Wakeboarding for Beginners

Ballast Weighting

Synopsis: Want to increase the size of your wake? You need some ballast! Covers different weighting systems, solid vs. water ballast, and safety.

I love getting high. No, not that kind of high. This kind of high. High up in the air. High up out of the water.

Good technique will only get you so far with a small wake. When I first started wakeboarding, I was riding behind a Mastercraft ProStar 190. That boat is made for one thing: competition skiing. Unfortunately, water-skiing and wakeboarding are diametric when it comes to the wake.

Skiers want to eliminate the wake. Wakeboarders want to maximize it. The wake is your "ramp." The bigger the ramp (and the better shaped it is), the higher you can fly.

So how can you change your wake for the better? Well, you could buy a brand-spanking-new wakeboarding boat, or you could optimize your current wake. The optimization techniques that will follow will also apply to dedicated wakeboard boats (you can never [within reason] have too big of a wake).

The key to wake optimization is ballast. What is ballast? I am tempted to direct you to our wakeboarding glossary, but for convenience's sake, ballast is weight that you add into your boat to make it displace more water. The more weight you put in your boat, the bigger your wake will be.

Before we get to specific weighting techniques and systems, there is something you must take to heart. Don't go overboard. There is such a thing as too much weight. How much is "too much" varies by the size and type of your boat, but the maximum weight should be clearly stated on your USCG sticker. Each boat is limited to a maximum number of people and a maximum weight. If you go over either of these, you run the risk of getting a ticket (or possibly flooding your boat in extreme cases).

That said, let's move on to discussing different types of ballast systems.

There are several different types of commercial ballast systems. The most common brand is Fly High's ubiquitous Fat Sac line. In fact, Fat Sack has become a common term meaning "Ballast." Water ballast systems work by pumping water into "bags" that rest inside your boat. They are the safest type of ballast and if you can afford them, they should be your number one choice.

Most modern wakeboard boats come with an automatic ballast system. Just flip the switch and they will automatically fill. Flip the switch the other way and they will empty on their own. After market systems will usually require you to purchase a separate pump (which may be attached with specialized fittings or with standard waterbed fittings). You then attach one end to your Fat Sack and place the other end in the water. To empty, you just put the pump end on the Ballast Bag and the other end over the side of your boat.

Another option is to use lead weights or sandbags. Some companies sell bags of shot specifically for this purpose. Be resourceful and there are all types of things you can use for hard-weight ballast. I have even known people to use dumbells!

There is a trade-off between water and solid ballast. Water ballast is much easier to deal with and transport. But it is more expensive. Lead weight or sand bags are hard to move and can be messy. There's also an increased risk of sinking your boat if you overload it. To illustrate this, watch this video that compares hard weight with water ballast and the effects of overloading your boat.

The final option for ballast that is often overlooked is... People! Invite some friends. Invite some women. Not only do people make good, easy to move, free ballast, it's a lot more fun to wakeboard with an audience! Don't know anyone? Don't worry. Check out our article about getting a crew together.

You now know what to use to weight your boat, now you need to learn where to put your ballast for maximum effect.

Need help on this trick? Visit our wakeboarding discussion board.