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Wakesurf Wakes


Romi

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Just tried surfing last summer and really like it but I'm really into slalom. My boat is a '99 Response LX with wedge. Does anyone have advice on setting it up for surfing or is it not worth the hassle. Wake surfing is the perfect compliment to slalom since the conditon of the water doesn't matter.
A smaller wave just requires more skill from the rider. Anyone can surf a huge wake. Woody and I took my little Sporty out with my older boy (all of 100 lbs) and the three of us surfed with no wedge just 1250 lbs of water ballast. My boy could go ropeless no problem, I had to concentrate to stay with it (I'm about 160 lbs and grew up surfing), but Woody (who has maybe 20 - 30 lbs on me) struggled to go ropeless. With a wedge and a couple of extra people...you shouldn't have any problem at all. Just be aware of your wake and where it's heading and mindful of the fact that your low freeboard is almost non-existent when weighted for surfing.

EDIT: I didn't mean to sound like Woody lacks surfing skills (he doesn't, he shreds). I am apparently right at the weight limit for the little wave generated by my boat. Woody's extra 20 pushed him past that limit.

I am able to just barely go ropeless on the Response LX with only the wedge and 3 people in the boat. That's with a 6' fish but I am literally right at the swim platform. I just wonder if the extra ballast will help significantly enough. Also, I've heard stories about getting water in the gas via the vent, which is at the starboard rear corner.

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I could surf behind my last boat ('02 Response) with wedge, and 600 lbs of ballast (300 right behind motor and 300 on surf side). It got pretty crowded in the boat, but I could go ropeless (I am 160 lbs.) Have the driver head slightly in the direction that the surfer is on (helps the wake shape). Just be careful, that is a lot of weight for a low freeboard boat.

As for the gas inlet, my buddy had problems with his X-10 when we surfed (probably 'cause he had sooo much weight he almost ank the boat). Water was actually getting through the gas cap. He moved the gas fill tube to under the motor-box sundeck pad and that fixed the issue.

-Jim

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Just tried surfing last summer and really like it but I'm really into slalom. My boat is a '99 Response LX with wedge. Does anyone have advice on setting it up for surfing or is it not worth the hassle. Wake surfing is the perfect compliment to slalom since the conditon of the water doesn't matter.
A smaller wave just requires more skill from the rider. Anyone can surf a huge wake. Woody and I took my little Sporty out with my older boy (all of 100 lbs) and the three of us surfed with no wedge just 1250 lbs of water ballast. My boy could go ropeless no problem, I had to concentrate to stay with it (I'm about 160 lbs and grew up surfing), but Woody (who has maybe 20 - 30 lbs on me) struggled to go ropeless. With a wedge and a couple of extra people...you shouldn't have any problem at all. Just be aware of your wake and where it's heading and mindful of the fact that your low freeboard is almost non-existent when weighted for surfing.

EDIT: I didn't mean to sound like Woody lacks surfing skills (he doesn't, he shreds). I am apparently right at the weight limit for the little wave generated by my boat. Woody's extra 20 pushed him past that limit.

I am able to just barely go ropeless on the Response LX with only the wedge and 3 people in the boat. That's with a 6' fish but I am literally right at the swim platform. I just wonder if the extra ballast will help significantly enough. Also, I've heard stories about getting water in the gas via the vent, which is at the starboard rear corner.

Yes, it definately can be done. I'm also a slalom junky but I like to surf when the wally's come out. I am able to surf ropeless all the way around the lake quite easily with my driver who is about 150lbs, my son spotting who is 45lbs and 7 gas cans of sand and 4 sand bags. in the back left hand corner. Wedge down. I have a landlock with 2 1.1 fins that allows me to work the face pretty good and occasionally I can pull off a 360 on top. I'm hoping I can do more with Dragon88's LF board. Speed is key but once you get it figured out I've found that even if there is a stiff wind I can ride either into it or with it and still get a good ride it just takes some adjustment to where you ride the face. We have a counter clockwise lake so for us having that slight turn to the rider side is perfect.

I tried putting up to 8 people in the boat, loading the bow with ballast and all sorts of combinations but I found that my driver/son/sand cans are the bomb. With too much weight the wave gets only slightly bigger, washed out and unridable.

You have to watch out as occasionally my driver will dip the nose into the huge roller when coming back to get me after a fall and be careful with the low freeboard on the riders side when picking up riders or if you are sitting and you have big rollers heading for that corner. It gives your bilge pump a workout.

If you want more info on exactly where I'm weighting with the cans let me know.

