Direct Drive and Wakesurfing

[phil_sauve]

I've been searching a bit over last year's threads but couldn't really find some usefull information.

I have a 08 outback. I know directdrive isn't really the best boat for wakesurfing but I am pretty sure that I could add some weight enough to have some fun.

Is there any DD owners that could give me their tricks or tell me what would be the perfect setup to at least give me some more push ?

Thanks guys !

Phil

[Salyers]

You can get a fairly decent surf wake out of the DD boats. My 09 LS actually had a big wave. The only bad thing was the pocket wasn't really that big. On the LS hull you need the rear rub rail almost touching the water and we also added about 300-600 lbs in the nose. I wanted to put more weight up front to lengthen the pocket but the nose was too close to the water for my comfort as it was easy to dunk the nose on that boat with no ballast! I had the gravity 3 ballast so I filled all three ballast full, set one 750 on the back bench to the side we wanted to surf and the placed another 750 beside the motor so it made an L shape. We put a 370 lb (bag the same as in the ski locker) in the bow. The end actually sat on top of the front nav light and the other end was in the floor just in front of the widow. It took about 15 min to set up with 2 Tsunami pumps and 2 people but the wave was pretty fun. We had about 2800 lbs of water ballast! My dad is about 225lbs and had no problem surfing on a 58 triple x board.

[rsinger]

I managed to get a surf-able wave, with only the main back ballast and one extra ballast to the side that is being surfed. I haven't tried any weight in the bow yet. Need to get more ballast or people. Going to try that this year.

[jmb]

I have a 750lb bag and the original bag that came with the boat I want to try and lay the 750 across the back and put the 300/400 lb on the side and see how that works. Never surfed before. I was possibly going to ask Mark at lake
Sinclair if he could build me a board for my weight and boat. Might help to have a custom board for what boat you have but I don't know

[kaneboats]

You can surf like crazy behind an Outback. I used to put a 400 in the "trunk" (rear storage behind back seat) of my 2000 Outback LS. Then I'd put a 400 in the walkway on the surf side next to the motor and a 400 across the floor in front of the rear seat behind the motor. Have everybody sit on the surf side. This pic is of my cousin surfing for the first time behind the Outback a few years ago.

https://forum.moomba.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=14062&d=1335795122

[phil_sauve]

Nice !!!

Time to order the ballast soon !!!

Haha you guys are pretty intense with the front ballast over the front navigation light haha !

[kaneboats]

Take a look at the classifieds on here. Couple guys selling brand new stuff as they are upgrading the ballast in their new boats. Good luck! BTW, you can get a tsuami 1200 pump at WalMart online for $33 and free ship to store.

[NCSUmoomba]

Yeah, we surf with mine sometimes. We put at least 1500# in it arranged in a L shaped behind and beside the motor box. We ususally have some in the rear ski locker and under the bow seat as well. As mentioned, the rubrail needs to be at the waterline. Not when riding, but when the boat is sitting a rest. The water will actually be higher than the rubrail while riding. Just be VERY careful when turning, it is super easy to dunk these boats, and it feels like you are driving a school bus with all the tires flat.

[viking]

I have a 750lb bag and the original bag that came with the boat I want to try and lay the 750 across the back and put the 300/400 lb on the side and see how that works. Never surfed before.

That's my setup. I put a 750 rear bench bag where the original was, ordered a 400lb back for along the doghouse on the side, and use my original in the walkthrough area when not enough peeps. I plumbed in a T and two manual ball valves to direct water using the factory pump so I can fill both using OEM gravity ballast or isolate each one (pics in my profile). I call it the poor man's system :) Also have a Tsunami to help empty the 400 and 750 is plumbed to the factory empty pump.

Found the best setup is running the 750 and 400, 4 or 5 people in the boat with at least one of them sitting on the rear sundeck surf corner. Pocket never really gets too long and feel like your riding right up on the back of the boat but it's what I got. Tried to lengthen the pocket with more weight in the bow but end up taking on too much water and really didn't help much. These outbacks sit so low already anyway.

[dirtberto]

I have a 98 outback with removable rear seat. We lay a 750 across the back and a 750 on surfside nest to motor. This is our first year surfing so we're still feeling is out but it works pretty good with 3-4 people in boat to move around and change the wake. You're right about surfing with a DD, it's not as easy but you can make it work. Just remember to turn away from weight side so as not to dunk it so bad!

[harmsway]

400 hard tank under seat full, 400 between engine and seat, 750 on surf side, 400 at front in walk through. Gives great push, nice size wave, and opens the pocket up so you are not surfing on the back deck. I have surfed behind this set up for over an hour with out falling out.

[phil_sauve]

You guys had an original ballast ? Where was it located ?

When we bought the boat they said not to put any ballast in the rear compartment ! Is that what you guys are talking about ?

[deepcove]

On my 2004 LS i have the rear hard tank full, ski locker bag half full, 750 lbs beside doghouse, 250 between doghouse and rear seat, 550 on an angle from back seat to 750 lbs bag, wake plate half way down and 9.8 mph....pretty nice pocket....

[viking]

You guys had an original ballast ? Where was it located ?

When we bought the boat they said not to put any ballast in the rear compartment ! Is that what you guys are talking about ?

The older outbacks you were able to lay a sack in the rear ski locker. Your year model has the gas tank underneath the rear locker. Best not to load it with ballast.
The Gravity I factory system consisted of a fill pump, valve, a 370lb fly high ballast bag plumbed to the floor under the rear seat with an empty pump and through hull on the starboard side and a vent through hull on the port side. All if it is controlled from a ballast fill/empty switch on the dash. Recommended to Put your rear seat up in the sundeck position when using.

[Inliner]

Me behind my Outback (2003) with 1,400 lbs of ballast:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7109/7131311297_4ab9daff6c_o.jpg

Nothing fancy but its just an end of the day thing for me...

[sled - 1]

I have an 07 outback and we surf all the time...no use trying to ski during the day so lets make some rollers out there :)

I run a 800 accross the back, then a 500 or a 540 down the surf side. I can go all day, and my kids lets just say OMG.

Pocket is very short, but the wall is plenty high. rub rail needs to almost at the water level. I agree more weight in the front will lengthen the pocket, but our boats are a little bow low already.

[sled - 1]

OH yeah, the LS has a built in ballast, our outbacks don't. Pull the back seat out and lay the ballast on the floor as tight to the back as you can.

[deepcove]

sled

Have you tried with your 500 across the back and the 800 down the surf side? I bet you would get a longer pocket...

[SEARK]

I fill only the rear ballast (side surfing on) nothing in the front. The motor tends to give enough weight. Then add 3 or 4 friends on surf side and ride all day. Makes a really good wave. Hard to do without friends though. I don't have any extra ballast added.

[Waynes345]

Make sure you check your oil level frequently. I've got a brand spanking new motor this year that was probably the result of not keeping an eye on my oil during a hard week of running surfers on vacation last summer. That was with a '99 OB with 800 hours.

[Mikey]

I run very similar to Sled . I usually take seat out or put up in sundeck position and run a 750 across the back and i have 2 540's i stack on apropriate side/corner. Works pretty good ,but pocket is Short. As for adding weight up frony i agree its still sitting low enoungh that when it settles its very easy to dunk,the front. Be carefull. But enjoy.