Supra 21v Removing Wake Plate

[zking]

I recently purchased a 2012 Supra 21v. I live on a lake that does not allow ballasts or wake plates. Can anyone tell me how to remove the wake plate from the boat? Also after I remove the ballasts will I have to do something to stop water from rushing into my boat if the switch is accidentally flipped?

[Jetlink]

Not only is all of this confusing but I think it is rather stupid and possibly compromises safety. Don't take this as an attack against you but against whatever governing board is responsible for this. The wake plate is and can be used to decrease the wake size if used properly. As for the ballast, just don't fill them, deactivate the pumps and call it a day. If the pump is deactivated and cannot fill the bags, no problem there. Just placard the pumps as INOP and call it a day.

[zking]

Not only is all of this confusing but I think it is rather stupid and possibly compromises safety. Don't take this as an attack against you but against whatever governing board is responsible for this. The wake plate is and can be used to decrease the wake size if used properly. As for the ballast, just don't fill them, deactivate the pumps and call it a day. If the pump is deactivated and cannot fill the bags, no problem there. Just placard the pumps as INOP and call it a day.

Oh trust me I realize how ridiculous it is. The governing board on my lake is absolutely insane. Having said that, I have to remove it or they won't let me put the boat on the lake.

[CJD]

A work around...just trail the hoses into the bilge and put your water there. You'll have the cleanest bilge on the lake!

Do you have a pic of your particular wake plate? It will either have screws to remove, which will have holes you need to fill...or it may have a hinge pin that can be straightened and removed easily, without having to seal anything.

[silvtongdvl]

A wake plate can only make the wake smaller.

Surf tabs can make the wake bigger.

Sounds like you need a pontoon.

[SquamInboards]

Just a thought on removing the wake plate: I actually tried removing mine just as an experiment a few years ago, but mine is an older style ('89) with just manual adjustments. HOWEVER, the boat performed POORLY over about 25 mph(?) without the plate, it porpoised like crazy. So... the plate is actually an integral part of the design of the hull, in that it is required for the boat to drive normally above a certain speed. Side note, the wake was WAS a little bigger at lower speeds - which was exactly what we thought might happen - but it was nowhere near worth the tradeoff of terrible handling at high speed.

Ballast, on the other hand, it depends how the rule is written... as others have said, disabling the pumps would be easy, but is it enough to satisfy the rule?


tl/dr: You might just have a reason to keep the wake plate, or petition for an exception, if it's going to affect your boat's normal performance. Don't unbolt it just yet!

[Swamplandkarl]

It is a TRIM plate and without it you will have a difficult time and your boat will perform horribly, so they don't allow outboards with trim?

[docdrs]

It is more of a trim tab than a wake plate, if you remove it ,the boat will porpoise at higher speeds and be dangerous. There is a ballast pump fuse your could pop so the system is deactivated

[SquamInboards]

It is a TRIM plate and without it you will have a difficult time and your boat will perform horribly


It is more of a trim tab than a wake plate, if you remove it ,the boat will porpoise at higher speeds and be dangerous.

All of the above. Like I said, I actually TRIED it and confirmed how bad an idea it is. Lots of boats have trim tabs... very different from something like the Malibu Wedge.

[Mischief IV]

Where is this lake with the crazy governing board?

[Jetlink]

Where is this lake with the crazy governing board?

Must be a northern state with stupid laws like Illinois right?

[trayson]

does your ballast system have a shutoff valve at the thru hull? if so, shut it off. then you can remove anything downstream.

I would try to reason with your board on the wakeplate?trim tab thing. I mean letting them know the wake will be BIGGER if you do as they ask might sway them. or maybe you can offer to fix it in the down position (then pull the fuse)?

[docdrs]

take the wake plate/ trim tab off , drive at 10 mph by the prez's lake house as you cruise in the evening with your friends in the boat, and when he complains tell him that's why you want the trim tab on,
so you don't have to hear all the complaints ....... I can understand the ballast or wake enhancers, but trim tabs / wake plates shows an ignorance of the entire boating industry by these people. If I were on a lake not wanting wakes and could enforce it , then no wake surfing skating boarding tubing and basically your not allowed to have fun.......except bare footing, slalom , and fishing for those days you want to take dad out. Thank god the lakes in Canada are not private. I say to hell with shoreline erosion....whats the real issue? ......ever see a storm erode the shore away.....its just people with nothing else to complain about, as they want to build as close to the shore as they can .....spend a buck and put a lift in if it moves your boat.....i've seen some older nautiques without wake plates and ballast put up just as big or bigger wakes as my outback dd with ballast. just my rant. But make sure you know all the bylaws you agreed too before you bought the place.

[CJD]

I think he should drive around for a while without the plate and wash a few of their boats off their lifts. Then ask if he should put the "trim plate" back on!

[Mischief IV]

I think he should drive around for a while without the plate and wash a few of their boats off their lifts. Then ask if he should put the "trim plate" back on!

Better yet, send them this thread with link to read.