MONSTER WAKE SURF WAVES 2020 - WITH WAVE HACK - 2008 BOAT USED!

You may have seen our Monster Wave video from a couple years ago. We ramped it up for 2020 by showing you a couple tweaks I've done to make the VLX wave better and even through in a hack we tried. Half the fun for me is dialing in waves. We've been able to get a great wave out of this 2008 Malibu VLX. I thought I had reached the max, but in 2020, we got some more out of it. If you like these videos subscribe and click the bell icon.

[@rcarduino]

Great that you tried this, said on your last video I might try a stick on gate just for more tuning options but this really makes the case and again like you say half the fun is in the experimenting

[@markmay699]

Awesome video! I love it when people are willing to try new techniques on older boats to improve the wave. It definitely beats plopping big $$$ down on a new wakeboard boat. Keep it up👍🏻.

[@ryanv3035]

When Malibu releases a mid ship surfgate on their 2022 boats you should get royalties.

[@btuff]

I'll settle for a boat

[@EricWebster]

I love the passion bro.

[@jimmycoleson9700]

Thanks for the review!!! I have the original swell and have though of upgrading to the newest one. this vid is helping me decide to pull the trigger and maybe run both. 2006 Outback V.

[@rcarduino]

Thumbs up for another Outback V

[@tylerstrop3444]

Billy thats a hella good wave bro !! Looks like a ton of fun . Thinking of trying this on the Moomba . My thoughts were the same , never tried because figured there was no use....well we gonna find out!! Get back to the cabin already !! B cool brotha

[@wakelifeassociation4993]

Dude we’ve got a 06 SAN 210 2 750 bags in rear lockers 600 in bow piggybacked to my factory belly tank..I need about 300-400 on the side on my boat but I’ll have to find a place for it..wife already complains about no storage lmao but it throws a pretty good wave especially for a 21ft light boat..I’m going to try to two gates to see what it’ll do with mine..thanks for the info bro love your channel you help out a lot coming all the way from Alabama lol

[@kennethhoward6610]

You may have just saved me from selling my ‘06 Moomba Outback V to search for a bigger/heavier boat in order to get the wave I want. I already have a new Swell shaper so instead of trying the surf-mode product I’m just going to buy another Swell and try this out as this looks to deliver the same results which is to cock your boat angle as it passes through the water and use your hull to create the wave as much as the ballast itself. I have the bigger engine option but may upgrade the prop as well to offset the added drag and help get it out of the hole. Thanks again and looking forward to seeing the results.

[@btuff]

Let me know how it turns out.

[@dallastatlow]

They also recommend dumping some of the weight after you install their double wing set up. Better wave, less weight

[@grantgibson502]

Great video! I run a very similar set up in my 06 23 lsv. Have you ever tried running with no weight in the bow, no wedge, and a little faster speed? I run 900 in each locker and the factory 200s completely full in each locker. About 200-300 under the back corner surf side, and the center 500 full. And no weight at all in the front. Perfect pass at 12.0 but I don’t think that’s accurate. I also run with about 8+ people in the boat with no one in the front. That’s the best wave I’ve had and done a lot of tinkering over the last 5 years. It seems like without the weight in the front I can have a taller wave with more push and then mellow it out and lengthen it with adding speed. I also have a bigger prop which is a must with that set up.

[@GearsAndTech]

Ill whip up another suck gate this week and try 2 on my boat this weekend.

[@rickalford1833]

2007 LSV 950 hrs- your boat looks like mine!! - definitely adding bags now!! Please give advice on bags, installation - experience on what I know now !!

[@btuff]

Wakemakers has the piggyback system for your boat.

[@redlite7redlite710]

@BTUFF have you continued to run 2 wakeshapers?! Have you experimented further on placement / size? I saw someone talked about the surf.mode shapers in your comments. Did a little research on their system, angles the boat about 4degrees. They claim you can use significantly less ballast (explains why your boat had a hard time getting up to speed).

[@thejalderman]

Is that lake Kaweah? Awesome video by the way man. I’m getting excited to find a boat and save some money

[@chassdesk]

I forgot about this wave hack ❤cheers

[@colinlogan1229]

Do you need a wedge to be able to surf with the suck gate? Or can you use a suck gate on a boat that doesn’t have a wedge?

