Weighing down my "New to me" '85 Ski Nautique 2001

jengifur · Criminal Joined: 31 Jul 2003 Posts: 62 City: Chicago, IL

Hey y'all! I just got an' 85 Ski Nautique 2001. There isn't much room, so here's what I was thinking about to weigh the boat down. I was going to put about 150 or 200 lbs in the bow, then a 600lb sack in the rear with the Launch Pad Seat on it.. does anyone have one of these? It's a seat that attaches to the sack.

Would that be enough to weigh the boat down? I'd like to avoid putting sacks on both sides of the engine so I could free up some room. I also don't need a crazy huge wake because I'm not all that great of a wakeboarder. This is only my second season, and I'm barely clearing the wake.

Lucky · Posted: May 04, 2004 10:20 am Post subject:

That will put out a pretty good wake. I used to have an '82 2001. I put a fat seat around the engine box in the rear of the boat and a 350 lb. sack in the bow. That made a very nice wake.

Luke · Criminal Joined: 27 Apr 2003 Posts: 94 City: BAY AREA!!!

The best weighting is on either side of the motor with a small one in the bow.

Thats what we do and it is sweet.

Too much wieght in the rear will cause foamy and soft wakes, evenly wieght the boat with more wieght to the front so it can plane and you are set.

intotheflats · Posted: May 04, 2004 11:23 am Post subject:

I had an 88 nautique 2001 and we put a 550 in the back with 350's on each side of the motor box. worked really well for me.

jengifur · Criminal Joined: 31 Jul 2003 Posts: 62 City: Chicago, IL

So I'm probably going to have to put weight on each side of the motor?? How does everyone move around in the boat like this? Wouldn't stepping on the sacks feel kinda like walking on a waterbed??

intotheflats · Posted: May 04, 2004 12:40 pm Post subject:

yup, that's what it feels like. As long as you have bags that are covered, it won't hurt the bags.

Hollywood · Posted: May 04, 2004 4:28 pm Post subject:

jengifur · Criminal Joined: 31 Jul 2003 Posts: 62 City: Chicago, IL

Hollywood, thanks for the advice but I can't exactly focus on my riding when I'm over a hundred miles away from my boat. My boat is at my 'rents house which I visit on the weekends. So during the week I'm stuck riding my Indo Board, watching videos, and thinking about how to weigh down my new boat I haven't had a chance to ride behind yet.

Funkster · Posted: May 05, 2004 7:26 am Post subject:

jengifur, I have a 87' ski nauti. To get the best wake out of them,you need weight on the sides of the engine box. I run two 550's on each side of the engine box, one 550 in the back and about 350 of sand up front. You don't have to fill the sacs up all the way when more people come along. It sounds like you are new to the sport so maybe you don't need that much weight but I would def put 350's on each side of the engine. Don't forget to weight down the bow, this is very important for wake shape. If you need anymore advice, hit me up. Hope this helps!

King of the Tigers · Posted: May 05, 2004 7:47 am Post subject:

If you don't have/ want to spend a lot of money here's what I do: I have two big ice chests I fill with water for the back and some weight-lifting wieghts I bought used for the bow. It throws a great wake.

I've had some friends' side sacks in before too and while the wake then was nearly a Super Air's I definitely burned through gas quicker.

We've had no problem with spins and inverts behind my boat.

PortlandBrder · Soul Rider Joined: 18 Apr 2004 Posts: 352 City: Portland

How do you wieght the front if you have a closed bow? My pump's hose is'nt long enough to reach the sac. Can you get longer tubing without buying a new pump. I realized this weekend to much wieght in the back makes for a crappy wake.

Funkster · Posted: May 05, 2004 9:04 am Post subject:

Use lead,sand or anthing that is heavy!!! Cheap way is to go to home depot and get some "tube sand". It already comes with a tough cover. I have never had one break on me yet and they only run about $4 and some change.

eldorett · Criminal Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 96 City: Massachusetts

we use 550 in the back, 275 on either side of the engine (side sac), and about 150-200 in "pool filter sand" (50 lb. bags) in the nose on our 86. You can't put too much weight in the back of these without balancing it out because they will never plane out and you won't know where you're going. I think this balance is about the best we've tried as you get great size and shape with that. If anything, more in the middle would be the way to go for a monsterous wake but usually the people in the boat make up for that difference.

