at risk of Panda (an honor I'm told)...a surf question

[6balls]

Short of extreme measures, can any decent slalom tug be surf-able? Say a mid 2000's Response Lxi with a wedge? Drop the wedge put a pile of people on one side does that work?

 

I ski buoys at our ski swamp with a 196, have a Centurion outboard on our public lake which mostly satisifies it's missions. There is a course on our public lake, though, and our lake is not that busy. I'm toying with a used inboard for the public lake so I can get a few more sets per summer but I don't want to spend for the latest hulls--if I did that I would put it at the ski swamp.

 

My daughter surfs a friends boat when they are at their cabin and available, which isn't all that often. No way I'm buying a surf-pig.

 

Saw a local '05 Response Lxi in super shape with the 383 hammerhead (I'm a gear head) and wedge. Surf-able? There's things I don't like about that boat--mostly driver ergonomics but would put up with that for a fast boat that could be used in the buoys if it could also be surfed.

 

THX all.

[Horton]

http://media.tumblr.com/fe497dd337d9af8479bb6398b9565d16/tumblr_inline_mg6n5ltl6X1rxe4lt.gif

http://media.tumblr.com/fe497dd337d9af8479bb6398b9565d16/tumblr_inline_mg6n5ltl6X1rxe4lt.gif

http://media.tumblr.com/fe497dd337d9af8479bb6398b9565d16/tumblr_inline_mg6n5ltl6X1rxe4lt.gif

 

[Hockdog]

Well, there's your answer.

[Horton]

@6balls Yes I am sure wake surfing is a ton of fun. This forum is a success because it stays "mostly" focused on slalom and 3 event skiing. Now that you have your triple Panda, carry on and someone will answer your question.

[thager]

Had I only known it was that easy to get a Panda! @Horton is getting soft and poly around the middle. Well done @6balls!

[LoopSki]

I have no experience with them but I have seen many wake shaper systems that attach to the hull by suction. There is a video with a new prostar producing a decent wave somewhere on the dark web.

[LoopSki]

[6balls]

@horton wow I didn't expect a triple...I feel like I just PB'd!

 

Having said that I'm trying to figure out how to get more buoy sets which is very BOS...but also trying to satisfy some other family fun. I realize it may simply not be possible and that's ok, too.

 

I do love that Panda's laugh.

 

@brooks how much weight in the prostar for that video and where placed? Thoughts on mid 2000's Lxi, wedge, some weight and a wake shaper? As noted above this is not as simple as do I buy a wake shaper...it's whether or not I buy a boat and a wake shaper, and some ballast, and also ski it running buoys when it's got none of the above in, deployed, or attached.

 

THX again all....especially to Horton for the PB.

[LoopSki]

If it's a specific Malibu question , I would ask on themalibucrew.com. But yes you would need ballast as well.

[bigskieridaho]

@6balls I have a 2009 Response. 150lbs in the front ski locker, 350 across the back, and 350 on the left side of the motor box toward the back. Wedge down. Surf gates work well also. My boat surfs awesome with that setup. And a triple panda? That’s bulls**t. Once again closed minded slalom community. You’re welcome

[Wish]

Also depends on the surf board. With some passengers in the back, no extra weight or wake shaper, my daughter and her friends surfed a long board off my 196 no problem. Not as manuverable but fun for them. Triple panda...I am jealous.

[Than_Bogan]

So now you just ask for a panda and you get three!??

 

It's hyperpandaflation!

[Bulldog]

I have a 2005 Malibu Sportster LX with a wedge and it is surfable with the wedge down and a couple of people sitting in one rear corner. The wave is not HUGE but definitely surfable. Congratulations on the triple panda!! @6balls

[Intheday]

2001 Malibu Response, we surfed rope free with the wedge down and couple people in the back corner. Used and old HO directional wakeboard/skurfer for the board. Both my son and mate who surfed are quite light. Can be done but very close to the boat and easy to get out of the wave.

 

[braindamage]

Just make sure you don't have a stepped transom. I have an '00 sunsetter lxi with a stepped transom and the swim platform wrecks the wave.

