OBV surf ballast

[mikenehrkorn]

My advice is to upgrade the ballast before you even buy a board. Your stock wave will frustrate you. If you add an 1100 on your surf side v-drive locker, add about 250-400 under your surf side seats, and add an IBS or 400 or more #s to the bow, you will surf ropeless on day one with just about any board you can buy.

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I have a question about ballast set up for my OBV. We tried wakesurfing for the first time with the stock set up and I was less than impressed. Would this advice on additional ballast apply to my OBV as well? Or are there other recommendations that you could direct me to?

[wolfeman131]

moved it so you didn't highjack and/or have info buried in the other thread.

How else did you have the boat set up? Speed, wakeplate, people?

Sure an upgrade to your ballast will help (750 in surf side full, center full, and IBS/weight in the bow if you want to) but here is an good, old thread from when we first starting surfing:

https://forum.moomba.com/showthread....highlight=tips

[jmvotto]

buy a 750 for the rear locker and I put and ibs in the bow of our obv and it surfed pretty well,

also add friends to the surf side.

[mikenehrkorn]

moved it so you didn't highjack and/or have info buried in the other thread.

How else did you have the boat set up? Speed, wakeplate, people?

Sure an upgrade to your ballast will help (750 in surf side full, center full, and IBS/weight in the bow if you want to) but here is an good, old thread from when we first starting surfing:

https://forum.moomba.com/showthread....highlight=tips

My son didn't have much issue (6' - 140lbs.) and could probably go ropeless with some more practice, but my big arse (6'2" 230 lbs.) really struggled. It seemed that there was no real "definition" to my wave and was just all washed out.

Here's the basic setup I had:
- center locker full
- surf side rear full
- opposite surf side rear - 50% full
- wakeplate about 3/4 down (up just seemed to let the wave wash out)
- speed around 9.5-10mph
- one teenager in bow
- my wife and one other teenager in stern on surf side

Aside from adding more ballast or friends/teenagers, should I go ahead and fill the opposite of surf side full? Or maybe leave it empty?

Thanks for the help....

[wolfeman131]

My son didn't have much issue (6' - 140lbs.) and could probably go ropeless with some more practice, but my big arse (6'2" 230 lbs.) really struggled. It seemed that there was no real "definition" to my wave and was just all washed out.

Here's the basic setup I had:
- center locker full
- surf side rear full
- opposite surf side rear - 50% full
- wakeplate about 3/4 down (up just seemed to let the wave wash out)
- speed around 9.5-10mph
- one teenager in bow
- my wife and one other teenager in stern on surf side

Aside from adding more ballast or friends/teenagers, should I go ahead and fill the opposite of surf side full? Or maybe leave it empty?

Thanks for the help....

on your model boat, you need to have the opposite side empty. everything else you have is about right. play around with different speed & wakeplate settings.

[jmvotto]

Add the port bag to the surf locker to. Simulate. A 750 If you have a pump.

I assume you have the 400 in the rear lockers.

[wolfeman131]

Add the port bag to the surf locker to. Simulate. A 750 If you have a pump.

I assume you have the 400 in the rear lockers.

good point. I thought he may have added a 750 from a post in another thread, but might be wrong about that. And, I re-read your post and wakeplate needs to be 3/4 UP, not down.

[mikenehrkorn]

I was looking at the fat sac 750 and its quite a bit longer (50" vs 36") than the length of the rear locker -- does it mold pretty well to the locker size or would that really put too much pressure on the sides when near full? Or maybe i should be looking at a different sac with different dimensions?

[costanza]

I was looking at the fat sac 750 and its quite a bit longer (50" vs 36") than the length of the rear locker -- does it mold pretty well to the locker size or would that really put too much pressure on the sides when near full? Or maybe i should be looking at a different sac with different dimensions?

Hey there Mike, I just received and installed my 750 pound fat sac this weekend (from wakemakers - I got the 750 fly high 50x20x20) and it fits perfect (even seems to have room to spare)!! I can't comment on how big a difference it makes for the wake yet as I had 3 guys in the boat that weighed 250-350 pounds each so the wake was insane! I think the upgrade on it's own will make a big difference. The install of the upgraded sac literally took me under 1 minute! I've just brought the old sac home that was previously in there and will take off the glued in fittings and use it placed somewhere else on the boat. I'll play around to see what works best. Any recommendations on where I should put the sac I just took out??? I've only upgraded one side for now but after seeing how easy it was to setup , I'm sure I'll be replacing the other side as well, then I'll have 2 extra sacs to play around with ... ) Any tips on where to place extra sacs appreciated, as I've got the same boat... Good Luck Mike, and definitely get the upgraded sacs for the back!! I'll take a pic next weekend and post the wake I get with the upgrade... My wife can surf with the factory sac, but it's not enough to get my butt surfing without the rope (5'10 200 pounds). It may be the board we're using too??

We've been surfing with full surf side, full middle and wake plate all the way down and going 11mph and have been impressed with factury wake... Even better now with upgrade! Maybe I need to adjust speed down and change wake plate??

[mikenehrkorn]

Hey there Mike, I just received and installed my 750 pound fat sac this weekend (from wakemakers - I got the 750 fly high 50x20x20) and it fits perfect (even seems to have room to spare)!!

Thanks for the info. If you have still have room to spare with the 750, maybe it would be better to get the 1100?? Its a bit bigger and might not be able to be filled all the way, but maybe the better way to go? If anybody has experience (good or bad) with the 1100lb bag please let me know.

I'll take a pic next weekend and post the wake I get with the upgrade...

Thanks, I would love to see a pic when you get one.