LIFT setting - Power Wedge II for skiing 30+MPH VLX21

[nolans86]

I've been reading a few threads about the topic of skiing in LIFT mode but I haven’t come across anything suggesting it’s bad for the boat and would appreciate hearing from the community what’s known.  I just pulled my wife and daughter, both experienced recreational/slalom skiers, with our 2019 VLX21 at 31 mph in lift mode, and they loved it compared to the wake with wedge stored… lift-mode tables the wake very nicely.    

Is the “wedge down high speed” warning triggering at 25mph applicable to lift mode (hydrofoil affect) versus all other settings (drag affect), or could the warning be a simple written code where it’s triggered at 25mph regardless of settings other than STOR-mode?  
 

what I’ve seen posted by others has been a net positive experience, but is there a downside for the boat?  Maybe a structure/engineering concern with wedge, seals, fasteners, or stress on fiberglass?  Appreciate the experience sharing

Thanks.

Edited August 21, 2023 by nolans86

[Shea]

28 minutes ago, nolans86 said:

I've been reading a few threads about the topic of skiing in LIFT mode but I haven’t come across anything suggesting it’s bad for the boat and would appreciate hearing from the community what’s known.  I just pulled my wife and daughter with our 2019 VLX21 at 31 mph in lift mode, experienced recreational/slalom skiers, and they loved it compared to the wake with wedge stored… lift-mode tables the wake very nicely.    

Is the “wedge down high speed” warning triggering at 25mph applicable to lift mode (hydrofoil affect) versus all other settings (drag affect), or could the warning be a simple written code where it’s triggered at 25mph regardless of settings other than STOR-mode?  
 

what I’ve seen posted by others has been a net positive experience, but is there something being missed?  Maybe a structure/engineering concern with wedge, seals, fasteners, or stress on fiberglass?

Thanks.

FWIW I was told by the dealership not to drive the boat over 25ish MPH in lift move as the wedge could be ripped off.  Seems weird to me that it's okay to drive at wakeboard speed with the boat fully loaded and wedge in a position that I feel would cause far more resistance but not okay in lift mode with the boat empty to ski.  Maybe they say that because the lift mode was designed to level the boat out fully loaded with ballast?  Might be totally fine to run it at 31mph to ski with ballast empty.  Not sure, just my thoughts.  The dealer told me this for my 2022 23LSV, so maybe he assumed I wouldn't ski behind it...  Would be great to know as my sister in law is an amazing slalom skier and hates being behind the 23LSV with a wake hull.  If I could reduce the wake for her to ski she would be stoked.  

[amartin]

1 minute ago, Shea said:

FWIW I was told by the dealership not to drive the boat over 25ish MPH in lift move as the wedge could be ripped off.  Seems weird to me that it's okay to drive at wakeboard speed with the boat fully loaded and wedge in a position that I feel would cause far more resistance but not okay in lift mode with the boat empty to ski.  Maybe they say that because the lift mode was designed to level the boat out fully loaded with ballast?  Might be totally fine to run it at 31mph to ski with ballast empty.  Not sure, just my thoughts.  The dealer told me this for my 2022 23LSV, so maybe he assumed I wouldn't ski behind it...  Would be great to know as my sister in law is an amazing slalom skier and hates being behind the 23LSV with a wake hull.  If I could reduce the wake for her to ski she would be stoked.  

I was told exactly the opposite - lift mode is fine above the warning. Who knows what the truth is!

[Shea]

8 minutes ago, amartin said:

I was told exactly the opposite - lift mode is fine above the warning. Who knows what the truth is!

Super interesting.  I'll ask the dealer again about it and see if I hear anything different.  Would be awesome to use it more.  I tend to avoid it based on what I was told.  Thanks for the info! 

[nolans86]

4 hours ago, amartin said:

I was told exactly the opposite - lift mode is fine above the warning. Who knows what the truth is!

Appreciate both comments. funny seeing in the first two comments the topic arriving where I landed after all my looking.  Hopefully the truth comes out in subsequent comments.

Edited August 21, 2023 by nolans86

[Hamboats]

*bump

Would love to see what those here with experience have to say about this topic. I’m tempted to do the same but have hesitated ‘just in case’. Seems to me they wouldn’t create an alarm for no reason, but I don’t know…

Edited August 22, 2023 by Hamboats

[dizzygti]

Based on the Axis 2023 Owner's Manual, one would think the warning is just telling you that the wedge is locked and can't be moved until speeds are reduced.   

"When the Vessel Speed is between 1.0 mph and 10.0 mph (1 kph and 16 kph) the Power Wedge can be moved to or from the Stow position. If the Power Wedge is deployed (Lift to Wedge 6), the Power Wedge Position can be changed when the Vessel Speed is below 26.0 mph (41 kph).  When the Vessel Speed is above 26.0 mph (41 kph), the Power Wedge is locked in place."

However, based on the Malibu 2023 Owner's Manual, it's not to be used above 26mph.  

"Notice: The Power Wedge is not intended for use at speeds greater than 26 mph. An alarm will sound and a NOTICE will be displayed if the Power Wedge is in a deployed position at speeds exceeding 26 mph. Boat speed must be below 26 mph to dismiss the alarm."

The warning to not use above 26mph does not appear in the Axis manual.  

[ztarum]

We ski with the wedge in lift all of the time with no apparent ill effects to the boat itself.  Higher speeds will induce some unstable handling characteristics however, which I suspect is the main reason behind the warning.  We limit our speed in lift to 28.6 mph, and even then the boat feels a bit "tippy" for lack of a better term, particularly if you have a skier that can really pull.  The next higher 30.4 mph slalom speed feels too unstable to me, so we don't run at that speed or above in lift.