I want a bigger wake

This is my first boat so please bear with my ignorance.

I have a 2005 outback with I'm assuming a stock prop (it is a 3 bladed prop)

I just installed a new dimensions tower this past weekend and went boarding.
Had fun but want to get a better wake.

Here are my questions to the crew:
1)Do they make a wake plate for my boat and will it help all that much?
2)What water bags/ ballast do you all recommend for the boat?
3)How fast should I be going while pulling an adult or being pulled?
4)What rope lenght should I be at. I have a really nice pro line with the Accurate proof handle.

Lastly how long does it take to get the balls enough to do a Raley?
I can catch pretty big air but man I get chicken everytime I cut in.


Thanks for wasting you time reading my plea for help.
Any suggestions?

Chris

1) I am not sure, but I was shopping in 2005 and I think that all models were available with a wakeplate.

2) I upgraded the bags in my XLV from its Gravity III to Fly High 750's in the rear and 1000 lbs in the center. You might not be able to fit ones that big in the Outback, but I can say that the Fly High's came with fittings that mated fine with the boat's plumbing. It was an easy upgrade.

3) Typical speed ranges are 22-24 MPH for tricks that you are ready to try whole hog. For warm-up and practice, it depends on what you are doing, but I'd say that 17-20 MPH is warranted. For surface activities, you can tune it right down to 12-16, depending on weight and board. I basically re-learned wakeboarding from scratch last year after buying "The Book" DVD set, and the most useful thing that I got out of it was the sliding drill at about 12 MPH. It made me much better at landing 24 MPH jumps later.

4) Rope length opinions vary, but so do boat wakes at various speeds. Greater length and lower speeds make the wake that you'll experience be wider. Shorten the rope or speed up the boat and the wake gets narrower. I ride at 65' and 22-24 MPH if I'm trying to go wake-to-wake, or longer/slower if I'm trying to work on technique without clearing the wake. Lots of other people go full length (75-80') and full speed (say, 24 MPH) ASAP.

Raley: I am nowhere near that stage yet. I only just this season managed to get my first heelside wake-to-wake jump landed in the flats.

If you want to maximise your courage, you could try to maximise your protective gear:

a. A properly fitted watersport helmet with ear flaps.

b. A vest with sipes, thick padding, or both. Make sure that it's long enough to protect most or all of your chest and midsection.

c. A Neck Roll (http://cinchmax.com/_wsn/page3.html). This device was created for hydrofoilers to protect their necks in crashes, but is also great for most any watersport. It comes with a disclaimer against any medical benefit, but I find that it pretty much does as you'd expect. It seems to work best in conjunction with a conventionally-shaped helmet that comes low at the back and rear of the skull, as the lower edge would press against the Neck Roll in a crash.

d: Watersport goggles (http://www.bartswatersports.com/catalog.asp?P=4427). These do away with the "eye opener" effect in a face plant.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ducatichris

This is my first boat so please bear with my ignorance.

I have a 2005 outback with I'm assuming a stock prop (it is a 3 bladed prop)

I just installed a new dimensions tower this past weekend and went boarding.
Had fun but want to get a better wake.

Here are my questions to the crew:
1)Do they make a wake plate for my boat and will it help all that much?
2)What water bags/ ballast do you all recommend for the boat?
3)How fast should I be going while pulling an adult or being pulled?
4)What rope lenght should I be at. I have a really nice pro line with the Accurate proof handle.

Lastly how long does it take to get the balls enough to do a Raley?
I can catch pretty big air but man I get chicken everytime I cut in.


Thanks for wasting you time reading my plea for help.
Any suggestions?

Chris

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1)Do they make a wake plate for my boat and will it help all that much? Yes they do but it will not be worth the money you spend on it aftermarket.

2)What water bags/ ballast do you all recommend for the boat? You'll be surprised in that boat how a relatively small amount of weight will increase your wake. I would advise a 750 in the rear and a 500 in the front ski locker and see how that works. You should be able to progress nicely on that. When you want more - add a bow sack with something like 500 in it and add a 400 on each side of the motor (assuming it's a direct drive). I suspect a 750 in the back and 500 up front will be plenty.

3)How fast should I be going while pulling an adult or being pulled? To start - 20mph is about "right". As you increase the weight in the boat and your skill level, you'll want to raise the speed. We run a BUNCH of weight in our boats and have SICK wakes and we ride between 23.6 and 24mph.


4)What rope lenght should I be at. I have a really nice pro line with the Accurate proof handle. This depends on the wake and the rider level. For newer riders, shorten the rope so wake to wake jumps are easier. For more advanced riders - have the rope as long as you can ride it so you're still hitting the meaty part of the wake. If it's washed out where you're hitting it, shorten it up 5 feet and go again.

A Raley is an advanced trick. Unless you are nailing some inverts, have solid switch riding and can take all of your jumps w2w - you should hold off on the Raley. I've seen a lot of people get hurt trying to hit Raleys too early in their wakeboarding career. Be careful and have fun.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ducatichris

. . . want to get a better wake. . . .
I get chicken everytime I cut in.

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I don't know how you reconcile these two statements. You are afraid of what you have now but you want a larger wake. Go get "The BOOK" and start over. Practice technique without taking shortcuts and you'll know when you need more wake.

i think chicken was referring to the raley. The book dvd is a great tool, i am only on chapter 2 and thats all i need.;)

Thanks for the insight everyone.
I guess I should have given a little bit of my skill level first also.

I can get plenty of air on my jumps and can land w2w no problem, and I can also do a back roll and almost land it but I have always let go of the handle in the past.

Are there any aftermarket wake plates you guys would recommend or should I start with a fat sac first?

doesn't the wake plate push the bow down and raise the transom to reduce the wake size? with our lsv, if the plate is down, then the wake is smaller, if the plate is up, the wake is bigger.

i think you would get more wake from sacs not a plate.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by yearround

doesn't the wake plate push the bow down and raise the transom to reduce the wake size? with our lsv, if the plate is down, then the wake is smaller, if the plate is up, the wake is bigger.

i think you would get more wake from sacs not a plate.

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The wakeplate changes the wake's shape, not its size. Bow down gives you a softer ramp, bow up gives you a sharper, steeper ramp. In the operating range of the wakeplate, there won't be any significant change to the energy imparted, so the wake size will be the same overall.

The wake's shape can also vary with boat speed, so the wakeplate allows the driver to make small adjustments to compensate. On my XLV, I ride with the wakeplate down up to 22 MPH, then have the driver put it up about halfway at 23 MPH, as this threshold appears to slightly blunt the wake at 65'.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ducatichris

Thanks for the insight everyone.
I guess I should have given a little bit of my skill level first also.

I can get plenty of air on my jumps and can land w2w no problem, and I can also do a back roll and almost land it but I have always let go of the handle in the past.

Are there any aftermarket wake plates you guys would recommend or should I start with a fat sac first?

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Dont even consider an aftermarket wake plate. If you don't have one - dont' think about it.

Just put weight in the boat. Fat sacs. The more you put in - the bigger the wake will get. Don't think about a wakeplate anymore. It's a nice OEM option but not worth the money for aftermarket. It will only shape your wake, not make it bigger.

Get a 750 or 900 lbs for the rear and a 500-750 for the front and you'll be VERY happy with the wake.

Well, if it's just the raley you are sweating I wouldn't call that chicken. Agree that ballast is the way to go.