Need bigger wake! (is fat sacks the only answer?)

i rock an old 1997 sea ray with a 5.7 V8. I switched to a four blade prop a few seasons ago, and have way better pull. I usually have about 5-7 people in my boat. will weight really help with wake size? is fat sacks the only answer? keep in mind i am a poor student!

Lead, sand, concrete, friends, etc. If it or they weight more than nothing, then put them into the boat.

your best next upgrade would be a higher tow rope attachment. An inexpensive tower, such as from here: www.diywake.com or possibly even a used on for less on ebay or craigslist.

This won't make a better wake but will give you a better pull and more air time from your existing wake. Before you spend a lot on fat sacs and pumps, load your boat down with a big crew and see how it responds to the weight.

Get a 500 lb sack in the back along with your friends. Fat sacks are both convenient and effective.. to get an equivalent amount of weight with sand/lead would be a huge hassle. Don't be afraid to load the boat 100-200 lbs over the suggested weight limit. You won't be dissappointed. You can get a fat sack for ~$100

balance it front to back. i/o's are real sensitive to weight placement. 60/40 back/front

i should have added this, i do have a tower. thanks for the advice.

does anyone know the best place to get ballast systems?

Play it Again Sports. I picked up 350lbs for super cheap and then wrapped in foam padding and duct tape. It really puts the azz in classy...but works.

tire weights work well. you can make them whatever shape you need.

You can pick up a camping mattress from wal-mart for about $10. It's not a strong material, you will eventually have to replace it, but you can fit about 1000 lbs of water in them.

paul: how do you fill them with water?

nacho: what are tire weights?

your tires are balanced with weights. a 5 gal bucket full weighs 150 lbs.

Yeah, I just melted two five gallon buckets of old tire weights. I took me several hours but I go 7 45 pound lead blocks. I put stainless steel U-bolts in them for handles and I am gonna coat them w/ the vinyl that they use for covering tool handles and such. I paid 40 bucks for the lead and 3 bucks each for the U-bolts. I think it's a cheap option for folks on a budget. Plus it allows you to move your weight around in your boat in smaller increments.

Put your ballast in the front walkway on the floor of the open bow. Then after you get the rider up, try triming up a little to get the cleanest, deepest wake. Ballast and trimming up make a huge difference. I had much better luck with weighting the front of my I/O.

there it is, sam. i wasn't sure the setup...

Give me a call I'll send my girlfriend to see ya...can't take her on my bu that whole weak floor thing.