clark_nicholas
New Member
Anyone Wake surf with a Islandia? Did you use a wake booster and what brand?
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Islandia Wake Surfing
- Thread starter clark_nicholas
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Have you tried to do this yet? I’m trying to figure out a set up. It seems like it throws a decent wave naturally but I haven’t tried to ride it yet. I assume I’d need a wake shaper and ballasts which would cost roughly between $500 and $700. But I’m not sure how much weight I’d need. I’d be interested to hear if anyone has had any success doing this. I’ll post if we end up giving it a shot.
cymertony
Active Member
I could see wakeboarding, but wake surfing? Very interested to see what works for you.
My boys say the wake sucks on our new to us Utopia (wakeboarding for us, not trying to wake-surf) but they agree it sucks-less than our jet ski did and so I say that is "suc-cess". However, I have agreed to give some ballast or maybe a wake shaper a try. They didn't like my idea of inviting their biggest friends to sit in the back.
Good luck, please keep us posted. I'm looking forward to advice from the salty veterans out there.
Best Regards,
Tony
My boys say the wake sucks on our new to us Utopia (wakeboarding for us, not trying to wake-surf) but they agree it sucks-less than our jet ski did and so I say that is "suc-cess". However, I have agreed to give some ballast or maybe a wake shaper a try. They didn't like my idea of inviting their biggest friends to sit in the back.
Good luck, please keep us posted. I'm looking forward to advice from the salty veterans out there.
Best Regards,
Tony
cymertony
Active Member
Soooo....
No pictures or video taken (of course...), but yesterday we had friends out with us on our little Utopia, enough for a little ballast test.
With one 120lb person in the starboard bow seat, a 150lb driver, and four people totaling about 625lbs gathered on the starboard side of the bench seat and sun deck/engine cover... we pulled up our wakeboarder and held speed at 10mph...
Lo and behold... a surf wake! I glanced back and couldn't believe it... everyone freaked out and I slowed back down to neutral because someone yelled something about our wakeboarder... so no time to get pictures or video.
Turned out we pulled up my son on his wakeboard fine (he's always up easy, up even at slow speeds), but as soon as he saw the wake he started looping the rope around his arm trying to reach the surf wake, lol. The observer (da Wife) thought something was wrong and killed the run...
We all had a good laugh and went on with our normal wakeboarding fun.
So, as it turns out, I have acquired some fat sacs (2x400lb and 1x155lb) and a pump from a gentleman on Craigslist, and now we are eager to test things out and see what is possible in our little Utopia.
More to come!
Anyone else? Definitely looking for advice on ballast for our Utopia, and staying tuned to more from the OP or other Islandia owners...
Hope all are out having fun,
Tony
No pictures or video taken (of course...), but yesterday we had friends out with us on our little Utopia, enough for a little ballast test.
With one 120lb person in the starboard bow seat, a 150lb driver, and four people totaling about 625lbs gathered on the starboard side of the bench seat and sun deck/engine cover... we pulled up our wakeboarder and held speed at 10mph...
Lo and behold... a surf wake! I glanced back and couldn't believe it... everyone freaked out and I slowed back down to neutral because someone yelled something about our wakeboarder... so no time to get pictures or video.
Turned out we pulled up my son on his wakeboard fine (he's always up easy, up even at slow speeds), but as soon as he saw the wake he started looping the rope around his arm trying to reach the surf wake, lol. The observer (da Wife) thought something was wrong and killed the run...
We all had a good laugh and went on with our normal wakeboarding fun.
So, as it turns out, I have acquired some fat sacs (2x400lb and 1x155lb) and a pump from a gentleman on Craigslist, and now we are eager to test things out and see what is possible in our little Utopia.
More to come!
Anyone else? Definitely looking for advice on ballast for our Utopia, and staying tuned to more from the OP or other Islandia owners...
Hope all are out having fun,
Tony
I was encouraged by @cymertony 's post so I purchased a full set up on Wednesday. Ballasts: 2 - 600lb and 2 - 1000lb bags for a total of 3200lbs (WOW!). Wave shaper, surf rope, Liquid Force wake surf board, and pump off FB market place. I got all that and a 15'x6' foam water carpet for the kids for $800. It's pretty much the end of summer here in upstate NY, but we'll be out this weekend for Labor Day to try this out. I'll take photos and videos and post what I can here after the weekend. I'm looking forward to proving all the "Jet boats aren't good for wake surfing" people wrong and save myself from buy a $120k Malibu! We'll see what happens...
@cymertony did you try your blast set up? How did it work?
@cymertony did you try your blast set up? How did it work?
cymertony
Active Member
I haven't tried yet... the wife doesn’t want to go out on labor day weekend... it's too crazy here... but my gear is ready to go.
