Help me optimize the ballast for my 92 Sunsport DD for a surf wake.

[trayson]

I'd love some help with optimizing the bags and layout for my ballast on my 92 sunsport direct drive. It seems like a fairly popular model on these forums, so I'm hoping I can leverage others experience.


I currently have a hard plumbed fly high bag that fills the space beneath the rear seats.



I'm going to add a Fly High X-series Tube Sack that will fill the ski locker (I'll put in some valves so I can fill them both from my impeller based Ballast Puppy pump). This is the setup that the previous owner had, but he kept the ski locker sack when he sold me the boat.

The previous owner gave me another bag that I'll be able to use to fill the center locker at the rear of the playpen.

Right now I have dual batteries under the passenger seat (might add a 3rd battery if I get ambitous sometime).

I'm thinking that 1 more bag on the floor alongside of the engine compartment would finish up the job. Maybe pick up the Fly High X-series 50x20x20 sack? --or will that even fit? (I'm at work dreaming of surfing, so I can't just run outside and measure my boat's floorspace).

Will that be too much with everything predominately in the stern? Or just right?

Keep in mind that I'd like to optimize with the idea that most the time I'll have a minimal crew with me. Often just 2 or 3 others.

http://www.wakemakers.com/wakeboard-...manufacturer=6

[wotan2525]

50x20x20 should fit perfectly either behind the engine or next to the engine.

Too much weight is better than not enough. Sounds like you've got a good plan but with only 2 people you might still be a little light.

[trayson]

50x20x20 should fit perfectly either behind the engine or next to the engine.

Too much weight is better than not enough. Sounds like you've got a good plan but with only 2 people you might still be a little light.

Well, I do have 6 bags of cement that the previous owner wrapped in duct tape that I could use for static ballast. they can be stashed in pretty much any of the storage lockers (except the one w/ the batteries). But I'm just kinda leary about ballast that I have to haul around when trailering the boat... (not that it's a big deal going under 10 miles to the launch)

[Jetlink]

Well, I do have 6 bags of cement that the previous owner wrapped in duct tape that I could use for static ballast. they can be stashed in pretty much any of the storage lockers (except the one w/ the batteries). But I'm just kinda leary about ballast that I have to haul around when trailering the boat... (not that it's a big deal going under 10 miles to the launch)

The issue with ballast other than water ballast is that in the event that you were to ever overload your boat and swamp it, water ballast will not continue to drive your boat to rest on the bottom, non water ballast such as these cement bags or weights for working out will.

[trayson]

The issue with ballast other than water ballast is that in the event that you were to ever overload your boat and swamp it, water ballast will not continue to drive your boat to rest on the bottom, non water ballast such as these cement bags or weights for working out will.

Yeah, I agree. While non-water ballast is "cheap and easy", in the event that something bad happened, the price of water ballast gets surprisingly cheap when compared to the cost of sinking the boat!!

[kvand347]

Trayson--can you pull that bag to the side for me and take some pics of what the PO did to the supports under the bench seat? Mine have framing under each cross bar so that my bench has 3 separate storage compartments.

[trayson]

Trayson--can you pull that bag to the side for me and take some pics of what the PO did to the supports under the bench seat? Mine have framing under each cross bar so that my bench has 3 separate storage compartments.

I asked the Prev owner about that. He said they were more 'dividers' than supports. IIRC, he said he cut them w/ a razor knife and that they weren't structural. With them gone there has been zero issue w/ passengers sitting on any of the rear cushions.

[kvand347]

Gotcha. I don't think they are structural either as much as they are a divider. I'm not so sure they are attached at the top. I'm just worried about leaving a sharp edge that will cut my ballast bag.

[2500HD]

You will be able to surf with that much weight but the wave won't be great. In order to get a good wave from these inboards you need a lot more weight than you would expect. One thing i'm about to start messing around with is a surfgate or wave shaping device. I built this one for testing last monday, but the weather wasn't good enough to go out and try it. hopefully by this weekend i can try it.

[wotan2525]

I'm curious to see how that holds up. How does it attach to the swim deck?