Pop bags v. Fat Sacs

[Will89]

What is the main difference in the wake of the two ballast methods?

[AuMDLST]

RE: Pop bags v. Fat Sacs

Fine tune weight distribution with the pops - if you are looking to go nuts with the ballast you can get the sacs and put the pops in all the small places to just pack the boat - I run the factory ballast with 160lb pops in bow, and 120lb on each side in the rear (around batteries) access to two bags is there to tune the wake - made a huge difference in wake for the teenagers that I am typically pulling - much easier wake to wake crossings

[Will89]

RE: Pop bags v. Fat Sacs

Thanks for the info.

[Sinkoumn]

RE: Pop bags v. Fat Sacs

Here's a good little video explaining some "other" differences between the two :grin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTORp58DZsU

[Will89]

RE: Pop bags v. Fat Sacs

Ok so not to much pop bags.

[tdc_worm]

RE: Pop bags v. Fat Sacs

that video doesnt take into account the sevearl hundred pounds of steel and aluminum in your boat that are not neutrally buoyant. i do think that most new wake boats are built to float at or near the water level if they are submerged. i wonder how much extra stereo equipment, pop bags, anchors, etc it would take to counter that neutral buoyancy....

[AirTool]

RE: Pop bags v. Fat Sacs

This buoyancy stuff is pretty easy. You don't have to be a naval architect for such simple calculations.

The only problem is: how do you predict a big hand coming down from the sky and finishing you off? Man, that would really suck.

AirTool

[Will89]

RE: Pop bags v. Fat Sacs

Yeah I never thought about all of that. I have four tower speakers, two amps, subs, and a lot of other stuff in the boat. I guess you just take your chances.

[BigBald]

RE: Pop bags v. Fat Sacs

Seems fairly simple to me that if you have a max weight limit for people and gear shown for your boat. That is probably a somewhat conservative number....meaning there is some room to wiggle with extra weight. But, you could be pushing the limits of that wiggle room with exta gear and stereo stuff.

If you add a bunch more weight (that is not considered neutrally buoyant like water sacs)....then you take a huge risk that steel shot or lead will drag your boat down. But, water sacs will become buoyant once the boat is filled with water...and the normal boat flotation would be OK.

[Kozmo]

RE: Pop bags v. Fat Sacs

To solve that problem i just tell my passengers that if the boat fills with water - get out. Women and children first of course. :grin:

[clubmyke]

there is a significant difference between the 2. we have tried both and i like the pop product bags.. the wake is firmer and cleaner with less weight. dont know why but it just is.

we get a great wake with a mere additional 640 lbs. the only disadvantage is moving them from the boat to the truck and hauling them.

[tdc_worm]

there is a significant difference between the 2. we have tried both and i like the pop product bags.. the wake is firmer and cleaner with less weight. dont know why but it just is.

we get a great wake with a mere additional 640 lbs. the only disadvantage is moving them from the boat to the truck and hauling them.

there is no way for the water to know why the boat is heavier, so it should react the same. after all, a pound of feathers weighs the same as a pound of gold and the acceleration of gravity is a constant 9.8m/s^2 no matter what the object is.

i suspect that your suspicion comes from a perceived amount of water ballast vs a true amount of pop bags ballast. what i mean is that when you fill a 500 lb fat sack, are you really getting 500 lbs of ballast? probably not. that would give you the perception that you would need more than 500 lbs of water weight to equal 500 lbs of pop weight. just this year CC realized that their calculated ballast totals for all of the super air boats was more than the actual capacity of the tanks, and adjusted advertised ballast figures accordingly.

anyhow, not trying to cause a stir, just offering a possible explanation.

[AuMDLST]

the difference in wake shape would be due to the location of the weight - 500 lbs of weight with a sac is distributed over a larger surface area in the boat versus the 500 lbs of bags. I have seen the difference in wake and believe this to be true. After all if one were so inclined to get 500 lbs of tungsten you could see a difference in wake due to the weight being placed in such a small area of the boat.

[clubmyke]

we see a big difference where the pop products bags are placed in the bow and the rear compartments.

i have tried the heavy duty fly high sacs and its not the same (even went with a lot more weight). the fly high sacs are aslo pretty darn accurate (take the sac measurement and the weight of water and you will be pretty darn close)

the bags allow for very specific weighing and we have seen the same results of cleaning up and firming up the wake wether it be a san, bu, or mc.

[saceone]

that boat sinking vid is awesome



''have any questions?'' lol