Wedge

[jos]

Do you use a wedge? Malibu type.
We like to wakeboard only.
I am thinking to put a wedge under my CCSN196 of 1990.
There isn't much space to put waterballast.
I have the idea the hydrogate is a different thing as the wedge.
As far I heard the wedge pulls the back of the boat down aboat 1300lbs.
Please reply your experience, when possible with photo if you have.

[NautiqueJeff]

RE: Wedge

Please don't do that. The transom of your boat was not designed for the stress that a device like that would put on it. The results could be disasterous.

[speck]

i second that. i just traded in my malibu 23 xti for an 06 210 team and my old boat had the wedge on it of course. the wedge does work, it definately put more peak on the wake than with just ballast alone. but there is alot of stresses going on. the hydrodynamic forces are tremendous. a boat not designed for it, even if equiped with backing plates, would possibly have the wedge ripped off, sinking the boat. don't do it. if you want a wedge, buy a bu. it uses alot more gas imho

[Mikeski]

I have actually seen something similar to Malibu's wedge in pictures on the back of a Nautique. There was a company trying to market them. About half of Malibu owners do not like the wedge. My buddy has an I-Ride with a wedge and it handles pretty poorly when it's down. Not really sure that the wedge would put more stress on a boat than four people standing on the platform? I have also seen a tank that mounts below the swim platform that works well since it becomes almost neutral bouyancy when the boat is stopped.

[jos]

The idea was to go without waterballast, as the wedge already does approx 1300lbs downforce.

Had the idea to make a load spreader so the transom should be saved, not the transom should damage but the wedge should at the designed weak spot. Heard of ripping fears of when log or under water objects where hit.

Poor handling and bad fuel econoomy are not the thing to go for.

Idea of waterballast under the swimplatform give me thoughts some time ago, possibly a good option and a good thing to go for.
With an integrated pump 12volts only should go over the transom.

I did some steel ballast at the rear of my old boat, experience there was, the further back the more the wake.

[Laptom]

Hi Jos,

For the ballast at the swimplatform you don't need any ballast pumps. It can be auto filling because when to boat is stopped the tanks are under water (under the swimplatform). For empting you need to speed the boat and open some valves. I've seen some systems and they work. But I also suggest to strengthen the transom with this idea.
The wedge on the Malibu's are specially designed for the Malibu's and I won't suggest them on a Nautique (although I think a Nautique is better build then a Bu also at the transom, no flame intended).
Just pull out your back seat, and put in a fat seat (fat sac in the form of a seat). It works great and I think it's the best solution.

Where do you ride in The Netherlands?

Tommy

[Sbt3]

The wedge doesn't make the wake big enough all by itself. I have ridden plenty of malibu's with the wedge. We almost always just use weight and no wedge. The wedge IMO is a gimmick. My friend just bought an 06 VLX with the wedge and we don't use it. We run around 2500-2800lbs of ballast and the wake is nice. All the wedge does is make the boat handle like crap and run higher rpm's. Some people do like it but I am not one of them.

[Mikeski]

I partially agree with sbt3. We do use the wedge on my buddie's I-ride, it's not a gimmick but it's no way equivalent to 1300lbs. At 22mph it's probably more like 400-500lbs, maybe 1300lbs at 40+mph? Absolutely agree about the crap handling.

[OldFart]

Also, why risk your warranty coverage AND the very strong potential for gel coat/fiberglass cracks. The latter can occur just from the normal drilling / mounting process. A "High Risk" opportunity.