Just got a new Wakestter VLX and was wondering how most people weight them down. The ballast is pretty good but not good enough. Some people just say to put some lead in the front. Is that good enough? If so how much and where can I get some?

Ryan, you are definately going to have to add more weight up front. I have three waterbed tubes up front under the seats, thats approx. 200lbs. I've also added an additional 150lbs in the rears lockers. I have done this withj concrete tubes I made from 4" pvc that are 4' long. Also under the seats in the cockpit area I have two fat buddies thaty are about 175 a piece.You may have to play with the configuration a bit to get where you like but I think you'll find that you definately will need more weight than the factory ballast. Hope this helps, if you have any questions I would be glad to help. Scott

Ryan, <BR> <BR>You need to have about 500lbs in the bow, and another 500 in the rear lockers. That would be in addition to the MLS.

03 VLX Sweet!!! When do we get to see some pictures? You ever make it over to Norfork Lake? We are from St. Louis and like to ride their quite a bit. Have been to Beaver, but never out on it. I hear good things about it. I assume that is where you ride...? <BR> <BR>As far as weighting the VLX the above is pretty accurate. Add lots to the fornt and lots to the rear. The more the better. I personally have about 400 in the bow, fatsacks and lead, and probably about 500 in the rear and under the pass seat area. Just depends on how big you want to get! I also recommend changing the stock prop from 14x18 (actually Acme 13.5x17.5) to a 14x16, gives you much better hole shot when weighted. <BR>Enjoy

I run with the MLS, 300# in the bow, 150# on each side of the engine and the new "V" Wedge. The Wedge seems to firm up the wake.

<BR> <BR>..Ryan - as the above is correct, I have a 00 VLX and I'm running Phat Buddies in the rear, only because I lost space due to batteries on each side. I have replaced my stock MLS locker sack with a custom sack that holds about 900#. We always have another sack in the bow area that is abour 500#'s No wedge and the wake is right on. <BR> <BR><a href="mailto:Mike@wakeon.com">Mike@wakeon.com</a>

My buddy didn't add any weight up front...just in the back. It was huge, steep and firm!

Mike, who made the bag that you put into the stock mls compartment? About how much did it cost?

<BR> <BR>Allen - I bought it while in Phoenix AZ. Paridise ski &amp; marine have them made it was about $400.00 I belive. <BR> <BR>Let me get the # for you <BR> <BR><a href="mailto:Mike@wakeon.com">Mike@wakeon.com</a>

<BR> <BR>Allen - call Dustin Duea Paridise Watersports <BR> <BR>602-470-9800 <BR> <BR><a href="mailto:Mike@wakeon.com">Mike@wakeon.com</a>

Mike thakyou for the information, I will give him a call shortly.

I forgot how to type, thankyou

thanks for all the help guys, i'll try to get some pictures up shortly!!! I'll proably need some more help with some stuff later on!

you need 4 extra side sacs, 1 extra full-sized phat sac. put 2 sides in the bow under the seats. the other 2 side go in the back beside the MLS hard tanks. The extra full sac fill about 3/4 full starting at the beginning of the walk-through going towards the bow. fill all the MLS and extra sacs (takes about 10-15 minutes). depending on how many people you have along, you may want to use the wedge as well. Do not fill the rear MLS 100% full and use those tanks to help keep the wake shape by filling or draining each tank accordingly. Thats what worked best for me after a ton of trial and error. good luck.

on behalf of Ryan... here are some pictures of his awesome new boat. <BR> <BR>(personal opinion: I really like this color setup!) <BR> <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/60035.jpg" alt="boat1"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/60036.jpg" alt="boat2"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/60037.jpg" alt="boat3"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/60038.jpg" alt="boat4"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/60039.jpg" alt="boat5"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/60040.jpg" alt="boat6">

That boat looks really good, I like the color

Boat looks sweet, Ryan. Congratulations!!

All white is nice and smart.

thanks for putting the pictures up there, i don't know that much about putting pictures up! If anyone knows where i can get some lead I would appreciate it and maybe tell me how you have it in your boat. Do you just lay it in there or what? I had an old 98 VLX and we used all phat sacs in it, but I'm so sick of filling up phat sacs! So i'm going to TRY to do it with mostly lead and my ballast if I can get away with it. Thanks for all the replys <BR>Ryan

Don't add any weight up front. Just use the MLS and add about 300 on each side in the rear. <BR> <BR>If you add weight up front, it'll be too rampy.

Joe....I never really thought the wake was too rampy with the extra weight up front. I seemed to find that the Wedge will help give it a little more "vert" but then you lose the ability to have more people out with you (not always a bad thing). The depth of my lake (25ft) could also have an effect on the wake shape. Whatever works I guess!