[colo_skier]

@6balls Here is a picture of me Wakesurfing behind my Hammerheaded 2007 LXI with a surf gate. Plenty of surf wake. The picture was taken with the wedge down and a fat sack in the rear. No need to weight one side of the boat when using the surf gate. This was the 1st attempt with the surf gate it was to cold to tune the wave that day but definitely plenty of surf potential for a ski tug.

 

[Kdinger838]

Bit of a loaded question. You can hypothetically surf behind anything. Will it have the wave and push of an actual surf boat? no. Behind a 200 (not a 200V) with a mission delta wake shaper and a longer board with a lot of tail surface area and any weight you can find will give you a swell you can play on. Don't expect to let go of the rope though.

 

[6balls]

@colo_skier thanks and @Kdinger838 I get it...but I'm not buying a surf boat (or even a V) no way no how.

[Kdinger838]

@6balls best to just have access to a friends for those few times

[colo_skier]

We normally can surf behind without the rope. I hadn’t surfed in 2 years and was just seeing about the effect of the wave shaper without a weighted side. I am sure if we spent more time tuning the wave it would sharpen up. BTW this was with only 2 people in the boat and 1 700 lb fat sac. For the skiers at our lake this is wake enough. BTW 11.5 mph seems to be the best speed for our set-up

[theboardingschool]

You should be good with a wake shaper and one extra sack. I've been trying to get MasterCraft to add Gen 2 to the ProStar for years, but everyone just laughs at me. Honestly, I think it's the perfect combo.

 

The wakes are so clean at slower speeds on ski boats, that it doesn't take too much to get a surfable wave.

[swc5150]

@6balls

LOL, welcome to the club!

[jimbrake]

@6balls - you mean a WAKEsurf question. So you don't have an actual surf question, then? Dang, you got me all excited.

[KRoundy]

That is a well-deserved tri-panda. :smiley:

[escmanaze]

Big enough board and some skills and you can surf any boat - including a boston whaler.

 

 

There was a video a few years back of @MarcusBrown surfing a prostar right about the time it came out. However, I can't find it anymore. Don't know where it went.

[lakeaustinskier]

@6balls I've been purposefully avoiding this thread because I just bought a GS20. I'm moving my 200 out to the ski lake and selling my 196 (anyone interested?)

 

I went over to the dark side because my kids don't have the time or quite frankly the desire to 3-event (they hate it). Just because you have a passion doesn't mean your kids share that passion.

 

Since I bought the GS20 my kids have gone out on the darn thing an average of 4/7 days. Last weekend was in the 50's with some wind - no heater tops. Bonus since my wife loves it.

 

Yes, I deserve any abuse that might come my way but my kids will be grown and gone before I blink and this helps.

[swc5150]

@lakeaustinskier

No abuse deserved whatsoever. Not quite the same thing, but the space and open bow capability is why we bought a Prostar this year (from a 196). My girls are so happy being able to chill in the bow and soak up sun, and having the space to bring friends along. If they end up wanting to surf, I'd be happy to screw a Gen 2 to the hull. I waste away enough of my time working and being away from them, so I'm down with whatever makes them happy on the water, where we play as a family.

[6balls]

@jimbrake yes wake surf sorry...I don't live anywhere I can surf.

 

For @theboardingschool...Looked at gen2, my buddy has a recent MC surf boat and despite all the bells n whistles sometimes has trouble kicking the right wake and riders fall off. Geez he’s got 2500 or more in ballast plus tabs plus people in the boat would seem it should be a no brainer. Lots of cockpit adjusting. Perhaps he doesn’t understand the system well enough??

 

I'm down for whatever makes me burn more boat gas with the family...so long as I can clean up the hull/ballast to run buoys and maybe barefoot a bit. I'm not willing to compromise a lot on slalom wake.

 

Even on our public lake we have myself and one other skier capable of buoys at 39 and another getting some at 35. There are many times I have the time and a partner to ski buoys on the public lake...it's glass and no one out there...but an outboard sits on my public lake lift...and the guy with a new Txi doesn't exactly leave his keys in it for us and travels for business a lot. If I could have some more buoy time AND my kids/kids friends could surf without resorting to a windsurf sized board that would be cool.

[UWSkier]

This is a 2003 Response LXi. One of the finest, most versatile hulls ever put to water. You'd need to be very very careful of the bow, but it's definitely surfable.