Slalom Wakes

[skisix@38]

especially when the weight is on the observer side of the boat to help counter balance the prop rotation thingymajig of the 08 196 that I drive everyday, well almost everyday.

Now I can't tell if you are being serious or joking.

A weight on the observer side of a 196 is torquing the boat the same way as its prop rotation. You don't need the weight because of the prop rotation.

Show me a private lake that has a club 196 and I'll show you a dock that has some sort of weight on the dock that the members load in the 196 when there isn't a third person there to ski.

the torque imparted on the boat due to prop rotation has only a marginal affect at best and is insignificant when the driver is over 170lbs.

Sorry- joking all the way. I'm with ya and I know what you are driving at. I jsut don't believe that results of the prop rotation have any significance on the way the boat lists when driver only is above 150lbs....

[2gofaster]

We run 100 lbs under the observer seat on 196s when there's only the driver in the boat. The boat drives better and the wakes are much more even side to side.

[MARK-S]

If I am skiing with just a driver in the boat, I use 60 lbs of counter ballance in my 196. I have 3 drivers for practice. 135lbs, 160 lbs and 180lbs. at 60 lbs the counter weight brings the boat level for all 3 of these weights. So I think there is some counter rotation benifet but not enough to not have a weight in the boat. When I have lots of gas in the boat, it rides better also. I do know that if there is no counter weight, it is noticable to both skier and driver. You can just watch the spray exit the rear of the boat. 1 side will have a bigger spray if not ballanced. When I am trying to get through 38, I want my driver to not have to deal with the tilted bow.

[BigBald]

the weight of the driver has got to have an impact. I know that on my 99 Sport and my new 216....if it's just me in the boat, I can feel and see the tilt. Now....of course, I am running 270 lbs...but my boat is also bigger than the ones you are referring to.

[DanielC]

I think the 99 sport, and the 216 also have a fairly narrow beam. They would also be more sensitive to side to side weight than a wider beam boat, all other things being equal.
I weigh about 180 or so, and when I am using my 1997 ski, just as a matter of habit, I put most of the stuff people bring with them on the right side of the boat, behind the driver. That give a good starting point for moving people around to balance the boat.
I tell my passengers the side of the boat with more white on the waves needs more weight. That is an easy way to explain to new people to our sport how to balance a boat.