Weighting a V-Ride

I was wondering what people are running in their 2005-2008 v-rides (or 04 and older vlx)? I was considering getting some extra sacs. Any suggestions? I have the two rear tanks, center tank, and wedge. I dont want to pull the tanks simply add to them. Thanks!

running both back tanks full, and the center full.

350lbs of lead in the nose under the seats...I don't use my wedge. in fact i've taken it off.

awesome wake. that hull really likes some weight in the front.

also, i used to blast people on here about how foolish it was using lead. i apologize for that. i started playing with it a little last summer, and a few hundred lbs won't hurt.

It certainly has 2 giant negatives as opposed to water ballast. The fact that its not water displaceable, and the fact that there is no easy way to unload it quickly, so you end up trailering your boat around with an extra couple hundred lbs on your tongue weight...

anywho, the v-ride puts out of hell of a good wake. post your results as you perfect the weighting!

Hayden,

We only have the mid ballast and the wedge. But first thing you need to do is get about 250lbs up front (if not more). We always sit someone in the bow before in the back of the boat. It helps out big time. Get that integrated bow sack. Your friends will love you for it! They won't have to sit up front on those cold early morning runs. Here's an idea, have your friends pitch in for it!

Here is what I did.

Ditch the hard tanks for 2 750# Fatsac's. Put an integrated bow sack in the front. I just put mine on top of the seats since the only time I use it is when I don't have enough voice activated ballast in the boat. Fill the center tank of course.

I don't use the wedge when I have all of this filled. Makes for a great wake I think. Solid with a nice ramp feel to it.

Plus side when pulling the rear hard tanks is you have a BUNCH more storage area when the sacks aren't full. I would do it again in a heartbeat for only this reason.

Is this the integrated bow sac everyones talking about?
http://www.buywake.com/catalog/detail/FL_Zgywr
Then i was thinking about something like this for the back. http://www.buywake.com/catalog/detail/FL_EsUTZ I havent measured the area in the back yet but i will this weekend.

Shawn: The storage issue isnt that big of a deal with me bc i usually ride with just a couple of close friends and we have more than enough storage throughout the rest of the boat. But i will keep your suggestion in mind!

Anyone got any suggestions/links on which fat sacs to buy (sumo, highfly, proX)
Thanks for the advice!

+1 toss the hard tanks and put FlyHigh ProX 750's in the back. I run a third 750 on the floor in the walkthru. If you surf, all you have to do is move the walkthru sack to the port side and not fill the stbd rear all the way. Always fill the locker tank of course.

Hayden,
I have a kit to convert your hard tanks to soft bags and to integrate a bow sac with the factory center tank. I would either replace the hard tanks or use a 400lbs piggyback sac system on top of the tanks. I like to put a fly high tube sac on the seat of what ever side we are surfing on. With that much weight you probably wont use the wedge much.
Malibu Tank Replacement Kit
Integrated Bow Sac Piggyback System
Malibu Piggyback 400 Wakesurf System
Thanks,
spencer
spencer@wakemakers.com

Hayden,
Sorry, I didn't answer your last question. The new style Fly High sacs that everyone has suggested are called the Pro X sacs. Those are the gray sacs made from the zodiac material.

Because of the high demand for bullet proof ballast bags Launch Pad/Straight Line sourced the same material and is producing Sumo sacs with a similar look and construction.

The Sumo sacs are awesome but they do not have a fitting system to allow them to be integrated in with ease like the Fly High sacs.
Thanks,
Spencer
spencer@wakemakers.com

Spencer check your email.

Spencer I will def be lookin into upgrading soon! Thanks for all the info!

Oh sry, about what all is involved to remove the tanks and replace them with the sacs?

Very easy to remove the tanks. Just a few screws and cutting the hoses off the tanks. I then put quick disconnects on the ProX sacks and the hoses from my pumps and vent. First tank took a little over a hour and half to do. Once I knew what I was doing, the second one took about 15 minutes.

Went and did the same thing on a buddy's boat when he saw what I had. I don't think he ever uses his manual wedge now with all that weight.

You will need to add new hoses for the sacks because the factory hoses will be too short. Just make sure you buy braided hoses that won't collapse.

Trace or Shawn: Any pics of 750s filled up in a V-Ride or older VLX? I am considering upping from 550s to 750s in my 02 VLX, but I'm not so convinced I am going to like the fit. I want it to be able to fill up completely without having to worry about damaging anything before they overflow.
Sorry for the hi-jack.

