Axis Wakeboard Boat Forum

Johnnydefacto, my boat doesn't ever turn when I crank my wheel hard right or left after I pull back to neutral coming off plane. (That's awefully close to a power turner ) But for some reason, that motion with the wheel makes the bow drop a bit slower than when I don't and water doesn't come over the bow OR splash up over the transom. You have to be extremely heavy to notice the effect compared to not.

I've tried a couple difference scenarios with the wedge. I've tried for my 10 year old son, no ballast and only wedge, All ballast and no wedge and finally bow ballast only and wedge. The wedge definitely make a big lip on the wake for him.
With my nephew and the other teenagers that ride, we've tried"
full stock ballast (3100lbs) and wedge. Wake was okay, it had a noticeable lip.
full stock ballast plus additional 750# sac on floor and 800lbs on the seats in the bow: wake was huge, rampy and booted the heck out of the riders.
Same weight as above plus the wedge: boat simply wouldn't get on plane. (there were also about 5 or 6 people in the boat so approx. 800-900lbs additional - but same amount of people in the above scenario as well)
I started draining the rear sacs with the switches as we were trying to get on plane and as soon as it got there the riders said it wasn't any better than with out the wedge.

I personally don't like weighting my boat where I can't get the motor up to at least 5000 rpm when I take off. After my nephew complaining, and me explaining that I don't want to risk damage to my motor, we've settled on this:
Full stock ballast. (2) 400# sacs in the bow and one on the floor plus the usual 5 people that go. If it's just 3 of us (2 in the boat and one rider), I'll throw another 400 sac on the floor or do the 750.

no no no, no powerturns. When you come off plane by throwing the shifter into neutral with the wheel remaining straight, the boat stays straight as you let the rollers pass, then you crank the wheel and idle back.... thats the normal way. What I am referring to is coming off plane by throwing the shifter into neutral then immediately crank the wheel all the way to one side. as the rollers hit the transom and pass by, they help spin the boat around a little bit making it a little faster to get turned around to pick up your rider. I have not noticed the added benefit of a slower bow drop, I will have to pay attention next time.

As for the 5K rpm... I never reach that before getting to riding speed, not even at WOT with minimal ballast let alone full ballast. Come to think of it, I have never been to 5k with no ballast at 43 mph WOT. I did see a post by someone who posted on every boat forum I have been to (wakeworld, axis, the malibu crew, and planetnaugtique). It was a lengthy dissertatiion that basically says you should get to full rpm's(4700 or 5000 depending on motor) or else you are destroying your motor. I thought it was very strange how that single post showed up everywhere on the same day. Nevertheless, I have paid attention to rpms when riding on every boat I drive and NONE of them are getting anywhere close to redline (03 nautique, 11 axis, 12 axis a20, 97 air nautique....)

Curious to know if anyone else has noticed this.

I saw that thread too, I'm at about 3750-3850 with the weight I run at WOT, on my 335 with HA prop...so I think I'm good

haha, I remember that thread about maximum RPM as well. I think there is SOME truth to it, but no, I don't believe you can EVER get to maximum rated RPM when WOT, weighted or not. But I don't like seeing only 3500 at wot either.

With the weight I describe, I'm initially around 4000 then it slowly increases to about 4900-5000 right before it finally planes out. I think the LS3 is rated for max 5500 rpm?

im with Otown.. I think I am around 3500 WOT when getting to plane...