Weighting a 2000 VLX

So, how do YOU do it? I picked up a used 2000 Malibu VLX last week. It has a built in sack in the ski locker, unsure about the weight. Just seeing if anybody has one or how they prefer to weight it.

Search the forums and you will find different opinions.

But since you asked, get the 750 sacs for the rear and add 400 lbs to the front of the boat and ride at 80' at 23.5mph

or you can add a 600 to the front, play with it and see what you come up with and let us know your preference.

I have a 2001 VLX and I have the MLS bag in the ski locker, 2 750's in the V-Drive lockers and the Sky High integrated bow sac on top of the seats in the bow (it doesn't fit very well under the seats). The 750's don't fill up all the way (about 3/4's) so the weight is pretty evenly distributed. Makes a very nice, rampy wake that we ride at 75'-80' no problem. If you get a few peeps in the boat you might want to either put a little more up front or don't fill the bags in the back as much. That boat really likes weight up front. The wake will get washy or curl over if you don't have the right amount in the bow.

Or the short version - pretty much what slipknot already said

Congrats on the boat! You'll love it.

Where are your batteries located - under the glove box or in the rear port storage area? If they are in the rear you'll either need to move them or get shorter bags ~350lbs.

Since you can only fill 750s 3/4 full, why not just get ~500s?

If you get 750s in the rear you need 600 up front at the very least. Integrated bow sack like Joe said would be best.

Thanks for the responses. The batteries are in the rear port ski locker. My first order of business is to move them under the glove box to give me room for sacs. I have been looking at fly high's V-Drive sacs, they are 400 lbs each I think.

I have the same boat with a pair of batteries in the back.

I fill to large sacks in the vdrive lockers with independent ballast puppies. I bet 500+ lbs each.
I fill the MLS sack in the ski locker. I think 350 lbs.
I run with 420 lbs of lead in the bow.

About 1800 lbs generates a nice rampy wake.

Go to genuinedealz.com for the wire. Great price and got the stuff fairly quick. Did the same thing my self in my boat.

Daniel get the 750's and don't look back. Why get 400's this year and then 750's later?

Onlyinboards is a great place to get the sacks.

GD, how many hours have you got on that boat now?

I 2nd Ewing on the fly high 750's. Get them now and if you want, don't fill 'em all the way. But at least you have the option later. If you do find a way to get them all the way filled, you'll need some lead up front or maybe an extra bag in the walk-through. And BTW...the batteries don't get in the way - the port side locker is a little bigger than the starboard one so you've got extra room in there. Some of the folks over at themalibucrew.com even went so far as to shorten the piece of carpeted fiberglass that covers the fuel hose inlet on the starboard side to get more room over there.
I know on my boat, the port side (w/the batteries) always gets a little more ballast in it.

Oh yeah...there's a guy on Ebay selling 2nd's for super cheap. They are warrantied through Fly High so he stands behind them. I've gotten a couple from him and have had no probs at all...

I have a 98 vlx (same hull). We put Fly high 750"s in the rear. 500 in locker. 160 lead in nose. 350 in bow. and big bump 800 down middle. The wake is perfect with 4 to 6 peeps in boat. I'm able to get the 750's to fill all the way and they take every inch of the side compartments. You definitely need Acme 1235 for this much wight.

Hey Greg,

Do you have or have you had any problems with those flimsy plexiglass side panels popping into the engine compartment when you fill the 750's all the way? Mine do when the bags get close to full.

Oh yeah - I forgot about re-propping after adding the ballast. Best purchase I've made yet for the boat. I got mine from OJ through a group buy and love it. The boat planes right up no problem. Without the new prop the boat takes FOREVER to get on plane and chugs through the gas...

They bow in quite a bit but I dont think they'll hurt anything. I've been thinking about getting something a little more rigid to replace the plexi though.

I agree. The prop was the best addition I've done to the boat since i started sacking it. The funny thing is that it uses close to the same amount of gas weather we have it slammed or not.

I have a 2000 vlx. When I bought it one of the first things I did was move the batteries up to under the pass seat, put 400´s in the trunks and upgrade to an acme 537. One season later I have upgraded again to the OJ 475 prop and fly high 750´s... I couldnt be happier. Right now my setup is as follows: 750´s in the trunks (probably filled to around 600), a 350 in the locker (probably filled to 275), a 750 in the bow (probably filled to around 650-ish) and anywhere from 500-900 lbs in lead. I guess thats about 2500-3000-ish lbs taking into account water weight fluctuation. I am also riding 85ft at about 26-ish mph.