Thanks,
Danny

If your going to get the flyhigh bags I would get them from onlyinboards.com His prices will def beat the ones so far in this thread. Shoot the guy an email and I'm sure he will take care of you. Most of those "special" fittings can be found at
https://www.flow-rite.com/store/marine/retail/marinestoreretail.html

for a fraction on the cost.

I went from 550's to 750's, and I like the 750's a lot more. I don't have any pics, but they basically fill up the entire storage areas right up to the underside of the deck. They fit really well. Might actually be a little less stress on the engine dividers than with 550's because they have no room to roll or move around. My 96 had the carpet curtain type dividers, which totally sucked and have been replaced with some homebrew stuff.

Sweet, thanks Trace.

Also, yeah I second J. Brenner. Flow-Rite will sell you most of the fittings. I think there might be a couple that you can't get direct from them, but I'm pretty sure they make those, too.

Yup, the 750's fill the area. I know of one guy that cut a couple of inches off the front "wall" where the arm to hold up the door is attached. You'll find the 750 will hit that just a bit, but it doesn't hurt if you leave it. I've had zero problems even after "forgeting" to turn off the fill pump.

One issue you may have is water back draining out the fill pump. It seems that the stock pump can't handle the amount of head pressure these sacks will place on them. You could put a one way inline with the fill pump. I find that if I fill the bag all the way, I just turn off the the valve that goes to the fill pump.

Cool thanks for the info. I might give it a go. I don't like when they cram into things like the front "wall" you mention, but oh well.

As far as back draining, yeah I've had that issue with my current setup so I have some brass swing check valves inline already. Aerator pumps can't withstand any head at all - they essentially act as a tube when off and will just free flow.

Danny

Has any of you tried is there any prop better than stock (Acme 537 13.5x16) wich raises the rpms only 150-200. We dont want a powerprop (1235 or alike)

The 750's back draining might be due to the fact that when they are so full that the water level is actually higher than where the hoses are run. Check valves should easily solve that problem though.

It's also critical that each vent is higher elevation than the top of its full sack. If it isn't, the sack can and will siphon down to the level of the vent even if the hose runs higher.

I think check valves should solve that to? There is no way the vent can be higher than the water level when the 750's are full. As most vents are just under the rub rail. I could be wrong though. i haven't seen many vents above the rub rail though.

I don't think check valves can help on the vent because water/air has to get from the bag to atmosphere and thus has to be free-flowing from bag to atmosphere which would allow overflow as well.

I'm pretty sure that these 750s will not stay full, rather, overflow until they reach a happy level. I could add a manual valve to shut off and hold it in, but I don't like that. I like a totally hands-free solution.

With my current 550s, the top of the bag is low enough that a simple loop right there under the gunnel by the rear thru-hull is high enough to prevent overflow, but that surely won't be the case with giant 750s.

In the past on another boat, I ran a vent line up the gunnel and did a loop under the dash to buy me some more height, which worked. I could try that again. Just sucks because you have to run all that tubing before you can try, and just hope that it works!

Danny

My plumbing is 100% custom. I wanted the vents under the rubrail, so I had to locate them way forward (under the windshield area) to get them high enough.

Factory vent locations will probably be a problem. The only other way to solve the problem is with vented loops, where you run the hose up high enough and place a check valve (vent) at its highest point. This acts as a siphon breaker. Just looping the hose up higher will work unless you get a siphon going. Then it doesn't matter how high the hoses run - they will still drain to the level of the vent.

What he said.

True that. I forgot about having a vented loop. Sorry, I misunderstood you JB. On the last boat I did, I didn't use a vented loop, but got lucky that the loop itself was high enough to avoid a siphon starting.

Danny

(Message edited by wakerider42 on April 07, 2009)

The vents on my 07 are high enough that no water siphons out them. I lose all my water to the head pressure. I close those valve, which were factory installed, and the bag stays full all day. I did not reprop my boat and have zero issues getting on plane will all bags and tanks full with 4 guys on board. As I add people, I empty some of the water. Wake is still awesome.

i personally weight mine with the Stock ballast (3 tanks) plus i put a 600 sac up front and then another 600 in the walk way and another 600 back by the rear seats. can walk in the boat but its a damn good wake.