Generic Wake Shape Questions

I have an 89 ski Nautique 2001. I usually ride at 22mph between at 65 or 70ft. Recently I've been away to a wakecamp and rode behind an 06 Super Air 210, while I was there I'd ride at 65ft at 19-20mph generally, and when learning new tricks w2w 60ft at 18mph so I thought I'd try the same thing on my boat back home.

I had forgotten how different the wakes are between different boats and in the time I had I couldn't get a nice set up at slower speed behind my boat. At 18mph the wake was miles across compared to the 210, the only way I could get across was to absolutely charge into it, which is no good for learning tricks and helping with timing. At 18mph on the 210 I could coast in and go w2w with ease at 60ft when learning new tricks. Which brought some generic questions about wake shapes into my head while planning to experiment with my wake again next week.

Generally, if you slow the boat speed down does the wake get wider? Or does it depend on the boat? Or maybe it is just because you are riding slower it seems a lot wider?

If you put ballast into a boat, it obviously makes the wake bigger, but what if any effect does it have on the width of the wake? And how does that depend on where you place the ballast in the boat? For example, I know putting ballast up front makes the wake more rampy, whereas in the middle/back it makes it steeper. Does putting weight up front or middle/back affect the width w2w in different ways?

How does the depth of water affect wake shape/consistency? For example, riding in a 10-12ft deep lake as opposed to a few hundred feet deep? Does one or the other make the wake feel harder or softer?

Finally, can the way you position your ballast make the wake feel harder or softer?

Thanks!

The wake is always wider as you go slower. So you will need to shorten the rope if you go very slow.

Every boat is different. Some boats are no good at 18 MPH.

in our old malibu skiier, adding ballast to the front of the boat made the wake much less lippy and slightly narrower and softer and was deadly because of dunking the front, adding weight to the back widened a touch it out and made it produce a nice lip. at roughly 18 mph we always pulled in to about 50-55 feet to easily clear the wake. throw some weight in the back 600lbs ish, and shorten your line and you should have a great wake

Keep in mind you have to edge harder based on the simple fact you're being towed at a slower speed.

The 2001 has a great wake for learning new tricks. Shorten the rope like others have said and still go 19 - 20mph. That will give you a narrow but steep wake, plenty of air to do the trick and easily allow you to clear the other wake.

There is also the chance that the speedometers were not the same. The wake force goes into the water quite a ways. When the water is 12' deep, however, it does not really matter if it goes down 700' There is no longer any bottom interference.