I fill the MLS front and rear, put a locker sack that's 500# in the bow walkway (which is out of the way) and put a Phat Buddie (250# ea) on the sides in rear, drop the wedge and you will be flying high. My boat is mostly white like yours, very classy. Look in my profile for pic of mine.

I'd say that while most of this information is good, a lot depends on how many people you have in the boat and where they are riding. I typically weight my boat 50/50 including passengers and then run wedge as well. However I'm running about 2K plus wedge and passengers. Without wedge, it's a big and rampy (not to my liking) but if running without it (usually only when I have a lot of people) I run at about 60/40. <BR> <BR>Enjoy your new boat Ryan and as far as lead goes I run about 700 #'s that was tire weights and shot that I melted down and made bars out of (23 of them<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/proud.gif" border=0>). A pain in the b-u-t-t, but worth it. An oversized locker sack is also a great addition but you'll only get about 700 #'s in there. <BR> <BR>Joe, how does that boat plane, are you including wedge, and how many people?

Joe, <BR> <BR>I run 350 left-rear, 350 right-rear, 400 in mls and 500 in the bow. With this, the wake is nice but rampy. <BR> <BR>I tried 450 left-rear, 450 right-rear, 400 in mls and 350 in bow. With this, the wake was nice and less rampy. However, the boat was also very hard to drive with massive bow rise, porpoising, and unreal gas consumption. <BR> <BR>I should try things between the two now that I have a cache of led.

i diddnt go through all these post so if its been said, sorry for the dejhavu. <BR> <BR>2002 vlx. <BR> we just took out the rear tanks and plummed in 580# fatboy sacks. flip of a switch close to 1200 lbs i the rear. <BR> <BR>than i trailer w/ like 300 in lead in the back(under the back seats) Could use a lil more. but we trailer alot, and i dont have anymore lead, i need to make another tire shop run. a few people do just fine <BR> <BR>then a 500 bag in center(mls) and another fatboy sack in the bow. <BR> <BR>ya so were at like 2400+/- plus, people, gas, and all of that.. and we only have to fill one bag.. its great. <BR> <BR>wake is awesome <BR>

Hey Tony or Ryan, what color dash is that? Never seen that color on a Malibu dash. Kick A!! boat by the way; you've gotta be stoked!

hey <BR> I really don't know i think just a badge color. The dealer i got it from knew i was wanting an all white boat so he ordered one to be on the lot this year ( I guess he knew I would break down and buy it if I saw it) so it was just sitting on the lot. The reason I got all white was I had a blue and white one before that and it was a NIGHTMARE to keep clean. You could wax it 7 times and put it in the water for 3 hours and you would have the worst water spots on it. <BR> <BR>Ryan

hey skydogg where did you get that wakesetter sticker on the back of your truck? It's really sweet <BR> <BR>Ryan

I think there are different types rampy wakes. A stock VLX running without wedge will produce a rampy wake that is rather small and lacks pop. Add additional weight to the rear only, you'll get a more vert wake but one that is softer. Add weight to both the rear and the bow the wake will be rampier but harder and produce great pop. Case in point...Dane's wake. No wedge, about a 60/40 distribution of weight (including passengers) and while his wake was rampy with a nice transition, it was very hard and produced great predictable pop that wasn't too abrupt. <BR> <BR>Guess it depends on your preference. <BR> <BR>That is a nice looking boat Ryan, I like the clean look. Have fun with it and play with the weighting to find what works best for YOU. <BR> <BR>Steve

Dane, <BR> <BR>The new VLX has ballast in the rear, as well as the 2nd generation Wedge. The configuration I stated above is for the new VLX. For older VLX, you need about 3000lbs. and 4 tanks of gas!!! <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":-)" BORDER=0>

Aren't the older VLX's (99-2001) running the SV23 hull? I must be confused<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/crazy.gif" border=0>.

I have owned 4 Malibus (98 Sunsetter VLX and '01-03 WS VLX's). All 4 boats had the Monsoon motor. Does a boat like a Super Air get THAT much better mileage??? How can it be that much better, guess I dont understand. I realize there may be a slight difference, but the way people talk you are almost lucky to make it to the other end of the lake and back with a loaded Malibu and I have never found that to be a problem.. Just curious. Thanks

When I bought my boat in 2000, they told me that the wedge was not available on the wakesetter VLX (their flagship wakeboat) because it made the boat un-drivable with bow-rise and porpoising. So, it seems, the new wedge improved things. Also, I believe, the new VLX has a much larger center MLS sack than what I had.

I don't think the VLX hull has changed one bit since before my boat.

ryan, tilly smarine in ventura Ca. same drip sticker on the boats. thanks.