Ideal Ballast for X-22

[extruop]

I know this has been discussed pretty thoroughly but I am a bit slow.  Here is my situation and my question.

I have an X-22.  It has the factory 70 gal. ballast in the trunk.  No other bags.  I like the idea of the ballast bags being out of sight.  I don?t really like the idea of bags sitting in the boat.  Unfortunately I still want a bigger wake (I would love to surf if possible).  I would also like to add two more ballast bags to each side of the boat so I can use them to trim the wake rather than move people around.

Am I crazy to put a stainless support through the middle of the trunk so I can put two more separate bags in on top of the bag that is already in there?  I don?t really want to put the bags up in the bow.  I don?t want to loose the storage up there.  Is this a bad idea?  Will I overload the back?  How much is too much in the trunk.  I am thinking two more 70-gallon bags on each side will fill the trunk.  That would make a total of 1680 lbs in the trunk.  Is this crazy? 
 

[masonlk]

extruop...read blindsides thread from May 18th...surfing pics from Sunday.

[cyclone]

You are gonna need some weight up front or it will drive funny. I think I'd pull the factory bag from the trunk and put two sacks in the back, then add lead or a sack up front. I have a 750 in the walk through with a big sack in the back, perfect wake and it drives well.

I think you'll find that you have to move people around all the time anyway, you could get some moveable weights. I put 55lb dumbbells under the back seat on the passenger side for a while, then I installed an extra battery on that side that took care of that.

Like most relatively narrow comp boats, you will have to move weight around to keep the wake consistent.

[toyotafreak]

Like Pete, I use a 750 in the walkway, but also one in the trunk (he uses or used to use a Fat Seat instead). The weight in the trunk is REEEEAALLY far aft and requires you get a LOT of weight REEEAALLY far forward in the boat. With the v-drive, it's best when about 50/50 like I run, but in your X you can get by with a little less up front.

If I had an X and was looking for more weight, I'd either get a Fluid Concepts 1000-pounder for the trunk or have a custom bag made to fill her up.

I'm not sure of the construction of your d-drive back there, but in my S, sometimes I get concerned about the force against the bulkhead on the forward walls of the trunk. Eventually it'd be possible to push the composite board into the engine drive belt or do other nasty stuff. This gets worse the higher up your bag rises on the wall. I'm thinking that if you really wanted to maximize the amount of bag back there, you'd want to go custom with the sack, and you'd want to reinforce that back wall by either using a tougher bulkhead material or by running a reinforcement across the back (forward side of the forward trunk wall) supported from the frame surrounding the engine. For you saying that's overkill, think how much side pressure there will be on the bulkhead with a bag 30" tall and 25" or so inches wide at the top, 30" in the middle. (I'd never go that big myself).

[toyotafreak]

I think there was a memo about putting flames on a TOYOTA.

[extruop]

Ya, I figured I would take a bit of heat for the flames.  What can I say, I may not be a big enough rebel to be a hard core EpicMariner.  Can't really say I care as long as I can give back enough info to keep milking you two for info.  I am close to having this boat dialed in!  And for what I have into it, it feels like stealing.  I got buddies driving stuff with two and three times as much jack invested.  And frankly,  I am not sure I would even trade straight accross with one of them.     

Anyway,  about the trunk.  I will have to build a a frame to keep the weight off the composit material and the other bag below if I try to get three bags in the trunk.  No doubt about it.  I am willing to spend the time to make it clean if that much weight would do some good.  But, if I am going to need a bunch more in the middle I guess I better get use to the idea of bags in the walk way.  I don't like the idea of lead in the bow.  Frankly it scares me.

 

[extruop]

Oh ya, I almost forgot.  Those speakers are Wetsound P-80's.  The flames may be a bit suspicious but speakers are not.  They are quite remarkable.  You need a big amp to drive them but the sound is the cleanest I have ever heard on a tower.  The Bimini is custom made by a guy here in Salt Lake.  I will post a photo of it stretched out when I get one.  It is really nice.  The guy does incredible work.

[toyotafreak]

Hey, good for you - worst thing you could do is take style advice from me :-)

I'd love to see the pics you're talking about (bimini, etc.). Ditto my feelings about our friend's 2003 Centurion - it's a nice boat, worth much more than the S22, but I wouldn't trade straight across. In fact, it'd probably take a pretty good payment on his part to get me over. Funny, his was $40-ish when I bought mine for $27. Not sure how they compare now, and it is a realy nice boat fo sho.

Don't forget to play with my Ballast Calculator - way overkilled considering it doesn't get used much :-(     Right-click and Save As:

http://www.epicmarine.com/docs/Epic%20Ballast%20Calculator.xls

Good luck and hopefully one of the d-drive guys will revisit...

[Bitzco]

Those of us what lives in trailers thinks them flames is purdy sweet. I gotta get me som o that action.

[Bitzco]

If that offends, I'm sorry. I'm just here for comic relief. Welcome to a new guy from Utah. We seem to be in the minority.

[cyclone]

Hey, I like the flames, cool with the Toyota logo in there. Ditto on the complete non-desire to have any currently available boat. They are nice boats, but for one thing I don't want to pay the fuel bill. I'd rather go out three times as much:)

[extruop]

Ok, here is my decision.  I am going to pull the 70 gal. factory bag in the trunk.  I am gong to have Barefoot international make a couple of of custom bags to go in its place.  The new bags will be about 55 gal. each.  I will set up seperate pumps to each bag so I can trim the boat with these babies.  I am also planning on another fat sack for the middle of the boat.  I dont like the idea of a sack siting out in the open but I doubt I am going to get the results I want without it.  I will also be able to use this sack on either side if that gives better results for surfing.

[epic_toy]

I think if you put flames on pretty much anything it looks cooler and probably adds value. This includes cars, skis, wakeboards, boats, clothes... 

[cyclone]

Anybody notice, there are hard tanks for sale on this site for the Epic 22/X22. They used hard tanks on the 02's. They seem a bit small but it's factory. I'd assume they'd fit other years/boats. The trunks are about the same on all boats.

[extruop]

I looked at them.  I was tempted.  I could have even used a level gauge in the hard tanks.  With a little work they could be done very clean!

The only reason I ordered custom sacks is because of the size.  I was able to get custom 55 gal. sacks that should fit like a glove.  The hard tanks are only 31 gallon.  And of course,  The storage is available to and from the water when the sacks are empty.