Wakesurfing Ballast setup for 98 Outback

[98 Outback]

Hi I am new to the Forum and would love some help. I baught a 98 Moomba Outback at the end of the summer last year and tried to wake surf behind it but did not have any luck. I have read that their is supposed to be weight in the back and front with the ballast bag but can anyone tell me how much weight and where to put it.

Darren 98 Outback

[98 Outback]

Thanks I can't wait to try it out. We still have 2 feet of ice in the river at the moment. But I want to but the correct bags so I am ready for the season.

Darren

[deerfield]

I baught a 98 Moomba Outback ....

Darren - Good to see another Outback owner. It's a great boat. Ed knows what he's talkin' about when it comes to wake surfin' behind an Outback, so pay attention. Post pics of your new rig. Welcome to the Moomba clan! - Deerfield

[Sled491]

98 where you out of? I have a 07 Outback and bought Ed's old balast system for my boat. If your near, you can check it out first hand.

[98 Outback]

Hi Sled I am in Canada East coast!!!

Darren

[Sled491]

Well, welcome. I'm in Toronto as I type this. Was born and raised in Thunder Bay Ont. However if you want to check out my set up you will still need to come to Wisconsin:)

[98 Outback]

Hi guys should I take the back seat out or lay the bag on the floor or seat!!!

Darren
98 Outback
PS: the ice is out of the river bring on surfing!!!!

[Waynes345]

do some research on price of bags.

You can get cheap deals on Launch Pad sacs, but the bags aren't that durable and the welded seams are kinda questionable. You'll be replacing them over and over from people climbing on them.

Spend a little extra cash and get Fly - High brand. You'll have these sacs for life. They make inflatable boats out of the same material.

I once got two Fly High 750 lb sacs for about $200. These would do you well.

Your gonna need bilge pumps too. Seems like everyone likes the Tsunami brand

Ed - I've been reluctant to go down this path because of all the other crap I haul around for our tow sports. Since I've seen people do it and followed you guys on this board, I'm thinking it's something we need to explore. What are we looking at to get started with the bags you describe, pumps, basic board, etc.? How long does it take to fill and drain 1400 lbs of bags?

[Sled491]

Hi guys should I take the back seat out or lay the bag on the floor or seat!!!

Darren
98 Outback
PS: the ice is out of the river bring on surfing!!!!

If you seat is removable pull it. I'm afraid a 750lb sak on you seat will buckle it in the middle.

[Waynes345]

"
Pumps (non tsunami) $60 ea (Barts)

Starter surfboard (hyperlight for example) $190 delivered

filling 1400 lbs with non Tsunami pumps...1/2 hour

Time to relax and have a beer...priceless

How long with tsunami pumps? I'd rather have more time for fun. Thanks.

[moombadaze]

If you get a tsunami pump I'd say one bag will be full in 6-8 minutes

[98 Outback]

I just recieved my Fly High Fat Sac 750lbs and a Rear seat sac 650lbs and my Tsunami pump. So I should take the rear seat out and put the 750 in the back and the 650 on the surf side. Any other hints for a first timer!!
Darren

[jasonwm]

Post some pics of the wake you get, should be really nice!

[jasonwm]

What do you mean when you went down to surf speed? Surf speed isn't far below 15MPH, and if the wakeboarding wake was good at 15 I would say your speedo needs to be calibrated.

If the wake is squishy (or soft, white, folded, curling, etc.), you need to go faster, assuming you have enough weight in the boat.

[kaneboats]

I noticed in the OB (and I think in Stacy's LSV too) you have to run up and extra 5-8 MPH and then slow back down to get the surf wake right. If you just go up to 10-11 MPH or so it can be frothy but if you go faster and slow down to speed it will stay crisp.

[jasonwm]

You're absolutely right, I just wanted to check, because unless speedos have been calibrated, they can be WAY off. Typically the more weight you add the faster you need to go, so you should be able to get a clean wake at slower actual speeds.

[kaneboats]

Yeah, I don't have PP so I have to wet my finger and hold it up in the air to tell how fast I'm going.

[skigirl1212]

ditch the seat and send it my way. My is missing and I'd love a replacement for kids.

[98 Outback]

I was out today and can't get the wake to hold me in. I have 800 in the back and 600 on the side. The wake doesn't look right I tried 14mph but I still hould not stay in the wake. PLEASE HELP!!!

[mmandley]

I was out today and can't get the wake to hold me in. I have 800 in the back and 600 on the side. The wake doesn't look right I tried 14mph but I still hould not stay in the wake. PLEASE HELP!!!

Sounds like plenty of ballast as i run 2 400s right now. Maybe a bit slower speed? As you go faster that surf will flatten out and become a lopsided wake board wake.

Whats happening? As in is the boat pulling away and your getting into the white wash? Or is the wave soft and squishy and you sink in it?

