Need help cleaning up the wake on XLV

[you da man]

Having issues having a clean, crisp wake on my 08 XLV. I'm usually pulling friends who like 21-22mph and I also have newbies that I try to keep around 20. Anyone have suggestions on ballast settings. I usually have 3-4 people in the boat plus rider. I've tried completely empty and adjusting the plate and I've tried full center and adjusting the plate. I've added a little ballast to one side or the other to level the boat but I'm not at all filling the v-drive sacs yet since I'm pulling newbs and the wake is still plenty big. Seems that the wake cleans up at 24mph.

[Lawdog]

So far I have found that the amount of weight doesn't matter as much as placement, wake plate setting and rope length. I think if you get the other three taken care of it will all come into place. How much ballast are you using?

[02Outback]

I'm a little different I guess since I have an 02' Outback LS...but I get pulled at 24mph as well as a few other people that ride with us.

[you da man]

So far I have found that the amount of weight doesn't matter as much as placement, wake plate setting and rope length. I think if you get the other three taken care of it will all come into place. How much ballast are you using?

Stock center bag usually pretty full...around 600-700lbs maybe. Like I said, I'll only add just a little ballast to one of the v-drive sacs to level out the boat from side to side. I've played with the plate in every way. Guess just trial and error. I'm also looking back to see where the sweet spot would be and I can just adjust the rope.

[brain_rinse]

Have you GPS calibrated your speedo?

[you da man]

Have you GPS calibrated your speedo?

Perfect Pass Stargazer to be ordered this week. I already thought about speedo error with the paddle wheel. After driving a boat with Perfect Pass it's a no brainer to get the Stargazer.

[brain_rinse]

I wonder if your speedo isn't a couple mph fast. I know mine was almost 3 mph off. Guess you'll know soon enough.. should be a good upgrade for you too!

[Jeff W]

speed + weight up front. if it's washed out - speed up.

[mmandley]

Having issues having a clean, crisp wake on my 08 XLV. I'm usually pulling friends who like 21-22mph and I also have newbies that I try to keep around 20. Anyone have suggestions on ballast settings. I usually have 3-4 people in the boat plus rider. I've tried completely empty and adjusting the plate and I've tried full center and adjusting the plate. I've added a little ballast to one side or the other to level the boat but I'm not at all filling the v-drive sacs yet since I'm pulling newbs and the wake is still plenty big. Seems that the wake cleans up at 24mph.

Need to drain the center bag. If you pulling newer people who want to go slow, shorten the rope and the wave will form sooner. Drop the ballst to Zero. Make people move around to clean your edges. Wite wash means to much weight on that side.

Being a big XLV it has a beefy wake empty. Also you wont get a super clean wake under 20, thats part of the learning curve. The wash wake will be easier to cross and softer under there board.

You cant have a super clean wake and slow speeds at the same time in a bigger boat.

I can ride at 60 at 18 in mine and i have a clean wake, yet im shorter rope. Lower speeds shorter rope less weight. Thats the formula.

[Ian Brantford]

Before I upgraded my XLV from Gravity III (1100 lbs or so) to at least the Gravity Games level (2000+ lbs), I could easily predict when I'd have trouble cleaning up the wake. It was on the days that I had fewer than five people (one riding, four adults in the boat). If you can coax another couple of people onto your boat next time, maybe you'll know if it's worth upgrading.

The center bag would be the priority to upgrade if you decide that it's worthwhile. I first got 750's for the rear, but it was unbalanced without more in the center.

Yes, calibrating by GPS would be a good idea. The threshold for cleaning up the wake will be at about 18-19 MPH. If you need to adjust, making a note of how much adjustment is required will let you similarly adjust the target speed for riders to preserve their real-world preferences.

I usually don't bother trying to get the boat balanced well enough to clean up both wakes. I like my downramp a bit washed out in case I fall short, which still happens often enough.

[kennedy]

So what is the LARGEST center bag a person can put in the 2008 Moomba XLV GG.

And where do you buy this bag.

I have the same boat and LOVE to surf and think I need a larger center bag to add more length to my wake.

Thanks for the HELP!!

[mjwray]

I find that speed on my 08 XLV GG is most important, I now ride at 24 MPH and find it cleans up allot better even fully loaded and I find it allot easier to wake to wake than when I was riding at 21 MPH. One thing that I have a hard time with is getting people to move, the boat is real sensitive to left right weight balance as you can see in the picture, but if everyone co operates it will clean up like the right side of the picture on both sides, was pumping water out the left side aft ballast to try and compensate for the larger individual who wanted to sit on the left side.

[you da man]

Thanks for all the suggestions. At 24mph (indicated anyways) both sides of my wake are crisp and clean from close in all the way to 80ft + so that's not a problem. I figured that with the added weight, length, and possibly freeboard of the XLV having a clean slow wake would be a slight issue. Hopefully my speedo is off a couple...as in slow.

[cab13367]

I figured that with the added weight, length, and possibly freeboard of the XLV having a clean slow wake would be a slight issue.

you da man,

You've pretty hit the nail on the head. It's all about the weight: lighter boat = being able to plane at lower speeds = cleaner wake at lower speeds. It might be that 24 is the slowest you can go on an XLV and produce a clean wake 70' back. My brother has a Tige 24V and has the same issue. He has kids that want to be pulled 16-18 mph wakeboarding so they are always in whitewash.

Definitely empty all your ballast and then try to play with your wakeplate and move people around on the boat to try and get it the best you can. Other than that, not a whole lot that you can do.

Al

[Ian Brantford]

So what is the LARGEST center bag a person can put in the 2008 Moomba XLV GG.

And where do you buy this bag.


It's a Fly High bag. Specifications on its weight capacity vary from 1000 to nearly 1200 depending on where you see it listed. It's 19"x19"x88". The XLV's center storage could physically hold a taller bag, but I have not seen one listed that is shaped correctly.

I got mine at wakeside.com, but it looks like they no longer sell it. The nearest that I had saved in my bookmarks is here: http://www.wakemakers.com/gravity-games-ballast-system.html . That automatically loads the page with a full Gravity Games set of bags. I did not require any adapters for my 2005 XLV. There is a note on the page about the connectors changing for 2009, but you should be fine as-is with your 2008.

BTW, I did not get those rear bags. I got two 750's, as shown here: http://www.wakeside.com/product/ballast/fly-high/fly-high-pro-x-wakeboard-fat-sac-6b.do . However, I typically put only about 500 lbs in them for correct balance when wakeboarding. If you plan to ever wakesurf, you might want the bigger ones too.

[501]

I find the plate can effect the wake a lot on my 08 XLV especially in the first 25% from the all the way down posistion. I usually have it at about 80-90% down on the gauge and that seems to be the best when the 2650lbs are full. 21.5+ and the wake is good. We ride at about 65 feet. 24 feels a bit fast for me, I like it around 22.