The boys want a nice wakeboarding wake, but they also want to want to move things around and see if we can do the surf wake again. If so, and if the engine can handle it, then I'll be picking up a wake shaper and board soon, I'm sure.
But wow! 3000 lbs? That's way too much weight! Isn't it? I need to know
I'd be worried that I'd sink my poor little Utopia. But I will go right up to my posted weight capacity... people count, too. If they ain't driving then they're ballast lol.
Good luck... give an update!
Tony
The boys want a nice wakeboarding wake, but they also want to want to move things around and see if we can do the surf wake again. If so, and if the engine can handle it, then I'll be picking up a wake shaper and board soon, I'm sure.
But wow! 3000 lbs? That's way too much weight! Isn't it? I need to know
I'd be worried that I'd sink my poor little Utopia. But I will go right up to my posted weight capacity... people count, too. If they ain't driving then they're ballast lol.
Good luck... give an update!
Tony
I haven't tried yet... the wife doesn’t want to go out on labor day weekend... it's too crazy here... but my gear is ready to go.
The boys want a nice wakeboarding wake, but they also want to want to move things around and see if we can do the surf wake again. If so, and if the engine can handle it, then I'll be picking up a wake shaper and board soon, I'm sure.
But wow! 3000 lbs? That's way too much weight! Isn't it? I need to know
I'd be worried that I'd sink my poor little Utopia. But I will go right up to my posted weight capacity... people count, too. If they ain't driving then they're ballast lol.
Good luck... give an update!
Tony
From someone with sons that love wakeboarding- NEVER EVER wrap a rope around a body part.
Islandia is a big boat, but 625# of people and another 3000# seems it would be very overloaded. As in very unsafe. We w/b here 8 months / year and we do it safely and still have a lot of fun. The most we ever added was a 600# sack in the ski locker for a very low center of gravity. Only 3 people in the boat. Still within load limits.
So it worked. The wave was decent. I probably could have dropped the rope but I didn’t want to have to start again if it didn't have enough push. We didn’t fill all the bags, we put a 600lb on the back seat, 600 in the front and 1000 in the back next to the driver seat (also towards the back. We put the wave shaper right below the water line on the driver side to make a wave on the opposite side. We had 3 people on the boat each weighing about 160 Lbs. the bags weren’t 100% full so it’s tough to say exactly how much extra weight we had but 2 people in the boat plus the bags we probably had about 2500lbs give or take. In the future I would move weight to the front to balance it out. Too much in the back cases is to lose some displacement. We started slow around 9mph but to get the wave to smooth out we found that a little faster is better. 11/12 mph seemed to be best, maybe a hair faster will produce a longer wave. To those saying it’s unsafe/over the weight limit; This boat wasn’t made for this so of course it’s outside of its stated parameters. We’re only going 12mph max and it’s easy enough to dump weight if needed. Plus we’re not doing this in rough water. I can’t figure out how to add a video (I think the files are too big) so I’ll see if I can pull some stills to get a sense of how it went.
cymertony
Active Member
Nice work! Excited to see a video... hope you can figure it out.
We will be out this weekend but I will have a full boat so we will try this with people ballast vs bags
To prepare my Utopia I have removed the flimsy and already broken anyway "ski locker" under the rear bench seat. I am testing ways to put in a platform to maximize use of the space. So the whole space can hold either ballast or gear (and much more than the flimsy ski locker could). This way we can also use the compartments on either side of the engine in combination with this space when (and if lol) we ever surf. When we have people, then they are use for storage. Starting with some plywood I have around the house, but want to go full width using King Starboard during the off season.
That's the plan, anyway....
Would love to see your video
Before and after pics posted below, in wrong order, of course.
Tony
We will be out this weekend but I will have a full boat so we will try this with people ballast vs bags
To prepare my Utopia I have removed the flimsy and already broken anyway "ski locker" under the rear bench seat. I am testing ways to put in a platform to maximize use of the space. So the whole space can hold either ballast or gear (and much more than the flimsy ski locker could). This way we can also use the compartments on either side of the engine in combination with this space when (and if lol) we ever surf. When we have people, then they are use for storage. Starting with some plywood I have around the house, but want to go full width using King Starboard during the off season.
That's the plan, anyway....
Would love to see your video
Before and after pics posted below, in wrong order, of course.
Tony
Still can't figure out how to add video. Top photo shows the bag set up. We just laid them out and tied one to the back seat. My storage areas are full for now. The wave had enough push that I could ride it with slack in the rope for a bit. It was best when turning slightly. We went again yesterday and we just filled the two 1000lb bags with one up front and one behind the seat. It feels like we would get a better wave if we added a little more weight and favored it towards the surf side.
