DIY Pipe Booster for improving wake

[PPKap]

Ingenious! Thanks for the post. I was actually going start a new thread seeking reviews of the WakeBooster. Might have to try the DYI option before dropping $$$ on the WB! Thanks!

 

[Mainah]

Got the rudimentary rotating lever slide cam worked out to make it easy to install from the deck. The pex rod is slightly out of round and when the lever is turn the rod advances and turn slightly. At full closed the pivot points are offset just enough to tension it closed. The turn buckle makes that tension adjustable. The extra piece of pex is to help it slide in with the but end trying to rotate over and makes it easy to close than open.

I may need to cut down the profile of the latch handle as not to cause crazy streams in the water. Also added some psa foam to protect the hull. Will hopefully be testing next week with the go pro fix mounted on the tower to get comparison shots.

The long sweep plumbing is both bolted and hotglued together. The glue is help fill in transitions more then anything.

 

[buckbuck]

So is that hot glue or a silicone adhesive used on the PVC 90's?
Looking forward to what your design reveals.

 

[Mainah]

So is that hot glue or a silicone adhesive used on the PVC 90's?
Looking forward to what your design reveals.

Hot glue. I buy it in bulk long sticks from amazon and use a dewalt ceramic heating element gun. Just to say again the glu was to fill in the gaps so water does not shot through and adds just a bit of support. On the water testing may be happening this afternoon.

 

[dadofral]

These would be pretty easy to manufacture with the right equipment. I’d try to make one out of stainless steel with a rubber pad mounted to a plate to protect the boat surface. Could easily make at our shop. Really nice idea. If you want to talk production let me know. ?

 

[Wisefam22]

I'll test your prototype @dadofral

 

[Mainah]

Need to make some small adjustments but very promising for a ropeless wave. The exit angle of the bottom pipe is pushing too much water to the driect to the side and the quick attach lever is catching too much water so its profile will need to be reduced. It went on super easy. Have a lanyard from the device to the post stern cleat in case dropped it or came lose but held great and again installed super quick and easy kneeling on the deck.

All tests done with two guys at about 180 lbs each on board, 10.5 mph and calm water. Go pro mounted to back of Bimini makes for a high angle and does not do the difference as much justice as in person. Lots of pollen in the water helpes to see what is going on.

Stock no ballast no pipe device.


Pipe device only.


Money shot. Pipe device plus 400 lbs ballast port side storage and 800lbs ballast center locker. Notice the swim deck is still out of the water here. Perhaps a transom bag would help even more.


Pipe device removed with same ballast.


Anxious for honest thoughts/opinions. Don’t hold back.

 

[Wisefam22]

@Mainah how did it drive did you have to counter at all?

Looks good, but I'm not a yamaha pro surfer... @swatski how does it look to you

 

[Mainah]

@Mainah how did it drive did you have to counter at all?

Looks good, but I'm not a yamaha pro surfer... @swatski how does it look to you

I did have to counter. One key detail I forgot to mention. I kept a straight line for a fixed landmark on each run.

 

[swatski]

Need to make some small adjustments but very promising for a ropeless wave. The exit angle of the bottom pipe is pushing too much water to the driect to the side and the quick attach lever is catching too much water so its profile will need to be reduced. It went on super easy. Have a lanyard from the device to the post stern cleat in case dropped it or came lose but held great and again installed super quick and easy kneeling on the deck.

All tests done with two guys at about 180 lbs each on board, 10.5 mph and calm water. Go pro mounted to back of Bimini makes for a high angle and does not do the difference as much justice as in person. Lots of pollen in the water helpes to see what is going on.

Stock no ballast no pipe device.
View attachment 90214

Pipe device only.
View attachment 90215

Money shot. Pipe device plus 400 lbs ballast port side storage and 800lbs ballast center locker. Notice the swim deck is still out of the water here. Perhaps a transom bag would help even more.
View attachment 90218

Pipe device removed with same ballast.
View attachment 90217

Anxious for honest thoughts/opinions. Don’t hold back.

The difference between pic 3 and 4 is unbelievable! Exactly what you would want/hope for. Wow.

Frankly - this is way better than what I thought you would be able to get (the difference between #4 and 3 pics).

The wave with ballast (in pic 4) is not great, but if this net change (Booster's influence) holds with enough well positioned ballast that pushes the boat to throw a surfable wave - this would be amazing, possibly.
With some tweaks, as you said, it could be... THE BOMB.

(Already looking better than the YamaBooster, doesn't it?)

All I can say is: congratulations, @Mainah! Not a slamdunk, yet, but super exciting.
It is exceedingly difficult to manufacture a surf aid that works, and it looks like you may be succeeding!


--

 

[MidnightRider]

(Already looking better than the YamaBooster, doesn't it?)

Hard to tell which is better, Mainah booster looks cleaner at the lip but maybe the WakeBooster is a little taller? Different camera angles though so hard to draw any conclusions - but would say at the very least it is definitely comparable for a whole lot cheaper.

