I recently installed a wedge on my 01 Malibu Sunsetter VLX...yesterday was our first time using it...We are pretty new to wakeboarding. I really didn't notice any difference in the wake, however the back of the boat was much lower in the water. THe depth of the water was anywhere from 6 - 20 feet in depth speed going anywhere from 10 - 20 mph. What should I be looking for in the wake? Do I need to add fat sacks? I have 4 kids that ski, board, knee board and tube, and I'm afraid the fat sacks will kill my storage space...Also won't the extra weight from the water kill my gas mileage? Any suggestions would be helpful !

gas mileage? When the wake is bigger you'll fall harder and won't want to ride as long so mileage should improve overall.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/talker.gif" border=0>

Offset the wedge by adding a big sac in the nose. You will see a big difference.

10-20 mph is pretty slow. You're going to want to be going 21-25mph to see what your wake is supposed to look like. Yes, fat sacks will take away some storage and decrease gas mileage, but that's the price we all pay for a bigger wake. If you get fat sacks, make sure to get some for the middle and/or front of the boat to balance out the effect of the wedge. Also, if you are new to wakeboarding, you shouldn't really need all that weight. Having a huge wake won't help you learn the basics any faster.

You didn't notice any difference in the wake, are you kidding me? If you are new to wakeboarding I don't think you should be worried about fat sac's and wedge's yet but that is just my opinion. A Sunsetter VLX should throw out plenty of wake for you to learn on.

I'm with CAR. You don't need all that just learn to ride well. You would do better to spend $80 on the book instructional DVDs.

We put a 600lbs sack in the walk through of my buddies older Malibu. Makes the wake pretty darn nice.

Rich nailed it. Weight the nose with the wedge.

Thanks guys ! - I'm just a dad trying to make sure the kids have a blast this summer....

You always need sac's, with or without a wedge, with 10 people in the boat, sac's always!

The 01 sunsetter VLX is the combo hull (had one) and the turn down rails at the edge of the hull wipes out that great lip you get on the wakesetter. That also gives it one of the best slalom wakes for any v drive out there. We tried everything on that boat, best was just to weight the shizz out of it and forget the wedge. If you are going to use the wedge more weight in the nose helps as it tends to porpoise.

If anything ditch the wedge and fill up some sacks. Nothin better than a nicely weighted boat.

We have sportster with the wedge. I think it is great. It gives the wake a nice little lip at the top. I also run fat sacs on either side of the engine and some lead up under the bow. It is a nice wake.