where do you run your wakeplate???

[saskyrider]

Hey... i finally got my boat out again last night and was pulling some buddies behind it. I had my ballast all filled up and was playing around with the wakeplate, it seemed like once i got past a certain point it didn't really help the boat produce a bigger wake... (this was for wakeboarding), so i'm wondering where you all run your wakeplates at?

thanks

geoff

[mmandley]

Generally wake boarding we run it all the way down, doesn't matter if its 0 or full 2500 ballast.

Yesterday we were out and had 2500 ballast and i moved it to a 1/4 up mostly i use it to help clean the wake up a bit when loaded. Other wise its always 100% down.

[jester]

For me it really depends on the weather, chop and the wake. If there is glass I will run it all the way up. If there is chop i will start moving it down to sink the bow into the waves a bit more and it helps with the chop. It also depends on where the wake starts washing out and you can move the wakeplate up or down to change where the wake washout is.

[you da man]

The wakeplate doesn't necessarily add much size, it shapes. By shaping it will let you tune the wake to eliminate wash on the lip

[saskyrider]

ok... several diff. awnsers.. lol! i found that last night because it was choppy out that having it about 30% down helped clean up the wake, but i was just curious.

thanks

geoff

[lewisb13]

When you say "up" are you referring to the needle being all the way to the right or all the way to the left on the gauge?

[bzubke1]

we run ours all the way up. what i've noticed is all the way up makes the wake more vertical and all the down makes the wake more mellow.

[brain_rinse]

When I say up or down, I'm talking about the relative position of the plate. Down means it's dragging in the water, forcing the bow down. Up means the plate is pointing to the sky, letting the bow ride high and the stern to settle deeper in the water.

So with that out of the way, I always start with the plate down to keep the bow low and get on plane the fastest. Once on plane I'll usually find a nice spot about halfway for wakeboarding, and nearly all the way up for surfing. If the boat starts to porpoise, I lower the plate until it stops.

[saskyrider]

great info... thanks guys... i'm picking up a surf board today so i can try out the surfing tonight!!

geoff

[lewisb13]

I guess I just dont understand how some people run it all the way UP. At about halfway, my boat starts to porpoise (sp?) like Shamu and all the way UP, well, Im sure Id have myself a nice submarine.

[viking]

I run mine all the way up. No, Wait! I run it all the way down. No, Wait.
Mine isn't adjustable so no need to worry about changing it cause I couldn't anyway :)

[sandm]

I think that all the way up is the nose of the boat in the air, and all the way down is the nose of the boat running level with the arse end, all as indicated by the gauge, not the actual position of the wakeplate??

wrong?

[brain_rinse]

I think that all the way up is the nose of the boat in the air, and all the way down is the nose of the boat running level with the arse end, all as indicated by the gauge, not the actual position of the wakeplate??

wrong?
I agree, and the wakeplate position is the same. Gauge down = plate down.

[cab13367]

I think that all the way up is the nose of the boat in the air, and all the way down is the nose of the boat running level with the arse end, all as indicated by the gauge, not the actual position of the wakeplate??

wrong?

Right. Wakeplate up means bow up means needle is all the way to the left on the gauge. Wakeplate down forces the bow down and needle is all the way to the right of the gauge.

[cab13367]

it seemed like once i got past a certain point it didn't really help the boat produce a bigger wake

"Wakeplate" is a misnomer - deploying the wakeplate (i.e., putting it down) does not create a bigger wake - in fact, it's the opposite. Running with no or little ballast, putting the wakeplate down forces the rear of the boat to ride a little higher and pushes the bow of the boat down, thus displacing less water and creating a smaller wake. I do think that the more ballast you run, the less effective the wakeplate becomes at the same speed and it is used more to tweak the shape of the wake.

So when wakeboarding, I always run with the wakeplate 100% up to maximize the size of the wake. I will only engage it (put it down) if the bow is porposing too much or if I am pulling a skier or new boarder and they don't necessarily want a big wake.

[lewisb13]

Im thoroughly confused. If I were to put the needle all the way to the LEFT at any point in time, my LSV would start bouncing like crazy.

[sandm]

ya, it's that was with surfing as well. it does nothing to the front of the boat, but does quite a bit to clean up wash on the wake.

[cab13367]

Im thoroughly confused. If I were to put the needle all the way to the LEFT at any point in time, my LSV would start bouncing like crazy.

My 06 is a different hull - it's longer and deeper - so I don't have that issue to the same degree you do. It porpoises mostly if we are in rougher water.

Do you have everyone sitting in the back? If so, that is part of the problem. Try distrubuting the weight more evenly front to back.

[sandm]

Do you have everyone sitting in the back? If so, that is part of the problem. Try distrubuting the weight more evenly front to back.

or adjust your wakeplate to stop the porpoising:p

[you da man]

Good question .. i feel confused to. I would think all the way to the right is down because it the back of the plate is lower in that picture but i get confused everytime this topic comes up.

When the needle is up, the bow is up. Likewise, if the plate is up, the bow is up

[501]

We also run it almost all the way down (on the gauge it would be just about all the way to the right showing the nose of the boat lower into the water). I find if the plate is up too much the wake isn't as clean, the boat porposises and it gets a bit lippy for me.

[mmandley]

Ok lets break it down to basics LOL.

