Surf Gate Build

[CornRickey]

Cut to angle


First hinge support block installed and beveled to a rough angle that will accomidate the gate when retracted.


Template for the top block. This one is a compound angle that goes around the swim step.


Block in place for the top hinge. This block is held on with only two screws so its a fail point.

[CornRickey]

Still needing some fine tuning but you can see I am holding the gate with my left hand. The hingeblock on top needs to be power planed down a bit.


With the hinges installed. I was getting tired so I didn't take any pictures of the individual hinges but they are inset into the gates for a more secure and compact fit.


This one shows the next angle I tried. Its about 22-30 degrees from the transom. It allowed for a lot better, peaked wake compared to my previous 40 degrees.


Side view with it retracted. The cut out for the rail has a piece that is mounted on a hinge from the backside that flips up and is held in place by a small piece of flat stock and a single screw.

[CornRickey]

Front view of it when retracted. Since taken I have placed a piece of automotive weather stripping along the edge that decreases the gap and fills it in completely when deployed.


Front view when deployed. Again the weather stripping fills in the gap completely. I have no vertical water spray from it when deployed. I do have a little when retracted and going about 30mph.


This is a picture of the first gate I built. I wanted to show the mechanism that I use to hold it open. I cut the long section in half and added a turnbuckle to it made from aluminum for another fail safe. This also increased the angle putting the pressure in the center of the plastic mount

[CornRickey]

a closer look at the lock mechanism.

[CornRickey]

I have reverted back to redesigning the actual gates. The retracted gate on the surf side was interfering with the wake and causing some wash out. This is also seen with most of the videos I have watched also. I believe it is a combination of the thickness of the material (specific to my design) and how far the gate is in the water when underway (common to all of the designs I've seen.

I have raised the whole gate about 1.5 inchs and have made the bottom 3 inchs retractable with spring hinges so it swings up to the bottom of the platform. I am also going to shape a edge on the bottom of it to slice through the water. Hopefully all three changes will eliminate the washing out. If not I will revert back to my existing design and plan on removing the surf side one when switching sides.

My hope is to finish the mock up tomorrow and get it on the water tomorrow night. Weather hasn't been very helpful lately.

[Jetlink]

Yeah, I would have been bummed if I had to spend a week boating on Lake Powell too.

[CornRickey]

well after two different versions I am reverting back to my original. I cant get the wake to clean up with the gate retracted on the surf side. I even made a gate thatfolds lenght wise ddecreasing its profile from the bottom with no luck. ive spent two days.on r&d trying to get a design that eliminates a minute of removing and installing the gates when switxhing sides. ill.take some more pictures and post them up.

[CornRickey]

video of today. this is with the gate removed on the surf side.

[2500HD]

Yeah, I would have been bummed if I had to spend a week boating on Lake Powell too.

Just sayin i really wanted to surf some canyons

[2500HD]

so what actually holds your backing plate? also have you had any problems with the regular side wake? I could get a beautiful wave on the goofy side and nothing but wash on the regular side. This may actually be from my swim deck squashing the wake though.