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View Full Version : Anyone install the $3999 surf system on an older sunsport?



Littlemrnofear
11-07-2016, 04:55 PM
It's the "wave control system" https://www.wakemakers.com/wavecontrol
I would be willing to invest if I can install ballast in the front and back, evenly weight it and use this technology . It looks pretty impressive. It costs as much as my 86 Supra but it sure beats a new $90k surf boat.... thoughts ?

MJHKnox
11-07-2016, 10:23 PM
They are not tested for the older hulls. When I say that, back then the boats were made to ski, not make a big surf wake.
You will never get the wake you would expect.

Save your money, buy some ballast bags and a suck-gate for the side of the boat.
Ballast bags can be found used if you are looking to save a few coins.
You can make a suck-gate or buy one from the many people making them.

With the money you save, start saving for a used v-drive.

Littlemrnofear
11-08-2016, 01:41 AM
Hmmm I got the sunsport because I thought it was a great hull for surfing with lots of freeboard ? I'm going to put 800lb up front under the open bow and two 400lb under the back seat and locker and I guess put one on the floor on the side I am surfing and stick on the suction wake wedge deal? Does that sound right ? I have been reading what everyone else has done and that is the config I think will work?

jtryon
11-08-2016, 12:20 PM
Hmmm I got the sunsport because I thought it was a great hull for surfing with lots of freeboard ? I'm going to put 800lb up front under the open bow and two 400lb under the back seat and locker and I guess put one on the floor on the side I am surfing and stick on the suction wake wedge deal? Does that sound right ? I have been reading what everyone else has done and that is the config I think will work?
you are right, for an older boat it has high freeboard. instead of the wakemakers system i did malibu-style surfgates which works really well on my '88. all-in i have about $200 into it, with manual deployment on both sides. over the winter i'm going to automate it with lenco actuators and some software to deploy at 6mph and retract at 13mph. that's more expensive--i'm into about $500 in parts on that, but will be worth it for the automation. there is a guy on the malibu forums (martinarcher) who sells an automation package that a lot of people use very successfully, and i think it's around $1200. add your own surf gates and actuators and you can have a great system for less than half of the wavecontrol system.

for weight, i run 650 up front, an 800 on the surf side plus ~500lbs of people or additional weight on top of it, and ~600 non-surf side (with the surfgate deployed). works great and the boat is still easy to drive compared to just weighing one side heavily. in my opinion you might dunk the nose a bit with the 800 up front--with my 650 i have to take it easy if someone is also sitting up there.

trayson
11-08-2016, 02:19 PM
They are tested for the older hulls. When I say that, back then the boats were made to ski, not make a big surf wake.
You will never get the wake you would expect.

Save your money, buy some ballast bags and a suck-gate for the side of the boat.
Ballast bags can be found used if you are looking to save a few coins.
You can make a suck-gate or buy one from the many people making them.

With the money you save, start saving for a used v-drive.

^^^^^ This.


Hmmm I got the sunsport because I thought it was a great hull for surfing with lots of freeboard ? I'm going to put 800lb up front under the open bow and two 400lb under the back seat and locker and I guess put one on the floor on the side I am surfing and stick on the suction wake wedge deal? Does that sound right ? I have been reading what everyone else has done and that is the config I think will work?

Great is relative to what you're comparing it to. "great" compared to a Supra Comp or a Mastercraft Prostar 190, probably so. But it won't really ever compare to a modern V-drive. As far as weight, you'll be hard pressed to get THAT much weight in most direct drives. When I surf with my v-drive, I'm using well over 3,000 pounds of ballast... The most I ever had in my Supra Sunsport was maybe around 2,000.

Littlemrnofear
11-08-2016, 10:52 PM
I am a total beginner so this is total entry level to say the least. I know me and once I get addicted, I will have to upgrade to more expensive V-drive, but I figured starting out under 6-7K I can have some fun and not lose much when it's time to move up. Thank you for your intel, as I said, this is new territory for me. I surf in the ocean but I live in the delta in Cali now and I would love to be able to surf in my back yard when I can't make the drive to the ocean.... oh.... and no sharks ;-)

NorCalPR
11-09-2016, 10:22 AM
Yep, youll have plenty of fun. I do on my old dd brendella, it pops out a wave just fine with no 4k system. I just made some nautique style plates and viola.

Anything will delay the convergence. Its just a matter of how much area in relation to the angle. More angle, less area. Less angle, more area. Find the sweet spot and it will work...

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161109/85a6e73e80f87107c07c96207cbe778a.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161109/aba6a742285da1c76a7c0c3d0aa5b400.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161109/eb69f20dfe5314ea67cd6ad75f2d3269.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161109/26412adbdb1288f1f63b0dd9db55262f.jpg

Dont fall into this new thing of absolutely needing a surf system. People sirfed for years without it by just setting the weight up correctly, having everyone sit uncomfprtably, and leaning the boat till the rubrail was well into the water. I did it for years in my supra comp till i bought my own boat. Yes i do use a surf system, but mainly so i can switch sides easier ajd faster, and drive safer.

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Littlemrnofear
11-09-2016, 12:35 PM
now THAT looks fun

NorCalPR
11-09-2016, 02:10 PM
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161109/752867809615d04cc329a2413c0fa9df.jpg

Yep. Here was my comp setup for surf with no surf system, just weight and leaning the boat.



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drockws6
11-23-2016, 07:35 PM
anyone throw this on a older V drive? I have a 2003 ssv and with it being on sale i thought id pick it up. I have a suck gate but i feel as the wave is better when i use only ballast. Im also looking at getting a wrap also so id assume that id really not be able to use the suck gate then.

