G-23 ballast??????

[Panda cub]

I was surprised the Doritos locos tacos doesn't have any ballast bags! This is an outrage! More tacos! More ballast bags!

[Ttt]

Yep, the front sacs fit perfectly under the front bow seats of the G. They are pretty spendy though....like $220 per bag. You can get a pair of the 400 pound sacs for the same price. There will be more material than necessary but I think you'd still have good results.

.... and you just connected them to original ballast overflow pipe?, did you use those 3 switches (extra ballast on/off)?, any drilling necessary?...
Thanks already for all info you give!

[Ttt]

Yep, the front sacs fit perfectly under the front bow seats of the G. They are pretty spendy though....like $220 per bag. You can get a pair of the 400 pound sacs for the same price. There will be more material than necessary but I think you'd still have good results.

I have G 450hp, still on trailer, waiting for ice going away, how its getting on plane with factory + 2000 ballast and 2-3 people in boat?, is it factory prop is enough?
My previous every day setup and team was 2007 Malibu VTX, ACME 1235, factory + 2500 ballast and 2-3 people in boat, long to wait for plane and have to stop with turn to avoid water coming in boat front side.

[ironj32]

.... and you just connected them to original ballast overflow pipe?, did you use those 3 switches (extra ballast on/off)?, any drilling necessary?...
Thanks already for all info you give!

I didn't do any automation. I did test it on one of the rear tanks, but decided to not implement it on the rest. I decided not to for a few reasons:
1. I typically only have the boat for a season.
2. The ballast gauges don't accurately depict the water levels in the factory tanks. The gauges seem to controlled by a timer, rather than water pressure.
3. It takes longer if you use the overflow method. By using separate external pumps, you should be ready to rock by the time your factory ones are full.

If you were to plan on keeping the boat for 3-5 years, it might be worth looking into adding 3 extra jabsco pumps, and putting them all on their own switches. It might be a little spendy, but would be pretty nice.

[ironj32]

I have G 450hp, still on trailer, waiting for ice going away, how its getting on plane with factory + 2000 ballast and 2-3 people in boat?, is it factory prop is enough?
My previous every day setup and team was 2007 Malibu VTX, ACME 1235, factory + 2500 ballast and 2-3 people in boat, long to wait for plane and have to stop with turn to avoid water coming in boat front side.

With my 450, I upgraded to the Acme 2315. You run a few more hundred RPMs, but it got out of the hole a little faster, and kept speed in the corners better.

[nyryan2001]

I had a custom install plumbed with twin 1100s off the stock pumps via a Y valve done on mine. In the pic on the water, those 1100s are about 40% full. the 1100s cube out the rear trunks perfectly. In order to get it up on plane you will need weight in the bow well above the front factory belly ballast to reduce the prop shaft angle with all the weight in the rear. I think there is plenty of power with the 450 on a 15" prop.... but the prop shaft angle with all that weight back there will defeat you. that's what you gotta watch out for.

[schaabj]

Yes the G's have FlyHigh bags. I wasn't shocked at all. I was actually glad that someone finally started using them. We usually pull the hard tanks and replace them with bags, when possible. I have never seen a FlyHigh bag break. I have, however, heard of and seen a few hard tanks bust in a few different boat brands.
I personally like the bags, get way more weight out of them without taking up so much room. Here is a pic of the factory port rear bag in my G23.

Ironj, is there any way to access the front ballast bags without the sub access?

I had my sub enclosure sealed and just got thinking about that. possibly the hole under the garbage can?

[ironj32]

Ironj, is there any way to access the front ballast bags without the sub access?

I had my sub enclosure sealed and just got thinking about that. possibly the hole under the garbage can?

There is an access panel under each bow seat that might give you the desired access, depending on what you need. The trickiest part, in my opinion, is tying into the vent/overflow up there...it's pretty high up against the wall.

[schaabj]

There is an access panel under each bow seat that might give you the desired access, depending on what you need. The trickiest part, in my opinion, is tying into the vent/overflow up there...it's pretty high up against the wall.

Okay awesome thanks!

I was mostly curious if they ever needed to replace the bags that it could still be done with the sub box sealed up. I am however hoping that never happens.

[Andrew14]

You guys are nutz! Love that you guys are ballasting up your G's (I'll be rocking my 230 with only stock ballast most of this season...haha).

NYRyan - have you wakeboarded yet with those 1100's full in the rear lockers on top of factory ballast? That sounds downright scary!

(great thread)

[nyryan2001]

Andrew- this G23 is for surf, thats what those 1100s are for...So far thats where my efforts have been concentrated on. need some more time to dial it in.

[Andrew14]

NYRyan - okay, got it...makes sense. Out of curiousity, what kind of weight would you need to run in the front to be able to wakeboard with the 1100lbs full in the rear (ie to get it to plane out and hold 22-25 mph down the lake)?

[robertsmcfarland]

run of thumb, what you have in back the front should match.

[ironj32]

NYRyan - okay, got it...makes sense. Out of curiousity, what kind of weight would you need to run in the front to be able to wakeboard with the 1100lbs full in the rear (ie to get it to plane out and hold 22-25 mph down the lake)?

For most boats you're looking at a 50:50 - 60:40 Back:Front ratio. The G23 is a 67:33 ratio with stock ballast. I generally keep it at that ratio with the extra weight. I maybe get into the 65:35 arena. I don't think it matters how you weight the front, if you have an extra 1100 in each rear trunk, with the 450hp engine....you won't be getting on plane, from my experience. I would love to be proven wrong though!

I can tell you that when the ice clears, I'll have my XS550 out there and we'll see just how much she can handle.

[Andrew14]

I can tell you that when the ice clears, I'll have my XS550 out there and we'll see just how much she can handle.

Awesome!!! Can't wait to see some more footage of guys riding behind your sacked out boats IronJ. I kind of followed the same rule of thumb when I added the Fly High kit to my 210....whatever the ratio was of the stock ballast set-up, I tried to keep that the same with what I added to the rear and front.

While we're on the topic of ballasting up boats, anyone know how I should weight the bow/front of my new 2012 230 if I'm going to put two 750's in the rear lockers (while keeping all ballast hidden)? I'm going to call Wake Makers and ask them, but I'm thinking about trying to sneak a triangle bow sac in front of the belly tank (and under the deck - will probably fill 2/3 of the way full at best) and then adding the integrated sac up under the front seats (will probably fill 1/2 of the way at best). I figure if I can get 1,000lbs plumbed in over the factory belly tank, that will offset the 1,500lbs of plumbed in additional ballast over the rear factory tanks.

End thread hijack