Is Getting The BIGGEST Wake Possible, Possible?

(kalcotter) · (kalcotter) **Join Date: Aug 2004** 08-31-2004, 7:49 PM

hey all, my buddies and I have be boarding for 3 or 4 years now behind my dad's rinker. After finally getting sick of that, I just got a 1990 Malibu Skier in pretty good shape. The engines only 3 year old and it runs like a champ. This may be obvious but it has a lot better wake than the boat we were used to, but I would love to get a killer wake, so we can finally start to excel at boarding. I've heard of fat sacks and bladder bags and stuff, but I'm looking for a way to make the wake huge if I want it and small when I don't, because I also love to water ski. I'm not sure if such a thing exists, but any suggestions or comments would be great, I just want to have a wake so big I'm scared to hit it!

p.s. here's my new boat http://www.flashingback.com/malibu

thanks,
kal

byerly137pro 08-31-2004, 7:52 PM

The only thing I can think of is adding a ballast system if that is possible, which involves pumps and like 500lb tanks under the flooring. Maybe I dont know, I bet it would be expensive though.

(thane_dogg) · (thane_dogg) **Join Date: Jun 2002** 08-31-2004, 7:57 PM

fill the sacks when you want to board, then drain 'em when you want to ski.

nice boat.

(kalcotter) · (kalcotter) **Join Date: Aug 2004** 08-31-2004, 8:02 PM

So, people drain them and fill them pretty often. Is that a pain in the butt, or pretty easy? I'm thinking of getting like a 1000 lb big grey bag from gotriver.com . I'm not really sure if I just lay it in the back seat of my boat, or where I would put such a monstrosity. Is a ballast system the same as a fat sac?

walt 08-31-2004, 8:07 PM

Do what Thane said... It only takes a few minutes to fill or drain the fat sacks. If it's a direct drive run two 600 pound fat sacks. one on each side of the engine and You will have a sick wake.
Here is a pic of My wake with two fat sacks.

(kalcotter) · (kalcotter) **Join Date: Aug 2004** 08-31-2004, 8:12 PM

call me dumb but I don't know what direct drive means.... and should I just lay the fat sacs on the floor of the boat beside the engine?

your wake is pretty sweet!

walt 08-31-2004, 8:18 PM

If Your engine is in the middle of the boat it's a direct drive. And Yes the sacks just lay on the floor. My friend has the same boat as You and runs the same sack set up and the wake is great !

cheeseinaz 08-31-2004, 8:22 PM

I assume it's a closed bow? In that case, 2 fat sacs filled up all the way on boths sides of the engine should do the trick. Check out www.gethighsports.net too for Fat Sacs-they have pretty good deals. You might want to add some lead or sand bags in the bow to distribute the weight more evenly. If you have too much in the back, the wake will be really "peakey" and by balancing the weight more front to back you will get a fatter wake. Slightly rampier. Good luck.

walt 08-31-2004, 8:23 PM

Here is another pic.

(kalcotter) · (kalcotter) **Join Date: Aug 2004** 08-31-2004, 8:24 PM

awesome, thanks for the tips, one last question, I don't suppose you know where I should start looking for 600 lb sacks?

cheeseinaz 08-31-2004, 8:26 PM

Read my previous message....

walt 08-31-2004, 8:26 PM

http://www.wakeside.com/page/W/CTGY/wakeboard_boat_ballast_bags

walt 08-31-2004, 8:28 PM

I like the Flyhigh sacks http://www.boardersparadise.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=WBS&Category_C ode=D1d

(kalcotter) · (kalcotter) **Join Date: Aug 2004** 08-31-2004, 8:29 PM

awesome thanks guys! soon I'll probably be attaching pics of me crash landing from 10 feet up!

later,
kal

(jbjboc) · (jbjboc) **Join Date: Aug 2004** 08-31-2004, 8:38 PM

One other suggestion bro..... Have a pump for each sack- it makes things much quicker. Make sure they are 1000 GPM at least..... oh ya, and a splitter to plug in both pumps at once.....
ride on.....

gobiggrom54 08-31-2004, 11:40 PM

just find a lot of heavy stuff and put it all in the boat!

(balr54) · (balr54) **Join Date: May 2004** 09-01-2004, 7:57 AM

for awhile we were using 50lb cement blocks to weight the boat down. My roomates dad didn't like that too much and threw them in the lake, so we got a 600lb fat sac. Made a major difference. (we still sneak a block or 2 in sometimes for just that little extra weight though.

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 09-01-2004, 8:24 AM

install a wedge. 1000 pounds in 10 seconds.

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 09-01-2004, 8:24 AM

sweet wake Walt!

crowe 09-01-2004, 9:12 AM

Form the pics of your boat, get a four blade prop. Not too much help with the wake, but will help the boat get moving with all that ballast.

(kalcotter) · (kalcotter) **Join Date: Aug 2004** 09-01-2004, 9:39 AM

I read that a wedge can be pretty hard on the engine,, any truth to that? Also, where do i find a wedge, or info on them...?

thanks

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 09-01-2004, 11:09 AM

Malibu dealer. I've seen lots of Wedges installed on older Malibus. But, I would call Malibu to see if they advise against putting a Wedge on the back of your specific model. They add a lot of stress to the hull of the boat. Malibu might recommend that you don't install a Wedge.

It's no harder on the engine than putting a thousand pounds in the back of your boat IMO.

(p_b_parks) · (p_b_parks) **Join Date: Dec 2003** 09-01-2004, 7:01 PM

what if you put all the weight in the bottom in the middle of the boat? would it make it rampy? or peaky? what would the effct be?

(malibuboarder75)

in the middle of the boat? it should be balanced so it would make the wake bigger then it is. If you put the weight in the back, then it will be steep, more up front it will be more mellow.