Small sportsboat, almost no wake

SanderB · Posted: May 08, 2003 10:16 am Post subject: Small sportsboat, almost no wake

Hi, i own a Fletcher Bravo 13 feet boat with a 40HP Mercury Outboard, and sometimes wakeboard behind it when my friends aren't on the lake with a good boat. But this little boat produces a very low and bad wake, does anybody know how to get it bigger? Extra weight in the back doesn't seem to work, it only causes problems at the start and the boat becomes unstable. Trimming the engine also causes stabilityproblems.

Also the rope is very low (just above the water), anybody knows if it's possible to build a wakeboardpole for such a small boat?

salmon_tacos · Posted: May 08, 2003 10:31 am Post subject:

That's going to be tough. With a 13-footer, you'll probably sink it before you get a good wake. That said, however, I would recommend a combination of weight in front and trim in back. The weight in front will help with the stability problems. You might also want to put some weight in the back but only if you balance it with the front weight.

I think a tower or pole would definitely help you out. Looking at that bottom picture, I'm thinking it's a miracle that you are as high as you are with that rope pulling you down. You should be able to fit either to your boat but if you are going to start doing that stuff, is it not possible to just find a bigger boat?

SanderB · Posted: May 08, 2003 10:49 am Post subject:

Well, i've been looking for a new boat, but it's just so expensive... This boat will do about $5000 i think, and a good boat for me ('85 Ski Nautique/Supra TS6M or something like that) will cost me about $13000 here in The Netherlands. Plus i will need a boat that runs on gas, and not petrol, because the petrolprices here are REALLY high, about $5 per gallon.

Sean_Brinston · Posted: May 08, 2003 12:53 pm Post subject:

whats the diff between petrol and gas?

SanderB · Posted: May 08, 2003 2:14 pm Post subject:

Gas, damn how do u call that in the USA...

LPG, the fuel u use for cooking and to heat your house Smile

salmon_tacos · Posted: May 08, 2003 2:46 pm Post subject:

So you are saying that you need a boat that runs on propane? Do they even make those? All the boats I've seen run on gasoline (petrol) or diesel. I guess you could always convert a boat engine to LPG or CNG but I'm wondering if they actually sell boats that way in the Netherlands.

SanderB · Posted: May 08, 2003 3:39 pm Post subject:

Ah propane, that's the right word. They built sell new boats that run on propane here, but a lot of people convert them because it's way to expensive to board on gasoline. A full gastank will cost ya about 125 euro's/110 dollar in Holland Sad

Propane is much cheaper.

What do you guys pay for a gallon of gasoline?

mykwillis · Outlaw Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 105 City: garland, tx.

$1.50 a gallon 93 octane

$2.00 a gallon 89 octane on the lake

$5.00 a gallon Shocked

boehnkew · Outlaw Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 112 City: Kennewick, WA

I agree with salmon_tacos about the weight - you need to add weight to the front and back (or maybe in the middle?). The point is that you need to move the weight around and try different setups to find what seems to work the best. With that small of a boat (and engine), it might be easy to overload it, so add it in small increments until it seems to be too much. Then lighten it up until you get it just right.

A tower/pole would work fine as long as the attachment points are solid. What is the width of your boat? MonsterTower (http://www.monstertower.com) fits boats from 60" to 102" wide.

Good luck.

Skwake · Posted: May 09, 2003 2:54 am Post subject:

dont worry sanderb! us aussies know what you're talking about those yanks do everything back to front like driving on the wrong side of the road and calling petrol gas and gas propane! haha but dont stress man this is the only boat ive ever owned (sold it a few months ago) and either it throws an ok wake or im just very gifted (unlikely) cos we learnt all your grabs, 180, 360, and were starting to get the hang of inverts b4 i sold it, u just need a bit more patience i reckon AND IVE NEVER EVEN RIDDEN BEHIND AN INBOARD! haha if you could get a shot of my face expression the day i first pop of a real Wake boats
wake!!! Shocked

SanderB · Posted: May 09, 2003 3:20 am Post subject:

Hmm, maybe i just have to forget the whole weight and pole idea for my boat, and just use it for 180's/360's/powerslides etc.

When my friends are on the lake, i can use their Ski Nautique:

Or someone elses Boesch (in white and with pole)

So a good boat isn't the problem. I'd better spend the money on some new bindings, i still have some O'Brien Sport Morphs Embarassed

that came with my board....

BTW, do they know Boesch boats in the USA? It's a Swiss brand an well known in Europe.

Albert_J · Posted: May 09, 2003 5:50 am Post subject:

Hee nog een nederlander haha Very Happy

boehnkew · Outlaw Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 112 City: Kennewick, WA

Swass · Guest

That wood boat is georgeous. Is that the Boesh?

SanderB · Posted: May 09, 2003 9:30 am Post subject:

Yes, here is another picture of a Boesch.

Great skiboats, very fast, and they have a very good wake.

Swass · Guest

Are these new boats, or old, restored boats? They look like old Cris Crafts.

SanderB · Posted: May 09, 2003 10:22 am Post subject:

The one one the last picture is brand new, but they are beiing built since 1950 i thought.

wviveen · Addict Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 705 City: Loosdrecht

He sanderB, die Boesch is toch van Dick Kamerbeek.. ? Gaat dat een beetje achter die boesch?

SanderB · Posted: May 22, 2003 4:39 am Post subject:

Ja, nu wel. Hij heeft sinds dit jaar een wakeboardpaal en een fat-sack achterin liggen, produceert best een aardige wake.
Ohja, ik heb nu ook een ander bord, een Superfly38 met Ultra Suctions uit 2000 Smile

Todd Armstrong · Addict Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Posts: 758 City: Battle Ground

Use what you got it is better than watching from the dock

SanderB · Posted: May 22, 2003 8:08 am Post subject:

Yeah, you're right.
I'm also a member of the local wakeboardschool this year, and my first leasson is tonight at 7pm (now its 6pm here).

wviveen · Addict Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 705 City: Loosdrecht

Ik heb ook een nieuw board gekocht, een 2003 LF trip 133 met 2003 Ultra suctions.

SanderB · Posted: May 24, 2003 8:13 am Post subject:

Zo, mooi setje man!! Waar heb je dat gekocht? Echt jammer dat het hier in Nederland zoveel duurder is dan in de USA.

And for the American, excuse us for the Dutch language Smile

Ralph · Posted: May 24, 2003 9:29 pm Post subject:

Also you might want to try wakeskating it's really fun & you don't need a large wake.

SanderB · Posted: May 25, 2003 2:20 am Post subject:

Yeah, thats true. Good suggestion!!

En wviveen, ben je tegenwoordig zo fanatiek bezig dat je zo'n lekker bordje hebt gekocht?

En Micky vraagt weer wanneer je nou met 'm meeging boarden.

wviveen · Addict Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 705 City: Loosdrecht

Ja sander, ben echt helemaal verslaafd.. Moest altijd een board lenen, maar dat was een 143.. Dus die was een beetje groot voor mij.. Gaat mickey ook doordeweeks vaak...? Want in het weekend ga ik eigenlijk altijd met Jaco Goedkoop mee.. Maar doordeweeks ga ik graag een keer mee met Mickey..

SanderB · Posted: May 25, 2003 9:42 am Post subject:

Morgen gaan we, anders moet je hem effe bellen. 06 21 24 00 85