Weighting a 06' VLX

Does anyone have a successful setup of weighting a 06' VLX? I have three different size bags and have been moving them around trying to change the wake and have had some success, but am trying to find the perfect setup. I don't have the front ballast option.

You definately need weight in the bow. Do you want to use the wedge? How big are the bags you have? How big do you want the wake? How deep is the lake you normally ride? If you want to take a drive up to Buena Vista sometime, I can show you how mine is set up----for my conditions. There are a lot of things to consider, how many people in the boat? which prop you are running, fuel consumption, etc.

http://www.wakeworld.com/getarticle.asp?articleid=408

Thanks for the input Chuck, I usually have 3-4 people in the boat. We usually go to Piru, Havasu, or Naci. I have two 750lb bags, two 350lb bags and two 250lb bags. I am currently using the two 350lb bags under the bow seats half full and the two 600lb bags almost full. With all other ballast tanks full. The wake is huge and has a lot of pop, but I am always looking to try new things. We only run the wedge with no weight for girl riders. This seems to work better for girls if they are scared of a big wake, but at the same time the wedge peaks the wake and still gives them decent pop. We are running the stock prop, which I believe is an Acme. We burn a lot of fuel especially if we are wakesurfing.

David thank you for the hyperlink, it was actually extremely helpful.

Daman;
I've got an '06 VLX and don't use the wedge much either. We do have the front ballast but here's what we run.

Full stock ballast
2 x 500-600lb bags in the rear trunks, usually full with only 2 people in the boat, less ffull with more people in the boat.
extra 300-400lbs of lead in the nose

I'd say, put your bags in the front and fill those suckers up! Then add your rear weight, see how you like it.
We are usually riding between 24.4-25 MPH at 75-80 ft back.

This weekend was the first time I've had a bunch of people in the boat with the rear bags full, 5 in the boat and a rider, it was fantastic!

I did upgrade to the acme 1235 prop, as it was slow out of the hole and cornering was a big issue with the stock one.
hope that helps

Brooke,

What is your top speed with this prop? I called the dealer and they told me I was nuts to want to run that crazy of a pitch and size. They said it would pull the handle right out of my hands, and I said okay thats what I want. LOL

did the dealer ever try that prop with extra weight in the boat? I bet they didn't, they've probably never ridden a VLX with anything but stock ballast and the wedge because "Why would you ever want more than the almighty malibu has to offer?"

We give it, hammer down and it doesn't yank anything out of anyones hands. Top speed, I think we're in the low 40s now, were up around 44-45 now probably more like 40-42. I really don't go that fast except when I put the new prop on to try it out. It lost a little top end, but I don't use it so I didn't care at all.

and, I talked to a couple guys at wakeside and this is what they are running on their '05 (maybe it was an '06) and according to them, they loved it too.

The dealer told me I was crazy when I asked how much weight I could put in the rear compartments. So I think all my questions for wake boarding are not going to be directed at them anymore. Did you have the logos removed or did you order it that way? If you had them removed how did you do it? I appreciate all the info. P.S. Badass boat launch setup.

I had them taken off at the dealer, I actually asked them not to order any but I think they took them and used them on another boat or resold them. I don't think it takes much, but I'm not sure. I made them trip the wave things off of the back logo too, over the platform.

Thanks for the compliments, and the lift may look badass but it's more pain in the ass than anything. We'll be keeping it on a shore station in the summer, the house is just for winter storage from this point forward.

The rear trunks hold a lot, just be sure you fill them up before loading them down. I usually fill both my sacks and the trunks at the same time as my system takes longer. On drain, I start my sacks a little ahead of time and then start to drain the hard tanks.

Daman,
if you bought it locally,(Tilly's) you should talk to the service guys about weight in the boat. Bruce and Brett are not boarders. I know some of the service guys ride though.
I have seen Chuck's boat on the water at BV, and for a shallow lake, his boat throws a big wake.

Thomas

I ride with factory quad ballast system full and 1 600lb sack across the floor in the back, 5 or so people usually. I put the power wedge 3/4 of the way down and it is plenty big.

I have an WS LSV and run 400's in the trunk and a 750 in the bow plus stock without the wedge. The wake is awesome this way!

Some of the local guys here run the 750 in the bow and then another 750 on the floor in front of the back bench. That setup is really nice as well, but I like not having any sacs on the floor. With the 400's in the trunks, you don't lose any floor space and still have room for all your gear in the trunks.

It's a little slow out of the hole with the stock prop so we will look to change to another prop this next off season.

Thomas thanks for the info, I will talk to them next week while my boat is there. What is the best time to ride BV, I havn't been there for a long time.

We just got back from Piru about half an hour ago and we ran 240lbs of lead up front plus 300lbs worth of bags. We ran 500lbs in each rear locker and stock ballast full. This wake was good but I think we are going to either add more weight to the rear or less up front. The wake was fat, but was not as big as I would like to see it. It was definitely more consistent with weight up front though. I am definitely investing in a new prop for sure.

If you're looking for a new prop, I would suggest the acme 1235...amazing difference

Daman- As far as Tilly's, none of the service guys really ride. Bruce actually rides weekly. Also, talk with one of the promo guys either Billy or Scotty. Both of them ride 3-4 days a week and both of them have '06 WS VLX's. As far as the prop, I would hold off. I know for a fact that Billy from Tilly's is testing a new proto type from Acme that is specifically made for heavily weighted boats and the '06 Malibu VLX.

The OJ 14.25 x 14 has found favor in the DFW with a lot of sacked out VLX's and LSV's. Everyone is really stoked on that prop.

Daman - It sounds like will is in the shop more than me. the impression I had gotten from Bruce last year, was the service guys were more hardcore riders, and he did not ride. I guess I am wrong though.
the best time to ride at BV, is early! midweek is not bad either.

I run the OJ 14.25 x 14 prop on my boat---works well. BV is good during the week, but will be great once school starts!