BIGMAC · Posted: May 05, 2004 1:35 pm Post subject:

Any weight configuration close to funksters set up will throw a really nice wake. I run almost the same but I have a 750 on each side of the engine (as full as I can get them with the cover on and the straps tight), a five in the back, and some sandbags in the front. When running this much weight I would recommend you get a new prop. I run and Acme 542.

Nor*Cal · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9479 City: Sac

BIGMAC, any wake pics?

In that case... Do any of you have pics?

Funkster · Posted: May 05, 2004 8:29 pm Post subject:

BIGMAC, is the 542 a 3 blade??? I'am trying to save some duckets for a new prop (kinda hard now that I got my new mx bike Laughing

). I got a oj 4 blade last summer and hate it. The week after I got it , I drove a 89 nauti with a acme 3 blade(don't know the model) and I was not happy with my choice at all.

BIGMAC · Posted: May 05, 2004 8:40 pm Post subject:

Here is one or two pics of my wake when I first got my boat. I believe the rear sac was filled about 3/4, and the sides were filled about 3/4, two sand bags up front, and I think two small girls and two medium guys. The wake is even bigger now. Before my big bumps could'nt be filled as much as I can now because the sacs would push in on the motor box. Now I have bought their sac covers that have straps on them. The straps are in the prefect position to lesson up the circumference of the sacs and take the pressure off of the motor box. I wish there was a rider out their to give you a better perspective of it's size.

BIGMAC · Posted: May 05, 2004 8:44 pm Post subject:

Funkster, yep. I spoke with acme and then my dealer and both suggested this prop for me. I just had a stock before but now the difference is phenominal!!!

another pic

Nor*Cal · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9479 City: Sac

BIGMAC, how far back is that curl?

BIGMAC · Posted: May 06, 2004 6:24 am Post subject:

Nor*Cal, speed was 21mph and that curl is around 75-80 feet from the tow point I think.

riverfreak · Posted: May 06, 2004 7:04 am Post subject:

I have never gotten as high as I did when I rode behind a 2001.....it had a sack in the bow and a sack in the back......made wake.....straight up pop!!! I've I ever get a new/used boat it will be a 2001

Funkster · Posted: May 06, 2004 7:24 am Post subject:

I ride at 80 and the wake is very clean... IMPO nicer than some of the newer boats that I have been behind. I have had close to I would say 2,500 pounds of ballast in my boat one time. I had about 1,500 pounds of sand and 8 people in the boat. The beast took forever to get on plane but as soon as it did it was the biggest wake I have ever rode on.

blaize · Newbie Joined: 24 Apr 2003 Posts: 48 City: Palm Springs

If possible, you should really look into getting lead. I put 845 pounds of lead in mine without taking up any usable space (seriously). The ones I have are long and skinny, kind of like bricks, and I actually line the sides with them all the way from the back of the boat to the front. I usually leave one in the center that I can move around to fix the wake. I'm going out tomorrow (Palm Springs), and I'll try to take some pictures of the set-up.

Mike

Funkster · Posted: May 06, 2004 8:26 pm Post subject:

blaize, That works good if you don't have to trailor your boat to the lake. I used to have all my weight in sand and it is tough of your trailor, hull and your MPG. If you trailor I would recommend water ballast at least for most of your weight.

blaize · Newbie Joined: 24 Apr 2003 Posts: 48 City: Palm Springs

We do keep our boat at the lake, but we've still been taking out all the lead at the end of each day (figured it would reduce stress on the hull). I was actually wondering...do you guys think it would be ok to leave the lead in if it's just sitting on the lift? It's been a bit of a pain moving all the lead at the beginning/end of each day. I'm not too worried about straining the lift, but I was concerned that over time leaving the weight in could do damage to the hull (it's an '88 2001 Nautique).

What do you guys think?

Mike

onthewater · Posted: May 10, 2004 9:22 am Post subject:

What is your lift rated at? How much does your boat weigh with gear/gas/lead? I'd choose the cautious side and remove as much of it as you can.