wake size in salt water vs. fresh water

(tcaz) · (tcaz) **Join Date: Aug 2008** 09-13-2008, 6:09 PM

Ok, say for instance you have a wakeboat which is weighted down and you run it in both fresh water and saltwater. Would the more buoyant nature of saltwater result in any significant difference in wake size compared to freshwater, or would it be too minor to notice?

(salsajs3030) · (salsajs3030) **Join Date: Aug 2008** 09-13-2008, 6:34 PM

Huge difference...the buoyancy of salt water is much greater than regular water, the boat sits a lot higher in the salt water which results in the wake being smaller. It's definitely noticeable.

(timsown) · (timsown) **Join Date: May 2005** 09-13-2008, 7:17 PM

I agree. It's been awhile, but when I lived in San Diego, we could always tell the difference from when we rode the bay and rode the lake. Fresh water makes for a better wake with the same amount of weight.

(hawaiianstiln)

hmmm, I guess i never noticed a difference when I had my VLX in Hawaii and now Arizona. Never noticed it being a big difference myself and I have always used the same ammount of weight as I did when I dropped that boat in Salt

(cwaker4) · (cwaker4) **Join Date: Nov 2005** 09-13-2008, 10:26 PM

while the wake is smaller in salt water, in my expieriences the wake is also firmer in salt water.

murrayair 09-14-2008, 1:20 AM

What Chris says makes sense, since salt water is more dense than fresh water. However, that also means that falls are going to be more punishing.

(ryan_shima1)

Yo what's up Keith! I notice a huge difference every time I switch from salt to fresh. You need more weight in Salt to get the same size in fresh. I will agree that the wake is more firm in Salt, probably because it's more buoyant. And for that reason, I ride at least 1-1.5mph slower in salt water.

(jtnz) · (jtnz) **Join Date: Sep 2007** 09-14-2008, 6:22 PM

There is sure to be a difference, but it's hard to believe it would be huge (avg weights - Salt water 64lbs per square foot, Fresh 62.5lbs per square foot, something like 3% difference depending on salinity, temperature etc) The ballast you add as salt water weighs more than fresh, so you still offset the additional bouyancy and sink the boat about the same amount, unless you use solid ballast like lead or steel. The wake may be firmer due to salt water being slightly more dense but again it's probably negligible. I only ride in salt so I can't comment from experience.

(era3) · (era3) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 09-14-2008, 8:51 PM

It is a huge difference! I ride in salt and fresh and have for the past 10 years. You also will notice a difference in your edging and I tend to slide out more in salt.

(kko13) · (kko13) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 09-15-2008, 1:55 AM

i also ride both and would call the diff. huge. you tend to ride more on the surface and find myself sliding out alot more common.

(jtnz) · (jtnz) **Join Date: Sep 2007** 09-15-2008, 6:11 PM

Well there you have it, science is wrong

and I guess I am too.

walt 09-15-2008, 6:36 PM

quote:
while the wake is smaller in salt water, in my expieriences the wake is also firmer in salt water.

Correct.

(hawaiianstiln) · (hawaiianstiln) **Join Date: Oct 2004** 09-15-2008, 9:52 PM

Sup Ryan!!! :-)

Hope everyone is doing good. Miss you guys!

I think it's because I sucked back then and never payed attention! heheheh, now I notice how the wake looks behind whatever boat I ride. Man I need to go back to the islands and ride.

(wakemastercraft)

there really isnt a huge difference in wake size... I have lived and ridden on salt water for 10 years and the last 5 years have done a lot of riding between both salt and fresh!

The wake might be a few inches smaller but its much harder of a wake so its just as good. A freshwater wake compresses under you as you ride up and doesnt allow you to get all the pop for its size. ALL THAT MEANS is that they are very similar!

I do agree that you slide out much more on salt because your board doesn't sit quite so deep in the water