside the vent line,  inside the hull.

I presume the fuel is being displaced with air, but i don't know how that is happening unless air is getting past a fuel cap that doesn't have an o-ring.

There is never a big sucking sound when i remove fuel cap to get fuel.

[MadMan]

I had a couple cars in my youth that had a clogged vent, there would be a tremendous sucking sound when the gas cap was removed.

Edited September 25, 2019 by MadMan

[NYSKIER]

16 hours ago, MadMan said:

Which way is yours facing?  the opening on mine is toward the rear.

Anyone know if I can change the direction of the vent so the opening faces slightly back?

[formulaben]

Yes, shouldn't be an issue.

[Eagleboy99]

2 hours ago, NYSKIER said:

Anyone know if I can change the direction of the vent so the opening faces slightly back?

Don't think that it will help to be honest.

[Nitrousbird]

I have the Vdrive version of your hull.  Mine sees a lot more weight than yours will and evenly weighted. Stock vent, no issues and been doing it for years.

As for the wedge, there is nothing different about the hull and your dealer is full of crap. 

[NYSKIER]

1 hour ago, Nitrousbird said:

As for the wedge, there is nothing different about the hull and your dealer is full of crap. 

If that's the case then anyone have a mounting bracket and wedge for sale?  Another dealer said he would put it on for 500 if I got it myself.  If I didn't he quoted me 2500 which I thought was astronomically high

[Nitrousbird]

3 hours ago, NYSKIER said:

If that's the case then anyone have a mounting bracket and wedge for sale?  Another dealer said he would put it on for 500 if I got it myself.  If I didn't he quoted me 2500 which I thought was astronomically high

$500 is robbery.  You line up the bracket, drill 4 hours and bolt it on.  Not something you pay someone to do.