Is 400lbs enough ballast - 07 VLS

[Jeffro]

I have a 400lb center ballast, and am going to buy a 750 or 400 for the Port side. My question is this, is the 400lb sac enough? The 750 seems like an over kill and will take up precious space. Sometimes I will have 8 to 10 people in the boat and other times I will only have 2 or 3.

[you da man]

750 will be handy on days when you have a small crew. I always have a small crew and use over 3,000lbs of ballast to surf but I have an XLV. You could get a couple hundred pounds of lead or pop-bags for those small crew days to add to the 400 in the same compartment.

[brain_rinse]

For surfing you will want the 750 at least. Especially on days when you've just got a crew of 2 or 3.

[cab13367]

I have a 400lb center ballast, and am going to buy a 750 or 400 for the Port side. My question is this, is the 400lb sac enough? The 750 seems like an over kill and will take up precious space. Sometimes I will have 8 to 10 people in the boat and other times I will only have 2 or 3.

Definitely get the 750.

[kaneboats]

I'll sell you an extra 400. Then I'll go buy another 750.

[you da man]

750, better yet, the 1100. I bought the 750's and wish i had the 1100's. If between the 400 and the 750 and you want to surf, you HAVE to get the 750's. It really wont take up much more room.

Yep, the 1100 is nice KG. Just one of them filled on the surf side puts the platform underwater above my ankle a couple inches.

[kaneboats]

I should sell my two 450's.

I never use them anymore, but for some reason just can't part with them.

Keep hanging on to them, "just in case"...but the case has never come to trial in two years.


yes they are 450's. The 09 OBV came with two 450's in the rear and a 300 in front = 1200

Got me wondering if I could just plumb my two 400's in the starboard side for the odd occasion we need a goofy wave?

[cab13367]

I should sell my two 450's.

I never use them anymore, but for some reason just can't part with them.

Keep hanging on to them, "just in case"...but the case has never come to trial in two years.


yes they are 450's. The 09 OBV came with two 450's in the rear and a 300 in front = 1200

Ed. I'm just curious - what are the dims of the 450?

[jmvotto]

Got me wondering if I could just plumb my two 400's in the starboard side for the odd occasion we need a goofy wave?

I was thinking the same, should not be a problem just fill the top one first. Maine are not hard plumbed yet, still using the tsunami pump 1200 over the side and just stack them.

[Jeffro]

Thanks for the comments. I have found a 565lb that's 19x19x42. I used a 350lb loaner sack this past weekend, and it was to light with 3 persons in the boat. We eventualy had 10 on the boat and had about a 4 1/2 wake that was nice. Do you have to reinforce the interior divider if you use a 750lb sack?

[mnpracing]

I thought the 12x20x46 = about 400 lbs at .036lb/cubic inch?

[jasonwm]

Definitely, absolutely, unequivocally get the 750. We often have customers that come back to buy a larger bag down the road, but we've never had anyone (that I'm aware of at least) that has exchanged a bigger bag for a smaller one.

Personally I would go with the 1,100 as you'll get another 200 pounds out of it in an LSV compared to the 750, and as much weight as you can reasonably put in the rear corner is the foundation of a great surf wake.

The factory 46" x 20" x 12" are a little over 400 pounds when full.

[Jeffro]

Got a 750 today. After testing a 350 and a 200 on top of that I realized that you need 750 if you are light on human ballast.