2006 SANTE - want to surf

[jkallen21]

So - my body is telling me that it doesn't like to wakeboard anymore. Technically it's saying it doesn't like to fall off a wakeboard anymore, but wakeboarding often involves falling. So I want to surf now. I've got a board, but I can't create a big enough wake for surfing with stock ballasts alone. I'd rather buy something meant for this than build something. I'm not opposed to assembling something I buy and I can handle mechanical stuff all day long - I just don't want to go to ACE hardware and buy fiberglass sheets to make a wake gate. I'd love any guidance on doing this.

Thanks!

[glassywaters]

Not to be biased, but the OG SAN can surf really well. Plenty of info out there, but in simple form: more weight and buy a suck gate.

[ScooterMcgavin]

I have no affiliation with this product but have read and seen some positive results with the Nauticurl suckgate. It’s worth a look at

[Beach-TJ]

The mission delta works well and doesn't take up much room when not in use. Extra ballast, over stock will also be needed.

[Infinity]

So - my body is telling me that it doesn't like to wakeboard anymore. Technically it's saying it doesn't like to fall off a wakeboard anymore, but wakeboarding often involves falling. So I want to surf now. I've got a board, but I can't create a big enough wake for surfing with stock ballasts alone. I'd rather buy something meant for this than build something. I'm not opposed to assembling something I buy and I can handle mechanical stuff all day long - I just don't want to go to ACE hardware and buy fiberglass sheets to make a wake gate. I'd love any guidance on doing this.

Thanks!

Fairly simple to make a good boat like yours surf and put out an excellent wave, plus it holds it value very well so you don't have to worry about much depreciation over next few years (if any) as long as you are taking good care of it. All you need to do is add ballast....and use a suck gate. The right amount of ballast is the MOST important thing you gotta do. With right ballast you can also "list" the boat and get a great wave. Personally I prefer the ease of using a suck gate and with the extra weight in boat since you ballast mostly level, I feel like the wave has better push (I still list to surf side slightly, maybe 200lb difference) but with my 24ft boat, I also run 4500-4900lbs of ballast tho you do not need that much, especially for a smaller boat. Bigger the boat hull, the more ballast you need to sink it, especially if you want a pro level surf wave.

I have a Nauticurl suck gate on mine and a friend has a Mission. Both work very well and if suction cups are attached right, they do not come off.... when friend and I switch gates which we have done a couple times to see if any difference (I have Centurion and he has a Malibu), you cant tell a difference in the wave. I also have another friend that made his own suck gate using a cutting board, looks ghetto, but also works pretty well.
You can also add automated tabs, like "GSA" (have another friend that added GSA to his 06 and his wave is awesome). Few advantages to having an automated tab system, like easy of use since you just "push buttons" and you can do transfers when riding...course they cost a good deal more. GSA is $4k retail and they have been around a while (check out WakeMakers.com), you can get 10% discount....Black Friday sale is usually 20% discount. Here is the link....

https://www.wakemakers.com/go-surf-a...rf-system.html

I recently saw a new company making automated tabs, called "Infinity Wave Mfg". Their system is $2k (will post their link below for you). Thinking about adding this tab system to my boat since I have no plans to get rid of my boat or upgrade to a new one anytime in near future. $2k is a little easier for me to swallow than the $4k GSA, but there is something to be said about GSA being a "proven tab system" with R&D and info for the install on every boat brand.

https://www.infinitywave.net/?fbclid...vrXad7b5lVFqYc

FYI, there was a video on WakeWorld with a comparison between 5 different suck gates....seemed to indicate similar results that I have seen, which is that there is not a lot of difference between them.

http://www.wakeworld.com/news/featur...f-shapers.html

From everything I have seen/experienced, if you end up making your own suck gate, bigger is not better on suck gates and will just cost you more fuel cause of the resistance. Mission is pretty small and my Nauticurl is slightly bigger (but mine angles a little where the Mission is 90 degree). Neither of them make our boats "not want to turn" to the opposite direction. I mention that cause I have heard that about some gates. When surfer falls, you go to neutral and turn "into the gate" anyway, so it helps the boat spin back towards to fallen surfer anyway.
I think the best priced one out there is the Nauticurl, they usually have a discount code and I can confirm they have some of the best customer service ever!

https://nauticurl.com/

This link is a good read on WakeMakers....

https://www.wakemakers.com/resources...-buyers-guide/

Regardless of if you decide to upgrade boats, I would spend the money to upgrade the ballast and get a suck gate. You should easily get your money back since it wont be a costly addition and when you sell yours to get another boat, its highly likely that having he ballast/gate will help you sell the boat quicker and at a premium since the person buying is also likely to be interested in surfing.

MLA - Mikes Liquid Audio in NC would sell you everything you need to add the ballast at a good price and answer any questions you have about the install. He is on this forum, very knowledgeable and has been doing this a long time. I am lucky that he is local to me and I have taken my boat to him multiple times for different things, but he does a lot of internet sales and is a great resource not matter what you are wanting to add.