[@goodmatt78]

Which rotation setting you using on the H3x+?

[@TheJ0n28]

Do you have a stock tank up front? If not do you run a fat sac under the seats? Or just on top? Thanks dude looking good! 🤙

[@scooterkid5806]

Great vids and ideas. I have the exact same boat and have been having issues With the boat dying at idle when loading the boat (with not nearly as much weight as you’ve put in, just 400 lbs extra in one side) We get it listed And going, great wake and at 30 minutes of surfing It does when idling and won’t start again till it’s rested. Switched out all kinds of stuff and mechanic claims Indmar believes it’s because we could be backing up the exhaust and causing it to stall. Any issues or workarounds you’ve found for this

[@steveg3277]

What prop do you have on your boat? I'm curious if the stock 537 would be enough with 2 gates. I run the same original setup you had on my 05 but with FAE and I feel it struggles at times to keep speed.

[@btuff]

2315

[@raylauritzen1101]

Where did you get those sweet tower board rack? It’s really hard to find bolt on racks for the illusion X tower.

[@btuff]

I found a set on Ebay. I have a spare set but I know the day I sell them I will lose one. lol

[@Fiat_no_future]

Haha Millerton is 10 minutes for me. Central Cali 👊

[@sambinger8329]

Yessir

[@stephennovak3975]

Love your boat set up. Just got a 2008 VLX as well. Where did you pick up those black pads right behind the tower near the storage lockers? Great idea

[@btuff]

I think they came with it.

[@martinespinosa]

Worked for me too!

[@steveg3277]

How is the newer adjustable Swell you are using on the back setup. Have you tried to play with it to see differences or is it basically the same result as the original Swell. Thinking to get a second gate based on this vid and trying to decide if the new one is worth it

[@btuff]

The rotation of the gate is the best feature. I mean so is pulling the gate longer. It's a better design.

[@tysonfulford9864]

You should check out some supra boats from California marine sports when your ready to upgrade

[@RyanAndreyka]

Hello, we have the same exact boat as you but only the factory ballast. Should we run all of the ballast full + the wedge down + the surf gate mid level like you have it here? Or should we only run the factory front, center, and surf side + wedge + surf gate mid level? We have not purchased any extra ballast yet and not sure if we need it.

[@btuff]

Run everything full but you’ll need more weight for wave. Get one in lr compartment.

[@RyanAndreyka]

@@btuff Ok I will add one for Left Rear, what weight sack do you recommend?

[@tyscarry3845]

Man millerton lake is my home man, sorry you used the wrong ramp. Lol the other side has 4 ramps and they are huge

[@Jeremiahp27]

Was just asking about this on the TMC forum (maybe where you got the idea?) . Thanks for the demo. Curious how much more challenging the steering was on the boat vs just 1 gate?

[@btuff]

I didn't see that, but I'm sure people have thought about it.

[@Jeremiahp27]

@@btuff what about the steering?

[@btuff]

No change

[@dlynamR8]

Hey! Thanks for thid video. Just picked up an 08 v-ride last year and installed two bags in the back also have about 800 more lbs in the mid/front. Bought a second gate, but wondering what speed you are going here? Weve been playing with it and small changes make a big difference! Also, i feel like our midle gate needs to be pretty far back to be in the water and not throw a roster tail of water into the boat. (Using the same swell as you did in this vid)

[@btuff]

11.1-11.3 is optimum

[@thebikestable8066]

What’s the intro song? Killer wave bro

[@brianpromma]

What is the song you cued up at 0:49?

[@jamesgreen987]

what factory ballasts do you use and have on you vlx when you surf?do you use factory front center and rear locker ballasts plus the bags?

[@btuff]

No center bag. Locker bag. about 400lbs. Two 900s in read. About 1/2 filled in non surf side.

[@jamesgreen987]

@@btuff you dont fill factory ballasts at all?

[@jamesgreen987]

Trying to get my 2008 lsv 247 to throw a good surf wave thanks for the help and the videos

[@btuff]

@@jamesgreen987 yea, the piggy back system fills those up first. Everything in the boat is full.

[@slavalap7435]

I have same malibu 2006 vlx, manual wedge, did similar amount of fat sacks, I don’t get this big wave, and not as much push on the wave

[@crmguerilla5364]

What is the song/band in this video? Anyone know?

