GS20 and FatSacs

[stwilli326]

Bought FatSacs for the rear lockers of a GS20 for Christmas. 400lbs each, so will add 800.

What have others experienced adding additional weight, pros/cons?

I am a new boat owner, just completed first season completely stock. Hoping to make give a boost to the surf wave and some benefit to the wakeboard wave.


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[Blamey]

Pros - bigger wakes.

Cons - take longer to fill. Take up Storage.


I don't think there is much info on the GS20 but with other boats it's generally better to add weight to the whole boat and not just the rear.

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[stwilli326]

Agree. I called a local dealer who described the above setup. My concern is same that i may need weight up front. Once weather allows will let all know


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[Evening Shade]

You will definitely need weight up front. I have 600# sacs in my rear lockers (not all the way full) and an under seat sack in the bow. With this set up I had to move 2 adults to the bow because it wouldn't plane out. The surf wave was better though, I think. Definitely taller and steep, but still pretty short. I was able to surf without the rope for the first time with this set up.

Having said that, I'm not the best one to talk to about surfing a GS20. Apparently I'm a terrible surfer because others seem to be able to surf GS20s without the rope with just stock ballast and a few adults, but I haven't been able to. Also, I rarely try to surf because our young kids get impatient just sitting watching the old man struggle to do something that doesn't looks boring to them. Plus the wifey isn't real comfortable pulling a rider so when the kids get restless and start moving around when the boat is in motion, it doubles her stress.

Maybe if I got behind a G23 I would catch the surfing bug, but that's not going to happen because I can think of no less than 10 good reasons why a G23 won't be in my future.

[Evening Shade]

Also, I will add that it was so hard to reach the through hull overflow fittings for the rear tanks that I gave up on piggybacking my sacs. I'm not saying its not possible but it will definitely be a PITA. They are so far forward and in such a tight place that you cant hardly get to them to loosen the hose clamps much less pull the hose off of the fitting. I suppose you could remove the seatbacks in the rear corners and have easier access, but I wasn't willing to go that far. I just decided to use an over the side of the boat ballast pump to fill them. So yet another reason discouraging me from surfing.

[keith]

I had a GS20 and have another ordered for 2018. I would not ever even consider additional sacs. Obviously this is my opinion but the boat just doesn't need it. I do however use 10 Pop bags. These are 40 lbs each and move around easily if needed. They take up very little space and I hide them in compartments. I use these mainly because I ride 80% of the time with just 2-3 people on board.
With that being said, if you primarily surf then I would do what you are doing. Experiment with extra ballast.
You will definitely need weight in the front. I put 200 lbs in the front and leave it. If the boat is full of factory ballast and I have more than 5 people on board, I make sure an adult sits up front for at least 140 more lbs. Evening shade is correct, the boat will not plane out especially when surfing the starboard side. This is NOT due to lack of power, this is due to NSS and the way it sucks the back of the boat down into the water.

[stwilli326]

Thanks all. I look forward to experimenting and reporting back.


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[Wake.BC]

Does anyone have pictures of the waves?


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[mikenbike211]

I had a GS20 and have another ordered for 2018. I would not ever even consider additional sacs. Obviously this is my opinion but the boat just doesn't need it. I do however use 10 Pop bags. These are 40 lbs each and move around easily if needed. They take up very little space and I hide them in compartments. I use these mainly because I ride 80% of the time with just 2-3 people on board.
With that being said, if you primarily surf then I would do what you are doing. Experiment with extra ballast.
You will definitely need weight in the front. I put 200 lbs in the front and leave it. If the boat is full of factory ballast and I have more than 5 people on board, I make sure an adult sits up front for at least 140 more lbs. Evening shade is correct, the boat will not plane out especially when surfing the starboard side. This is NOT due to lack of power, this is due to NSS and the way it sucks the back of the boat down into the water.

What other comparments did you put those into?

[keith]

They are small and they conform well to the space they are in. I hide them under hinged seats like where the cooler is on the STB side as well as the same seat on Port side. Honestly, I could hide 20 or more POP bags in this boat and you would never see them unless you went looking.