front ballast question

[a_deleon]

Well last night I started pulling the floor up from my boat.

I moved that front seat and noticed there was enough room for me to put a ballast right there. I had the batteries in that area and what ever misc things we just wanted to put out of the way. Well when I rebuild the interior I wanted to relocate the batteries and put the ballast where the two front people can sit.

Can I get comments on location in the picture if it will help to keep the front down while we wakeboard. I was not sure on moving it all the way to the front under the closed bow and have it under there where I could not get to it really. Plus I also have a large ported box for my 15in. sub in the closed area.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c259/UNKNOWN_DJ/IMAG0119_BURST002.jpg

[wotan2525]

I'd put it in the front just because it will be centered. Having wakeboard weight that far to the side will screw things up.

Now... if you're trying to surf.... go for it!

[5akman]

I agree, having that much weight off center will change the wake. If you can center it up, that'd be much better. Is there room underfloor forward of the pylon? If the floor is coming up, I'd think seriously about sealing up/epoxing the area between the stringers/hull/underfloor and making a built in ballast tank. Put a small ply bulkhead just forward of the pylon with some fill/drain ports and I believe you'd be good to go. I plan on doing this very thing along side of the engine in my Pirata V drive conversion.

[a_deleon]

I will look into try to get it centered in the front. I don't know if there might be enought room to put in under the floor. I will look into it when the top cap comes off and we take the boat to my buddy who is doing the stringers and floor. One thing I have to look is the air intake to have air flow under the floor might have to be moved because it comes in right in the center of the floor. The other option since it might be wide enough is to put it as it sit in the pic to the front and build a small box around it to box it in and add hooks to strap it down so it doesn't roll around if it ever was to roll around. That way the weight is evenly across instead of just down the center. As for the pylon that is coming up and being sold since I have my tower on there.

Thanks for the input, and as for surfing I am planning on using my pair of 350's and maybe a 500 to help with the surf wake. It's a little tricky getting all the weight and have room to have people sit on the surf side of the boat.