How do you hold speed steady?

[sharps45]

I've got a 23 ft Chris Craft deckboat, and the extended family likes to wakeboard behind it because it has a great wake compared to the other boats in the group. The problem is it wants to plane out at 15-18 mph, just where they all want to board at. When it planes out, it jumps forward. It seems I am continually adjusting the throttle, falling from 18 or so to 12 mph, then back again. Any suggestions? Trimming? Making them board faster?

thanks

 

[xjcj3a]

Re: How do you hold speed steady?

have you tried sticking between 22-18? instead of 18-15? ive noticed that the more i wakeboard the more i like to stick right at 20-22. could be the type of boat i have or just preference. when i started i hated anything over 18.

 

[SeanT]

Re: How do you hold speed steady?

His point is that the boat planes out above 18mph, ruining the wake for the rider. If you watch "real" wakeboard boats in action, they never plane pulling a wakeboarder, especially those with ballasts.

You're right though, most wakeboarders do like it a little faster, but it's all down to preference. The rider can make his own speed by slalomming back and forth.

Sharps - maybe try a fat sack for ballast? Make the boat sit a little lower and then go a little faster? If you want to try this idea first before investing, just invite along more friends to sit in the back and front of the boat. 23' deck boat should have lots of room for an audience.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: How do you hold speed steady?

Have you tried trimming it up a little more, which will counteract its ability to get on plane?

 

[SeanT]

Re: How do you hold speed steady?

Ooh yeah good idea.

 

[smitty1258]

Re: How do you hold speed steady?

His point is that the boat planes out above 18mph, ruining the wake for the rider. If you watch "real" wakeboard boats in action, they never plane pulling a wakeboarder, especially those with ballasts.

You're right though, most wakeboarders do like it a little faster, but it's all down to preference. The rider can make his own speed by slalomming back and forth.

Sharps - maybe try a fat sack for ballast? Make the boat sit a little lower and then go a little faster? If you want to try this idea first before investing, just invite along more friends to sit in the back and front of the boat. 23' deck boat should have lots of room for an audience.

Im thinking this isnt what he is saying.

Sounds to me like he is saying that, they all want to board between 15-18 because they are beginners, and around 18 is when his boat planes out, which makes the speed increase. Also, nearly all real "wake boats" do plane out, maybe not the pros, and thats a big maybe, but the hulls are designed completely different and we/they do ride them with the boat on plane. Do you want the back end sunk in, yes. Do you need the bow pointing to the sun, no.

Try the trim idea, if that doesnt work, try really working the throttle and see if you can find the sweet spot. Also you may have to tell them that riding at 19mph is just the way it is

You could also try trim tabs mounted as close to the outboard as possible, or hydrofoil.

 

[SeanT]

Re: How do you hold speed steady?

Im thinking this isnt what he is saying.

Sounds to me like he is saying that, they all want to board between 15-18 because they are beginners, and around 18 is when his boat planes out, which makes the speed increase. Also, nearly all real "wake boats" do plane out, maybe not the pros, and thats a big maybe, but the hulls are designed completely different and we/they do ride them with the boat on plane. Do you want the back end sunk in, yes. Do you need the bow pointing to the sun, no.

Try the trim idea, if that doesnt work, try really working the throttle and see if you can find the sweet spot. Also you may have to tell them that riding at 19mph is just the way it is

You could also try trim tabs mounted as close to the outboard as possible, or hydrofoil.

Fair points. But he actually did say why they like the wake: "and the extended family likes to wakeboard behind it because it has a great wake compared to the other boats in the group". He goes on to say that the great wake is because of the particular speed he's running at.

I suppose you might be right about competition boats, although it's not just the hull design that's different. The engine placement and overall boat weighting (either V or direct) are such that quick acceleration causes nowhere near the bow rise as a typical IO or outboard. Though I'd like to see a V drive and direct drive next to each other, I'd imagine the bow on a V must pop more because the engine is further back.

Having said all that, I've spent some of my summer drifting and watching the direct drives pull, and they labor along at high RPM creating a big wake for their boarders. To me that just doesn't look like they are running on plane, which will always create a smaller wake (EDIT: I re-read that line and it's not really what I wanted to say - running faster creates wake but I don't think it's as "sharp", one reason wake boarders like to go slower than skiiers), unless of course you are a larger boat with a displacement hull.

Anyway, trim is the way to go, as was pointed out after I posted that.

 

[smitty1258]

Re: How do you hold speed steady?

He does say they like the wake better than the other boats, but does not say they like the wake because of the speed.

If I were to guess, I would say they like the speed because they are just starting out, and the wake produced at the 15-16 mph speed is very wide, and fairly soft, as the speed increases the wake becomes less wide, and steepens up a bit, creating more of a lip, and making it harder for some boarders to be comfortable with.

The pros ride anywhere from 21-26 mph.

Im not saying you guys are incorrect, im just saying that the boat being on plane at 18-21 mph isnt the same as the boat being on plane at 30mph. Just look at the difference in the wakes, youll see what I mean. You are correct there are more factors in real wake boats than just hull design, but hull design in those boats is key. I have seen some DD's with bigger wakes than vdrives, its all about weighting.

A buddies 05? supra 22 footer with 2000k ballast and 6 people on board, produces a wake that nearly broke my neck. But we were on plane Just took us longer for the front end of the boat to come down.

And maybe we are both wrong, maybes its not on plane, but half plane? lol not really off sky high, and not really 100% planed out.

 

[sunsport22v]

Re: How do you hold speed steady?

Not that you want to spend a lot of money but maintaing speed is easily done with a perfect pass. I have no problem with any speed with any rider or tubing at what ever speed. Perfect even helps maintain speed when turning. I am a first time boat owner and we use perfect all the time. Even at night - so I don't speed by mistake.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: How do you hold speed steady?

There is definitely an art to it, and you get better with practice. It helps having learned back in the day before perfect pass in a slalom course with a stop watch.

 

[salty87]

Re: How do you hold speed steady?

got trim tabs?

if not, they might help. you'll have a lower planing speed so she won't want to take off as bad at 18.

btw, inboard boats are on plane when pulling riders. just have a bunch of weight.

 

[Tubingluvr]

Re: How do you hold speed steady?

I had this same problem when the kids started skiing, and I solved it by dropping down in pitch.
We hardly ever open her all the way up so over reving wasn't really an issue.
Although this was on a bowrider the same principal should apply.

 

[wca_tim]

Re: How do you hold speed steady?

got trim tabs?

if not, they might help. you'll have a lower planing speed so she won't want to take off as bad at 18.

btw, inboard boats are on plane when pulling riders. just have a bunch of weight.

That's the ticket if trimming either in or out doesn't work...

my boat will plane at as low as 14 using tabs and so will hold speed pretty well from 15 or 16 up. Without the tabs, it doesn't really start to plane until about 17 and there is no speed it wil hold between 16 and 25. it's always either settling on to a plane or falling off...

 

[sharps45]

Re: How do you hold speed steady?

Actually, they're all classified as beginners, so the extra speed from 18-22 or so scares them. As they get more comfortable they'll probably want more speed, and that will solve the problem.
The real tough part is when they go outside the wake, and do that pull when they come back to jump the wake, it drags the boat enough to slow it a little, then when you throttle up, they're coasting again, and it pulls faster. Then you get that frantic thumbs down action!
I guess I'm the one whining, because I want to watch in the mirror, but my eyes are continually on the speed.

Just what is a perfect pass?

And thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[salty87]

Re: How do you hold speed steady?

Just what is a perfect pass?

it's basically cruise control but it's not cheap.

 

[sharps45]

Re: How do you hold speed steady?

thanks salty