Wakeboarder Forum Index

 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   StatisticsStats   FavoritesFavorites   RegisterRegister   ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages  Log inLog in 
BlogsBlogs   

Own Ballast?

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Wakeboarder Forum Index -> DIY Projects
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
kacer
Outlaw
Outlaw


Joined: 23 Apr 2004
Posts: 207
City: Kamas

PostPosted: May 18, 2005 6:49 pm    Post subject: Own Ballast? Reply with quote

I want some removable ballast for my MC Prostar 205, kinda like a fat sac, I have heard mention of waterbed things? Can someone explain in detail where you put these or what they look like? Anyone know of any cheap ways to put ballast in your boat?
_________________
Charge It
Con*Artists
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Blog MSN Messenger
AndyDeeJay
Outlaw
Outlaw


Joined: 20 Jul 2004
Posts: 239
City: Belfast

PostPosted: May 19, 2005 7:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

1) A 205 has 4 good areas for water ballast sacs-

Left side of the engine compartment.
Right side of engine compartment.
Ski locker.
Under the bow seats.

You can easily fit 600LB either side of the engine. A 360LB tube sac will fit in the ski locker. I think it is possible to get small sacs designed to fit under the left and right bow seat and a wedge shaped sac under the very front seat. However, you need to keep 50/50 or 60/40 weight ratio front to back on MC205 VDrive otherwise your bow will rise, the back end will drop and you will be constantly fighting a huge wave every time you try to get up on the plane.

2) A fat sac usually has an inner bladder made of thin flexible PVC shapped like a barrel on its side. Newer ones have a screw fitting at the bottom of one end and 2 fittings on the top which allows filling/emptying in a variety of combinations. There is an outer protective bag with straps that stop the whole thing bursting if left sitting on a flat surface. There are holes on the outer to allow access to the screw connectors on the inner bladder.

3) Cheaper ways to add weight
Fat people, many people (all chipping in for gas), huge bear, huge beer barrel, Lead weights, Water bottles. Concrete building blocks, section of railway track.
Fat sacs can be bought with inner bladder only. These are cheaper but must be contained to stop bursting - ideal under bow seats and in ski locker and come to think of it in the rear compartments.

Plumbing is easily possible using seperate pumps to left/right engine compartment, ski locker and bow or a mother of all pumps with valves.

_________________
Wakeboarding is so Kool in Ireland!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
t b d
Criminal
Criminal


Joined: 27 Aug 2004
Posts: 60
City: Coral Springs

PostPosted: May 23, 2005 10:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

you can get custom ballast bags made to fit certain areas of your boat just measure the area you want to put the fat sac length, width and height and pick one of the colors. They work good in ski lockers becouse you can get the bags made in a square or rectangle wich work alot better than the round bags in the ski locker. They are made by big wake. U can order them at boardersparadise.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Norcal_z71
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 15 Mar 2005
Posts: 45
City: Benicia/SLO

PostPosted: May 24, 2005 1:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

so thats good weighting for the 205V? What about the standard 205 Direct Drive? Did they ever come with a ski locker (mines a 96) as opposed to an in floor cooler? Right now we just have a 500 lbs sack that we put where the rear seat goes, and we set the rear seat in the sundeck position. I would really like to try and get a sack beneath the floor or perhaps in the gunnels if at all possible.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Iman
Outlaw
Outlaw


Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 116

PostPosted: May 24, 2005 7:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My hull is the same as the 205 hull. I dont have a ski locker or in floor cooler so I put sandbags and hardweight in my that floor area. I also put sandbags under my front seats. Then I put a sac in each rear compartment as far forward as possible and usually dont completely fill them. This gives me 1000-1500 total pounds added at around a 40front/60rear ratio. Works about perfect to me. More front weight would help but is hard to add, more rear weight washes things out and in general more weight doesnt really help much that I can tell. I keep a couple of batteries or leadheadz free to move around to compensate for passengers. That is one of the biggest keys to me, keeping the wake even. Interestingly, I always have to have more front/middle boat weight on the port/passenger side to keep the boat wake even, two passengers on that side versus just the driver on the other works well too.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
wkbrdr
Wakeboarder.Commie
Wakeboarder.Commie


Joined: 17 Jun 2003
Posts: 1412
City: Hudsonville

PostPosted: Jul 07, 2005 11:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

dave brisco from thewakeboardcoach.com uses 8 5 gallon buckets with wet sand!!!

and the stock ballast...its a huge wake!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail AIM Address
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Wakeboarder Forum Index -> DIY Projects All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Page 1 of 1

Add To Favorites

Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum
             


Copyright © 2012 - Wakeboarding - Wakeboarder.com - All Right Reserved
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group