Surfing a GS20?

[Dinsdale]

I am new to surfing too, but you definitely can go ropeless behind the GS20 with stock ballast. I'm finding that there is a lot more technique involved with surfing than I ever imagined. I'm not talking about skills to do tricks, I'm talking about technique for staying in the pocket and modulating speed so that you can stay in the pocket.

I the proper board makes a big difference when learning. You need a very boyant board. One made for heavy surfers. This will help with going ropeless. Also a tip that has helped me alot is moving around on the board. There is more push from the wave when you move forward on the board and less push when you move to the rear of the board. In other words, forward on the board is the accelerator and back on the board is the brake. Also keep your feet closer to the toe edge of the board.

Factory surf settings on the GS 20 are NCRS=5, NSS=0, and speed=11.2. This is a good place to start, but I think the wave is too short with NCRS at 5. I like 3 or 4 better because it lengthens the wave, however it wont be as tall or steep. Also try slowing the boat down a little to 10.8 or so and try letting 15-25% of the ballast out on the opposite side you are surfing.

We surf our GS20 all the time and your comments are right on. Haven't tried the slower speed yet but totally agree with offsetting the ballast as you mentioned, particularly if there are only a couple of people on the boat. If we have only two light-weights in the boat we sometimes take a couple hundred pounds out of the centre tank as well to get the stern a little deeper.

[lucky7t]

Surfing a GS20 today if rain ever stops .

I’ll ask wife to video . I’m trying with my inland surfer skim first then phase 5 thicker board .

Please rain stop


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[Jim Foley]

Evening Shade and others’ comments were REALLY helpful. Endless wave arrived yesterday! Thanks for the tips.

[Evening Shade]

We surf our GS20 all the time and your comments are right on. Haven't tried the slower speed yet but totally agree with offsetting the ballast as you mentioned, particularly if there are only a couple of people on the boat. If we have only two light-weights in the boat we sometimes take a couple hundred pounds out of the centre tank as well to get the stern a little deeper.

I will have to try letting some water out of the center tank.

[kylant]

I have been trying all different combos using suggestions from Doug and others on the forum.
I have found 3/3, 10.8-11mph full ballast, with 2 adults in boat works good.
Yesterday 5/1, 11.2 mph, full starboard and belly, port 80%, my wife driving and my 9 and 4 y/o kids sitting starboard, was a really good wave.
still trying to out how to lengthen pocket and still have good push.
I will try decreasing center ballast was well

[kylant]

more data:
today seemed to have the best wave yet. surfing starboard side
NCRS 4, NSS 2, belly tank 90%, port 70%, starboard 100%. 2 adults in boat and 1 child sitting on starboard. 11.4 mph. full tank of gas
good push, good size, longer pocket.

[Kinloch]

It’s winter here in New Zealand so a bit cold to go surfing. I took our gs20 out to play with the wave on the weekend. This pic is at 17.2kph nss 0 Ncrs 5. I have 400 pound in back left locker and 400 pound where the bow filler cushion would go, all other ballast 100%. Just me in the boat, I could not get rid of the ridge in the middle of the wave, I even sat in the observer seat and it would not go away. Any suggestion? I tried different speeds and setting but still there.

[Evening Shade]

It’s winter here in New Zealand so a bit cold to go surfing. I took our gs20 out to play with the wave on the weekend. This pic is at 17.2kph nss 0 Ncrs 5. I have 400 pound in back left locker and 400 pound where the bow filler cushion would go, all other ballast 100%. Just me in the boat, I could not get rid of the ridge in the middle of the wave, I even sat in the observer seat and it would not go away. Any suggestion? I tried different speeds and setting but still there.

I could be wrong but I think with 400 pounds in the left locker you have the boat listed too much. The GS20 does like a little more weight on the surf side, but I think 400 pounds might be too much. The NSS plate will be deployed on the starboard side (right) so if the boat is listed to much too the port side (left) the NSS plate will be partially out of the water and not do it’s job properly.

Try a more even weight distribution, with just slightly more weight on the surf side.