WakeBooster pic

 

[J-RAD]

Great job @Mainah, I think your on the right track. I think I'm observing what you mentioned about the exit angle pushing the water too much to the direct side. Almost as though it's blasting over the top maybe?

I'm just seeing more of a sideways trajectory on the opposite side.

It's definitely having a similar effect though.

 

[swatski]

Almost as though it's blasting over the top maybe?

Which could be a good thing when running with better ballast (distribution) like swim deck bag(s) etc., right?

Of course if the idea is to avoid using ballast all together that's a different thing.
But I (personally) doubt anyone will be able to throw a great surf wake behind these boats without a good list (and swim deck ballast).

--

 

[dadofral]

Weather and wrestling season have not cooperated with me. Then I saw those 275 swim up seats and am likely going to redesign the mounting for the diy booster. That means that this may be outside most DIY capabilities. I think I have landed on a custom fabricated/welded aluminum receiver for the swim up seats that will double as the receiver for a cross between a booster and wedge also custom aluminum fabricated/welded. I promise to take a photo of what I have now mounted to the boat before I start changing things. I don't know that my current version will see any real testing as it likely won't fit once I have added the receivers mentioned above and my wife is demanding all work be done before going back into the water. I have bit off a lot too. Replacing all SeaDek, adding an amp and tower speakers, fabricating the swim up seats, wake booster project, adding neodymium latches for the rear seat backs, adding gas struts for all of the flip up seats, possible led lighting project, and I am sure there is something I am forgetting. I won't even have time to start any of it for another 10 days due to family visiting and can only hope for good weather once my schedule clears.

I can do all of the aluminum cutting myself but currently only have a flux core mig welder so I am going to get a quote on tig welding up all of the aluminum pieces. If that quote is higher than I like I may just end up buying pricey TIG welder and ruin a few electrodes/rods before dialing in my bead.

Hopefully others have made progress.

I own a fab shop, laser cutting, bending, tig and mig welding, we can help out with design and materials....would love to help get this off the ground.

I can even do the R&D work at no charge since it's jet boat related....why pay when you can get it for nothing? Maybe if we get a good thing going we can look at powder coating as well in different colors.....I'm happy to help.

 

[dadofral]

I'll test your prototype @dadofral

If we get it to work I'd be happy to make these at cost for any members here, if @maniah is down with that....we have a very experienced team here and these could easily be made with our equipment.....I'd just enjoy making them for the fun of it.

 

[Mainah]

Here is a bit more detail in what is going on. The red circle is the spary from the lever. The yellow is the redirected stream for the top pipe. The blue which could only be seen in person on the back deck is the bottom pipe outlet under the water. I am going to have to tweak a few things as already mentioned. More than that I truly believe a swim deck bag is going to be the key. Getting that top pipe all the way under the water and getting better wave influence from the bottom pipe while displacing more water from the hull should equal a clean knee high wave.

 

[Mainah]

If we get it to work I'd be happy to make these at cost for any members here, if @maniah is down with that....we have a very experienced team here and these could easily be made with our equipment.....I'd just enjoy making them for the fun of it.

Not sure where I am going with this yet.

 

[Trevor Shipman]

I’d be happy to do cost plus for all involved. I’d much rather give my money to the good folks on here rather than Yamaha.

 

[SCP1]

Need to make some small adjustments but very promising for a ropeless wave. The exit angle of the bottom pipe is pushing too much water to the driect to the side and the quick attach lever is catching too much water so its profile will need to be reduced. It went on super easy. Have a lanyard from the device to the post stern cleat in case dropped it or came lose but held great and again installed super quick and easy kneeling on the deck.

All tests done with two guys at about 180 lbs each on board, 10.5 mph and calm water. Go pro mounted to back of Bimini makes for a high angle and does not do the difference as much justice as in person. Lots of pollen in the water helpes to see what is going on.

Stock no ballast no pipe device.
View attachment 90214

Pipe device only.
View attachment 90215

Money shot. Pipe device plus 400 lbs ballast port side storage and 800lbs ballast center locker. Notice the swim deck is still out of the water here. Perhaps a transom bag would help even more.
View attachment 90218

Pipe device removed with same ballast.
View attachment 90217

Anxious for honest thoughts/opinions. Don’t hold back.

Couple questions. Do you have a wake wedge? Are you thinking of making this for a 19’? If the first answer is no and the second answer is yes I feel like I may be less interested in the TVW (obviously for tubbing, wakeboarding, skiing, and slow speed steering this would be nice) however I don’t see it cleaning the wake like this for surfing. I’m assuming this is deflecting water from the bottom of the boat or is the just pushing the jet wash? If it’s just pushing the jet wash then this would not work on 19’. Very interested.

 

[Rod5]

Wow this is so promising!! Great job Mainah!!