Wakesurf behind an Elite Direct Drive

[OrangeStang 0]

I've done some searching and haven't come up with an answer yet:

 

I have a 1999 Elite Direct Drive. I'd like to try doing some wake surfing, and I'm not sure it will work with this boat. The rear portion of the hull is basically flat, and it seems that the good wakesurf boats are V hulled with V Drives.

 

I have two 750lbs fat sacks that I can position, but I was wondering if this will be enough to get a workable wake. My boat also came with a pretty ghetto fabbed manual wake gate that I've since removed because it was a rusty eye-sore, and wasn't doing and wake surfing at the time. Should I give this thing another try?

[CenturionSkier 43]

I would look at getting one the WS-710 Fat Seats for the back of the boat. I used one in my T5 and it helped a lot for getting a bigger WakeBoard wake back in the day. I did not surf at that time so I could not say how it would help on your boat. http://barefootinternational.com/FATSACS.bifh 1525# in the back of the boat. Still might need some more on the side of the boat as well.

 

I have seen some Bennet Trim Tabs installed on the Elite BR. That would be the best way to go in my opinion. At least you could adjust it.

[Nick213 583]

I have a 2005 Elite bow rider ( direct drive ) 400lb in the back compartment with that alone I can surf rope-less I'm gonna add a 750 bag on witch ever side were gonna surf that session so yes your boat is surfuble if you have no ballast put 4 people on the back bench and 3 people sitting on the side you'll be surfing

[DrPringle 10]

i have a 96 direct drive also in victoria i have 800 lbs on the port side and i can surf no problem without rope let me know i could send you some videos over

[knoxcenturion 9]

I have a 99 eclipse that im tryin to do the same. Can get up on the wave but cannot ride wireless yet. Its my goal this summer. Fat sacs and tsunami pump r in the near future.

[knoxcenturion 9]

Dr pringle. Could u send me pics of ur weight set up. I think we have similar boats id like to get some Input

[Elitelou 0]

I have a 2000 elite bowrider dr and have a 750 in the back locker and a 450 for what everside someone surfs. I just got the boat have not tried it yet but the old owner said it did great try that I seen pics of him surfing on this boat it was big!!!

[Nick213 583]

Funny I was discus sing this today let us (me) know how it gos

[Elitelou 0]

I will try it out once water gets a little warmer. If u have the sacs already give it a try if u do a google search and type in 2000 centurion elite bowrider wakesurf it will pop up on Wakeworld .

[mancho 85]

Yes you can surf all day long with that boat. Our 1998 elite the drive does great with 750 pounds in the surf side rear locker, 350 pound bag on the surf side seat. We also have around 200 pounds of lead in the rear and an additional 150 pounds of lead in the bow.

 

This year I'm going to add a 350 pound bag in the walkway, but I may not fill it up all the way.

 

No worries that boat will do great to create a surf-able wake! Did it for almost 140 hours of boating time last year. No gates needed, just some good solid weight. We don't need 3 ppl to sit in the corner w the fat sacs.

[Nick213 583]

Yes you can surf all day long with that boat. Our 1998 elite the drive does great with 750 pounds in the surf side rear locker, 350 pound bag on the surf side seat. We also have around 200 pounds of lead in the rear and an additional 150 pounds of lead in the bow.

 

This year I'm going to add a 350 pound bag in the walkway, but I may not fill it up all the way.

 

No worries that boat will do great to create a surf-able wake! Did it for almost 140 hours of boating time last year. No gates needed, just some good solid weight. We don't need 3 ppl to sit in the corner w the fat sacs.

did you have a problem with the bow and the surf side taking on water last year with 9 people in my boat I would take on water on in those spots

[volzalum 280]

Yes you can surf all day long with that boat. Our 1998 elite the drive does great with 750 pounds in the surf side rear locker, 350 pound bag on the surf side seat. We also have around 200 pounds of lead in the rear and an additional 150 pounds of lead in the bow.

This year I'm going to add a 350 pound bag in the walkway, but I may not fill it up all the way.

No worries that boat will do great to create a surf-able wake! Did it for almost 140 hours of boating time last year. No gates needed, just some good solid weight. We don't need 3 ppl to sit in the corner w the fat sacs.

mancho I, I thought you said yours was a v drive, not a direct drive ... Edited March 27, 2013 by volzalum

[truekaotik 458]

 

mancho I, I thought you said yours was a v drive, not a direct drive ...

your correct, he has a vdrive I thought as well? Edited March 27, 2013 by truekaotik

[mancho 85]

Sorry if I wasn't clear, it's V. Engine is backwards. Walter V and oil is clean enough to drink.

 

W nine in the boat you don't need the seat bag. Yes you'll get water in the boat. Is your rub rail under the water at idle? Ours is about an inch or two above the waterline. Of course the boat is at a pretty extreme angle.

 

Once we're about way surfing, the rope spotter is sitting on the surf corner, and the water is coming essentially over the rub rail and at times slipping in the rear vent on the lid. We know not to slow down fast after the rider falls. This has lead us to install an extreme rear auto bilge pump that exits out non surf side starboard valve.

 

We never have a dry bilge w a heavy day of surfing. My theory is this hull is not what we'd call DEEP. I mean the sales literature from 1998 talks about how the hull produces "no wake" lol

 

The way we acquire water over the bow is when we turn the side of the surfer, which seems more natural but has a bigger wake hitting the front of the bow. So big, that if I don't goose it over the on coming wake, we can dump water over the bow onto the person sitting in the front.

Edited March 27, 2013 by mancho

[RVR-RAT 269]

Sounds like you have it "sunk"pretty well

[Nick213 583]

Everyone in my boat gets freaked out and the wife screams like we're sinking when a 3'er comes over the bow and 6 people jump like jack rabbits from the rear corner when it waterfalls onto them so its a battle and if your not toting 8 other people along I thing we might be weighted about the same this direct drive is killing me but I think I have a descent wake I'm posting vid after are first outing how about we all get vid on the thread so we can figure out the best way