Weighting for Surfing

[Okie Boarder]

So, it looks like we may start surfing pretty soon. A friend that goes with us regularly is looking to buy the board, rope and maybe an extra fat sac. I have a 1989 Supra Sunsport, as many of you know and I want to figure out a good starting point. Right now we have a 350# sack, 250# sack and we are running some hard weight front and back. For wakeboarding I have the two sacks on either side of the engine, with the lighter one on the driver's side. Where should I start as far as moving weight or adding weight? We will want to be able to surf on both sides of the boat since we have regular and goofy footed riders.

I really don't want to go to the kind of extreme of running like 2000#'s of weight or something, but I want to get a good start on developing a decent wave.

What else do I need to know other than weight? Speed? How to start, drive, stop?

[Fman]

I am just using the 750 LB rear sacs and 600 lb center sack. I only fill the rear up to surf and I can produce a wave big enough to easily throw the rope in the boat. Also use people to manipulate the wave, but starting with a 750 rear corner will get you going.

[saltare inverts]

Dont worry, you will get a full write up from WakeMikeyD. He will be able to help you dial that wake in.

[Supra-in-steamboat]

Try searching the archives if this does not help- key words weight, wakesurf,wakeplate, or 87SunSportMikeyD- guys done some home work and has tons of posts.
Driving- if your pulling a goofy rider and they fall- turn left and take the wave head on at your speed choosing- vice versa for regular footed riders. this will decrease the chance of taking one over the bow.
Weighting- put some in the bow- some by the engine- alot by the back- You don't necessarily need 2000lbs with a sunsport. The more weight in the bow/engine the shorter/ longer the wave will be. more in the back- steeper higher and more jibbable.
Speed 9-12 rider dependent- usually 9ish 10ish
hope this helps
dp 87 SunSport

[wotan2525]

Last night I had 2100lbs in the port corner.... best wave I've ever ridden. I spun several 360s (but yet to completely ride out of one....)

I go back and forth about weight in the nose. Sometimes it seems to really help... but last night there was none in the front of the boat and it was the best ever. Total head scratcher.

[87SunSportMikeyD]

Hey guys, you are all too funny! Thanks for the props, I don't claim to be an expert, just enjoy sharing the stoke. Oakie I must admit I am hesitant after having caught some heat in your other forums threads for trying to give advice about weighting - couple guys said "he just wants a family cruiser, how dare you advise him to weight it". Pretty silly I guess.

You certainly don't need 2klbs to surf it. I almost never go over 1400lbs. But to get started, you really just need a single 750lb in the rear corner of the floor. I would totally recommend FlyHigh ProX, not some of the cheaper ebay bags.

To correctly weight it, though, to get a wave everyone in your boat will enjoy, is not that much harder. Basically it just needs a little more weight in the rear of the boat spread out evenly. You could try tossing one of those smaller sacs in the ski locker.

Now I agroo with Wotan sometimes I love some weight in the bow, sometimes, not so much. I would advise starting without it. Then if you find the wake is a bit washy, or if it curls too much around your ankles (the pocket is too small to move around much), then you want a little in the bow. I have used as little as 100lbs, as much as 350lbs in the bow. Kinda depends on how many people on the boat, how big your total load is, etc.

Steamboat has the turning down. ALWAYS turn into your own wave. I weight port and always turn left. Don't slam the throttle back to idle when the rider falls, ease it back, to neutral so you don't swamp the rear of the boat. THEN turn the wheel and feather the gas just a little bit to kick the boat around.

I personally use a 350lb sac in the ski locker, 250sac under the rear bench seat, 750 on the floor, little bit in the nose. Great wave, about thigh high. You need at least knee high wave to surf.

PS - has anyone else ever tried the darkside wave??? I think it is HUGE!

[Okie Boarder]

Right now, here's my setup...

3 50# sandbags under the rear seats
2 60# sandbags under the bow seats
1 350# fat sack on the port side of the motor
1 250# fat sack on the starboard side of the motor

If I got a 750# sack, could I drain the 350# or the 250# and put it in their place to get the weight to that side and slide it back to the back seat edge, then maybe partially fill a bag in the ski locker or just move people to the back corner? Would that work fairly well?

I'm trying to make it somewhat simple to switch side-to-side since we have regular and goofy riders, and I really don't want to try to put too much weight in the ski locker since it's just that flimsy plastic insert.

Mikey, don't worry too much about what the other guys have said. I kind understand what they were trying to say and it makes a bit of sense from an all day running too much weight point of view. Doesn't make as much sense in this context.

[Okie Boarder]

BTW, what's the "darkside wave"?

[87SunSportMikeyD]

If you use a 750, your sandbags as they are positioned now, and some people weight, yes you should be fine. If you have 3 extra people, put the biggest one in the rear bench seat to one side, one in the spotters seat and the 3rd experiment with either bow, or next to driver. But if you can use any of the sacs, too it would really help. If you don't want to use the ski locker you could use the floor anywhere you can fit it.

What boards are you looking at? Rider weight range?

I hear ya about the other forums. But I would never even think of running all day fully weighted...what would be the point of that?? I just don't like the way they treat others on the forum, simple as that. But you already knew that.

Darkside wave is what the people (mostly surfdad lol) in WW surf forum call the goofy/starboard-side wave. See pic We usually make the goofy riders ride right-foot-forward heelside on the port wave. They get used to it pretty quick.

[Okie Boarder]

I think that is what I'm going to try. The 750# bag would probably work the smoothest on doing some fill and drain exchanges of weight to set up for surfing.

The board and weight range is a biggie. We'll do anywhere from my son at 75 lbs up to me at almost 200 lbs. Haven't totally decided on board but the lean is to Hyperlite Broadcast and I'm thinking the 5'-6" would be a good choice. Anyone else have a different recommendation?

When we do it at first, maybe we'll try to do goofy footers on the portside wave. The goofy's are myself and my older son, for now.