Week one I spent the time to look up how the best way to set up the boat to do my project. The amount of weight put into the boat plays a big part in creating a big enough wave to keep me going on the wakesurfer. Most weight is put into the boat with the use of water filled sacks called "Fat Sacs." Since I will be doing my project on a V-drive boat rather than a direct drive, the best set up would be the picture on the left. According to the picture, that would require me to purchase an additional 7 Fat Sacs of different sizes. The W705 (center sack) is an additional 650 lbs and runs for $170. The W703 (front top) is and additional 520 lbs between the two of them and goes for $190. The W711 (front below) is an additional 725 lbs and costs $270. The W718 (L shaped sack on top of seats) is an additional 1150 lbs and costs $370. And finally the W719 (two jumbos in the back) are an additional 2200 lbs between the two of them and costs 190 each. That is an additional 5245 lbs throughout the boat and will run a price of $1380.
But this leads to another question, will I be able to afford this? With the amount of weight put in the board, or at least what is recommended, this will be quite an expense. I will have to modify the amount of weight I put in the boat and hope for the best that the wake is big enough to keep me going. Hopefully I will be able to pick up a W719, which will be the biggest wake for the buck.
So what does this mean? This means that you will want to put in your boat, as much weight as you legally can. There is a limit to the amount of weight, this includes people, that you can put in your boat and still operate it. Now the rule isn't always followed by some people in the sport. But, or this blogs purpose, you will want to put as much weight as you can and still be under the maximum weight capacity of your boat.
Using myself as an example, I am not a small individual. It takes a lot of force to move me and in wakesurfing, that force comes from the wake. So in order to move me, I will need a wake that can produce enough force to keep me moving on the board. The boat will generate my initial velocity, somewhere around 5 - 7 mph. But once I let go of the rope, it is just up to the wake to produce that force to keep me going. In order to generate that force, the wake will need to be bigger. To get a bigger wake, the boat will need to displace more water. And to do that, the boat will have to sit lower in the water by loading it down with weight. So, my conclusion, more weight = success.
But this leads to another question, will I be able to afford this? With the amount of weight put in the board, or at least what is recommended, this will be quite an expense. I will have to modify the amount of weight I put in the boat and hope for the best that the wake is big enough to keep me going. Hopefully I will be able to pick up a W719, which will be the biggest wake for the buck.
So what does this mean? This means that you will want to put in your boat, as much weight as you legally can. There is a limit to the amount of weight, this includes people, that you can put in your boat and still operate it. Now the rule isn't always followed by some people in the sport. But, or this blogs purpose, you will want to put as much weight as you can and still be under the maximum weight capacity of your boat.
Using myself as an example, I am not a small individual. It takes a lot of force to move me and in wakesurfing, that force comes from the wake. So in order to move me, I will need a wake that can produce enough force to keep me moving on the board. The boat will generate my initial velocity, somewhere around 5 - 7 mph. But once I let go of the rope, it is just up to the wake to produce that force to keep me going. In order to generate that force, the wake will need to be bigger. To get a bigger wake, the boat will need to displace more water. And to do that, the boat will have to sit lower in the water by loading it down with weight. So, my conclusion, more weight = success.