Breakdown a "wake".

Obviously I know what a wake is, otherwise I should just stop now. I have ridden behind a 05 Wakesetter, 04 and 05 X-2, CC, and plenty of other I/0's. I must say that I have only been riding for about a year and still have plenty to learn. Where I get confused is wake talk. Not much experience here but to me a wake is a wake, many may laugh at that but its what I know up to this point. In reading articles and seeing pics of other wakes there is always talk of weight placement and how that changes the wake. Then there are the , lip, ramp, hardness, transition, trough, width......talk. I really don't know each fundamental part of the wake and would love an explanation of such. And if that's not enough for ya, how about how weight placement changes the wake. Thanks, Mr Oblivious

(Message edited by dan_forrest on April 24, 2006)

Lip - the very top of the wake, the sharper the better. If they get too sharp, then they break.

Ramp - (aka transition) the part of the wake that is actually shaped like a ramp. Starts in the trough, and ends at the lip.

Trough - the trough is the little dip before the wake starts to go up. More weight = bigger trough. The trough can be a good thing.

Width - The width is the actual distance from lip to lip.

Hardness - Some hulls make harder wakes than others. Hardness increases with speed, but speed has an adverse effect on size.

more weight in back = steeper (aka vert) wake
more weight in front = mellower (aka rampier) wake

and Thane Dogg breaks it down once again. I couldn't have said it better.

Know thats what I am talking about. Thanks for the quick response. Why I love this place.

Not to highjack this thread...but Thane Dogg - you seem to know your wakes....

which is better? Vert or rampier?

I suppose it may be determined by the rider...but which throws you higher?

I have a V-drive Kamberra. I normally run a 1000 lbs total in the engine compartments and a 750 lb sack in the ski locker. For the first time yesterday I hooked up another 750 lb sack and laid it in the back of the boat next to the seats. The wake was great.....but would it be better to center this extra sack a little bit?

I have heard that it is best to run 60% in the back and 40% in the front...good rule of thumb?

thanks!

Good Job Thane, How's the knee doing?

Nate - Vert wakes throw you up, but they're harder to get the timing just right.

If the wake was good with the setup you were running then I would stick with it. If you moved the sack forward a little bit, it may make the wake a little more clean.

Gordie - Thanks. Knee is doing good, 10 weeks post-op tomorrow. I've got about 75% of my strength back.

Thane, take it easy. As I told you before Larry
was doing light riding at 4.5 mos. and about 3 weeks ago blew the new ACL out again, that was at 7 mos, after miniscus is still good and he's still riding about 4 times a week. Said he won't fix it till he's in pain again, just swells up after riding after a couple hours.

Damn, sorry to hear that Gordie.

Gordie sorry to hear about Larry's knee, I heard D Conway tweeked his out again also. Are you still going to Atlanta?

And thus you would stand tall when the center of your feet is right on top of the lip, right? having 100% of the energy of your progessive edge at that moment.

Thane, you forgot "wettness" how wet a wake is, is very important to me.