Testing the new wake booster

[Wisefam22]

As I have messed with some piece of starboard and piping one of reasons they kept it to only newer boats seems to be that underside of my swim deck gets skinnier as it tapers to the back. I will have to make another piece of starboard into a wedge so it sits flush to hull.

 

[JasonSchoenrock]

@JasonSchoenrock have you had a chance to get in the water and surf yet?

No video, but we did try it out a couple weeks ago very quickly (64 degree water). Very nice wave, but still not enough push for me to go ropeless (I'm 6'2" and 195). My son (5'9" - 140) was ropeless no problem... I'll work on a more detailed update with some video when I get a chance to do some more surfing..

 

[MidnightRider]

No video, but we did try it out a couple weeks ago very quickly (64 degree water). Very nice wave, but still not enough push for me to go ropeless (I'm 6'2" and 195). My son (5'9" - 140) was ropeless no problem... I'll work on a more detailed update with some video when I get a chance to do some more surfing..

Any ballast?

 

[kjchmay]

For those of you that already have the wake booster. When did you order the kit? I ordered mine over a month ago and no word as when I might see it.

 

[MidnightRider]

For those of you that already have the wake booster. When did you order the kit? I ordered mine over a month ago and no word as when I might see it.

I ordered mine beginning of December. Just heard the new... new... new delivery date is end of this week. We will see. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[DirkG]

Ordered in December, only 4 have been delivered to Seattle, no reports of delivery date...

 

[Nick212]

Ordered in December and haven't heard anything from the dealer. I decided to go a different direction with the Thrust Vector Wake from JBP.

 

[Ratket]

I wonder how they would do in conjunction with each other.

 

[buckbuck]

We are going to find out soon.

 

[JasonSchoenrock]

Finally got some video surfing! Just my wife, my son and I on the boat. He was surfing with an older H/L 5.9 board. Ballast setup was 800# in center locker, 600# under port rear seat, and ~200# on the swim platform seat. Really happy with the wave - just not quite enough for my 200 pound butt to go ropeless. Now going to order one of the Gantlin swim deck bags...

 

[scokill]

Finally got some video surfing! Just my wife, my son and I on the boat. He was surfing with an older H/L 5.9 board. Ballast setup was 800# in center locker, 600# under port rear seat, and ~200# on the swim platform seat. Really happy with the wave - just not quite enough for my 200 pound butt to go ropeless. Now going to order one of the Gantlin swim deck bags...

Thanks for this. I was thinking about fabricating a booster for my 2008 as it looks like a fairly simple design. I did build a couple of wedges and they work really well but still requires about 2K# of ballast for me @200 lbs and could probably use some more. I haven't seen anything compelling for the booster or the jet boat pilot product (other than a lot of hoopla) and the biggest factor is ballast...a lot of it...regardless of the type of boat.

 

[dzeppos]

Finally got some video surfing! Just my wife, my son and I on the boat. He was surfing with an older H/L 5.9 board. Ballast setup was 800# in center locker, 600# under port rear seat, and ~200# on the swim platform seat. Really happy with the wave - just not quite enough for my 200 pound butt to go ropeless. Now going to order one of the Gantlin swim deck bags...

Jason:
That's a great vide of your son wake surfing. I have the same 2016 Yamaha 242 S and expect to get my Yamaha wakebooster later this month. Can - can you tell me what type of ballast product you recommend - is it the Gantlin for each bag - and what pump system?
Thank you!
Demo Z.

 

[JasonSchoenrock]

Jason:
That's a great vide of your son wake surfing. I have the same 2016 Yamaha 242 S and expect to get my Yamaha wakebooster later this month. Can - can you tell me what type of ballast product you recommend - is it the Gantlin for each bag - and what pump system?
Thank you!
Demo Z.

I worked with Wake Makers and my local dealer on a custom system for the boat. It has bags under the two rear seats and a bag in the ski locker. We estimate it's around 600# under the seats and 800# in the locker. Pump system is the WakeMAKERS Ultra Complete Reversible Pump Ballast System. I had the dealer do the installation.

The last two seasons we just used the ballast system with no wedge or wake deflection. Driving the boat in circles worked OK for the kids. We have an even split between regular and goofy riders, so ability to switch easily was a primary reason I didn't go with the Wake Wedge - and when the booster came out I thought it would be perfect. All the things the guys here say about getting the boat down in the water is absolutely true. I've ordered my @jcyamaharider swim deck ballast bag and am really looking forward to seeing the difference it makes (and how much of a hassle it is to move from one side to the other). We figure we'll multi-task - while the integrated system is emptying one side and refilling the other side, whoever is last in the water can switch the wake booster (literally a 2-3 minute job), while one other person can empty the swim deck bag enough to move, then refill it.. I'm guessing about 15 minutes to do a switch over.

