Closed Bow Ballast

[joelhern2]

Any suggestions on what kind of ballast bag and/or weight that I can put up in the closed bow? I store a few things up there...so I would need something that is low-profile. Let me know if you have any thoughts.

Thanks,
Joel

[gotpwr]

RE: Closed Bow Ballast

I would think that any of the open bow sacs would work in a closed bow. Here are the two versions Fly High has:
http://www.wakeside.com/page/w/PROD/...n_bow_sac_W706
http://www.wakeside.com/page/w/PROD/...d_bow_sac_w711

The question in my mind is, are you sure you want to put that much weight in the bow of your DD? If you are looking for a decent wakeboarding wake you will need the majority of your ballast in the stern.

[rbalan]

RE: Closed Bow Ballast

Those sacs are huge and I doubt they will work with the vent hoses and odd layout underneath an open bow. What model boat is it?. I know I could get a small rectangular custom sac made to fit underneath my 2001. It would also require doing a little custom work to make an area flat and wide enough for it to sit on, but its definitely doable. Launch Pad also has a sac thats about 150 lbs that might work, its something like 10 x 16 x 30. I also have about 8 small steel plates that combined weigh approx 130 lbs. Hope this helps.

[WakeSlayer]

it is an old school solution, but before there were fatsacs and towers, etc.. I used to put 70lb sandbags up there, you can fit three up there easily, they stay centered, and you get 210 lbs for about $10.00.

[joelhern2]

thanks for the replies. i have the 1991 barefoot nautique (v-drive) so there is a good bit of weight in the back. i am finding it hard to keep the boat from porpousing. when weighted down in the back.

[gotpwr]

thanks for the replies. i have the 1991 barefoot nautique (v-drive) so there is a good bit of weight in the back. i am finding it hard to keep the boat from porpousing. when weighted down in the back.

That makes perfect sense. I forgot that there are such things as closed bow V-drives. When I saw "closed bow" I immediately thought "direct drive".

[RCHANDED]

joelhern2..I have the same boat as you, I think I will be going with two Fly High bricks 155lbs ea, I would like to make a samll shelf up there to hold them so they stay fairly square, we'll see what happens. Keep me posted with what you try, and I'll do the same.

[WakeSlayer]

I had the 92 BFN, same thing. porpoised like crazy when weighted.

[joelhern2]

yeah, i've had my eye on the fly high bricks too. seems like they might be the best option to get a decent amount of weight up front but remaning compact. i tried to get some costs on a rpoduct called "pounderz" but the guy never repsonds to emails. www.pounderz.com

i could slide a few of those up under the bow and be good to go...

[Bremsen]

Have you looked into Pop bags?
http://www.pop-products.com/

[joelhern2]

yeah, i just came across this place that has the same type of product but less expensive.

http://www.metaltecsteel.com/csi/prd/shotbags.asp

[Mikeski]

In my 1995 Ski Nautique I ran a 500lb sack about 1/2 full. Watch it because force is a function of area, even only 2-3psi (attainable with an impeller pump) can develop enough force to pop the deck right off. Make sure the sack does not press against the deck. I also ran a 500lb sack behind the motorbox and 3-4 90lb sandbags on the platform. But don't run that much weight, the boat starts to handle weird.

[joelhern2]

Just to follow-up on my original post...I used a low-profile fat sack which was probably around 400-450 pounds under the closed bow and it worked beautifully. the boat doesnt porpous anymore and it even cleaned up the wake and gave it some more pop.

also, there was still room to throw a few jackets up there too...