Wakesurfing steering and hard pull

[walb0244]

I just got two new 1100 lb bags for my 2006 Moomba Mobius LSV. I have only gotten to try them one time but when I was trying there was alot of people in the boat so I didn't fill them all the way and with everyone moving around I gave up on surfing for the day. But afterwards when we got done my father-n-law said the boat was really hard to try and drive while we had the bags filled up and such. I didn't get to drive the boat so I'm not sure how hard it was and such but just thought I would ask if this is normal? I don't want to tear up my boat. I know that there are guys on here that have ran a full 1100 in the rears and the ski locker so I thought I would be fine. But I just wanted to check. Any help is appreciated.

[Ed G]

Since you were not driving, 1st thing I would question is...

is your father in law used to the handling of your boat when running with ballast?

I once had two 1100's completely filled in my NG OBV at the same time for wakeskating...didn't notice anything unusual in the steering.

people in the boat had to move to the front to get the bow down so the driver could see, and the boat ran a little sluggish untill it got on plane.

[KG's Supra24]

I have a hard time believing your boat didn't drive different with an extra 2200 lbs in a 21ft boat (or whatever it is). I'm a little surprised it even got on plane.

Yes, when I am weighted for surf the boat drives completely different. You have to drive with the flow, turning against yourself turns into a pain. There is more finesse involved when driving a heavily weighted boat.

[c.rix]

when were loaded up for surfing I run ~1500 lbs and it seems when the boat is leaning over the boat reacts a lot slower than when more evenly loaded. The weight is always going to affect handling but I do think surf set up more so

[bergermaister]

Yes, in my case it definitely feels different and is harder to steer. Think of it, your rudder that normally turns a 3200lb boat is now trying to turn a 4-5,000lb boat (depending on your ballast). I have run 1100 corner, 750 belly, 400 front, 400 side and a few peeps and it was like driving a dump truck.

[Ed G]

"I have a hard time believing your boat didn't drive different with an extra 2200 lbs in a 21ft boat (or whatever it is)."

Just shy of 20'.

I'm tellin ya, the boat with all that weight was still really nimble.

Reed Hansen was wakesurfing and Kyle Schmidt driving - when Kyle got to a certain point in the lake, he made such quick turns, it sounded like the prop was out of the water.

Kyle even complimented me on how well the boat handled and how it maintained speed really well. He doesn't like using PP.

I drove the boat as a chase boat when Reed and Kyle were done and I forgot to drain the bags.

I didn't notice any difference in handling, but remembered to start emptying the bags when I saw we were washing out the wake for the surfers in the main tow boat.

[deafgoose]

I do notice heavier steering when loaded up with 2400lb of ballast in my OBV.

[08LSV]

Yes, when I am weighted for surf the boat drives completely different. You have to drive with the flow, turning against yourself turns into a pain. There is more finesse involved when driving a heavily weighted boat.

TRUE DAT... Same Here.

[walb0244]

Ok. Let me clear some things up and hope it helps a little. I had the drivers side rear 1100 lb bag only about 1/2 way full it even that. I had the 400 lb bag in the locker full. I had 4 people in the boat. One was driver, one was riding in the front on driverside, one behind the driver, and one riding on the passenger side of the boat. So the majority of the weight was all on the drivers side of the boat. Well when we got done my father-n-law said that the steering was pulling really hard to the right the entire time. He didn't say anything about it till we had already emptyed the ballast so I didn't get a chance to see. I know that it will react different but I didn't know to what extent exactly I guess.