Malibu Wedge..ON A SUPRA??

[jet]

Thats right buddy..Im thinking about it. A wedge on a Comp?? What do you think? I will have to move the platform support but I think It will work and help out with my room problem and making the wake larger. Ive seen some DIY's on other boats and they work great. This should be a big thread. Jet

p.s. yes I will just buy another boat next year?? :(

[saltare inverts]

Is the transom area supported for the wedge? I have heard of them ripping off on other boats? I hant seen pics just a thought. There is a company that makes and sells wedge type set up for any boat.

[jet]

is there?? You know the name??

[saltare inverts]

Im trying to remember. I can picture in my head what it looks like. I do also recall it was expensive. Ill try to find it and let you know.

[csuggs]

Yep, like SI says I think that transom reinforcement will be the name of the game. I would like to see how Malibu builds their transom for that application.

What we need is to train a gorilla to stand on the back of the boat and hold a shovel in the water at the proper depth. That would give the extra weight and wedge in the rear!

[thescott]

http://www.switchbladewake.com/index.php

I know nothing about these, but I think they're the one's you're talking about.

Personally (just my $.02) I think it's a horrible idea to consider puting one of these on a boat that's not engineered for it. There must be a TREMENDOUS amount of drag and force generated by these things. I'd have to think you'd risk tearing your boat apart.

[dusty2221]

Jet, just forget about it and buy mine.

[87SunSportMikeyD]

Well the wedge itself cost $1-2k. You can do it IF you reinforce your transom. imho keep searching for that SunSport buddy...

[saltare inverts]

I second MikeyD. I am usually big fan of modifications. This one seems too risky. The wedge has been out long enough that you can get around patents, yet no other boat company does a wedge. I say nay. BTW the pickle fork front ends some comanys are doing makes sense for the room but boy are they ugly.

[KG's Supra24]

BTW the pickle fork front ends some comanys are doing makes sense for the room but boy are they ugly.

At first, i liked the mastercrafts. They were different and cool. Now alot of boats have them and i dont like any of them now. Tige's is prob the best looking one if i had to pick one.

Wedge seems to risky. There is no middle ground or room for error. If this thing goes wrong, you stand the chance of loosing the whole boat. Good luck explaining that mod to the insurance company too.

[Supra-in-steamboat]

I agree about finding a SunSport or bigger boat. The wedge seems risky on a Comp, even with custom reinforcments to the transom. I love the Comp alot, but it is a waterski boat and not designed for this application. Good luck with the decision.

[jet]

The wedge is only equivalent to 1000 pounds, thats not a lot of force and the force is pulling the boat down not outward. The comp has one of the smallest back ends which would make it one of the strongest. Seems everyones problem is that Its not strong enough..thats nothing I cant fix. Reinforce the rearend, back it with a large metal plate, Its that simple. Its just a numbers game for a 1000 lbs worth a force.

[dusty2221]

Jet, forget about it and buy mine.

[jet]

Dusty..I would love to but I know you would take the speakers off first. lol. If we have a long HOT summer maybe...cross your fingers man. Here the link for the wedge.


http://forums.wakeboarder.com/viewtopic.php?p=6392&sid=aa9f5f24a8b1717c9d35435f97277552

[dusty2221]

For you Jet, I might leave me on.

[rludtke]

I think the wedge is an inverted hydrofoil meant to create downward force as it moves through the water. The handbuilt version on the link attaches very low on the transom. In my opinion, the drag of the unit will not be terrible (it isn't scooping per se, much of the drag will be from the boat hull not being aloud to plane), and the lower portion of the transom doesn't have much arm to induce much transom deflection. So with some extra gussetting on the indb side of the transom, and brackets that remain close to the transom as possible (to reduce the cantilever), this concept probably wouldn't be as hard on the boat as some think. I think it is a great idea. To reduce risk, I recomend consulting with an mechanical engineer, or someone who has experimented with doing this before. Search the web for others that have lead the way, and learn from them.