Edit: I haven't had any issues with water going in the vent as yet. The boat is tipped to the port and when the driver comes around he turns to the port side so the vent is never in the water. Turning starboard is a little more difficult because of all the weight in the back left corner. The boat wants to turn left.

Edited by Rod S
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Rod and Jim,

Thanks for the info. This is exactly what I was hoping for! Rod, yes I am interested in exactly where the sand cans are located and I wonder if we could do water filled cans. As for the gas vent... I am goofy, so that is my scare. But if it looks like a problem I don't mind surfing backside. As it is right now, what little wave we have is a little juicier on the portside anyway.

Does this setup allow you to get back away from the platform at all? A little more breathing room would be great.

Deke

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Yes you can get back from the platform. Part of it has to do with your wake shape. We have had some waves that were very steep and right behind the platform and they always want to push you into the boat. I don't remember what combination it was that did that but it obviously wasn't too desireable.

I weighed the gas cans one time and they ranged between 55-60lbs each. The water will be lighter but maybe you can use more or bigger cans. I like the 50lb sand bags too as they are easy to carry and place in the boat ( I duct taped the crap out of them to keep them from leaking!)

We put 4 of the cans right along the back left gunwale. We turn them so they are packed in the back corner as tight as possible. Then we put 3 cans behind the motor box as far to the port side as possible. We stack 3 sand bags on top of the gas cans just one level thick as far to the back left as we can get them. They kinda fit and get wedged between the handles of the plastic gas cans so they stay in place even though they look like they could get tossed over the gunwale. Then finally 1 sand bag in the back far left corner of the trunk.

It may seem like a lot of work but it's not between the two of us and we have it down to a science so it's very quick.

I've been able to get way back on the wave, ride it (no tricks) and then catch up. You have a longer board so I don't know if you will be able to cut up and back down the face. The landlock works really well for me with the little fins. I will know about the Brigade pretty soon.

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We surf with whichever rear MLS full, a 550 above it, and the center MLS full only with the wedge up. All the people on one side of course. We love the wave. It is very big, has a beautiful curl, lots of push and a long pocket. It is beautiful on both sides. I will try and get some pics next time we go. It is an 07 VLX.

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I ride goofy baskside all the time and never had any problem with water entering the gas tank. I also re-postioned the gas vent so that it faces to the rear at a 4 O'clock postion. Additionally, We surf behind D-goose's boat on the port side, and he has not re-postioned his vent and as far as I know he has not had any water in the gas tank.

What about those surf crazy Texas guys? Are they having any issues with water in the gas tank?

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No problem with water in my tank Thumbup.gif A few pics from last yr, notice the white boy flashing gang signs, Marks B-day board that he slept with on the first night Tease.gif and two stick rider's

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Those are some bad a$$ pics. AND OH MY GOD.....that 4th picture showing the hull BURIED into the lake producing that awesome wave. Drool.gifDrool.gif I wanno go.. Cry.gif

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  • 2 weeks later...

We did more playing around with ours this weekend & what started it was slider saying, "what if we take the extra 750 pounder & fill it up?" :lol: This wave was more the waist high on me & it was almost ridiculous at how far back I could surf it. So, this wave was created with the following setup:

Wedge down

Rear surf side tank full

Rear off side tank empty

Center tank full

Bow tank full

1 750 pounder in rear surf side locker

1 750 pounder in the cabin on surf side seats

1 500 pounder in the cabin on the floor

I think that I'm going to buy some pop bags to keep from having to fill the third bag. It took a while before we were finally ready to go, but it was worth it. Rockon.gif

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We did more playing around with ours this weekend & what started it was slider saying, "what if we take the extra 750 pounder & fill it up?" :lol: This wave was more the waist high on me & it was almost ridiculous at how far back I could surf it. So, this wave was created with the following setup:

Wedge down

Rear surf side tank full

Rear off side tank empty

Center tank full

Bow tank full

1 750 pounder in rear surf side locker

1 750 pounder in the cabin on surf side seats

1 500 pounder in the cabin on the floor

I think that I'm going to buy some pop bags to keep from having to fill the third bag. It took a while before we were finally ready to go, but it was worth it. Rockon.gif

I have said it before, and I will say it again...you need a name change to wavegirl Rockon.gif

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Haha, maybe SurferGirl. :lol: I do love surfing - I'm so close to being able to ride out of a 180. I practiced some heelside switch this weekend to help with that. That was sure challenging, but was able to go ropeless after the second day.

