Balast on a Bayliner 175

What is the best way to weigh down a 2004 Bayliner 175? How much weight and where? Anyone with a similar boat, what is your setup?

I would go about 600 lbs either in the ski locker or in the bow! IF you start adding weight you will probally want to change your prop to a lower pitch, 4 blade or stainless steel!

I have an 18ft bayliner with the 4.3l 190hp and I run a 750lb sac upfront and everyone usually sits in the back, i also use a 4blade 18pitch prop.

I have a Bayliner 185 Capri(190hp). I use a 500lb. fat boy in the locker and a fat buddy (250lb.-each)on each side of the locker. I havent changed my prop yet, but i should because it takes about 25 seconds to plane.

Gordon, do you use stainless or aluminum?

aluminum 4 blade 18 pitch, you lose a lot of top end, and have to watch the rpms if you dont have a rev limiter, but yanks you out pretty good. i AM adding two fatbuddies this year... my ballast will be fully automatic!

I also have a doel fin on the outdrive right now but am considering taking it off, and trying it out!

Dude I used to have a 17' Maxum w/ a 135hp Merc.(4cyl.) We loaded it a 540# sac in the walkway and two 80# pvc tubes filled w/ sand in the ski locker. Took a while to get planed out but I had friends trying tantrums and frontflips with the wake it was puttin out.

Thanks for all your input fellas. Hopefully I can dial down a decent wake this summer. Anything will be better than the old Sea-Doo Speedster that I have been going behind the last 4 years. The wake was tiny but the home-made pole helped out bigtime. We can do tantrums, backroles, and raleys behind that boat so hopefully this summer we will be able to step it up a notch with a different boat and bigger wake.

gordon be sure to post pics of that auto ballast!
and thanks for the info.