Luvmysupra
11-26-2016, 07:42 AM
Hmmm I got the sunsport because I thought it was a great hull for surfing with lots of freeboard ? I'm going to put 800lb up front under the open bow and two 400lb under the back seat and locker and I guess put one on the floor on the side I am surfing and stick on the suction wake wedge deal? Does that sound right ? I have been reading what everyone else has done and that is the config I think will work?

It will work just play around with it but you seriously you can build I suck gate for $15 and my buddy uses it on his 87 and has a great wave.... my 2002 is actually as big as the sa550 and lets be honest 15/4000 do you really need to switch sides while moving???? [emoji848]


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Moor
12-05-2016, 01:20 PM
OP - these guys are steering you in the right direction. Don't waste your money on an expensive surf setup on your Sunsport. I have an 88 sunsport that i surfed for a few years with just ballast. The wave wasnt great, but surfable. This summer i spent $20 on a home made surf gate and it made a HUGE difference. I was surfing with a buddy who said my DD Sunsport with my home made contraption and about 800lbs in the ski locker was throwing a better wake that a much newer Malibu Wakesetter he was riding behind a few weeks prior. I have about $400 invested in ballast bags and fill pumps. Spend some time, not money getting your Sunsport set up and it will surf just fine.

Luvmysupra
12-05-2016, 01:26 PM
OP - these guys are steering you in the right direction. Don't waste your money on an expensive surf setup on your Sunsport. I have an 88 sunsport that i surfed for a few years with just ballast. The wave wasnt great, but surfable. This summer i spent $20 on a home made surf gate and it made a HUGE difference. I was surfing with a buddy who said my DD Sunsport with my home made contraption and about 800lbs in the ski locker was throwing a better wake that a much newer Malibu Wakesetter he was riding behind a few weeks prior. I have about $400 invested in ballast bags and fill pumps. Spend some time, not money getting your Sunsport set up and it will surf just fine.

Great advice for all


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NorCalPR
12-05-2016, 03:02 PM
OP - these guys are steering you in the right direction. Don't waste your money on an expensive surf setup on your Sunsport. I have an 88 sunsport that i surfed for a few years with just ballast. The wave wasnt great, but surfable. This summer i spent $20 on a home made surf gate and it made a HUGE difference. I was surfing with a buddy who said my DD Sunsport with my home made contraption and about 800lbs in the ski locker was throwing a better wake that a much newer Malibu Wakesetter he was riding behind a few weeks prior. I have about $400 invested in ballast bags and fill pumps. Spend some time, not money getting your Sunsport set up and it will surf just fine.
The malibu wasnt setup right then. Comparing an older ski hull for surfing, to a new boat with a different hull is night and day when setup correctly.

That being said, my brother has a new malibu. Hes taken his time dialing it in, running a surf gate setup off the platform, adding bags and figuring the wedge. You can easily find the enourmous sweet spot that has plenty of push. I have never seen ANY dd throw a wave as tall and as long, regardless of what fancy device is added.

Ive seen l plenty of pics and vdrives on the water that have the crappiest looking wave, and its no wonder they cant throw the line in. But that doesnt mean the new boats suck. The person weighting it is the one who sucks...

Not to say you cant surf behind a old dd. Shoot I do it. But ride behind a new vdrive thats setup properly, and youll realize theres no comparison. If i had to choose to surf behind my boat or a newer vdrive thats setup, its a no brainer.

But for me, im cheap, and gas is cheap on my smaller boat..

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Moor
12-06-2016, 10:55 AM
The malibu wasnt setup right then. Comparing an older ski hull for surfing, to a new boat with a different hull is night and day when setup correctly.

That being said, my brother has a new malibu. Hes taken his time dialing it in, running a surf gate setup off the platform, adding bags and figuring the wedge. You can easily find the enourmous sweet spot that has plenty of push. I have never seen ANY dd throw a wave as tall and as long, regardless of what fancy device is added.

Ive seen l plenty of pics and vdrives on the water that have the crappiest looking wave, and its no wonder they cant throw the line in. But that doesnt mean the new boats suck. The person weighting it is the one who sucks...

Not to say you cant surf behind a old dd. Shoot I do it. But ride behind a new vdrive thats setup properly, and youll realize theres no comparison. If i had to choose to surf behind my boat or a newer vdrive thats setup, its a no brainer.

But for me, im cheap, and gas is cheap on my smaller boat..

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This thought had crossed my mind. I'm pretty sure that Wakesetter could have been set up better, i wasn't there and never saw the wave. It did have a decent wave, my buddy is a decent surfer and had no issues throwing the rope and riding. I don't disagree that a properly set up, modern hull design will out preform any of the older DD's, no matter what tricks you throw at it. But it still doesn't negate the fact that with a little time and money, most older DD's can be set up to surf well for the limited money invested. Most of us guys that are still rocking the DD's don't have deep enough pockets to get into something more modern, otherwise we'd have one. I can't recommend a $4k investment/experiment on a sub $10k boat for someone who's just getting into surfing, when the same results can be had for pennies.

NorCalPR
12-06-2016, 11:45 AM
This thought had crossed my mind. I'm pretty sure that Wakesetter could have been set up better, i wasn't there and never saw the wave. It did have a decent wave, my buddy is a decent surfer and had no issues throwing the rope and riding. I don't disagree that a properly set up, modern hull design will out preform any of the older DD's, no matter what tricks you throw at it. But it still doesn't negate the fact that with a little time and money, most older DD's can be set up to surf well for the limited money invested. Most of us guys that are still rocking the DD's don't have deep enough pockets to get into something more modern, otherwise we'd have one. I can't recommend a $4k investment/experiment on a sub $10k boat for someone who's just getting into surfing, when the same results can be had for pennies.
Yep. Almost any dd can throw a decent wave with some experimenting. But it will never compare to a modern vdrive thats setup properly too...

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