Fins to stop the pull

[Hogger]

I know my boat isn't even close to being the right one for wakeboarding and skiing, but it works, and I was thinking about adding a couple fins(like on a wakeboard) to help make it a little easier to control for the driver. I did pull my brother who is probably 190lbs slalom skiing, and didn't notice much pull at all, but my dad said he noticed it when I was wakeboarding.
Do you think they might help to prevent the pull on the boat from the person being towed?
Was thinking around 12" long and about 5" high.

 

[FLWakeRider]

Re: Fins to stop the pull

Hogger:

What boat do you have? And, engine size?
I see the Avatar but dont really recognize it.
(I also looked through some of your old posts and didn't see it listed.)

I am just wondering why there would be so much pull while trying to wakeboard. Also, what speed are you going at, and what kind of rope are you using? I know on my boat, when I was using the ski line (upgrading to a Spectra line made a huge difference), I would get some slack every now and then after jumping and cutting back in, when it re-tightened, it would pull on the boat (Same for kneeboarding).

As for the fins, I would only think that these would make for better tracking in the water while turning. That is all the fins on a wakeboard do. They don't stabilize the board more for going straight, just landings and preventing the board from sliding out from underneath you while attempting to edge.

I don't see how they would deminish the back pull of the rider. If it is turning that the boat feels like it losing a little stability on, have you looked into getting a HydroFoil? They are supposed to help a bit with the stability of the boat while banking through turns.

(Hope this was an answer you were looking for or at least, in the right direction.)

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Fins to stop the pull

Aggressive slalom and wakeboard cuts will both yank the back of a lightweight boat around like a ragdoll. Inboard tournament ski/wakeboard boats don't have nearly as much of this because of their more centrally located attachment point for the rope, combined with the location of their propulsion and steering system.

So the best thing I believe you can do to reduce this effect is to either mount a pylon or wakeboard tower that allows attachment of the rope closer to the center of the boat, instead of the back of the boat where I assume you're currently attaching it. Beyond that, just tell your driver that's part of the fun of driving and to just steer into the skid and do the best he can! It's harmless if you're just open water skiing, and fully expected when pulling experienced skiiers and boarders who are always riding the edges like they're supposed to...It's especially challenging when I'm trying to keep the boat perfectly centered between the guide buoys of an actual slalom course! THAT is truly exciting for the driver when using a non-tournament boat! It's not uncommon for the back of the boat to skid 5 feet or more in each direction as the skiier comes out of each turn and starts his pull to the next buoy.

Adding a fin or such thing to the wakeboard itself will accomplish nothing to diminish the pull. But I think you meant adding similar fins to the boat itself, right? If so I wouldn't recommend this approach either, only because I've never seen or heard of it done before. And in my experience hydrofoils usually cause more handling problems than they cure, so I'm not a fan of them either.

And this all assumes I'm understanding your question properly...please clarify your question if I didn't answer.

 

[Hogger]

Re: Fins to stop the pull

Those are pretty much the answers I was looking for. I really didn't want to do it unless it was going to make a huge difference(not that the problem is that severe).
I've got a Sea Ray, Sea Rayder F16 with the 175hp Merc. sportjet. And yes, I am towing from the stern, maybe 1' from the waterline. I have been looking at doing a tower on my own, and have been doing alot of research(still not decided).
We are using a regular cheap braided ski line. I didn't realize there was that much difference with the line itself, but now I can see where the tension would stretch it more.
Thanks,
Jordan

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Fins to stop the pull

with the jet, you are going to get more side slide of the boat, than with an regular lower unit, as the prop lower acts as a rudder also. when i was a kid, i could hold back on a salom, and steer our boat, just by the pressure the ski held. a true inboard boat has a rudder, and is the best for water sports, as that big rudder under the boat, does not allow it to slide. adding a fin would only hinder the manuverabilty of the outboard.

 

[Uraijit]

Re: Fins to stop the pull

I have a 20' Sea Ray I/O, that's not "lightweight" by any standard. Took a friend out wakeboarding yesterday (he's been doing it forever, and is quite good--he's even boarded with Shaun Murray on Shaun's boat).

When he would really cut in, to get far outside the wake, before pulling a big flip trick, or something, it was still pulling my boat around some.

Trying to do a quick turn, you pretty much had to hammer the throttle, or the pull would slow the boat down to the point it would come off plane, and the boarder would start to sink (this is with a 290HP 350).

After that, I'm 100% convinced that I need a tower and some trim tabs.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Fins to stop the pull

175hp Merc. sportjet.

Ahhh....yes. Now that I know what yer driving, I'd bet that thing DOES scoot around even more than a normal I/O or Outboard would!

I agree 100% with Tashasdaddy's comments.