Need bigger wake on my I/O any suggestions?

OK I got an 18 foot rinker powerboat the put out like nothin for a wake. I currently have 100 pounds of sand in the ski locker, another 100 below the back seats, and 100 under each front seat equalling 400 pounds. I load it up with people, and trim up and still the wake size is tiny. I have heard switchin to a 4 blade prop will increase the wake size and the amount of weight the boat will handle and I've heard somethin about different pitch props but I donno what the means relly...whats a good pitch for a big wake? What is better for the money: a pylon or fat sacs? Next year I can chose between one or the other and I want the most for my money. Lets say next year I get a 4 blade prop with a good pitch, and I get fat sacs...how many pounds of sacs shoudl I get and where shoudl I place them for max wake? And will the wake be noticably bigger without killing the boat at the same time? O one last thing: is a good wakeboard rope and handle worth the money? What is the biggest difference between wakeboard stuff and a tube rope and ski handle? Basically I just need help getting as big of wake as I can get. Any advice?

How fast are you going???

Wakeboard specific ropes are the only thing most people use as they dont stretch like ski/tube ropes do. I dont know of any prop that will actually make your wake bigger but what it will do is allow you to add more weight and still get on plane. Depending on your specific boat/engine combo id say 1000 lbs would be the max id try and that would be with a 4/5 blade prop and the right engine. The more weight you add the more strain you put on the whole drive train. With an 18' boat you wont be getting a $40000-$50000 wake as that is why people spend that much money for their boats. Good luck

What is the advantage of having a non stretch rope? I'm going between 18 and 22 when I'm riding.

When you jump all of the force is transferred into upward motion and not rubber band absorbtion then when your in the air pulling you forward off axis causing bad things to happen.

I went out behind my buddies Regal earlier this year. Since the I/O is already heavy in the rear I put my 500lb fat sac all the way in the bow in the pass thru area. With four guys, about 750lbs crew and trim up as high as possible before cavitation the wake was not bad. I also drug the rope at different lengths and speeds until I found what I saw as the optimal wake. I think it was at 65-70' at about 22mph. Both speed and line length make big differences. There is a huge difference between 18 and 22, pick a speed and have your driver try to keep it within 1mph of your speed. If you have a rookie driver he probably lets the boat run away when you are not pulling so the wake goes flat then lets you pull the boat down so you don't have speed into the wake. He should be feathering the throttle constantly to give you a decent ride. They now make perfect pass for I/O.

OK Thanks...I have more weight in the front than the back right now. What exactly is perfect pass? And how much does it cost? Thanks. -Greg

http://www.perfectpass.com/pp_wakeboardpro.html

Ouch! perfect pass is a little outta my price range...my parents dont even wanna spend the money on fat sacs yet.

Yep, they are pricey. Try to board with the same crew and really learn your boat. It's lots of work to give the rider a good ride behind an I/O. Boot your pops from the driver's seat and put a rider there who understands what the difference in 2mph is at the wake. Learn to watch the nose of the boat against the horizon, when starts to rise it needs more throttle, listen to the motor, use all your senses. Way back in the day before the perfect pass existed good trick skiers would ask for speeds in 1/2 mph increments, and they knew when it was off, same rules apply to wakeboarding.

OK...my dad is gettin better at driving now but I can definately tell a mph faster or slower every now and then

The pitch of a prop is the equivalent of gearing on a car. So you can get a pitch to either give you a high top-end, or alot of pull out of the hole. You want to get a 4 blade with a pitch that will give you alot of power out of the hole. This will lower your top speed, but allow you to get on plane with more weight. Get that, and put about 1,000 - 1,500 lbs in the boat. Balance the weight about 40% bow and 60% rear.

OK thanks. I'll definately be getting a different prop next year and most likely around 800-1000 pounds of weight. I've heard tht in I/O's most of the weight should be in the front rather than the back. Is that true?