04 SANTE fat sac set up for surfing

[johnboyy7]

i just bought an 04 SANTE. im trying to get it set up for surfing. If i put a sac in each back storage locker will dumping the ballast tank on one side be enough throw the wake to one side. question 2... If that does work will i need another sac above my center ballast? looking for advice and help before i invest.

[WakeSlayer]

RE: 04 SANTE fat sac set up for surfing

I would add weight on the rider's side, under and/or on top of the gunnel seating. Do a search on "surf ballast"


Here is what I currently have for my setup in my 99.

this is for either side:

750 in the rear (surfer side) nearly full (650-700)
400 in belly tank
400 on seat on riders side
150 lead in the bow
180 lead in walkthrough
200 lead under rear and side seats

200+ lead either behind drivers seat for starboard, or under gullwing seat for port, as far to the side as possible.

[johnboyy7]

google surf ballas or search on here. wow that is a lot of extra ballast. do you have build in ballast on your boat. is the gunnel seat the back seat?

[WakeSlayer]

gunnel seating = on the side. My 750's in the rear are auto. I leave my ski locker full all season.

Search here. There are numberous threads about surf ballast.

[johnboyy7]

okay ive been reading til my eyes are crossed. thank you for your help and suggestions. i have a few more questions if you dont mind.
1. how hard is it to connect fat sacs up to the hard tanks to they will both fill off the ballast pump or is this possible?
2. i just bought 2 400s and a 250. i was figuring on the 400s on top of each rear ballast and 250 on top of belly'
3. we took boat out past weekend and filled up the bilge through the vents on the side. how can i prevent this? this was with 6 people in boat and NO fat sacs. the wake was sick big though.

[WakeSlayer]

You can connect the bags on top of the tanks by removing the vent line from the tank at the vent end., putting that into the bag, and then adding a vent line to the bag and putting onto the vent on the hull. Same basic idea for the belly tank/bag.
As to whether that will fill from aerator style pumps, I think it will leave something to be desired.
You need to either weight it a little more forward to keep the vents out of the water, or block the engine vent with neoprene or something, while surfing.
I have done this a few times.

My preference on the ballast is cut the tanks out and put 750's in the back. Then add ballast puppies. Also, many threads about this. You will end up with a faster system, and have loads more storage when not using it.

[johnboyy7]

i did do some reading about yall tanking the tanks out. is that very hard to get them out and hook up bags. would i be able to reinstall later? from what i gather the puppies if for speed of fill, right? with mine having the shell intake on the bottom will it matter with the bags on the fill up.

i like the idea for more storage....... right now its pretty poor as far as boards go.

[WakeSlayer]

Matter of opinion on the intakes. I far prefer mine under my swim deck. I can over fill and then drain on the fly to balance the wake perfectly. Some guys like to fill on the fly. I do not really see a benefit to this versus draining on the fly. I also like to have individual pickups for each side. 6 of one, half dozen of the other. And mine are a breeze to winterize. Not that that matters much in Houston.

[johnboyy7]

how did you get your intakes under the swim deck?
are the hard tanks very hard to take out.
how much and where to find electric valves for the ballast intakes?

[WakeSlayer]

I drilled holes. My starboard tank was easy, my port was a nightmare until I got the sawzall out. You don't need valves with the ballast puppies. You should have ball valves at the thru-hulls, however, I do not. Mine are at the pumps. I need to move them at some point to the transom fittings. That said, you never need to use the valves unless there is a failure in your intake hose.