Adding weight to bow - ideas ? 80' sunsport

[suprasam]

I don't have any ballest, and I don't need the wake for boarding. My sunsport is very light in the bow, and on our lake it can be rough in some areas. I need some weight up front, not sure I want the ballest, because I don't want to install a pump up front for this weight. Any other options?

[chrisk]

I know a lot of people use lead weights

[DAFF]

I ran my Sunsport on lake Erie from time to time. That lake can get crazy rough in a hurry. From my experience keeping the nose in the air is crutial when attacking large waves. To add balast to the front would add to the scoopability of the bow. It happens from time to time expecially behind the rollers of the 1000' freighters in the great lakes. If anything more rear weight would help in the rough stuff.

[mapleleaf]

4.99, bag of sand as an experiment....cheap and'll let you know you're on the right track. Daff has a good point, I once lifted my wake plate all the way up for fun and found the moment i hit some chop she danced like a drunk 4 yr old.....Keeping the rear end planted is a good starting point, adding some to the nose will only help a certain size chop...big stuff and she'll seem like a comp!!!!

[michael hunter]

I agree with Daff we used our 89 on lake Michigan for 20 years . We never had any ballast . When we got caught in heavy waves I always slowed down and got the noise up. The Sunsport has a habit of throwing the water up and in front of the bow when you hit a wave so you drive into the splash. Its like somebody throwing a bucket of water over the windshield at you.

[mapleleaf]

the Comp does exactly what Michael described as well, only its feels like a really big bucket!!!

[suprasam]

Yah I know the bow is suppose to go up and be lighter to cut into the wakes, but it seems crazy light. Im not talking about adding huge amounts of weight, I was thinking about the sand bag also. I might buy 150lbs (3bags) and try them out next weekend. Thanks

[cadunkle]

I can't imagine it's that bad. You want the front high so it'll get up and when it comes down slice gently on that deep V. To test just have someone sit up front when it's rough, there's your 150-200 lbs. I assume if you don't need the wake you ski, in which case you would want the boat light. Sand or lead may be removable, but you won't get it back after it goes to the bottom.

I nhave a Saltare, so I can't say for certain about your Sunsport but the hull looks very similar. My boat rides very smooth in rough water. The river can get very rough, and there's always tugs, tankers, container ships, military ships, etc. throwing huge wakes. My boat takes them very smooth. No pounding even over tug wakes it comes down smooth. I've had a few runs down to the city in very rough water where I probably spent more time in the air than in the water and it still rode well with minimal pounding. If it gets real rough you just need to find the sweet spot and work the throttle, particularly if the prop keeps coming out of the water. I can't imagine it's that bad, but adding weight will probably not help.

[michael hunter]

Is it possible your hull is saturated with water in the foam under the floor?

[suprasam]

Well all things are possible in an older sunsport. I guess water could be saturated, but boat sits like it should, floor was done prior to me owning but ugh who knows. I'm at the point of small irritations to either put a bullet in it, or sell it an move on. Hmmm maybe enough weight up front, have fun an sink her? Lol

[jet]

Yes, i got caught out in what seemed like 5'-8' waves when a storm blew in and I was all the way on the otherside of the lake. The boat was leaving the water from wave-to-wave @ 5-10mph?? Very slow but you have to keep the nose up. got that bucket of water in my face a good 10-15 times. lol. You just have to laugh some times.

[DAFF]

Although there is nothing more fun than surfing a surf boat on some massive waves. You know the wave is big when you give throttle to make it up the wave and cut the gas at the top. Knowing the ride down will get exciting as you prepare for the wall of water which will pass just over you head and crash into the passengers to the rear of the boat!!! Good times!!