Weight in ski nautique 196

Hi! I have discussion with a friend regarding weight in a ski nautique 196. He says that if I place some fat sacs with about 1000 lbs in the boat, it will damage the engine. Is that true?

No that is not true. I have been weighting my 196 for years with no problem. I am using two 600 sacs on each side of the engine one 250 in the back and one 250 in the bow. The gt 40 engine in my boat is the same as the air nautique.

I run 1600 lbs in a Ski 176 with a PCM Ford 351. No problems at all.

However, you may want to make sure you have a prop that will get you out of the hole with all that weight. If you have a prop geared more towards skiing you will have trouble with the hole shot and your engine won't seem too happy.

Urban Legend...... If 1000 lbs hurts the boat, time for some SERIOUs repairs!

Alex -
Why did you put the big sacs on the sides of the engine instead of in the back. Have you played around much with different locations or fat sac configurations.
I just weighted by 95 196 for the first time yesterday. I had one 800 lb sac all the way back and one 300 lb sac on each side of the engine box. We didn't have any additional weight up front except for us riding there. I noticed the boat was very sensitive to the weight distribution. When we placed the small sacs in the middle the wake was much softer with a gentler lip not as much pop. When we moved the bags back so they were touching the big sack in back, the wake became much steeper and more solid.
Any details on your weighting and why you chose the way you did would be appreciated.
By the way, for the weight in the front, did you pull out the front divider under the bow or did you just place the front sac on the passenger side under the bow.

Alex
Try 600 in the far back, the 250's on each side of the engine and throwing the other 600 in the front. We only put about 400lbs in the front sac.

I used to pull my back seat out and put a 600 back there and it was all good if there werent but a few of us. I like to leave the back seat in and with the 600 in the back I could not get it completely full and it put a lot pressure on the back seat. I have just enough room for the 250 under the front seat with the divider out theres no way I could fit my 600 under there (amps, subs).I like my set up, but after riding behind a SAN I think I'm going to get a new boat, a wakeboard boat next season. By the way 600's pushed all the way to backseat if you know what I mean.

I have a 96 ski nautique 196 and usually put a 600 on each side of the motor slid back to where they touch the back seat. Its not enough without two or three people in the back, but with that its nice. If I'm short on people I go with no back seat, a fat seat in place of that and then the two 600's slid up even with the drivers seat on the side of the motor