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Tracie,

Do you not feel the need for more bow weight at all? I am still working on changing mine even though I am happy with it. I want to try other than the obvious stock ballast and wedge in play putting a 750 in the back and 400 on the bench and a 400 in the bow goofey side as well since that is the only true side Biggrin.gif

Let me know if you have tried other weight locations and found this to be the best so far for you.

Dave

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Tracie,

Do you not feel the need for more bow weight at all? I am still working on changing mine even though I am happy with it. I want to try other than the obvious stock ballast and wedge in play putting a 750 in the back and 400 on the bench and a 400 in the bow goofey side as well since that is the only true side Biggrin.gif

Let me know if you have tried other weight locations and found this to be the best so far for you.

Dave

Actually, what I forgot to mention about that wave is that earlier in the day we tried that setup only with the 500 pounder up front instead of in the cabin. It was nice, & easier for someone my size to surf without ramming the boat. The wave was a little less steep & longer - my best description is that it was smoother than what's pictured above. Riding the 2 back to back, my first reaction to the wave above was that it was more violent. I think that given the choice I'd prefer it up front (that's just me, really I think that it's just personal preference since some people really like a steep wave like that), but we were just messing around with it & trying to see what we could get. The whole problem with the water weight at that point is that it's hard to get it over on the side to really help with the lean, so that's why I'm thinking of replacing that one bag with 4-500 pounds of pop bags. Then I will more easily be able to really concentrate that weight where I want it. Since the vast majority of our hours are spent with just the 4 of us, I don't usually have the option of just moving people around.

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  • 4 weeks later...

WAKEGIRL:

I just wanted to say thanks! We set up our '06 VLX pretty much according to how you do.

Full front MLS

Full mid MLS

full surfside rear MLS

additionally prox sac filled in surfside trunk

400lbs of lead on surfside under mid/rear seats

wedge deployed

10-11mph

FANTASTIC!

two of us had never surfed without a rope and another guy who does quite often all loved it. The two of us who had never gotten rid of the rope for more than a few seconds rode until our legs hurt!

That set up is fantastic, a little scary at first but fantastic!

Thanks

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Going to start with 600 lbs in the locker, 500 lbs on the seats, and 600 lbs in the bow, 600-800 lbs VAB, wedge down. Will try to get pics the weekend of 6/1 when I can actually try this theory.

Oh, and because I'm impatient, I bought 2 pumps. 1100 GPH Rules.

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WAKEGIRL:

I just wanted to say thanks! We set up our '06 VLX pretty much according to how you do.

Full front MLS

Full mid MLS

full surfside rear MLS

additionally prox sac filled in surfside trunk

400lbs of lead on surfside under mid/rear seats

wedge deployed

10-11mph

FANTASTIC!

two of us had never surfed without a rope and another guy who does quite often all loved it. The two of us who had never gotten rid of the rope for more than a few seconds rode until our legs hurt!

That set up is fantastic, a little scary at first but fantastic!

Thanks

You're welcome! That's what this place is all about, sharing of info. You might play with the placement of that lead, bringing it forward a little will lengthen the wave a bit, putting it farther back will make the wave steeper. So it all depends on your preference, but that's the great thing about our boats - it's really versatile in that regard.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Going to start with 600 lbs in the locker, 500 lbs on the seats, and 600 lbs in the bow, 600-800 lbs VAB, wedge down. Will try to get pics the weekend of 6/1 when I can actually try this theory.

Oh, and because I'm impatient, I bought 2 pumps. 1100 GPH Rules.

No wake pics, but here's how I set up the '01 VLX Diamond Hull and got a nice wave for the first attempt.

Wedge down.

600 lbs surf-side rear storage

500 or so under surf side seats

500 surf side bow

450 lbs VAB (people) on the surf side

No PerfectPass, but 2050 RPM on the analog tach was perfect.

It was good enough to propel me ropeless and I'm a decent load to keep moving at 235ish lbs.

Will try to get pics this wkd.

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This is behind my 23 with the new floater wedge,750lbs in the rear,300 under the rear seat and mid filled half way with 500lbs of people.The wedge is awsome in all aspects of the wake!That is the new walker project board,its is the one!!!!

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Edited by footin-a
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This is behind my 23 with the new floater wedge,750lbs in the rear,300 under the rear seat and mid filled half way with 500lbs of people.The wedge is awsome in all aspects of the wake!That is the new walker project board,its is the one!!!!

Well, OK, here is a link, so you all can learn how I was able to pull that off behind Kelly's (footin-a's) boat Crazy.gifhttp://www.levitation.org/history-levitation.htm

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