FI21 ballast set up.

[Mgoncalves914 6]

Hello All.  Looking to see who out there has spent time tuning an FI 21 surf wave.  Going to be getting one in the next few weeks.  Are you using lead? Should I get the transom bag?  What are your settings?  60+% of the time its just my son and I while he practices.  Also I'll take opinions on some options stinger vs silent stinger?  How much quieter is it?  Ski pylon? (I dont need it, but will avg buyer want it?)  What prop? I'm not at elevation.  Only surf, but dont want to be racing the engine to go 20-25mph.   

[InfinitySurf 302]

I would get all the ballast options including transom. Better to have it and possibly not need it, its also probably cheaper to get it added upfront. I rode behind an FI21 last summer over Fathers Day weekend at Lake Norris, TN and it had an awesome surf wave. No lead on the boat but we had 6 adults that day (not sure if they had the transom bag or not). One of the guys surfing it was 250+ and had no issues at all, it was a killer surf wave, never would have known we were on a smaller boat. Did seem to like rear weight bias without any bow weight like my SV244, have heard that is due to the design of the opti-v hull. I cant help on the settings since we were doing a demo and I don't remember. WakeBallast.com has lead and offers 15% off on all their products using discount code: "centurion-crew". Great group of guys with excellent customer service and products. I also highly recommend the 4" seat riser, especially since the FI likes rear weight bias so you will be running with bow a little higher. I added it to my boat recently and love that I no longer need to use the bolster (I didn't have to use bolster to see over bow but prefer to sit looking over windshield to be fully aware of all other boat traffic since some people are not paying attention like they should). More comfortable to use full seat rather than the bolster.

I would get the silent stinger for sure. I put FAE on my boat and it made a huge difference, not only way quieter which allowed surfer and passengers to easily talk to each other but also surfer can easily hear stereo without having the music at real high levels. (wasnt that bad before but you can literally hear the water splashing against the hull when driving rather than engine). Besides those benefits, I think that is an option that most will want at resale as well since there are other benefits and reduces the exhaust/CO coming out in front of surfer and fact that I have kids was also a reason I added FAE to my boat. Silent stinger is such a nice design!

I don't have an FI but have read on multiple posts that the 13x16 prop is best choice for FI23. Not sure if that is the same for the FI21, someone will likely comment with better info on that. @H20 KING knows the FI boats very well.

I would say the ski pylon is probably a good option for resale since the FI is capable of great surf, wakeboard and ski so future buyer may want that option. (BoardCo has some good video's demonstrating the FI ability....as well as tab settings).

[Mgoncalves914 6]

@InfinitySurf thank you for taking the time.  I actually met and hung out with the wake ballast guys out in Arizona this past fall at a competition.  I'll definitely check out that seat riser.  I'm not tall and spend alot of time driving.  Thanks for the reminder. 

You pretty much confirmed my thoughts on silent stinger, transom bag, and ski pylon.  

Yes, for sure... I've seen all those BoardCo vids.  They do a fantastic job!

Thanks again,

Mike

[euro2012 6]

I'll be picking up my Fi21 in a few weeks as well.  I have all the plug and play bags, as well as 500 lbs of lead from my previous boats to use.  I would love to hear how your setup is going, or hear what other people have already done.  I'll report back once we start using the boat as well.

[h20king 794]

All full but bow sac at 30% quick surf at 85% speed 11.2  -11.7 and trim 40% -65% depending on how you like the wake. Lead is not necessary but 400lbs just make it better 200lbs in the rear 200lbs mid ship

[Mgoncalves914 6]

On 3/29/2019 at 6:59 AM, h20king said:

All full but bow sac at 30% quick surf at 85% speed 11.2  -11.7 and trim 40% -65% depending on how you like the wake. Lead is not necessary but 400lbs just make it better 200lbs in the rear 200lbs mid ship

Thats with the transom bag also?  Do you know how much weight the bow bag is?  If youre not filling it is worth getting vs lead?  

[Mgoncalves914 6]

On 3/29/2019 at 6:59 AM, h20king said:

All full but bow sac at 30% quick surf at 85% speed 11.2  -11.7 and trim 40% -65% depending on how you like the wake. Lead is not necessary but 400lbs just make it better 200lbs in the rear 200lbs mid ship

Also, are you using the 16x13 prop?  Getting standard 409.  Im at 700ft above sea level.

[Mgoncalves914 6]

@H20 KING. See above.

[h20king 794]

Yes 16X 13 prop and transom bag full as well. Bow sack is 500lbs. I feel it's best to get every ballast option available it helps with resale and cuts dow on the amount of extra lead you have in the boat 

Make no mistake  the fi does not need lead but  it is better with it.

[h20king 794]

Fi 21 and 23 you fill the bow bag to 30 - 40%

[Mgoncalves914 6]

On 3/31/2019 at 9:52 PM, h20king said:

Yes 16X 13 prop and transom bag full as well. Bow sack is 500lbs. I feel it's best to get every ballast option available it helps with resale and cuts dow on the amount of extra lead you have in the boat 

Make no mistake  the fi does not need lead but  it is better with it.

@H20 KING Thanks so much again for taking the time.  Changed order to inlude silent stinger and all ballast.  Can't wait for it to be built!

[h20king 794]

6 hours ago, Mgoncalves914 said:

@H20 KING Thanks so much again for taking the time.  Changed order to inlude silent stinger and all ballast.  Can't wait for it to be built!

You are more than welcome. Good choice. It's so much easier and cheaper to mark the boxes when ordering.  Silent stinger is a must you are going to love that boat. The fi21 puts out a super nice wake on par with the 23

[EliteV 1]

ya silent stinger for sure, Lead helps when only two people in boat but not necessary. 

I run the 16x13 prop at sea level but I only surf and  dont go above 21mph because the rpms get pretty high then and fuel consumption goes way up after that. I have a stock prop so if I go to a big lake and dont plan on surfing I can swap em if I want but havent done it yet. I just set the cruise to 20 and do that.. cruise 

[euro2012 6]

I’ve been out on my 2019 Fi21 twice now.  Once surfing and once wakeboarding.  Water here is still 50F so we didn’t stay out too long!

Surfing we just did everything full (pnp and ramfill), surf tab 70, stinger 40 and 11.8 mph.  No lead yet.  With 4 in the boat and 1 surfer, this wave was amazing!  Not sure I need to carry the lead around all the time.

Wakeboarding we went twice, once no weight, once with just ramfill full.  This is the nicest, easy to balance side to side wakeboard wake that I have had (and I’ve had a 2017 G23 and a 2018 Xstar).  I realy couldn’t believe how not finicky it was to balance side to side.  Also very adjustable with the stinger plate from peaky to rampy.  Super impressed.

Our boat came with the 16x15 prop stock.  We are not at elevation (about 1000’), and it performs great.  Did not struggle surfing and cruising 25-28mph is a breeze, still below 4000rpm.  I cannot be happier with this boat!