Aftermarket wedge installation possibilities and limits

[RaequelHoffmanMcCosker]

I'm wanting to hear some success or lack-of-success testimonies involved in the process of putting wedges on boats that did not already have them. I'm not talking about wave shapers going on the sides of boats for wakesurfing... I'm talking about WEDGES underneath the swimdeck platform for shaping up/improving the wakeboarding wake/popiness/velocity for wakeboarders. I've purchased an 01 Malibu wakesetter and there is no wedge nor base plate for a wedge to be added on. I'd like to have a wedge for wakeboarding purposes, and I was told by a mechanic that unless it was already on the Malibu, it's difficult to have it installed. What exactly are the risks and limits that are involved with having it installed in this case?

Also: don't laugh... or do... but I'm just going to go ahead and ask this just in case anybody knows of this being done: Has anybody ever made a suction-cup wedge you can manually apply-when-desired that actually goes beneath the swimdeck? How crazy or not-crazy of an idea is this, and has this been tried before? I can imagine one risk (besides it falling off and sinking if it didn't float) would be... it falls off and somehow gets caught up in the prop or shaft or rudder... and yeah that would suck... but IF the driver managed to not go in reverse... would that deter that from happening completely? Other hypothetical risks involved with this? Well... I just figured this would be the appropriate place to ask if this has ever successfully (or unsuccessfully) been tested out in the real world? 

[justgary]

The fact that a wedge requires a backing plate to keep it from ripping the bolts through the transom is a clue to the several hundred pounds of down force they generate.

I don't see why you couldn't add one, but you need access to the inside of the transom to add the backing plate.  The transom also needs to be smooth in that area to make sure that the plate makes good contact so it can distribute the force.

[Eagleboy99]

Do a correct install, rather than futzing with some suction cup thing that is likely to go into Davy Jones Locker.

[UWSkier]

7 hours ago, RaequelHoffmanMcCosker said:

I'm wanting to hear some success or lack-of-success testimonies involved in the process of putting wedges on boats that did not already have them. I'm not talking about wave shapers going on the sides of boats for wakesurfing... I'm talking about WEDGES underneath the swimdeck platform for shaping up/improving the wakeboarding wake/popiness/velocity for wakeboarders. I've purchased an 01 Malibu wakesetter and there is no wedge nor base plate for a wedge to be added on. I'd like to have a wedge for wakeboarding purposes, and I was told by a mechanic that unless it was already on the Malibu, it's difficult to have it installed. What exactly are the risks and limits that are involved with having it installed in this case?

Also: don't laugh... or do... but I'm just going to go ahead and ask this just in case anybody knows of this being done: Has anybody ever made a suction-cup wedge you can manually apply-when-desired that actually goes beneath the swimdeck? How crazy or not-crazy of an idea is this, and has this been tried before? I can imagine one risk (besides it falling off and sinking if it didn't float) would be... it falls off and somehow gets caught up in the prop or shaft or rudder... and yeah that would suck... but IF the driver managed to not go in reverse... would that deter that from happening completely? Other hypothetical risks involved with this? Well... I just figured this would be the appropriate place to ask if this has ever successfully (or unsuccessfully) been tested out in the real world? 

A Wedge can be added.  You just need the correct hardware for it.  You should be able to get the measurements off of a '02 VLX as those were available with Wedges and although the deck changed, below the rub rail, it's the same boat.

[Nitrousbird]

I wouldn't use that mechanic - he doesn't know what he is talking about.  My '01 had its wedge added by the dealer (right after the boat was purchased, which is odd with how well optioned my boat came).  Line up, drill 4 holes, install the bracket.  Not a huge deal.  I later swapped the manual wedge for a floating wedge and unless you are getting the manual cheap and in good shape, the floater is a superior design, looks much better and is more sturdy.

[RaequelHoffmanMcCosker]

Thanks so much for the responses y'all! I keep my boat in a berth slip for the summertime, so this installation will need to be an end-of-season procedure/exciting for next season.  @Nitrousbird I assume/but am curious if it was an easy swap from manual to floating since you'd already had the manual added on/ didn't have to do any re-drilling of holes? Some re-wiring work I assume? Just wanting to consume all the info on this I can before I make the final decision to add this on. 

[tbullard]

5 hours ago, Nitrousbird said:

I wouldn't use that mechanic - he doesn't know what he is talking about.  My '01 had its wedge added by the dealer (right after the boat was purchased, which is odd with how well optioned my boat came).  Line up, drill 4 holes, install the bracket.  Not a huge deal.  I later swapped the manual wedge for a floating wedge and unless you are getting the manual cheap and in good shape, the floater is a superior design, looks much better and is more sturdy.

Were you able to purchase the floating wedge from a dealer or did you find a used one? I have a manual wedge but the bolts keep snapping so an upgrade would be great.

[martinarcher]

Neither the manual or floating wedge use any wiring or power.  They are both "manually" deployed by the user.  The manual is an anodized aluminum plate on the boat with cust arms and an aluminum foil.  The floater is all stainless (bracket, arms, and foil).  The power wedge is probably what you're thinking of with the wiring question since it is operated from the helm and uses linear actuators to deploy and set it's angle. 

The difficulty of equipping boats with wedges that don't have them depends of that era boat ever shipped or was designed for a wedge.  Yours was so it's an easy addition as mentioned above, you just need to acquire the parts and install them.  The old boats like mine with different exhaust spacing and transoms that weren't designed for the pull of a wedge make it much more challenging but doesn't stop some people.    

 

Here's my transom...the previous owner rugger gets credit for this build.

 

 

 

[Nitrousbird]

22 hours ago, RaequelHoffmanMcCosker said:

Thanks so much for the responses y'all! I keep my boat in a berth slip for the summertime, so this installation will need to be an end-of-season procedure/exciting for next season.  @Nitrousbird I assume/but am curious if it was an easy swap from manual to floating since you'd already had the manual added on/ didn't have to do any re-drilling of holes? Some re-wiring work I assume? Just wanting to consume all the info on this I can before I make the final decision to add this on. 

Direct swap, same holes, same backing plate even.  No wiring on manual and floating wedges.  

22 hours ago, tbullard said:

Were you able to purchase the floating wedge from a dealer or did you find a used one? I have a manual wedge but the bolts keep snapping so an upgrade would be great.

Wedge new from Bakes, found the bracket from a forum member.  

[Eagleboy99]

Ruggers build including plans!  https://www.wakegarage.com/projects-archive/ballast-projects/custom-fabricated-wedge-for-80s-direct-drive-r6/  Some mad skillz there!!

[tbullard]

Checked with Bakes and the mount for the floating wedge is available for purchase from Malibu but at a cost of $1600 making the entire swap about $2,300 after also buying the wedge. Don't think it would be worth that.