weighting my closed bow, I/O, any thoughts?

(rcogrady) · (rcogrady) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 03-13-2008, 9:42 AM

I was thinking this sac could be put in the front. Should I use more sacs in the back. I'm open to all suggestions. Thanks peeps.
http://www.wakeside.com/product/boat/ballast/ballast_bags/fly+high+pro+x+series+open+bow+sac.do

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(absoluteboarder)

I would weight that boat with 60% front and 40% back (it looks already back heavy)....and make sure you lower your prop pitch by about 7 or so from the original or else its gonna take a long time to get up....and then wont hold speed good.

when I loaded my old outboard I dropped pitch from a 19 to an 11....just cant go fast and make sure you dont over rev when empty. Depending on the engine in that you wont have to drop that much but def go down.

(Message edited by absoluteboarder on March 13, 2008)

(rcogrady) · (rcogrady) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 03-13-2008, 10:06 AM

dude, huge help, thanks. I'll have a look at my prop and try and make that adjustment. Thanks again for the input.

(bp420) · (bp420) **Join Date: Mar 2008** 03-13-2008, 11:50 AM

19 to 11 sounds like a HUGE drop. I'm no expert so correct me if I'm wrong but I would say if your stock prop is 19p go down to 17 or so. You're basically "down shifting" for more torque and less top speed. As was said, keep an eye on your rpms. It's a good idea to see what your rpms are at wide open throttle with the stock prop and keep it pretty close to that. Also upgrade to a 4 or 5 blade to help with speed control and that will give a bit more hole shot too. All of this (weighting, proping, everything) has been beat to death in the many i/o threads so do a search and read the threads you find and you'll be good to go.

(rcogrady) · (rcogrady) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 03-13-2008, 12:48 PM

thanks Brandon, solid post.

(lovin_the_wake)

Definitely put more weight in the bow I had an 89 Four Winns Freedom 190 and I put 500lbs in the bow and 300 in rear with 2 people in the rear and 2 in the middle we probably had about 1500lbs in it and he threw a great wake for what it was

(bmartin) · (bmartin) **Join Date: Jan 2007** 03-13-2008, 1:11 PM

Error on the side of a lower prop if all you do is wakeboard. Now if you cruise a good bit empty, then you might want to choose a less drastic reduction in prop pitch.

I always go with the biggest sacs possible. There is no rule that says you have to fill them up all the way and that way you have more flexibility on how much weight to put in. I would think about that big 1000lb sac up front and maybe a couple 550s for the back compartments, that way you can experiment with different weight distributions.

(rcogrady) · (rcogrady) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 03-13-2008, 1:24 PM

Thanks guys, Monty was your Four Winns a closed bow and if so what type of sac did you throw up there?

(absoluteboarder)

yeah I was jumping the gun on the prop pitch as I only had a 90hp motor I am sure with his he wouldn't need such a drop. ...but the original prop and that boat is more for cruising and speed. I would be pretty comfortable suggesting 15 if it was 19, I mean its not like you are adding a heavy load...you are adding a super heavy load!!. I actually did drop that much but again it was a 90 but worked like a charm and would hold 22mph without having to adjust the throttle.

(rcogrady) · (rcogrady) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 03-13-2008, 2:40 PM

yeah i have 235hp , I'll look at my pitch when it comes out of storage soon and make the adjustment, thanks Mike. I didn't even consider this should be an option until you mentioned it, so I appreciate the conversations.

(ethan31) · (ethan31) **Join Date: Jun 2007** 03-13-2008, 3:07 PM

I dropped mine from a 21 to a 18.

Its like night and day, pulls like a mack truck.
Just watch your top rpm so you don't over rev the motor.

(lovin_the_wake)

Ryan, Mine was an open bow we had 2 150lb bags under the seats and 200lbs of lead up in the very front of the bow

(lovin_the_wake)

is that a cuddy cabin ?

(kal_dude) · (kal_dude) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 03-13-2008, 6:43 PM

i have a fly high bow sac for sale if your interested??

call me
kal
262-968-2514

(rcogrady) · (rcogrady) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 03-14-2008, 7:19 AM

yeah it's a cuddy cabin

(hal2814) · (hal2814) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 03-14-2008, 7:51 AM

If you do go with a super low pitch, make sure everyone who ever drives your boat knows the redline and your preferred cruising RPM because they will hit it on occasion. Personally (and I'm in the minority here) I'd rather deal with throttle issues, take a little longer to get up and use the prop that gets me closest to redline without going over (which on an Alpha One is only 4200RPM is I recall correctly). My old outboard didn't redline until 5500RPM so I could drop the pitch considerably more on it and still be in the idiot-proof range.

(rcogrady) · (rcogrady) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 03-14-2008, 9:54 AM

thanks Dante, I'm probably going to add weight and then see how it rides before I adjust the prop pitch. Then make my decision on if or how much to drop.

Does anyone have ballast advice with a closed bow or cuddy?

(lovin_the_wake)

My buddy's father in law has a 91 Wellcraft cuddy cabin and we put twin 440s in the bow and a 350 tube sac in the rear with 4 people and that thing threw a fat a$$ wake not much lip but it was a hella rampy :-)