I get what everyone says about jet wash now. You don't notice it until you're in it, but it's avoidable as ling as you're moving straight or turning towards the surf wave. We should be able to dial it in to get a better wave, but so far it's at least surfable.
@cymertony The large space you have in the back is great for a ballast! the motors are under my back seat so I can't put a bag under there. the ski locker is probably the best spot on my boat. Post some pics if you can!
I watched some videos on YouTube on how to make a good wave... we're not even close with this.. I mean at least it's surfable, but it doesn't even compare to the waves the Malibus and other V-drives. More weight and distributing that weight properly can really affect the wave. Planning to get out tomorrow to try a few things. I'll post an update after. We plan to add some weight to the surf side. But look at this wave that this dude made with a 2008 Malibu!!
cymertony
Active Member
Went out yesterday wakeboarding and tubing, and afterwards, had some fun seeing if it was possible to create (re-create) a surf wave behind the our little Utopia.
Here's the ballast setup:
(first time video post... hope it works)
Tony
Here's the ballast setup:
- No wake booster/shaper
- 1125lbs total human ballast including driver
- 750 lbs on sundeck/rear seat behind driver
- 225lbs bow
- Driver
- 10-12mph
(first time video post... hope it works)
Tony
cymertony
Active Member
Congrats! Looks great!
I just bought a old Wakesurf Edge wake shaper off craigslist from a family that upgraded their boat. Looking forward to getting out this weekend and testing the ballast and wake shaper. Boys will need to use their wakeboards for now, though... I'm too cheap to buy them a wakesurf board yet
Tony
I just bought a old Wakesurf Edge wake shaper off craigslist from a family that upgraded their boat. Looking forward to getting out this weekend and testing the ballast and wake shaper. Boys will need to use their wakeboards for now, though... I'm too cheap to buy them a wakesurf board yet
Tony
cymertony
Active Member
Went out yesterday with the boys and tested the fatsacs:
Wakeboarding:
800lbs under the rear bench seat with 155lbs in the bow was great for wakeboarding... night and day difference than without it... of course... we learned the hard way, though, that you have to tie down the fat sac in the bow... it came rolling back as soon as we took off for the first time!
Wakesurfing:
We moved one 400lb fatsac from port side under the rear bench seat to starboard side storage area next to the engine. That gave us 800lbs of ballast on the starboard side and the 155lb fat sac in the bow.
Unfortunately, the wake shaper I bought used on Craigslist would not stay attached where we needed it to be due to the curvature of the hull in that area. I had replaced the suction cups and it attached perfectly to the hull... but that wasn't the right place for it once we were in the water. I need a shaper with smaller suction cups... anyone need a wake shaper that doesn't have a Utopia?
The resulting wave was still usable and the boys had a blast! Of course, we don't have a wakesurf board so they had to use their wakeboards... and they had to hold the rope.... but they loved it and are ok with just the ballast bags and no wake shaper.... but I want to get a different wake shaper and try again.
Here's one short video:
Have fun!
Tony
Wakeboarding:
800lbs under the rear bench seat with 155lbs in the bow was great for wakeboarding... night and day difference than without it... of course... we learned the hard way, though, that you have to tie down the fat sac in the bow... it came rolling back as soon as we took off for the first time!
Wakesurfing:
We moved one 400lb fatsac from port side under the rear bench seat to starboard side storage area next to the engine. That gave us 800lbs of ballast on the starboard side and the 155lb fat sac in the bow.
Unfortunately, the wake shaper I bought used on Craigslist would not stay attached where we needed it to be due to the curvature of the hull in that area. I had replaced the suction cups and it attached perfectly to the hull... but that wasn't the right place for it once we were in the water. I need a shaper with smaller suction cups... anyone need a wake shaper that doesn't have a Utopia?
The resulting wave was still usable and the boys had a blast! Of course, we don't have a wakesurf board so they had to use their wakeboards... and they had to hold the rope.... but they loved it and are ok with just the ballast bags and no wake shaper.... but I want to get a different wake shaper and try again.
Here's one short video:
Have fun!
Tony
cymertony
Active Member
Thanks! Yes on both counts... already looking for a decent used board but want to figure out the wake shaper first. We are getting a wake tower in the off season so it would be great get everything worked out and find a board too. I may just get some starboard and make a manually operated surf gate or surf tab.
Got out again this weekend. The size and quality of the wave is dependent on displacement. We had 1000lbs on the back seat, 1000lbs in the front and 600lbs (not fully filled) under the seat in rear to tilt the boat towards the surf side. We also had 5 people with us so 4 on the boat to move around. Best speed seems to be between 11 and 14 mph. So much fun!
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