Yamaha surf wake wedge reveal!!! Warning pic heavy

[PEARCE]

I'd be interested in seeing an 06 Sx230 wedge in place without ballast. Once I see that and find me a board this winter on sale and I'll be in.

 

[Volffas]

It looks like a great product, and I can see one on the back of my boat in the future. I think that $800 is reasonable given the limited market of the product.

If you can get your foot in the door at some Yamaha dealers and have them offer it as an aftermarket add on for new and used boats, you may be able to sell a TON of these things. Maybe just a little "kiosk" that can be set up in dealerships with a tv that runs a promotional video on a loop? Webpages thru GoDaddy are easy to set up and cheap. And don't forget advertising on Google and Facebook. (I actually just quickly looked and you can advertise on Facebook to only people who have liked pages relating to Yamaha boats. It shows 28,000 people age 21 and older). Google and Facebook ads are relatively cheap. And a good YouTube channel with some cool surf videos can help promote the product for free! Just some suggestions.

 

[Backwash]

Oh well, will stick with filling bags. $800 is 2 months boat payments for me........

Good Luck!!!

 

[Skysurfer2010]

I'd be interested next year. I've spent too much money this year! Lol. Looks like an awesome product! Can't wait to see it on a 24' boat without ballast.

 

[BigN8]

There seems to be a big disparity between the hardware on the wedge and the hardware on the swim ladder. The actual wedge seems designed to withstand the pressure based on the size and dia. of the hardware, but you are relying on a swim ladder brace that is a fraction of the thickness, and much less securement. You think this will be an issue? Should the swim ladder be beefed up?

Also, if I buy one of these, does it mean I don't need to install bags? I'm interested since I was just looking at setting up the boat with 3 ballast bags (aft port, ski locker, and bow). Or is it recommended to have this thing plus bags?

 

[Julian]

I couple of diagrams of what the wake wedge does are in order I think. They described it to me at Shelbyville...so here is my take...

The wedge forces the jet nozzle wash down rather than straight back. This prevents the jet wash from messing up the wake size and shape created by the boat. If you have no ballast, that wake will be small, but still "un mollested" by the jet wash. The more ballast you add, the bigger the wave will become.

 

[ar240owner]

Correct !!!

 

[davel501]

So the wedge quiets the spray from a single jet or both?

 

[JC6275]

It looks really cool, and seems to function well also. Good luck with getting the paten secured, and marketing. I am surprised there isn't a link in the vendor section already, at least for the models you have already tested and made. A CNC etched logo would look cool on it to. Maybe a wedge shape outline with the words" wake wedge " starting big and getting smaller inside.

 

[ar240owner]

So the wedge quiets the spray from a single jet or both?

Single , which ever side you are surfing

 

[lashburn1]

I am amused by the fact that some people as Gasping at the $800 price Tag for this option....
....$800 is the Price for 1 (of 4) Tower Speakers in a New Tow Boat from the factory...That, is what a Bad deal is...

The market for Surfing behind a Yamaha is going to be Small, and the Desire for a Wake like this smaller still.

At $800 these guys are likely to get there Money back for R&D and Gas Money for a Few Seasons....If everyone buys one that likes to Surf...

$800 is a fare deal, If you LIKE to Surf and have Tried to duplicate the Wake of a Dedicated Surf Boat.
This is THE CLEANEST wake I have seen in ANY Yamaha photo, and it truly looks like one from a Purpose Built Surf Boat.

I applaud them for Caring enough to do what not even Yamaha has bothered to in this growing segment of WaterSports.

Good luck to both of you, and thanks for your contribution to the Jet Boat Forum

 

[Bruce]

The wedge forces the jet nozzle wash down rather than straight back. This prevents the jet wash from messing up the wake size and shape created by the boat. If you have no ballast, that wake will be small, but still "un mollested" by the jet wash. The more ballast you add, the bigger the wave will become.

Is the benefit limited to cleaning up the jet wash? I assumed it was a giant trim tab pushing that side up and the other side down?

 

[txav8r]

I suspect it is the opposite of a "trim tab" @Bruce . The wedge keeps the jet wash from "washing" out the wake on the side it is on, but it also forces the jet flow down and around the wedge, so that actually adds shape and height to the wake behind the boat. If you were to build the wedge deeper below the hull line, could you eliminate the need for ballast to a degree? Like anything I guess, there is a point of diminishing return and has to be a sweet spot to it. I wonder in the future, if you could add either a hydraulic or electric pushrod to tune the wake while moving? I must commend as others have...great ingenuity! As an easily removable device, without damage or alteration to the boat, I might like the idea in the future for my boat...if I don't have to add ballast. The ballast thing is the more complicated and expensive part IMO. It involves moving the batteries, plumbing, hull penetrations, and stress on the boat. I think that extra weight in the places where it needs to be to sink the hull lower, certainly puts strain on the hull seams and joinery. If you can do this without or with less stress, and I accept that any wake shaper will add stress to any boat, that is the ticket! Congrats to you guys for thinking outside the box and bringing this to our boats!

 

[farrelltravis]

Ballast are not my concerns. My concerns would be that I am currently towerless.

 

[txav8r]

Ballast are not my concerns. My concerns would be that I am currently towerless.

That is a very good point, and one that I missed completely.

 

[farrelltravis]

For me, the order of necessities for wakesurfing would be:

1 - Tower
2 - This Device
3 - Ballast

 

[lashburn1]

Ballast are not my concerns. My concerns would be that I am currently towerless.

Unlike Wake Boarding...You do NOT "Need" a Tower for Surfing....the Rope is only held for a Minute ...then u let go...

 

[ar240owner]

We surfed behind a sx190 with no tower , is it harder to get up , yes , can it be done , yes

 

[jetboater4life]

That is a very good point, and one that I missed completely.

You don't need a tower to surf. Wakeboarding yes surfing no.

 

[farrelltravis]

@lashburn1 I have had several wakeboarders have no problem getting up without a tower on my boat. However, I haven't had any wakesurfers get up behind my boat without a tower. Are other non-towered boats not having the same results?