where do you run your wakeplate???

[501]

We also run it almost all the way down (on the gauge it would be just about all the way to the right showing the nose of the boat lower into the water). I find if the plate is up too much the wake isn't as clean, the boat porposises and it gets a bit lippy for me.

[mmandley]

Ok lets break it down to basics LOL.

Wake plate gauge Left = plate up. Physically the plate move up. This = Nose up
Wake plate gauge Right = plate down. Physically the plat is Flat this = nose down.

Experiment to prove and understand the effects.

go 22 MPH

Watch over the nose at the horizon.

Move wake plate all the way Up = Left on the gauge nose note the position of the nose at the horizon.

Now move the Plate all the Down = Right on the gauge and as you do this you can see the nose of the boat move down. Its almost 2 full feet difference in visual clearance.

The physical effect the plate is having on the boat is much more simple to understand when you look at the boat from a side view. Boat is level at idle. At 21mph the nose will naturally point more up due to water drag. This is typical of boats. The wake plate will exaggerate this nose up rear down or it will counter effect it by raising the rear of the boat up and causing the nose to lower.

Now once you understand this concept you can move to understanding how it effects your Wake Boarding and Wake Surfing.

Cruising wake boarding and wake surfing all have different effects with the wake plate.

Wake Surfing the point is to sink the rear of the boat to create a steep wave. We all understand the surf wave concept. Wake plate up as Al like it makes it steep but leaves a short tail or pocket to ride in. Add more weight to the front of the boat you will cause the nose to ride lower at the same speed and this causes the rear of the boat to ride higher in the water and in effect gives you more pocket at the expense of not as steep of a wave.

Take mine and Als boat for example. If i only fill me rear and center to 750 and 400 respectively wake plate up we have very identical waves.

Then if i fill my nose bag all the way up i have a much longer wave then Al but my wave is no longer as steep as his. You can adjust the length and height of your surf wave with you wake plate. You cant have both height and length. with just a wake plate adjustment.

You have to see in your head the side of the boat image to see what the boat is doing when you adjust the wake plate as to the effect it has on the surf wake.

Wake boarding its the same concept but at a much faster speed, and also the faster you go the small the wave is naturally because the faster you go the more the boat raises in the water.

21 mph wake boarding the wake plate up will give you a little more height and lip on your wave. This causes the rear of the boat to sink more creating a more drag and larger wake.

Generally you use the wake plate to clean up the lip or top of your wave by adjusting it to speed and current weight in the boat.

Lastly porpoising happens because the prop is pushing the boat forward, once you cross a certain angle of the bow being up and the prop pushing you forward it will literally try to launch the boat out of the water. This is the effect of what porpoising is and its very bad on the drive train as its the same as spinning your tires at a dead stop in your car.

Sorry this is long but i hope i helped and not confused more.

[lewisb13]

+1 good writeup. I would really LOVE to go in a boat with the plate all the way UP. Mine is crazy trying to do dolphin jumps and such with it even half way.

[bzubke1]

If the boat is porpoising put the wakeplate down and it should stop. If you dont have a wake plate then adding some weight or people in the bow should stop it from porpoising thats what we always do in my friends nautique because he doesn't have a wake plate.

[Ian Brantford]

I typically have my XLV running with 2000-ish lbs of ballast -- 1000 center and 500 in each rear bag. With passengers evenly distributed around the boat, the wakeplate positioning that gives best wake lip and slope for me is:

- all the way down, up until 21 MPH
- 1/4 to 1/3 up for 22+ MPH

[c.rix]

wakeboarding 22-23 mph I start with the the plate 3/4 to full up depending on the weight I watch where the white wash starts on the lip of the wake if its in front of the rider put the plate down / nose down or up to get the lip nice and poppy if the wash is too far back

[jmvotto]

+1 good writeup. I would really LOVE to go in a boat with the plate all the way UP. Mine is crazy trying to do dolphin jumps and such with it even half way.

How much weight are u using in the rear at say 22 mph to get it to porpose. i have the same hull but have not experienced that effect at slow speeds.. 30+ mph plate up = bow up= needle to the left i get her to bounce

[deepcove]

Great post mmandley.

I would like to add one other point. When u ride with the plate all the way up the wake is steeper and may even appear bigger. I have found however the wake on a LSV to be thin and easy to cut thru with the plate all the way up (unless you add additional bow ballast). When you move the plate down it forces the bow of the boat down causing more hull to push thru the water creating a much more solid poppy wake.

[501]

Perfect explanation for an XLV Ian. That is almost exactly how we do it, although I run closer to 1/8th up when loaded (I like a rampier wake, and with that much weight, you don't need a lip to get air).

I typically have my XLV running with 2000-ish lbs of ballast -- 1000 center and 500 in each rear bag. With passengers evenly distributed around the boat, the wakeplate positioning that gives best wake lip and slope for me is:

- all the way down, up until 21 MPH
- 1/4 to 1/3 up for 22+ MPH

[lewisb13]

How much weight are u using in the rear at say 22 mph to get it to porpose. i have the same hull but have not experienced that effect at slow speeds.. 30+ mph plate up = bow up= needle to the left i get her to bounce

You know. To be honest. I havent filled my fat sacs even one time. I typically have a big enough wake with about 6 people in there. Maybe I need to fill up the G3 and have 6 people and see what it does with the wakeplate up.