What effect does hull width have on boat wake?

[d_coyne1984]

I am curious if anybody has some expertise on what effects the hull width has on the wake, shape, height, push for water sports. The reason I ask is that I am thinking about moving to a more wake sport dedicated platform in the next year or two and am currently eyeing the Supreme S211 and S224.

S211 Specs:
20'11" Length
102" beam
4,200 lbs (no ballast filled)
Capacity: 12 people

S224 Specs:
22'4" Length
95" beam
3,560 lbs. (no ballast filled)
Capacity: 11 people

I like the longer length for seating space and the lighter weight for towing of the S224, but wonder if the width of the S211 would make for better wakes.

 

[jcyamaharider]

This is taken from someone at supremecrew.com.

" poster qxbuzz:

My 2017 S211 is setup like this: I surf regular (port side)

(Formerly ran 750 pnp bags in rear lockers)

1000lb Sumo bags in rear lockers

500 lb wakeballast steel bags (300 on surf side, 200 non surf side)

Usually anywhere from 2-5 people in the boat

A good starting point would be: (this is for regular surf only)

Quickfill: Port: 100% Stbd: 90%

Rear pnp: Port: 100% Stbd: 90%

Bow bag: 30-40% ( my boat doesn’t have bow tank. If you have the bow hard tank run that full, then add some to the bow bag if needed)

QuickSurf Left: 70

Stinger Plate: 40-60. (The actual number on the Stinger plate is not very accurate from what I have been told due to the software. To achieve 40-60 start with Stinger all the way up at 0, then about 5-6 clicks down will get you 40-60 on the screen.

I have 150 lbs of the wakeballast bags under the Port side pnp bag toward the transom, and 100 lbs under the Stbd side bag placed the same way.

I have 150 lbs in the under seat storage closest the the transom bulkhead on the Port side, and the other 100 in the Stbd under seat storage. The driver offsets the uneven weighting of the bags.

Put all of the people on the surf side.... I have surfed this setup for two seasons now, and can ride all day long ropeless, get airs , 360, you name it. I can surf the entire pocket and can get all the way to the back of the wave with plenty of push.

The S211 and S238 boats will not surf well from the factory, and that is a known fact. They need extra weight to surf well. A lot of other manufacturers are the same way...

I would upload a pic but I can’t figure out how to make the file size small enough to...



Good luck, and hopefully you can get yours to surf well... "

 

[BigAbe75]

Geez, that sounds complicated. Lol!

As to the original question, I would guess that wider is better. But, also, that wider would make the boat more buoyant and so require more added weight. I don’t really know, just my gut reaction... for whatever that’s worth. Lol

 

[jcyamaharider]

It varies. Some brands 21' surfs better then their 24'. So just depends on their hull and wave shaping system and ballast configuration.

 

[OrangeTJ]

I don't think you can look at beam all by itself in this context. At wakeboarding speeds, I believe narrower boats typically produce a somewhat narrower wake at any given rope length & speed. That's not really relevant for wakesurfing. One thing is for sure, though, greater beam is pretty noticeable inside the boat. I'm a little surprised by those dimensions - the longer boat having the narrower beam and lighter dry weight.

 

[octavio3311]

It’s more than just the beam - it’s the entire shape of the hull. Engineers spend a lot of time designing the hull shapes to do what they want - from the bow to stern.
Years ago, it’s was designed to keep water flat for skiers, and designs all changed with wake boarding and now surfing.
With surfing - hull shape, ballast and whatever else they have hanging off - these barges are plowing some water.

 

[haknslash]

Demo both to see how they perform

I'm also surprised by the 224 being lighter! As @OrangeTJ said a few inches of the beam really makes the boat feel larger and more open. The 102" beam on my Max feels realy nice and spacious. A few inches doesn't seem like a lot but it really does make the boat seem much larger compared to 96" beam on my AR192. Just the walkway alone you can see and feel the difference walking into the bow. I'd seriously demo both boats and see how they stack up. Supremes have a nice deep V hull so should ride really nice in the rougher waters. Hardly any dealer support for them or a Centurion here or I would have looked at them more. Let us know how it goes!

 

[d_coyne1984]

I think the S224 is designed to be more of a cross-over ski/wake boat where as the S211 is build with wake sports in mind, hence the lighter weight and narrower beam of the S224. I agree with you guys on how much of a difference beam makes though. I walked away from the Glastron GTS 187 rather quickly after comparing it to the Yamaha (7'6" vs. 8' beam).

 

[Jgorm]

A few inches of beam won't make a bit a difference. Weight is a far bigger driver.