Adding a wakeplate/ballast

[baller40]

Just wondering about how much adding a wakeplate to an outback would run me. Also, would i be better off getting my own ballast or something like the gravity 1 from mooomba? Would like to get more into wakeboarding without getting a v-drive.

[Mikey]

Not sure how much adding a wakeplate is gonna cost but a couple external bags/sacs and a pump can be had quite reasonably. I beleive Ed had an Outback minus wakeplate that he surfed with with great results.
I run 2x540 sacs with a plate and this works not bad,maybe a 650,750 with one 540 would probably be ideal,but for now we surf as beginners and enjoy it as a nice break from Skiing when the conditions aren't quite right.
Ask around, it can be done.

[tylerlakemoomba]

my moomba dealer gave me a quote of around $1,000 for a wake plate to be added to my 04 Outback. He also quoted me $1,000 to add the gravity 1 system to my boat, since he said it was labor intensive to run all the hoses under the floor and to cut holes in the boat for the drains and water intake. He told me that I was better off to just get aftermarket bags and that way I could add the weight where ever I wanted. He said the G1 system is not a good system for the $$$$$ but the wake plate is worth it.

[deafgoose]

I dont use my wakeplate for wakeboarding, only for surfing.

When wakeboarding I fill all 3 bags on my Gravity3 system and that is all I need for a nice clean wake. If I need a bigger wake I add my 3 external sumo sac ballasts (750lb, 450lb, 125lb) for a total of 2,525lb.

If I was in your shoes I would simply buy external bags, ballast pump and a 14x14 prop.

[jmvotto]

Does'nt a wakeplate on a DD outback seem counter intuitive. it wil only serve to raise the back of the boat and thus create a smoother wake. i kinda thaought the idea of the wake plate was that a wake boat could still do some skiing.... we all know know that it can shape the wake as well but it will not help create one.. i am i wrong in my thinking... get some bags and a tsunami pump

[deafgoose]

get some bags and a tsunami pump

The new sumo sac bags are sweet. The matching sumo pump is rated at 100 pounds of water every 55 seconds.

[bergermaister]

I'm kind of wondering the same thing about adding a wakeplate to my 2001. I went from my "stock" 2-235lb hard tanks to 2-400lb sacs in the rear and a 750 sac in my basement locker. Great wake for wakeboarding but I have no real way to clean it up besides shuffling people around or changing the speed.

For surfing I throw in a 1,100lb sac in the surf-side rear locker (leaving the 400's empty as I'm tight on room in my older boat) and run the 750 in the basement. Once again, just shuffling people around to try to clean it up or making tiny speed adjustments.

Ballast additions was an awsome upgrade - best money I've spent in a long time. I shouldn't have waited so long to do it!

I'm not afraid to do the work myself to add a wakeplate, just wondering if it would be worth the $$ for what I'd get out of it? And then wondering where to get the best deal on one...

[kaneboats]

Well, in theory the plate will move the stern up or down, making the wake a little bigger or smaller due to how much water is being displaced at the stern. Subtle adjustments will change the shape of the wake at the same speed-- allowing you to clean it up or steepen it as you like. Combining additional ballast with the wakeplate gives you a lot more options for adjustment for different sports and speeds. If you were only going to do one thing you are probably better off just getting ballast. It will definitely increase the size of the wake and you can move people as well as ballast to adjust the shape as weight is redistributed throughout the boat.

[bergermaister]

Hmmmm, basically so for the cost of a half rack I can tell my buddies to "go sit in the bow, scoot back a little, sit over there, no there, ok right there and don't move" as opposed to dropping $500-1000...

[kaneboats]

It will be at least $1000 installed but a little cheaper to do it yourself. Don' you kind of have to move people around a little anyway?