Boat driving and wake-surfing questions? ? ?

[swancer]

I have an 05 SANTE and have begun to try and wake-surf some. I am using the factory weight only on the port or starboard side depending on the rider as well as the center ballast tanks. The feeling is a little unnerving with the boat listing like it does.

Here are my questions:
1. What is the best way to turn to pick up a fallen rider? Turn to port with port full or to starboard with port full and vise verse?
2. While turning and in idle to low speeds the engine seems to come out of gear. No engine stall, fuel starve or any other noises associated with what I am experiencing, just an automatic move from in gear to neutral. Almost like it is supposed to do this.
3. Is steering at idle speeds a nightmare for anyone else?

[Sell]

Gee with only factory ballast she'll hardly be listing at all. I have an 05 also, we run the following: -

Factory Starboard & Belly
300lbs on top of starboard tank in locker
400lbs on floor behind drivers seat
Driver sitting on gunwale, with observer sitting on sun lounge on starboard side.

Now this will make the boat list

As for the dropping in & out of gear - I think you should look at the oil level in your gearbox.

[TRDon]

I always turn to the opposite side of the weight. That makes for smaller rollers to go over with that much weight. I also surf the port side and run a 750 in my locker and the factory center tank and put whatever people I have on that side. I also always stay at about 9-10 MPH until I am all the way turned around and through the rollers.

[Lvnspeed]

I always turn to the same side as the wake so the water wont swamp the boat. factory ballest plus 700lbs sack

[bowvan]

When your loaded down for surfing, try this:

When the rider falls, ease the throttle back to the neutral position and keep the wheel straight. Then do nothing! The boat will automatically slow back down into the water and start to turn. Which ever way it turns depends on what side you have loaded. Wait a few seconds and allow for your rollers to pass. Once the rollers are clear, continue the turn in the same direction and go pick up your rider. It's amazingly simple and really easy to teach to new drivers. You should rarely ever have to cross over your own rollers, using this technique. Once you get the hang of it, you can speed up the process by kicking it into reverse for a few seconds, just after the boat settles back into the water and starts to turn.

As far as the surging issue:

Your Perfect Pass is to blame. My '04 does the same thing. I think it's because your set speed while surfing is so close to idle speed, that the Perfect Pass is "hunting" for the correct speed while at idle. I haven't found a solution to correct the problem, but it's not that big of a deal if you anticipate it.

[swancer]

As far as the surging issue:

Your Perfect Pass is to blame. My '04 does the same thing. I think it's because your set speed while surfing is so close to idle speed, that the Perfect Pass is "hunting" for the correct speed while at idle. I haven't found a solution to correct the problem, but it's not that big of a deal if you anticipate it.

This makes complete sense. I have never believed it to be a mechanical issue. I will try and pull next time with pp and see if the issue goes away.
BTW: You description of how to pick-up is the exact same thing I do for boarders or skiers, so I am not sure why it would be any different for surfers huh. . . .

Thanks.

[HS]

Surf

I also let the wave pass me before turning around to get the fallen rider -- and I read somewhere that you want to turn the boat to the weighted side and I think this is becasue if the boat rolls in the turn, you do not want the boat rolling to the weighted side.

So if you are (heavily) weighted on port and the rider has fallen, slow the boat and let the wave pass, then turn to port and get the rider. I think if you've got a decent list to port going with the added ballast, you don't want the boat rolling to port as you turn the helm to starboard.

In a bigger boat (like my friend's 23 LSV) it might not matter as much.

Just my opinion...

[Chexi]

This makes complete sense. I have never believed it to be a mechanical issue. I will try and pull next time with pp and see if the issue goes away.
BTW: You description of how to pick-up is the exact same thing I do for boarders or skiers, so I am not sure why it would be any different for surfers huh. . . .

Thanks.

If you can, try switching your Perfect Pass to rpm mode. Mine is rpm mode only, and I do not have this problem.

[swancer]

If you can, try switching your Perfect Pass to rpm mode. Mine is rpm mode only, and I do not have this problem.

I will change it this weekend and report back. Do you run in rpm mode for all water sports?

[Chexi]

Yes I do. Mine is rpm mode only, so I have no choice, but even if I had a choice, I am not sure I would ever switch to mph. I have frequently considered upgrading to Wakeboard pro (in fact I have one sitting in my Tige) and switching back and forth between mph and rpm, but everyone who rides behind my boat comments how much they like the fact that the boat slows down in turns instead of speeds up. With 25 rpm bumps up and down, I can adjust in basically 0.5 to 1 mph increments very easily. My speedo is also incredibly accurate (confirmed frequently by a Garmin gps), so changing mph has been pretty easy. I also like the fact that it never surges in rpm mode.