Wake plate gauge Left = plate up. Physically the plate move up. This = Nose up
Wake plate gauge Right = plate down. Physically the plat is Flat this = nose down.

Experiment to prove and understand the effects.

go 22 MPH

Watch over the nose at the horizon.

Move wake plate all the way Up = Left on the gauge nose note the position of the nose at the horizon.

Now move the Plate all the Down = Right on the gauge and as you do this you can see the nose of the boat move down. Its almost 2 full feet difference in visual clearance.

The physical effect the plate is having on the boat is much more simple to understand when you look at the boat from a side view. Boat is level at idle. At 21mph the nose will naturally point more up due to water drag. This is typical of boats. The wake plate will exaggerate this nose up rear down or it will counter effect it by raising the rear of the boat up and causing the nose to lower.

Now once you understand this concept you can move to understanding how it effects your Wake Boarding and Wake Surfing.

Cruising wake boarding and wake surfing all have different effects with the wake plate.

Wake Surfing the point is to sink the rear of the boat to create a steep wave. We all understand the surf wave concept. Wake plate up as Al like it makes it steep but leaves a short tail or pocket to ride in. Add more weight to the front of the boat you will cause the nose to ride lower at the same speed and this causes the rear of the boat to ride higher in the water and in effect gives you more pocket at the expense of not as steep of a wave.

Take mine and Als boat for example. If i only fill me rear and center to 750 and 400 respectively wake plate up we have very identical waves.

Then if i fill my nose bag all the way up i have a much longer wave then Al but my wave is no longer as steep as his. You can adjust the length and height of your surf wave with you wake plate. You cant have both height and length. with just a wake plate adjustment.

You have to see in your head the side of the boat image to see what the boat is doing when you adjust the wake plate as to the effect it has on the surf wake.

Wake boarding its the same concept but at a much faster speed, and also the faster you go the small the wave is naturally because the faster you go the more the boat raises in the water.

21 mph wake boarding the wake plate up will give you a little more height and lip on your wave. This causes the rear of the boat to sink more creating a more drag and larger wake.

Generally you use the wake plate to clean up the lip or top of your wave by adjusting it to speed and current weight in the boat.

Lastly porpoising happens because the prop is pushing the boat forward, once you cross a certain angle of the bow being up and the prop pushing you forward it will literally try to launch the boat out of the water. This is the effect of what porpoising is and its very bad on the drive train as its the same as spinning your tires at a dead stop in your car.

Sorry this is long but i hope i helped and not confused more.

[lewisb13]

+1 good writeup. I would really LOVE to go in a boat with the plate all the way UP. Mine is crazy trying to do dolphin jumps and such with it even half way.

[bzubke1]

If the boat is porpoising put the wakeplate down and it should stop. If you dont have a wake plate then adding some weight or people in the bow should stop it from porpoising thats what we always do in my friends nautique because he doesn't have a wake plate.

[Ian Brantford]

I typically have my XLV running with 2000-ish lbs of ballast -- 1000 center and 500 in each rear bag. With passengers evenly distributed around the boat, the wakeplate positioning that gives best wake lip and slope for me is:

- all the way down, up until 21 MPH
- 1/4 to 1/3 up for 22+ MPH

[c.rix]

wakeboarding 22-23 mph I start with the the plate 3/4 to full up depending on the weight I watch where the white wash starts on the lip of the wake if its in front of the rider put the plate down / nose down or up to get the lip nice and poppy if the wash is too far back

[jmvotto]

+1 good writeup. I would really LOVE to go in a boat with the plate all the way UP. Mine is crazy trying to do dolphin jumps and such with it even half way.

How much weight are u using in the rear at say 22 mph to get it to porpose. i have the same hull but have not experienced that effect at slow speeds.. 30+ mph plate up = bow up= needle to the left i get her to bounce:confused:

[deepcove]

Great post mmandley.

I would like to add one other point. When u ride with the plate all the way up the wake is steeper and may even appear bigger. I have found however the wake on a LSV to be thin and easy to cut thru with the plate all the way up (unless you add additional bow ballast). When you move the plate down it forces the bow of the boat down causing more hull to push thru the water creating a much more solid poppy wake.

[501]

Perfect explanation for an XLV Ian. That is almost exactly how we do it, although I run closer to 1/8th up when loaded (I like a rampier wake, and with that much weight, you don't need a lip to get air).


I typically have my XLV running with 2000-ish lbs of ballast -- 1000 center and 500 in each rear bag. With passengers evenly distributed around the boat, the wakeplate positioning that gives best wake lip and slope for me is:

- all the way down, up until 21 MPH
- 1/4 to 1/3 up for 22+ MPH

[lewisb13]

How much weight are u using in the rear at say 22 mph to get it to porpose. i have the same hull but have not experienced that effect at slow speeds.. 30+ mph plate up = bow up= needle to the left i get her to bounce:confused:

You know. To be honest. I havent filled my fat sacs even one time. I typically have a big enough wake with about 6 people in there. Maybe I need to fill up the G3 and have 6 people and see what it does with the wakeplate up.

[cab13367]

You know. To be honest. I havent filled my fat sacs even one time. I typically have a big enough wake with about 6 people in there. Maybe I need to fill up the G3 and have 6 people and see what it does with the wakeplate up.

Try filling just the front bag. That should help with the porpoising so u don't have to run with ur wakeplate all the way down. Plus have a couple people on the bow.