Another surf thread 242 Launch

[Amateurhour]

Can I get an update of exactly what you're running for ballast this year? I've got the 1100's both sides of the engine, the stock I think it's a 400 in the ski locker and have a 500 under the seat right behind the batteries. Also have 2 each 400 lb bags and an extra 500 that I'm gonna try moving around. We had it out on the long weekend and it would make a crazy wake, but just wasn't enough to push me along without the rope (beginner). Also what do you know about wave/bottom interference, and how deep the lake should ideally be to not get this? The lake we were on was probably average of 7 feet deep.

[Amateurhour]

I'm also thinking maybe the small differences in our boats is the fact that yours is a Launch, and mine is a Sunsport.

[Kma4444]

I do know the differences in the Launch and Sunsport are ballast related. The Launch loses the walkthrough to the bow, it has a cushion that goes all the way back to the end of the passenger's seat. That area hinges up and underneath it has a bag for ballast. I guess I thought they all had the hard tank under the front floor and the launch just got the bag in addition. But now I understand you can get it with no hard tank under the floor. There ya go!!!!

We run the stock bag in the left rear full, I think it is 400lbs, and the new bag I had made that fills the right side under seat area all the way up to under the cooler behind the helm seat. I'm guesstimating that it has about 1500 lbs in it. That's been it this year. We have played with the front but have adopted a no fill at all approach and it works great. Sounds like you aren't missing much without the front tanks or bag.

Sounds like you have plenty of weight to play with so you should be able to get as much wake as needed. 7 feet, WOW!!!!! That's some kind of shallow. I don't think we have ever tried surfing in water that depth but I have heard that less than 20 feet can affect the wake. I'm not sure I completely agree with that as we certainly have surfed in water less than 20 feet and I couldn't tell you I noticed any difference. Man, at 7 feet you have to be very careful not to run across any "SHALLOW" places. I'd be a nervous wreck unless it was smooth and flat as a pool table on the bottom.

[Kma4444]

I also would guess that with some practice you will be surfing like crazy with the same wake that is proving to be a challenge right now. There is a lot you pick up with some practice. So get the wake decent looking and go practice, just keep the rope and try and have it slack. You'll find that point where you will just be holding the rope, not using it. Then practice going back and forth, putting weight forward to speed up and back to slow down. You'll be winging it in no time!!!!!! And, here's a great part, the falls rarely hurt at all, nice, makes continuing on much more pleasant. I used to barefoot quite a lot and I can tell you, that was fun, the falls,,,, they make you want to NOT continue on, I repeat NOT... But it was fun and I was young and dense.

[Stoppiesteve]

Kma444,

Question for you since I have almost the same boat...

Can you post your ideal surf settings as a statistic? We have tried a ton of variations and this is the only setting with what i would consider a lot of push. I'm using the following:

Speed: 10.2
Wake plate: 32
Surf side ballast: 1100lbs rear locker, 200lbs under seat just ahead of locker
Front ballast: 25% (I think this is about $220lbs)
Non Surf Side Ballast: 250lbs

With no passengers or with 8, the settings seem to be best as-is above.

[trayson]

Can I get an update of exactly what you're running for ballast this year? I've got the 1100's both sides of the engine, the stock I think it's a 400 in the ski locker and have a 500 under the seat right behind the batteries. Also have 2 each 400 lb bags and an extra 500 that I'm gonna try moving around. We had it out on the long weekend and it would make a crazy wake, but just wasn't enough to push me along without the rope (beginner). Also what do you know about wave/bottom interference, and how deep the lake should ideally be to not get this? The lake we were on was probably average of 7 feet deep.

I surf my 92 sunsport Direct Drive. We ride a lot on a river that typically varries 10 to 20+ feet in one area we play in. (Another spot has 15 to 40 feet depth). When we're surfing, 10 feet deep seems to be the magic number. anything below 10 makes the wave break and get foamy. Not ideal at all. If it dropped below 8, I'd have a damn hard time and I'd have to be riding a bit to the side of the "pocket" to keep out of the whitewash.

So if you're trying to surf 7' depth, I think you're going to have your work cut out for you. Not to mention I get nervous at depths like that. I start to get anxious when we're riding and it drops below 8. We have a predominately sandy bottom, but still. One day we were out crusing and going under 15mph and it went 10, 9, 8.... 2.5 --> SANDBAR! I got out and the water was knee deep. Basically a shelf that went from 8' to knee deep.

[wotan2525]

I can't get a good wave in 7' of water. I need over 10 (but it doesn't seem to get worse if it gets deeper than that.)

[Kma4444]

Lately we have been surfing with the custom bag mostly full on the right side and the stock 600 pound bag full on the left. We go around 10.8 but have gone up to 11.5. The custom bag setup is probably around 1800 pounds. We can run the 1100 in the front also and it makes the boat work less hard than when the nose is in the air. It drops about 150 rpm with the front full. If I run front weight it's usually about 50%. But it makes the wake less steep and the wife likes it better with no front weight at all.

The plate changes the wake a fair amount and with the rear weight only we usually run it about 40%.

Hope that helps, we really like the wake with ours and it is plenty long and no issues with push at all.

[Stoppiesteve]

Thanks. Any chance you have an order number or dimensions for that custom bag? I'd like to order the same one.

[Kma4444]

I'm not sure if Fly High kept a record of what they built for me or not. You could check with them and give my name to see if they did. To utilize the same one you would have to remove the divider under the seat like I did. But really, check the dimensions on their Enzo sack, it is the same basic shape, way cheaper, close to as big and probably in stock quite a few places. And it will fill the area pretty well without having to do anything to the boat. Bags are pretty handy in that they will conform to wherever they are put, they don't have to be too specifically shaped. A couple Enzo sacks and you will be ready for battle I'm sure. I'm gonna get one for the left side of our '42 soon.

Be happy to offer any advice I can. Feel free to ask away. We really like the wake with ours, I've no doubt yours can be great as well.