My recommendation for getting started without a bunch of plumbing, start with the swim deck bag and an 700-800# bag in the center of the boat along with the wedge or wake booster for deflection. Gantlin products has the bags and the right pump on their website.

 

[swatski]

I worked with Wake Makers and my local dealer on a custom system for the boat. It has bags under the two rear seats and a bag in the ski locker. We estimate it's around 600# under the seats and 800# in the locker. Pump system is the WakeMAKERS Ultra Complete Reversible Pump Ballast System. I had the dealer do the installation.

The last two seasons we just used the ballast system with no wedge or wake deflection. Driving the boat in circles worked OK for the kids. We have an even split between regular and goofy riders, so ability to switch easily was a primary reason I didn't go with the Wake Wedge - and when the booster came out I thought it would be perfect. All the things the guys here say about getting the boat down in the water is absolutely true. I've ordered my @jcyamaharider swim deck ballast bag and am really looking forward to seeing the difference it makes (and how much of a hassle it is to move from one side to the other). We figure we'll multi-task - while the integrated system is emptying one side and refilling the other side, whoever is last in the water can switch the wake booster (literally a 2-3 minute job), while one other person can empty the swim deck bag enough to move, then refill it.. I'm guessing about 15 minutes to do a switch over.

My recommendation for getting started without a bunch of plumbing, start with the swim deck bag and an 700-800# bag in the center of the boat along with the wedge or wake booster for deflection. Gantlin products has the bags and the right pump on their
website.

Great post, well posts! And great advice.

I also have a Wakemakers custom ballast system w/ similar design, 4 pumps.
After adding the Gatlin swim deck bag we usually use that and center locker, that’s it, plus the Wedge. We are lucky we are (mostly) all regular (well, except our youngest 12yo, who we just bully to do what we do, lol) (kidding of course!)

But seriously, with our setup switching sides is a major PIA, Re-training is easier, lol.

—

 

[Levi Weatherford]

I ordered mine beginning of December. Just heard the new... new... new delivery date is end of this week. We will see. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I got the call last Thursday(May 30th) morning that my kit was in. The dealer had just received four 21' kits and four 24' kits. I immediately dropped what I was doing and drove 2 hours to pick mine up. I have only been calling monthly for about a year making sure I was "on the list".

 

[JasonSchoenrock]

Finally got out with the full kit... Yamaha 242 LS with full tank of gas, Gantlin Products @jcyamaharider swim deck ballast bag 1/2 full (350#), 600# under rear seat, 800# center locker with Yamaha Wake Booster + 3 guys on board. Started out goofy, then switched to regular - took about 10 minutes to empty the swim deck bag, transfer ballast from one under-seat to the other, and move the wake booster. Not bad! Great wave we could ski ropeless all day!

 

[Arcadyus]

Finally got out with the full kit... Yamaha 242 LS with full tank of gas, Gantlin Products @jcyamaharider swim deck ballast bag 1/2 full (350#), 600# under rear seat, 800# center locker with Yamaha Wake Booster + 3 guys on board. Started out goofy, then switched to regular - took about 10 minutes to empty the swim deck bag, transfer ballast from one under-seat to the other, and move the wake booster. Not bad! Great wave we could ski ropeless all day!

Sick. Have you ever filled the swim deck ballast up all the way and the ski locker only half way? Curious if you still have all the push.

 

[Scottie]

That's a good looking wave!

Okay, now for the negative part. I WANT to be excited about the WakeBooster, even though it doesn't fit my boat. I feel like I could make one if it were worth the squeeze. I just haven't seen anything where the booster is doing more than cleaning the face. Maybe I've missed it? For comparison, here's my 2013 212x, full swimdeck bag, 400lbs under port seat, and 800lbs in the ski locker, only me (the driver) on the boat, so it should be a similar setup to the video above, except I have the WakeWedge instead of the Wakebooster. I'm just struggling to see the "booster" part of the Wakebooster. It's obviously cleaning the face, which is great, but I don't see anything else. Am I wrong?

 

[Arcadyus]

You always look way more bad ass surfing with a hat on. I this week am looking for a summer surfing hat.

 

[Scottie]

You always look way more bad ass surfing with a hat on. I this week am looking for a summer surfing hat.

Ha! I agree. That's my younger brother. He has to wear a hat, because there's no hair underneath.