Overweighting

[Tegu]

I have 1100s in the rear, stock 400 in the floor, and the two stock 400s from the rear to move around. I have surfed behind boats for 20+ years, but it used to be only when I had enough people to weigh the old boat down and with an old 6.5' G&S surf board. This year I decided to get a new boat and try the new boards and I am loving it, but I seem to like the wake best with the 400 in the floor full and what I estimate to be about 800-850 pounds on the surf side at about 9.8 miles per hour. I like the wake with 1100 in the rear surf side, 400 behind driver(I am goofy), 400 in the floor, and 400 in the nose, running closer to 10.5-11 but I don't think the 2300 total pounds is any better than the 1200 total at a slower speed. I have tried many variations in between but I keep falling back to the lower weight. The wave is clean at both variations and only a slight difference in pocket length. There is more push with more weight, but because of the increased speed I am not sure it makes much of a difference. The wave seems to be dialed, I can go ropeless all day if I am not screwing around, can pull off some spins, etc...

What do the "pros" use? Is there an advantage to more weight that I am missing?

Notes: 5'10 180, no one but the driver in the boat, using a Ronix Koal 5' or a XXX Composite 58". Stock speedo so it could be off.

[you da man]

The pros are not using Moomba LSV's. Centurion Avalanche and Enzo, Tige RZ2, and the Malibu 247 are the pros boats. You're not going to get a "pro" wave out of the LSV but you can get a great wave nonetheless. Try both of your ballast set ups but ADD 200-250lbs in the opposite side rear sac. This will add even more push and pocket. I'd also try a faster board than what you have. Maybe a Shred Stixx, TWP, Flyboy, or one of the fast Inland Surfers

[Canuckle Head]

The pros are not using Moomba LSV's. Centurion Avalanche and Enzo, Tige RZ2, and the Malibu 247 are the pros boats. You're not going to get a "pro" wave out of the LSV but you can get a great wave nonetheless. Try both of your ballast set ups but ADD 200-250lbs in the opposite side rear sac. This will add even more push and pocket. I'd also try a faster board than what you have. Maybe a Shred Stixx, TWP, Flyboy, or one of the fast Inland Surfers

YDM, how is the surf wave behind "the boat who's name cannot be spoken"? Are you happy with it? How does it compare to your old ride? PM me if you don't want to respond here on the forum.

[Tegu]

The pros are not using Moomba LSV's. Centurion Avalanche and Enzo, Tige RZ2, and the Malibu 247 are the pros boats. You're not going to get a "pro" wave out of the LSV but you can get a great wave nonetheless. Try both of your ballast set ups but ADD 200-250lbs in the opposite side rear sac. This will add even more push and pocket. I'd also try a faster board than what you have. Maybe a Shred Stixx, TWP, Flyboy, or one of the fast Inland Surfers

Didn't really mean sponsored professional riders, should have been clearer, just asking what the guys on here that are much better/more experienced than myself are using. What advantage will I notice with a faster board? I did notice the XXX has less drag than my Ronix, and seems faster. I have played with ballast on the other side and with the heavier set up a little weight on the other side does seem to add even more push, but I feel like I am getting plenty with the light set up, which led me to the question. Is there an advantage to more weight that I am missing?

[moombadaze]

Is there an advantage to more weight that I am missing?

nothing to due with push, pocket, wave height, but you will be using more gas vrs the lighter weights.

Cant remember how much gas I went thru one night but I was running heavy ballast and more peeps than normall and think in a short amount of time I went thru a lot of gas-something along the lines of a 1/2-3/4 tank in a couple hrs.

my normal setup is 750 port rear locker, 400lb bag under port seat bases (coolers gone), 400lb bag in the front and wife driveing and kiddo sitting on the port seat. Works great for me and think most who surf with me like the wave.

[kaneboats]

I'll vouch for that one. I like the 750 in the rear locker, 400 in the floor, about 250 under the seats-- cooler removal is pending at the moment but I have my extra 400 bag jammed up under there. I have more peeps spread out on the surf side and up front. Get a nice wave.

[KG's Supra24]

We used to pile on sacks but I decided to compromise, like you were saying. I pick my lighter setup over the heavier one due to not having to fill bags, nothing laying in the floor, etc. I will occiasionally fill up the big setup just for kicks.

YDM is right, though, your experienced guys are using much larger boats and therefore have much larger weight numbers.

[you da man]

There is limit to which more is not always better when it comes to ballast. In my XLV I found a happy median around 3000lbs of ballast but went all the up to right at 4000lbs just trying different things. Faster boards are less work if they are the right size given the rider weight and wake size. The Koal is a medium speed board (I have one 4'8" I believe). The Shred Stixx Thresher is the fastest I've been on but there are plenty faster but will cost you in the $600-$800.

[saskie99]

just for fun one evening, we filled 750 rear, 400 mid, 650 bow, then we put 650 on the rear seat, 300 on surf side of boat, 650 on top of the ski locker, 400 on seats in the front and 5 people, so that is 3800lbs plus people. I was a little disappointed with the wave, it was big, and super, super long but not worth all the hassle. also every time you slowed down, the wave picked up the back of the boat and pushed the nose under water.

[bergermaister]

Sounds like the point of diminishing returns.

I'd say find a wave you're happiest on with the least amount of effort to setup, safest driving with, then play with different boards for different rides. The K.I.S.S. methodology.

[cab13367]

Tegu,

I have pretty much come to the same conclusion as you. I run just a 750 in the surf side locker and the 400 in the center locker and when I remember, I will put about 200 lbs in the opposite rear locker and the wave is plenty big for anything I want to do (I am 5'-10", 172 lbs). And I ride regular on the port side and the wave is noticeably bigger on the starboard side.

I am sure additional weight makes sense for the bigger guys who are having trouble freeriding but for me, it's just not necessaryand I don't know that the wave will be that much better with more weight to justify the additional expense, wait time, storage space loss, etc.

Al

[Replicant]

Perhaps it has already been said but I started off with a 750 in my port rear locker, a 400 in my ski locker and a 400 in the bow with probably 450 - 500 in human weight. I could get a wake and surf it but it was work. Recently I just put 750 in the rear port locker and a 400 on the floor with the humans all on the port side (sans driver) and no weight and no bodies up front. Great wake as a result. This is an OBV hull and I weigh 265 and ride an inland surfer Red Rocket. It wasn't like "Ooh, I'm surfin'" It was like ripping the wake. My nephew was working hard at nailing a 360 and probably could have done it on a different board (he's a tall skinny kid). So, less weight was better for me. If I want something bigger, it's going to be a different boat.