Ballast on Cobalt

Cured the washout problem by removing the tabs. Wake is nice and rampy with no washout. Will try to adjust the tabs so they work out of the hole but are a non issue on plane. Wife doesnt mind me installing some sacs but doesnt want anything in the locker (its full of skis) or in the walkway (4 and 6 year old love going up there). The space under the bow cushions extends back into the area in front of the cockpit and I can fit a couple 250-300 pound sacs in each of those. If I add, say, 500 pounds to the bow and use the trim, is there really any need to add sacs to the engine compartment? I have space on either side of the engine to add another 800 pounds or so. But what will the effect be of adding 500 to the front and 800 to the rear? Isnt the general rule adding more to the bow?

Thanks
Bill

No, you won't need more sacs in the rear because you can trim up to push down the stern. More sacs does give you more weight so you get a bigger wake but you have a pretty heavy boat already and may not need them. Of course it might be fun just to have a bigger wake anyway.
Why not try the bow and then add more if you want.

Thats my point. If I add 500 pounds to the bow of a boat that already weighs 3200 pounds, will another 800 pounds in the rear help or hurt the wake?

Bill, I also have an I/O, we normally run a 500-600lb bow sack with zero weight in the rear, it makes a nice wake not too vert, it throws u up and out, which is ideal for me. Just to add I've also experimented with rear weight and It's sort of like running into a large brick wall, it shoots u straight up not out. I no likey! just my 2cents...

Thanks Rich. I will start with 500 up front and trim it out from there.

Forgot to add, whatever u do don't add trim tabs or a hydro foil fin to your stern drive, it'll ruin the wake. Trust me I know from experience! I just patched 4 holes on my stern plate. The wake and hole shot is so much better now. Don't forget to tell us how it works out...

(Message edited by Richnnorcal on September 15, 2008)

Boat came with smart tabs on them and agreed the wake was so washed out. Took them off and the wake is much better. Gonna put them back on and see if I can fine tune them so they work on hole shot but not when on plane.