added ballast hard on engines\boat?

ive got an 85 larson 17.5' boat with a 140hp mercruiser. i just started boarding last summer and cant stop thinking of it! ive made a tower and i think the next thing i should do to get bigger air would be to add some weight to my boat for a bigger, smoother wake. ive considered the pvc/lead tubes ive read about here and that seems to be the way to go to save on space (fat sac). my only concern would be that adding 300lbs. or more to my boat might be tough on my little 'ol 4 cylinder engine!i would appriciate some input!

How much is your boat weighted to hold? My 135hp VIP boat says something like 1200lbs. Me, the lady, and one friend is only about 600 at most. So I would think that I can run another 600# of water and still be fine.

Probably that 1200# is underexaggerated too.

-C

I have no problem with weight on my boat. but then again we have a larger boat with about 650hp. although it does make it a little tougher to stay at 21mph or so when it's crowded full of people.

as far as adding weight to your boat, the best idea i've seen is putting weight into several small bags, so as to be able to move around and properly position the weight for the best wake. because it's one thing to slam it full of weight in the back, but it's best to position it a little more spread out to get an optimum clean and big wake.

The more weight you put in the boat, the harder it will be on the transmission, especially with a smaller engine. Upgrading your prop can help carry the load a little bit.

Lloyd- you say in your profile about your Citation "bigger & better wake than any weighted wakeboard boat". You got any pics of the wake?







(Message edited by murrayair on February 12, 2005)

I don't have any pics of our boat or wake on my computer right now. If I did, I'd put some up there to back up my talk. We're going out on Easter, so I'll put up one then.

I think changing your prop is important. It will help your boat plane out faster, making it easier on your engine and lower unit. putting weight in the bow is important too. will help your wake shape also. my $.02

Yes sir! Prop selection is very important. My dad switched from a 3 blade 25" cleaver to a 4 blade 23" Bravo, and the difference was night and day. now we can get the boat up on plane real quick and keep the bite at the low rpm. it only makes it a little difficult if the tide is running hard.

What kind of boat has 650hp?!?

I HAVE A 96 BRENDELLA SL COMP AND I AM WANTING TO ADD A 1500 POUND FAT SEAT TO THE REAR IS THIS TO MUCH WEIGHT FOR A 265 HP BOAT THE RATING SAYS 1K POUNDS BUT THIS BOAT SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDEL ALOT MORE WOULDNT YOU SAY

Justin, I have a '92 Sunsetter with 265HP. I run with about 1500lbs. The problem you will have is that all your weight is in the back of the boat (fat seat). You need weight up front. Also what type of prop do you have? You'll need a 4 blade or 3 blade ACME to plane properly.

Dan did you see the pic of the engine in his profile.

It is kind of easy to have a boat that powerful if it isn't made for wakeboarding. We pretty much modified it to suit wakeboarding by adding a pylon and pinning the outdrive all the way in. Yeah, it's got an outdrive, so I can't try surfing, but that's ok. Anyways, the boat is basically a cross between an offshore boat deep-v hull and a regular day cruiser boat. It's absolutely perfect for those week long camping trips on Powell and Shasta because of it's room under the deck and ability to do just about everything from racing around to wakeboarding and skiing. My only objection is that when you pin the outdrive all the way out to sit the ass end of the boat deep in the water, it makes the wake a little steep, but it still kicks you in the air pretty good. My dad should be finished with the exhaust this weekend so then It's time to put the interior back and head out.

who says a different prop causes less strain on the trans? Same strain just easier on the engine since it is closer to the more useable portion of the power band.