Rampy vs Steep wake

Is this all a personal preference thing? I've only ridden behind a bayliner, but I'm seriously looking at a 2003 Wakesetter VLX which I've read is supposed to have a very rampy wake. That was what has basically turned me off of the Air Nautique.

Doesn't there have to be some ramp for you to ride up? I don't understand how a steep wake is going to help.

A steep wake will give you an abrupt pop and very little transition on the otherside to land on. It is great if you are taking tricks up but you can really eat it if you are just a skimmer on your riding.

The VLX can be rampy but put the wedge down and and some weight and it gets a little more peaky. I would not call it a very rampy wake. Some days I prefer the wake rampy. Let's say I am working toe sides where I do not get the straight up pop, I like to have a better transistion on the other side.

Each his own. YOu will adapt to the wake you choose.

it is something that you will have to ride behind and see if you like it. People describe wakes as Rampy,Hard, Soft, Mushy, Steep and a ton of other things. For me Rampy is good. I dont like a wake that is really steep and hard like the SAN wake. I love the new Tige Wake because it is Big and Rampy. Like I said it is all up to you and what you like and what you call a rampy wake

Gerold,

I don't know where your getting your information, but neither of those boats has a rampy wake. The two boats you are talking about both have steep hard wakes.

The Nautique especially, is famous for having one of the hardest, steepest wakes you can get behind a wakeboarding boat.

The Wakesetter VLX wake is also steep and hard when wedged, and weighted properly. I like the overall price, quality and performance of the VLX more than any other boat I've been in or behind.

Cliff, compared to the Super Air, I would say the Wakesetter VLX wake is more rampy than steep. I just rode a SAN wake for the first time and it was NUTS! It took some getting used to. I normally ride behind wakesetters.

My VLX wake is certainly more rampy than a X2 wake which is slightly more rampy than a SAN wake.

My VLX is also heavily weighted.

The rampy wake is fine by me, only it needs greater volume to get the wake height up. This results in a need for more ballast and more gas consumption compared to the SAN.

Everyone can do all their tricks behind a VLX so the rampy wake is not holding anyone back.

The rampy wake is also better for less advanced riders and easier on everyone's body. At my age, with my knees, I am changing my preference towards the VLX wake.

Plus, I believe the VLX produces a significanly better surf wake.

The surf wake is very nice. I hear you on the easier on the body, Dane.

yea i agree the SAN is the steepest wakeboard boat wake out theer and as i love to ride it occasionally it kills my old knees but its fun going huge with little effort

the VLX is steeper then the X2 IMO when you use the wedge and weight it big..they are about equal both great in between wakes..they are rampy with a nice hard lip at the top ..it is my favorite wake..The VLX can be made rampy if you pull up the wedge..very versatile wake..

the SSV seems to be right in the middle ,mostly a rampy wake but hard enough with clean smooth transition and perfect lip...

Basically the Super Air Nauty is the way to go if your looking for the steepest but the X2 and Vlx would be the next best for your taste..

heres a pic i wish it was zoomed in better bit if you look close that 2002 wedged VLX wake isnt all rampy for sure..it was awesome that day this past summer.

The VLX is my favorite too.

thats a nice wake!

DANG. Almost makes me want to dock the old Super Air seeing that picture.

Thanks for all the information all!

Bill makes and VERY good point about the VLX, weight it heavily AND correctly and you can have the best of both wake styles by using or not using the wedge. I ran my VLX all last year without the wedge but weighted, and I really enjoyed the Tall, rampy wake style. It looks completely different than his pic above, but if I had put the wedge down I'm sure it would have looked like his pic above. It's a great tool to have when you can please both styles of riders with the flick of the wedge!!!!

(Message edited by deltagrubber on February 25, 2004)

The wedge may make the VLX wake more steep. Yet, there is NO WAY it makes a VLX wake steep like a SAN wake. I find this hard to believe.

Wake shape is a product of the hull. Weighting the boat with wedge or ballast simply lowers the hull in the water.

Wake height is a product of the depth of the hull in the water. The Wedge makes the wake steeper because it lowers the back of the hull. The SAN wake is naturally steeper because the boat is much much more narrow and easier to sink vertically.

As long as we're talking about wake properties: Would it be reasonable to say that the wider your beam is the longer rope you can use because you "sweet spot" is farther back?

I ride behind a Setter LSV mostly. We run a slightly shorter rope (70') because the sweet spot is closer to the boat.

Mark not sure if thats true i usually ride at 70ft behind my 98 inch beam supra and all the regular wake boats but on the SAN and other narrower boat i tend to go longer rope so i can land closer to the downside of the second wake instaed of in the flats..

the rope legnth is merely personal
preference,whatever makes you comfortable..

Dane nobodys is saying the VLX wedge wake is AS Steep as the SAN but it is steeper with the wedge then without..with the wedge and heavily weighted it cannot be anyway mistaken for a Rampy wake and thats what we were trying to get out..

Generally the faster you go and the more weight you use determines how long a rope most people use..

hey bill where was that pic taken?

at a river in North Texas

You can also make a SAN rampy and real wide, just load the fornt and the middle up.
200 lbs. in the nose, the largest sack that you can get in the ski looker for me it is a 700, another large sack on top of that about 5-600 and the stock tanks, then use some people.
Trust me its rampy

i can't believe it, but i completly agree w/Dane on this one...the passion of christ and now this...whats the world comming too...LOL