7 minute read
Wakesport Makeover
Transform any boring old boat into a wakesport machine.
BY ZENON BILAS
Specialized wakesport boats offer the ultimate tow characteristics for wakeboarders, wakesurfers and waterskiers alike. But a few accessories can dramatically enhance the tow-abilities of virtually any boat, whether it be a runabout, deckboat, fishing boat, sport jet or pontoon.
Boat add-ons can assist in four areas: They can help the driver operate more safely and proficiently; help the driver maintain an accurate speed; provide stable towing; and improve wake size. The driver’s skill impacts the person in tow’s safety, success and fun.
Mirrors
The mirror is a crucial accessory for towing wakesports. This accessory allows the driver to keep an eye on the person behind the boat along with any boating traffic while still facing forward. All drivers should use a mirror when towing anyone behind the boat. A mirror has been a standard feature on specialized wakesport boats for 60 years. Today after-market mirrors are available for all boats, even center console boats, pontoons and PWC.
After-market mirrors usually provide 100 to 140 degrees of view. Manufacturers achieve a wider rear view by increasing the width of the mirror and utilizing a convex design. The wider the view, the easier it is for the driver to see the person in tow as he or she swings out to the side of the boat. More expensive mirrors typically offer higher quality glass for a sharper, more detailed view.
Mirrors can be attached to the windshield frame, deck near the helm, tubing on a wakeboard tower or the hardtop on a center console T-top. Place the mirror near the driver toward the center of the boat, so that the driver has a symmetrical rear view. Placing the mirror on the windshield above the passengers’ heads gives the driver an unobstructed view.
Rear-facing mirrors positioned near the driver help them keep an eye on people being towed behind the boat.
Boaters can add either a GPS speedometer like the Livorsi Speedometer (top) or download a GPS speed app (below) to improve speed consistency. Another add-on to improve towability is a tow pylon, such as the Turboswing (right), which is arched to fi t around outboard engines, or the Barefoot International removable pylon (bottom).
Accurate speed
Accurate, consistent speed is important to all wakesport enthusiasts. Inconsistent speed can result in falls while waterskiing and wakeboarding. Specialized inboard wakesport boats such as Malibu, Nautique, Supra, Tige and Mastercraft feature a GPS-controlled computer for exact, consistent speed to 1/10 mph. Speed control is a feature also available on some of the MerCruiser and Volvo Penta sterndrive-powered boats, some Mercury outboards and some sport jetboats.
In other boats, a GPS speedometer will help the driver to provide a more accurate, consistent speed. Most boats come with a speedometer that measures speed by water pressure going through a pitot tube pickup mounted at the base of the transom; however, they are not always consistent and can clog. After-market GPS speedometers are available to fit the helm of any boat. Choose a GPS speedometer with an easy-to-read face that updates with satellite frequently. The better GPS speedometers can update as frequently as 10 times per second. If you don’t want to add a GPS speedometer, you can download a free or inexpensive GPS speed app to your smartphone. Some apps even provide exact speed to 1/10 mph. Smartphone holders attach to the boat’s dash or windshield via a suction cup. Place the smartphone for the best driver visibility for your particular boat. Either GPS option will give you accurate, consistent speed and enhanced sensitivity to the throttle when holding speed, accelerating or decelerating. This will make you a better driver, which in turn results in a better and safer experience for the person behind the boat.
Tow point
Where you attach the tow line to your boat affects your performance, no matter your ability level or which wakesport discipline you prefer.
Some boats have a tow eye at the center of the transom just above the swim platform and all boats
have a U-shaped eye on each side of the transom. You can attach an inexpensive harness to the port and starboard transom eyes and then attach a wakesport tow line to the center point of the harness. The transom is a very solid tow point for pulling tubers, but the pull is very low, causing the line to sometimes drag in the water. The low pull also makes it harder for waterskiers and wakeboarders to get on top of the water. And once you are up on a waterski or wakeboard, you will feel a downward pull.
A higher tow point can be achieved by adding a tow pylon to the boat. This can be a tow hitch that attaches permanently to the deck of the transom or a removable pylon that attaches to the boat’s floor and features two arms for added strength. Some pylons are designed in an arch shape, making them ideal for outboard-powered boats, such as pontoons.
A wakeboard tower moves the tow point even higher. The tower makes it easier for wakeboarders to get air when jumping the boat’s wake or doing tricks. The upward pull of a tower makes getting up on a waterski, wakeboard and even barefoot easier.
Whether a pylon or a tower, the tow point should be solid. An unstable tow point results in a shaky, inconsistent pull. This is why you should never attach the tow line to the cleat. When choosing an after-market pylon or tower, make sure it’s sturdy and made of solid materials. A pylon or tower that features a swiveling tow point will help keep the line from fraying. Finally, make sure it’s installed properly and reinforced at the mounting points when possible.
Wake size
The size of the boat’s wake is a key element for wakesports. For waterskiing, barefooting and tubing, a smaller wake is preferable, while a larger wake is ideal for wakeboarding and wakesurfing. Specialized inboard wakesport boats feature ballast
Ballast bags, like the FATSAC (to the right), are great aftermarket add-ons for sculpting the perfect wake.
tanks below deck. To create a bigger wake, electric pumps fill these tanks with lake water. With more weight, the hull rides deeper, creating a larger wake. For other boats, after-market ballast bladders are available in various sizes, holding 155 to 1,100 pounds of water, also filled with lake water using an electric pump.
These bladders come in a variety of shapes to fit specific compartments, such as the storage section on each side of a V-drive or sterndrive engine, on deck at the aft cockpit, belowdeck storage such as port and starboard fish lockers, midship ski locker and bow seating. When adding ballast, keep in mind that the combined total weight of passengers, equipment and ballast should never exceed the boat’s weight capacity.
Initially, adding ballast to the stern is the best way to increase the wake’s size. Start by placing a ballast bladder in the storage compartment on each side of the engine or by placing a larger tube-shaped bladder width-wise along the aft cockpit floor. However, to create an ideal wake for a wakeboard rider 60, 70 or 80 feet behind 70 or 80 feet behind the boat, the entire hull needs the boat, the entire hull needs to ride deeper in the water. To accomplish to ride deeper in the water. To accomplish this, place ballast and passengers throughout the boat from stern to midship to bow. Though the bulk of the weight should be in the stern, the bow should not rise to the point where it obstructs the driver’s view. With a properly ballasted boat, the bow should ride at or near the same angle as without ballast. Make sure the weight is equal on the port and starboard sides so the boat’s wake is level and symmetrical for wakeboarding. Always empty the ballast before placing the boat on a lift or trailer, and dry ballast bladders before using them on another body of water.
Adding one or more of these accessories to your boat will greatly enhance its wakesports performance for maximum fun and safety. ★
After-Market Add-On List
MIRRORS
PTMEDGE.COM CIPAUSA.COM ATTWOODMARINE.COM ROSWELLMARINE.COM
SPEED Speed Control
ZEROGPS.COM PERFECTPASS.COM
GPS Speedometers
LIVORSI.COM FARIABEEDE.COM
TOW POINT Pylons
TURBOSWING.COM ATTWOODMARINE.COM BAREFOOT INTERNATIONAL .COM
Towers
MONSTERTOWER.COM ROSWELLMARINE.COM
BALLAST
