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Tabs for a smaller wake


barefootpaul

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We have a 2008 23 LSV. Picked it up a few years ago to replace our 99 response due to our growing family. Love the new boat. Been contemplating tabs for a little while for surfing. We don't surf that much so they haven't bubbled up tot the top of the priority list.

This summer the kids (10 and under) have really gotten into riding. Knee boarding, wake boarding, skiing, etc. The problem for them is the absolutely huge wake this boat kicks out at 12-15mph. Over the last couple weeks I have been thinking about tabs again and been wondering if they would help tame the wake. My thought is both tabs deployed down simultaneously would level the boat angle resulting in a more manageable kid wake. Any experience, thoughts, or other ideas?

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2 minutes ago, Bradley Thornton said:

Are we talking about surfing or all sports?

 

I am mostly interested in if/how surf tabs work to make the wake smaller for non surf towed water sports. Primarily for my kids at low speed. Also might be nice when I want to slalom ski at 30+

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For surfing they are sweet this is my son thats 8 I just fill all stock ballast + wedge and deploy tab after he is up and ready. Nice little small wake for him.

I have never used it in other sports but everything I know about boats says its a bad idea.

Smaller boat less wake, It makes the boat bigger.  (Have you tried adding some weight to the front to bring your back end up thats what I do)

Now I guess if you set them up to be just a degree or 2 deployed it could help lift the back out of the water and help bring the nose down. But a person would have to set the tabs to do that. 

I'll be out all Labor Day weekend and can see how it does when I try and use them for that reason. Worth a shot. I'll try and get some before and after pics for you. (If I don't forget) PM me if you want and I'll give you my number you can call and remind me.

 

IMG_7782.jpg

Edited by Bradley Thornton
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9 minutes ago, Bradley Thornton said:

(Have you tried adding some weight to the front to bring your back end up thats what I do)

 

@barefootpaul try this for sure, fill the front ballast and leave the rest empty.  That should help a lot.  Also, you can lengthen or shorten the rope to put them in a better spot too.  A short rope makes wake to wake much easier (knee boarding, wakeboarding) and a long rope should put them past crisp wake and into the wash which is easier to travel across.

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1 minute ago, Michigan boarder said:

@barefootpaul try this for sure, fill the front ballast and leave the rest empty.  That should help a lot.  Also, you can lengthen or shorten the rope to put them in a better spot too.  A short rope makes wake to wake much easier (knee boarding, wakeboarding) and a long rope should put them past crisp wake and into the wash which is easier to travel across.

I do fill the bow ballast, and it helps a some.

We are a long ways form wake to wake... We are trying to get them to be able to just get outside the wake. It's pretty funny to watch a 7 year old pull with all his might to get over the huge mountain, fail, and zoom to the other side to try again.

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18 minutes ago, Bradley Thornton said:

For surfing they are sweet this is my son thats 8 I just fill all stock ballast + wedge and deploy tab after he is up and ready. Nice little small wake for him.

I have never used it in other sports but everything I know about boats says its a bad idea.

Smaller boat less wake, It makes the boat bigger.  (Have you tried adding some weight to the front to bring your back end up thats what I do)

Now I guess if you set them up to be just a degree or 2 deployed it could help lift the back out of the water and help bring the nose down. But a person would have to set the tabs to do that. 

I'll be out all Labor Day weekend and can see how it does when I try and use them for that reason. Worth a shot. I'll try and get some before and after pics for you. (If I don't forget) PM me if you want and I'll give you my number you can call and remind me.

 

IMG_7782.jpg

That looks like a really great kids surf wake. My kids haven't asked to surf yet. I'm sure it will be one of these days.

 

Before and after pictures would be great! I'll PM for your number to remind you. Thanks!

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Few thing to look at and you may know all this. 12mph is really slow like I would think puts a ton of weight on the rider in drag. 

My son wakeboards at 16mph thats just fast enough to get the drag off him. I made him learn to go back and forth behind the boat from wake to wake carving with speed once he learned how to do it with a little speed getting over the wake was no problem. We had him up riding a 3yrs old. He also doesn't get hurt at that speed. 

My little girl 11 rides at 17mph that gets the drag off her. 

Regardless speed will help get the boat up on plain and will make less wake also.

Again you may already know all this

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1 hour ago, barefootpaul said:

I do fill the bow ballast, and it helps a some.

We are a long ways form wake to wake... We are trying to get them to be able to just get outside the wake. It's pretty funny to watch a 7 year old pull with all his might to get over the huge mountain, fail, and zoom to the other side to try again.

Wow that brings back memories, sorry now I know exactly what you are talking about!

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1 hour ago, Cole2001 said:

Two outside tabs down when going in that speed range have a ton of wash and spray all over the place. 

Can you elaborate?

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5 hours ago, barefootpaul said:

Can you elaborate?

Just going off of the boats with quick launch using all the tabs going down at once. When they’re down there’s a lot of turbulence from such a large displacement of water, causing major wash on the wake. 

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The Go Surf Assist tabs will not do what you want.  Although you can deploy both at the same time for lift they retract after you pass surfing speed.  I do love them for surfing though.

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