Thanks guys. I haven't had a whole lot of time to research the wake. I figured the 750s would be too big, but I guess plenty of people are running them.
Nick - I heard about genuinedealz.com and they can custome cut the length with connections, so those are on the way.
Joe - I saw the guy that sales the 2nds on ebay. I wasn't sure what the difference between the 2nds and new ones was

daniel, 750's man fo sho, you can always not fill them all the way for the wifey. if you got em fill em though..talk to david and kelly too, they have theirs dialed in..

Daniel call around for prices before buying the seconds...the prices are just ok.

Ewing...I disagree. The one guy on Ebay right now is selling the integrated bow sac for $95.00 + shipping. That bag sells for 239.00 on Wakeside. It carries the same warranty as a new one and I think on those bags the reason why they are seconds is b/c it's last years version which has 4 drain plugs while this year's have 5.

For the 750's I sent an email to the guy I bought mine from to see how much he's selling them for. They're 149.00 on Wakeside w/free shipping and I want to say that I got mine from the guy on Ebay for 100.00 w/free shipping. I'll post the price as soon as I hear back from him. Plus he has all the fittings to integrate it all.

On the 2nds I bought, just looks like they cut out the bad part and added 2 extra seams. Super strong and no way would it leak.

I have gotten prices on firsts good enough to not want 2nds. I would be worried about carrying all that water and having a seam break(I know they are double seamed and all that.)

I got my stuff from onlyinboards and the prices were good enough for me not use the malibucrew group buy. I also like the fact that onlyinboards supports a lot of the internet forums...ie WW. However, I can understand saving a couple of bucks due to he high cost of operating a boat.

M-Dizzle - What size heat shrink did you use and was 2 gauge plenty? I've heard different opinions.

Put about 200lbs of lead in all four corners of the cabin under the seats. Then 500s in the rear and about 600-800 up front. Have a couple 45-70 lb weights to move around to get the wake perfect.

(Message edited by eyekahn on August 21, 2008)

Daniel, I used either 1 gauge or 0 gauge wiring (the cable is pretty thick). I think I got it online through ebay for about a 100 bucks for approx 35ft of marine grade. I used 1/2inch or 5/8 heat shrink for it and "doubled up" on the shrinking. I also upgraded to a 140 amp alternator and am running one optima battery. With this setup I can run 3 aerator pumps and one Jabsco all while the boat is running with the blower and stereo (while someones getting ready to ride of course).

Well, got the batteries relocated this weekend. Sacked it out with the stock center ballast, 2 400lbs in the back and approximately 500lbs in the walkway and the wake was pretty nice. I borrowed some sacs from a buddy to test it out and I was pretty pleased with the result.

just remember malibus love weight.....

I have a 2002 VLX.
I upgraded to the Fly High sack for the center - which doesn't leak and gives around 400lbs (not sure if all 400 lbs fit in there, but it maximizes the space.
I took out the hard tanks in the back and replaced them with 2 550 sacks. This wasn't too hard because most all the plumbing was already there.
Then I have the wedge.
This is a great set-up when you have a few people in the boat.
If it is just you and a buddy, you might throw another 550 sack on the floor in the middle of the boat. The extra sack isn't required, but it is nice... Kind of like having lime with your Pacifico.

You might need to put a valve on your drain pump/hose, if you go with big sacks in back.
Sometimes the weight in the big sacks will be enough to push water out backwards through your drian pump - so you will slowly loose weight as you ride (or you will have to keep you fill pumps on while you ride).
Putting a valve on the drain hose is a easy fix. You just have to remember to open it before you drain.

Well, my boat came with only the center ballast plumbed in. Everything else is good ol tsunami pump over the side!

Dave,

Is your drain pump on the bottom of the bag? You can avoid having to have any kind of valve on your drain line by simply looping the drain hose under the gunwale at it's highest point. Gravity won't allow the water to be forced out...that way you don't have to remember to open a valve before you drain. I have the 750's and I never loose a drop that way.

I also tie a knot in my lines that way the water has to do a complete 360 before exiting (that way your not draining while on plane), usually this requires quite a bit of water pressure. I can still pump out no problem too.