Surfing behind an AR230 HO

(dubyas_dad) · (dubyas_dad) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 08-17-2006, 6:26 AM

BTW: Newbie here, so "hello everyone". I'm glad I found this forum as it's already helping.

I have the above boat (it's a twin engine 23' jet-boat). I realize it's not the ideal wakesurfing boat, but it works for me (the wake is a bit frothy on the crest). I'm wondering if any others are using boat also, and if so, what is your ballast setup like? It takes a lot of ballast for me to get the wake where I like it. (close to 1800 lbs) + one person sitting on the corner of the back deck. With that, the wake is about waist high.

Maybe there's a better way?

(souperfly) · (souperfly) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 08-17-2006, 8:56 AM

I'd like to see pics of that!

(dubyas_dad) · (dubyas_dad) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 08-17-2006, 11:59 AM

I'll try to get some pic's the next time I'm out. The problem is that if I'm not driving, I'm surfing, so it's hard to get pics. Maybe I'll get the wife to drive and I'll get some shots of my daughter surfing. (She doesn't like me to sit on the back deck while she's surfing because the wake gets too big for her to handle (she's 10), and it just shoves her into the boat.)

(dubyas_dad) · (dubyas_dad) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 08-24-2006, 11:13 AM

(souperfly) · (souperfly) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 08-24-2006, 1:14 PM

Thats a pretty nice wake actually! The best wake I've seen from a jet boat. Looks a little washy, but just as nice if not better than my DD. Good job!

(jimgalloway) · (jimgalloway) **Join Date: Aug 2005** 08-24-2006, 1:36 PM

Mark, Im a newbie too. Nice wake. If you arrow down to "X-2 2006 loaded for wakesurfing" date 7/26/06, youll see Reto's X-2, a 20' boat, loaded with 3000 lbs. 1800 lbs. is not much compared to what a lot of these guys are loading.

(mars) · (mars) **Join Date: Aug 2005** 08-24-2006, 4:23 PM

That's a monster wake for a boat that wieghs 3300 lbs regardless of drive. how are you managing speed control with jets?? that seems to be the show stopper for many.

(bigshow) · (bigshow) **Join Date: Feb 2005** 08-24-2006, 5:09 PM

Very good, I would have never thought a jet boat would perform that well.

(dubyas_dad) · (dubyas_dad) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 08-24-2006, 5:27 PM

mars,
The AR230 has twin jets, & therefore 2 throttle controls. All I have to do is set them at whatever rpm gives me the cleanest wake. With the setup above it was about 8600 rpms. My 10 year old doesn't like the wake this large, so we just leave off the person on the very back. Then I just hold it at about 8000 rpms.

Now wakeboarding is much different. It is difficult to hold your speed at 21 mph, so I have to put one engine at about 9000 rpms and adjust the other. It loses speed pretty badly in turns, so the driver has to stay sharp.

Surfing is much easier on the driver.

(ktmwakeboarder)

yeah, I'm rather impressed as well

(souperfly) · (souperfly) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 08-25-2006, 6:55 AM

Mark, I wouldn't mind seeing more pics, even some wakeboarding pics if you have em. Before I bought my Malibu I was interested in an AR230 but was swayed against it.

(dubyas_dad) · (dubyas_dad) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 08-25-2006, 7:47 AM

Brandon,
My girls do not like to wakeboard, so the only time I pull a wakeboarder is when my buddy's son goes out with us. So it's not likely I'll have any pics for you there. I did pull him the other evening after surfing (with the surfing ballast still in the boat) and he said it was "about the same" as their 23' Mastercraft.

Without ballast I don't think the Yamaha would even come close. Plus, their Mastercraft has Perfect Pass, which is not even available for my boat presently.

If you mostly surf, then I don't think there is $15K difference in the wakes. But the Mastercraft's wake is cleaner.

The Yamaha is a great "all around" boat, but definitely not an exclusive wakeboarding boat.

I'll take my camera next time and try for some more shots.

(enzostyle) · (enzostyle) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 08-25-2006, 8:40 AM

8600RPM'S? With twin engines, how much fuel does that thing go through?

(dubyas_dad) · (dubyas_dad) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 08-25-2006, 10:16 AM

Jason,
If I'm surfing, tubing, etc it uses about 5-6 gallons per hour.

I know, I know...one guy almost freaked the other day when he saw my tachs at 9000 rpms. He said he almost jumped out of the boat, because he thought she was about to blow.

It has twin 160 hp engines. Wide open throttle is 10200 rpms.

It's a fun boat.

(enzostyle) · (enzostyle) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 08-25-2006, 1:05 PM

That's not so bad. My Enzo burns about the same amount. I was not concerned about the R's, I know those engines rev high, I just asumed they would not spin so fast at those speeds.

(bennygoodx) · (bennygoodx) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 08-26-2006, 5:03 PM

I just came out of an sx230 with a custom tower. Same boat and motor as the ar230. They are fun boats for sure. I never surfed behind mine, but did plenty of boarding. Also, it only drafts 12 inches of water so she goes upriver really well.

The motors are twin 1.1 litre inline 4 cylinders-basically a marine grade racing motorcycle motor. They don't chug anymore fuel than a single engine big block.

Good looking surf wake Mark...