upgrading boat, need help on ballast setups/surfing
 

At the moment we have an old 210 supersport, and its time to upgrade. I've been reading everything I could for several months, and I am just as confused today. I need some help in narrowing down my choices. Whats making it hard, is that we surf just as much as wakeboard. Thats right, I'm the first person thats 50/50. With the 210 hull, the wakeboarding scores a 10, but the surf is pretty poor. Let's say a 6. I've got 2 main issues that I would like to take care of:
1) I don't like surfwaves that are too close to the back of the boat. When barneys come out on the boat, I don't want them riding into the back of it and bouncing off the swim platform.
2) I"ve had it with tsunami pumps and bags on the seats (I fill everything manually).

Alot of the time its just me and my wife. So piling everyone to one side of the boat is not an option. I need either a tube sac on the seats, or something under the floor in that area, or elsewhere, to make the boat list. What boats have hidden ballast under the side seats, stock or custom, for this purpose? Like my boat, most configurations i see are beside the engine, under the walkway, and bow. Is the avalanche the only boat to fit this bill?

I'm trying to avoid going over 22ft which I know limits my choices quite a bit. But I said trying, and wouldn't rule out a 23 footer as long as we're not getting into burning '8 gallons an hour of gas' territory. I've got no problem suffering a little with the wakeboarding wake, but I don't want to take it down too many notches.

My price range upper limit is $40 000. But I know what happens to these limits. Heres whats in my brain so far:
1) Avalanche - Seems to fit the bill. But I've heard too many complain about finicky weight placement for the wakeboarding wake, and a washy wake under 23mph. I"m nervous its straying too far from the quality in the wake I have now.

2) 2005-2008 Malibu VLX. Maybe an 05 in my price range. I"ve seen videos of surfing pretty far back. My head is still spinning trying to find out what weight and where for that wave. Everybody's different.

3) MB. I"m lost. I don't know what year they changed hull shapes, ballast, when gravity ballast started etc. What is TWB? Is a b52 widebody the same as a normal b52?

4) splurge a bit on an AXIS a22. I know with stock ballast there's nothing under the side seats, but is there a way to customize one for there? does it need it? Can the boat list enough with no passengers and stock ballast? I'm not sure if this is a wave that is ridden right off the platform. The company promo video was a good, but a slap in the face when it got to the end and described wakesurfing: "the wave is long, and its green. Bye!"

Sorry about the endless dribble. Thats 4 months of internet searching. I appreciate any input - especially from those who surf with only a driver.

If you up your budget a little look at an X-15. I have a 2010 and its great for both. We wakeboard and surf 50/50. If you ride regular and weight the port side, you can easily have all the ballast under the seats. I know one guy that removed the partition that separates the port locker and runs a custom sack that fills the port locker all the way down under the seats. Most guys have the wakemakers piggy back set up. Stock tank overflows into a piggy back bag in the locker. Throw a sac where the cooler goes and another towards the front and you're good to go. Here's a goofy wave with 1 person in the boat. Stock KGB full, stock SB full, 400# SB locker, 400# on the seat. There's a guy on MC TT that has an 06 X-30 set up to surf and throws a really nice wave. Might want to check that out. http://tapatalk.com/mu/a6890c79-87cf-41fd.jpg if I put a sack up front it cleans up better but don't have a pic of that.

Have a friend with an 03 Avy that we surf and board behind. I am not sure what people talk about the wake being finicky... stock ballast or even some on top of it, a few people, ofcourse you have to balance any boat side to side... its not that tricky... and the wakeboard wake is nice...

Stock ballast we've run atleast as slow as 21.7 without it washing so not sure what people talk about not being able to run less than 23mph. I ride it 24ish and 75-80 depending on the day and it rides like a dream. Surf wake is fun, haven't optimized either yet in my opinion, but its not my boat so I don't complain...

I would look elsewhere if you are interested in a good surf wake. I've played around on my buddy's X-15 for years and even with much more ballast than spf2275 describes using the wake is sub-par.

Test drive, test drive, test drive.

09 and above malibu vlx have a better surf wave, there seems to be some controversy over the wakeboard wake.

We love our Avy. I wakeboard at 22 mph 70' no problems. Surf with 1100lb sac in the rear locker and it is a good wave.

Except for the price, the current MB 23' TWB (which is the "standard" as opposed to "pickle fork" model) does exactly what you'd want. It's totally surfable on stock ballast and the wakeboard wake is fabulous. With the gravity fed ballast you can surf one set, then wakeboard the next, then surf then...

If you can find an '11 model on a dealer's lot, they seem to be going for low low 50's.

Sorry for the hijack, but I thought I saw on another post, is the 23'MB actually only 21' then they add the length of the platform? Just wondering cause I am just starting to look @ potentially upgrading to a 23 or 24' (need more room) and I like the MB.

Look for a hull with a deeper V. Most will be easier to weight and get a good surf wake.