Someone please tell me theres hope!!

[hippie3C]

Okay, so I bought a boat this winter for wakeboarding this summer. Its an 1989 ski challenger, I didn't do my research and bought it anyhow because it was a good deal for a direct drive inboard, but its got a really flat bottom, much like a mastercraft tristar. I took it for the first time this weekend and I'm very dissapointed with the wake. Now I know I can add weight and get a bigger wake, but my question is what kind of results can I expect if I put 1200 lbs in it. If I have to load it down with a bunch of fat sacs just to get the same wake as my parents 19' I/O I'm wasting my time! I'm hopeing someone has been in the same situation and can let me know what I can expect to get out of this boat, any input is always appreciated!

 

[rallyart]

Re: Someone please tell me theres hope!!

It has a good reputation as a boat and quite a few people like the wake. Some have commented that it porpoises which means you need front weight or a trim tab. When weighting a D-drive you'd normally put some weight up front but most near the stern. It is designed to have a smooth wake rather than lifting itself out of the water like an I/O so you should be fine getting a good wake out of it. I know of someone who used to run 2000# in one. That might be too much for most owners to consider. When it's weighted be a bit careful of wash over the transom when you cut throttle fast.
Like any boat, run more weight in the stern to steepen the ramp and more in the bow to move the wash point back on the wake. Try running around 18 on GPS and your passengers in the back if you run without much weight.

 

[hippie3C]

Re: Someone please tell me theres hope!!

Well, a buddy and ? plan on taking it out this weekend, he has a lot of 30gal drums. So we're gonna do some "expeirmenting" with how much weight and positioning of the weight before I buy sacs. I'll post the results as soon as I get em, thanks for the advice!

 

[71satellite]

Re: Someone please tell me theres hope!!

Hey there,

I'm sure there are lots of "how to improve my wake" posts in this forum, and they may have more to offer, but here are my suggestions (from working with a 21' cuddy-cabin boat with a mid-mount engine):

#1 Fill your fuel tank. I don't know what you have, but mine is a 70 gallon. That's a really easy way to get a bunch of weight in the back of the boat. True, gas is expensive, but at least it is useful and doesn't take up extra room.

#2 Ballast bags/fat sacs/whatever you want to call them. I bought a 350lb sac and put it up by the windshield. Holy crap what a difference that made! Weighing down the bow of the boat makes the boat push more water, and that makes a bigger wake.
And an interesting tip...if you have a long ride back to the dock, and you have a bilge pump, you can simply empty the bag into your bilge, and the pump will purge it out. I can't "reverse pump" my sac over the gunwales (maybe some sac pumps have that feature?), and the bag is too heavy and awkward to lift when it is full. By emptying into the bilge (and yes, my bilge is clean and not full of oil/gas/other stuff that shouldn't be pumped into the lake) I can get rid of the excess weight and MAYBE save a bit of fuel on the ride home.

#3 Think a lot about balancing your weight (port and starboard). For example, I have dual batteries on the port side, and I keep my anchor there, so it balances out the weight of me sitting at the wheel. I'm fortunate that I have triple bench seats, so I can get passengers to sit in the middle of the boat. Shifting gear and people around can really improve the site-to-side profile of the wake.

#4 Do keep in mind the ultimate weight limits of the boat. There are lots of people running a couple thousand pounds or more in their boats....some boats are built to handle that and others aren't.


Hope that helps. Good luck!

Chris

 

[Peter_C]

Re: Someone please tell me theres hope!!

One of the good things about water ballast is that it is neutral in the water! Many boats have enough floatation in them to keep them at the surface. They might roll though. With lead you are going to the bottom! A mixture is good since lead can be moved around the boat easily for balancing, when moving people is not feasible. Especially if you want to learn to wakesurf.

I assume it is an open bow. One water sac in the bow walkway might get you close, but it may require two or some lead under the seats. A few sacs in the back should add in enough weight to create a larger wake. A Phat Seat or thereof the equivalent, is another alternative if the floor layout allows. If you have lockers (IE ski lockers or lockers around the motor) you can fit bags into them. The ballast pumps can pump both directions and if left in permanently you could wire them up with switches. There are some great articles available. Lots of options, but the only way to get a bigger wake is to add weight. The difference between your boat and an I/O is going to be the quality of the wake and the steady pull of a direct drive with no teetering between being on plane and not being on plane. Comp boats are a non planning hull effectively. Plus more straight line capability. It is easy to pull an I/O dang near around, but a comp boat will track much truer.

 

[hippie3C]

Re: Someone please tell me theres hope!!

So, I finally took it back out with about 800lbs in the back. It made a big difference, I'm really excited now that I don't have to sell my boat! I think ill put alittle more in it next time but what a difference it made. Thanks for all the advice!!