[kaneboats]

Have to concur here. Try speeding the boat up to about 14 then slowing down to about 10-11 and see what the wake does. You may need to get a little more forward on the board. That was the most uncomfortable thing to me was not leaning back like you do for everything else. Stand down on the front foot till you start gaining on the boat then let up just a little and stand down again as soon as you start losing ground.

[98 Outback]

Hi guys I have tried 10-15mph 750lbs in the back 650 on surf side I am using a liquid force board and do not know what to try next. I think I need weight in the front but Ed said that a 98 Outback does not need it. I put a quick video cilp on YouTube have a look, here is the link and please give me some tips.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31kfZFPaQaw

[Canuckle Head]

You are too far back from the boat. You need to get closer.

[mmandley]

I still say from the video your going to fast, the goal is you want to have a nice dark wave, no white wash or very little. I can see white wash all threw your wave still. Do you have the wake plate? If so i know i tend to run it 1/2 to 1/4 depending on how many peeps we are pulling.

Also yea pull your self in a lot closer, id say 5 feet to start.

I attached a picture of my surf wave. This is with the Stock ballast, 400 on the corner and 400 in the center, 10mph. Wake plate around 1/2

[moombadaze]

looks way to fast--it looks like you are fully on plane, need to plow a little and need to be lots closer to the boat, dont coil that rope in your other hand to make it shorter, if you fall and get your arm wrapped in the coillings its gonna hurt bad.

[kaneboats]

These guys are right. Shorten the rope immediately and be safe. Coiling it is just too dangerous. You can make a good T handle surf rope out of an old handle by cutting it down and drilling a hole in the middle. Most of us run between about 9.5 and 11 or 12 MPH. Looks like you're running over 18.

[98 Outback]

Hi Kaneboats,

it looks like you have the same boat as I do. what is your set up. I do not have a wake plate just the 750 in the back and650 on the side. Or anyone out there with an older Outback what is your set up???
Darren

[Canuckle Head]

I concur with the others that you are going too fast. I think if you slow it down to about 9-10 mph you will have an awesome wake. And yeah, I would get a wakesurfing rope too.

Good luck!

[kaneboats]

I think your speedo is off. You have plenty of ballast. I run a 360 in the rear locker pulled all the way to the surf side, a 400 across the floor behind the engine- pulled to the surf side, and a 400 along the walkway on the surf side. I don't have a wake plate either. Here's a pic of my cousin a couple weeks ago with about 6 or so in the boat (his 1st time surfing):

[usaski1]

I have a 2008 OB DD and have not been sucessfull yet. It seems like my wake is big enough, but we can't toss the handel yet. Im running a 750lb sac in the rear (plumed into the factory) and a 350 lb on the surf side. Running about 10mph. I think I need more weight on the drivers side (our surf side) Im about to go buy a 500 to 750 lb sack for the side. There is just 2 people, me and the surfer. Is it that I dont have enough weight on the side?

[usaski1]

Do I need weight infront of the driver on the surf side?

[mmandley]

I dont know your boat very well but all Moombas like some weight in the front. At the same time i know a lot of guys who surf with a 750 in the rear and just the 400 in the ski locker, i can surf a boat like that also now.

The thing with surfing is when your learning, the sweet spot is literally the size of a quarter. I surfed for my entire first summer and never found it, nor did anyone on my crew for that matter.

Then this summer we added the 750 and 600 IBS to the nose. My crew instantly found the sweet spot but i didn't.

In August we were at Lake Billy and all the sudden when i wasn't trying i was surfing with all slack in the rope and was able to finally toss it. What it took for me was to finally relax, stop worrying about the sweet spot and what will happen is all the sudden you will find that push and be in the spot.

I found it good to look at the people in the boat or close my eyes and feel the board with your feet, feel how it reacts under you and if you have to look down this is what i found usefull.

My feet shoulder width apart, center on the board and the board near the bottom of the wave where it looks like the nose is only a couple inches above the water.

Its a very delicate balancing act because so often you are leaning on the back of the board and not realizing it, you have to really lean on the front to move the board forward and still be able to tap the back slightly to slow it down. Basically if you can force the board up to the swim deck with out pulling on the rope you got the forward movement now its time to learn to balance that back foot to control that forward movement. Once you get that pocket a couple times you will know it and feel it every-time and in pretty soon toss the rope.

For weighting the boat just remember, weight in the back make the wave taller, weight in the front makes it longer. Tall with no length makes the pocket small and drives you forward much faster, long pocket makes it easier to find the sweet spot but if you sacrifice to much height you wont have forward push and you have to stand on the front of the board.

[deepcove]

usaski

Put the 750 on the side you r surfing and your 350 kitty corner from the yop of the 750 onto your rear seat. My experience with my DD is it requires more side weight than rear weight.