[@wakelifeassociation4993]

Hey man how much difference does the wedge make? Iv got a 04 vlx with the manual wedge so it’s only up or down no in between..I was thinking of making it where I can manually adjust it into several different positions.do you think it is worth it to do that?

[@btuff]

A lot. When I don't have it down it sucks. It feels like something is broken. When I realize I don't have it down, it comes to life.

[@wakelifeassociation4993]

I’m going to make something to where mine is adjustable I can tell a huge difference in push just with it in the down position.i couldn’t imagine if I could bring it up alittle from all the way down

[@wakelifeassociation4993]

Dude I’m so amazed at how much push the Malibu has as compaired to our old 06 super air.the super air had some weight to it my 04 vlx is running stock mls with 400lbs of lead iv been moving around to get my pitch and roll where I want it but man there is no comparison the wave on the Nautique was bigger but didn’t have much push the vlx has so much mush I ride a 5’3 broadcast and I had to swap up to my old skim board my sons been using a 4’4 coax just to stop my back leg from cramping up lol I’m so excited to get some real weight in the boat this winter bro,I’m a Malibu guy from here on out.thanks for the bad ass videos and quick replies man that’s awesome

[@btuff]

@@wakelifeassociation4993 I agree, crazy good hull design.

[@rcarduino]

Hi. What changed in the newer boats that they don’t need to be listed ?

[@btuff]

I’m not really sure, I’ve just heard people say they don’t need to be. My buddies g23 still runs 900 in lr

[@rcarduino]

@@btuff We usually only have my wife and two young kids onboard so never had the chance to experiment with moving people around. I always noticed the family got a better wake than me so made some static ballast bags that I could move to surf side in place of my weight. This set up lists the boat about 7% at a guess. Also noticed that for listing, its not so much about the total weight, but where it is, a 30lb bag of static ballast as far out on the surf side as possible makes a big difference vs just on the seat. I have been thinking about making something I can hang on the tower over the side of the boat to maximise the effect.

[@markmay699]

Newer boats use some form of surf gate (Malibu) or surf tabs (Nautique uses the Nautique Surf System, Mastercraft uses the Gen 2 Surf System, Tige’ uses TAPs 3T) that deploy on the back of the boat to yaw and slightly list the boat to enhance the surf wave. All surf boat builders went to this design so that riders could switch from side to side in seconds instead of minutes with boats that used the listed technique.

[@jujulepew]

whats your mpg while wakesurfing with that much ballast?

[@btuff]

11.2

[@georgewhite1450]

Where did you get the idea for two sick gates?

[@btuff]

Because I had two of them when I got the new swell. I didn’t think it work. One of them is the older version. I figured people had wondered about it and ive never seen a video on it so we did it.

[@georgewhite1450]

BTUFF I thought maybe you saw my comment on your video when you reviewed the new swell shaper

[@hise53]

Do you recommend the surf gate to boats that are not designed to create waves or is it a waste of money? I have a 2008 and wanted to try to surf behind it.

[@btuff]

I have a 2008

[@hise53]

BTUFF sorry it’s a 2008 dual motor Yamaha jet

[@btuff]

@@hise53 That might be tough because you have to load it down with weight. You may be able to get something to surf on tho, I don't think it will be big though. I've seen people surging behind pontoons so you can't count anything out.

[@hise53]

BTUFF yea I was thinking the same but don’t want to waste $300 on something that is not going to work

[@aviralchauhan1161]

hise53 if there’s no prop under the boat, the surf gates usually don’t work, I’ve seen Yamaha come out with their own surf system which u attach under the swim deck, I saw a video on it a little while ago, I also heard that listing the boat heavily and then letting off the surf side throttle once you plane helps clean some of the wash on those boys

[@jasonrobertson5705]

Good job I run similar system to you 2014 supreme 232 with 1200 factory ballast and 2 600lb bags. I built my own suckgate and ride goofy . Ps I’m 6’6” 345lbs. My wave competes with new boats. 2-300k get real

[@motobuffalo7990]

Try to put a wave shaper on both sides

[@btuff]

Maybe one under the boat

[@blakeeckel5056]

How do you only have 376 hours on an '08?? My '17 MC is already at 250 lmao