2001 Sunsetter VLX Surf Setup

[Roosk]

Hello,

Just joined the forum.  Picking up a 2001 SS VLX this spring.  Looking for tips on a surf setup.  The boat has a manual wedge.

1. How much weight and where?
2. Should I relocate the battery?
3. Wake shaper preference?

Waiting for ice to melt, so all I can do is research for now. 

Thanks,

[UWSkier]

Kindof a shame to use such a great slalom V drive to surf, but here's how we used to run ours for surfing before we got bored of it.

600lbs surf side locker

600 lbs under surf side seats (left) 

500 lbs on surf side bow seats

Wedge down

No shaper

Wake had a ton of push that way.  We never tried a shaper on this boat, but @Slurpee had a setup that worked.  That ballast setup I used was heavily listed to port when underway but it gave a nice push, though a short wave by today's standards.  @Nitrousbird probably also has a more up-to-date setup for this hull but haven't seen him around here lately.

[Slurpee]

That's a blast from the past @UWSkier.

You mean this?  This was the summer that Malibu announced the surf gate for the first time and a bunch of us including myself went and made our own.  Worked surprisingly well compared to heavily listing the boat.

 

[Roosk]

On 3/20/2024 at 9:32 AM, UWSkier said:

Kindof a shame to use such a great slalom V drive to surf, but here's how we used to run ours for surfing before we got bored of it.

600lbs surf side locker

600 lbs under surf side seats (left) 

500 lbs on surf side bow seats

Wedge down

No shaper

Wake had a ton of push that way.  We never tried a shaper on this boat, but @Slurpee had a setup that worked.  That ballast setup I used was heavily listed to port when underway but it gave a nice push, though a short wave by today's standards.  @Nitrousbird probably also has a more up-to-date setup for this hull but haven't seen him around here lately.

@UWSkierI can't wait to ski behind it, but the kids are excited to try surfing.  Our last boat was an old outboard so this is a major upgrade.  Thanks for the info.

[Roosk]

On 3/20/2024 at 9:52 AM, Slurpee said:

That's a blast from the past @UWSkier.

You mean this?  This was the summer that Malibu announced the surf gate for the first time and a bunch of us including myself went and made our own.  Worked surprisingly well compared to heavily listing the boat.

 

This is an awesome thread.  Makes me feel lazy to just go buy a mission delta.