[Dinsdale]

I could be wrong but I think with 400 pounds in the left locker you have the boat listed too much. The GS20 does like a little more weight on the surf side, but I think 400 pounds might be too much. The NSS plate will be deployed on the starboard side (right) so if the boat is listed to much too the port side (left) the NSS plate will be partially out of the water and not do it’s job properly.

Try a more even weight distribution, with just slightly more weight on the surf side.

I agree with Evening Shade on this. I also think with one person in the boat that you have too much weight in the bow. If we are low on crew we actually take weight out of the front tank to sink the back end a bit more. Different story if we have four people in the boat. We have stock ballast only and our wake looks much better than the one in the picture.

[Kinloch]

I agree with Evening Shade on this. I also think with one person in the boat that you have too much weight in the bow. If we are low on crew we actually take weight out of the front tank to sink the back end a bit more. Different story if we have four people in the boat. We have stock ballast only and our wake looks much better than the one in the picture.

Thanks for the feedback. Ill try putting the 400in each locker and see how it looks.

[Evening Shade]

Thanks for the feedback. Ill try putting the 400in each locker and see how it looks.

You will need 400 pounds in each rear locker and 250-400 pounds in the bow of the boat. Then let about 15-20% of the weight out of the rear factory ballast on the opposite side that you surf. I think that will produce a nice wave. When you do it take some pics and report back.

[Bignuts2u]

Anyone out there with a GS20 able to surf with stock ballast without a rope? If so what settings are you using and how many people do you generally have in your boat?

With just my wife driving I was not able to let go of the rope this past weekend in surf mode. I surf goofy footed so I was on the starboard side.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Hi Evening shade


We have just picked our 2018 gs20 6 weeks ago. Fantastic crossover boat.

Ive been playing around with the setting for wake surfing and found so far.
In metric units speed best so far at 16.9 kms and zero ballast in the front. 100% in both rear tanks. 0 on NSS and 5 on NCRS. We have been able to ride as long as we want over 10 mins without rope.

We had a 2013 Malibu VTX with surf gate and the gs20 is far better for us to ride. We have had riders who were letting go the rope on there 3rd go amazing.

Hope this helps, we are trying new setting each time to perfect wake.

[Last Mango]

I have wake surfed a total of 3 times behind a buddies Axis A20, and I'm hooked. Already sold my Hurricane deck boat and am buying a surf boat. Surfing a Mastercraft XT 20 Thursday, and a GS20 Friday. We're buying one of these boats. I've read this entire thread, but now that the GS20 has been out for a couple years, what recommendations would you have for me (6' 265 lbs, beginner, Hyperlite Landlock 5'9" board) regarding surf settings, ballast, speed?
Thanks in advance for the direction.
Cheers,
James

[Evening Shade]

I have wake surfed a total of 3 times behind a buddies Axis A20, and I'm hooked. Already sold my Hurricane deck boat and am buying a surf boat. Surfing a Mastercraft XT 20 Thursday, and a GS20 Friday. We're buying one of these boats. I've read this entire thread, but now that the GS20 has been out for a couple years, what recommendations would you have for me (6' 265 lbs, beginner, Hyperlite Landlock 5'9" board) regarding surf settings, ballast, speed?
Thanks in advance for the direction.
Cheers,
James

James,

I'm really not the best person to ask. I haven't been able to really get the wave dialed in. I can't seem to find time to work on it. The kids are too impatient to work on dialing the wave in and when they get impatient my wife gets frustrated.

I got a new surf board over the winter because I think my board was part of the problem with not being able to go ropeless. I haven't been able to get out on the lake in 2 months (work and kids sports). Hope to change that soon. Hopefully some others will chime in with good advice.

[Last Mango]

Thank you for the response. This concerns me. I am buying a surf boat to be able to surf, and hope it's not too difficult. Mos tof the time I am able to drop the rope on the landlock board behind an Axis A20, and I'm not a very accomplished rider. We'll see what happens behind the XT20, then the GS20.