Wake surf Ballast Questions

[sk8convict]

We just bought our first Boat, 2012 LSV so I have many questions.
We are most interested in Surfing.
How much Ballast is too Much? The weight limit in the boat says 1800lbs max
but I see people on here with thousands of lbs of ballast.. I want the best wave
but don't want to sink our boat either.. Please help me get a good wave
also what set up... We have 2x400s in the back lockers and a 750 in the front locker.
Also the 750 fills quicker??

[wolfeman131]

You're going to get a ton of opinions and you might want to do a little searching in the wakesurfing forum.

Try this to start:

1,100 or 750 in the rear surf side locker
370/400 under the surf side seats. Some folks cut out the ice chest on the port side to get the bag in there
Bow sac

LSVboombox has a great setup, kaneboats & moombadaze do too on their LSV's

[moombadaze]

no such thing as to much ballast, as long as it doesnt sink--just kidding


fyi, your front infloor ballast is a 400lb bag, not a 750


My normal setup is 750 port rear locker, 400 front infloor, and I did remove the cooler and put one of the factory rear bags (400lb) under there to be about the best setup for ballast.

I have done 1000lb bag port rear, 400lb front infloor, 400lb in the walk way, 400lb under port seat base and about 5-6 people all on the port side. the rub rail was underwater in the rear, the prop was not pitched for this amount of weight and was working the motor hard, went thru a bunch of gas fast and the guys that rode the wave said it was not all that much better than the normal setup.

[kaneboats]

Totally agree with above. I usually have a bunch of people in the boat and they sit mostly on the surf side or in the rear with a couple extra up front. I run 750 in the surf side rear locker, 400 center full and the 400 bag under the seat as full as it will get-- my "ice melter" is gone too but this is probably still only about 320 or so. Wake plate all the way up and about 10 MPH.

Congrats on the LSV! Fantastic model and is truly a do everything boat. Haven't looked back.

[lsvboombox]

I run 1100 in rear
Bow sac
Ski locker sac
Another ski locker sac where the cooler was
And another 1100 (its the big L sac) on the seat or floor(if there are a lot of people)
And another 200 or so pounds in the non surf ski locker

I also have the original 400's and some 750's but i havent had to use them, as the surf wake is fine for me with the above


I have swamped the bow a couple of times with this weight and if you happen to turn to hard to starboard(which i dont recomend) at slow speeds water has come over the corner of the rear port locker.

I am also running a acme 1235. This prop has no problem handling all this weight. The boat jumps right out of the water.

[kaneboats]

Like to see some video of that wake and the setup. A look around inside the boat and then a shot of the wake and someone surfing it. I'll try to make one of these too and post it.

[Boonejeepin]

Like to see some video of that wake and the setup. A look around inside the boat and then a shot of the wake and someone surfing it. I'll try to make one of these too and post it.

I think this should be the new standard operating procedure.

I know it would help me.

[wolfeman131]

Get the 1000 in the locker, try a bit slower, when your rider falls slow to a stop & let the rollers go by before you turn around.

[kaneboats]

The one he mentioned, if it's the one linked below, won't go in the locker. It takes up all the seating across the rear and most of the surf side.

http://www.wakemakers.com/fly-high-i...-surf-sac.html

[wolfeman131]

And start with wakeplate all the way up.

Lower it to lenghten the pocket.

Take pics & video to share.

Have fun.