[Supra-in-steamboat]

The hull/ transom strength are not what i'm speaking of... Any of you guys ever riddin in or behind this wedge? More importantly, ever driven a boat with a wedge? The Malibu I have most experience with has this feature. Pretty slick- but the boat hull is designed for it. Example. With the center sac full, 750lbs i think, you can almost surf both side at the same time at @9-13mph. Rub rails, both sides, definetly in water. At wakebaord speed, rails again in water, the boat tosses a nice even wave, but drives like you are dragging an barge with 20 people on it.
Disclaimer- I love the Comp. A true rocketship on the water and my favorite of all the Supra models, but i think the wedge will pull you Comp underwater- especially at speed. You also have to counterweighgt the wedge for surfing to make the boat list/lean over...Not pretty when the driver turns around for rider pick up the wrong way and the wave barrells over the back of the boat. Good luck if you do this. I would love to see it. I would also like to be dead wrong and see a vid.

[rludtke]

The hull/ transom strength are not what i'm speaking of... Any of you guys ever riddin in or behind this wedge? More importantly, ever driven a boat with a wedge? The Malibu I have most experience with has this feature. Pretty slick- but the boat hull is designed for it. Example. With the center sac full, 750lbs i think, you can almost surf both side at the same time at @9-13mph. Rub rails, both sides, definetly in water. At wakebaord speed, rails again in water, the boat tosses a nice even wave, but drives like you are dragging an barge with 20 people on it.
Disclaimer- I love the Comp. A true rocketship on the water and my favorite of all the Supra models, but i think the wedge will pull you Comp underwater- especially at speed. You also have to counterweighgt the wedge for surfing to make the boat list/lean over...Not pretty when the driver turns around for rider pick up the wrong way and the wave barrells over the back of the boat. Good luck if you do this. I would love to see it. I would also like to be dead wrong and see a vid.

This is a very good point. The wedge would probably not be a good retrofit for the Comp, as the Comp has little freeboard. Something would have to be designed specifically for the Comp or you might, as Steamboat suggests, end up underwater. The angle of attack on the hydrofoil is what drives the down force, so this could be adjusted during testing to limit the effects to what is safe.

This would be a fun project...

[jet]

Fear based thinking...And one day we we build a rocket ship and fly a man to the moon! And one day we will load a wakeboard boat with 4000 lbs and have men jump the wake and fly high...no I might hurt myself. Come on guys..I put 1700 lbs in my boat right now and It wasnt made for it..and guys jack up there trucks and put BIG tires on them and it wasnt made for that. The only thing I have to over come is the math. And yes it would pull the back end of the boat under water if I built it with WAY too much wedge, but Im not stupid and would build it correctly. Wakeboarding is about the go for it attitude and Im not feelin it?? :confused:

and if it doesnt do anything to the wake then I leave the plate and take it off..$50-$100 gone. No big deal

[mapleleaf]

Fear based thinking...And one day we we build a rocket ship and fly a man to the moon! And one day we will load a wakeboard boat with 4000 lbs and have men jump the wake and fly high...no I might hurt myself. Come on guys..I put 1700 lbs in my boat right now and It wasnt made for it..and guys jack up there trucks and put BIG tires on them and it wasnt made for that. The only thing I have to over come is the math. And yes it would pull the back end of the boat under water if I built it with WAY too much wedge, but Im not stupid and would build it correctly. Wakeboarding is about the go for it attitude and Im not feelin it?? :confused:

and if it doesnt do anything to the wake then I leave the plate and take it off..$50-$100 gone. No big deal

good deal, I'll be watching....So you sink it a little......I like it stay on the edge.......

[rludtke]

Fear based thinking...And one day we we build a rocket ship and fly a man to the moon! And one day we will load a wakeboard boat with 4000 lbs and have men jump the wake and fly high...no I might hurt myself. Come on guys..I put 1700 lbs in my boat right now and It wasnt made for it..and guys jack up there trucks and put BIG tires on them and it wasnt made for that. The only thing I have to over come is the math. And yes it would pull the back end of the boat under water if I built it with WAY too much wedge, but Im not stupid and would build it correctly. Wakeboarding is about the go for it attitude and Im not feelin it?? :confused:

and if it doesnt do anything to the wake then I leave the plate and take it off..$50-$100 gone. No big deal

Actually I'm totally with you Jet, I think this is a good idea. I too like to try new things, but I also try to reduce the design risk as much as possible (a trait I picked up from my employer).

I took another look at that link that was provided, and found more details about the installation of the homemade unit. All they did was add a steel doubler in the bolt up to the transom, which seems reasonable. Thats simple enough.

[foxriverat]

Just slalom and barefoot. Forget that sissy wakeboarding and wake surfing. Just kidding Jet. Im old school. You go boy.