Wake plates?

[bigmac]

Anyone have experience with wake plates on a Maristar hull?

Our little watersports group has been mostly wakeboard and kneeboard, but recently a few guys have joined up that are skiers. The boats that we use are a Maristar 230 and a couple of X10's. One of the guys is considering getting a direct-drive but I'm wondering if the Maristar wake can't be modified to some level of satisfaction with wake plates.

[east tx skier]

It might help soften it out a bit. Really depends on what the expectations are. Supras have been using wakeplates to soften the wakes on their ski boats for years now. And in my experience, it works. The problem with it (at a higher level than I'm skiing) is that by using cavitation plates, the wake between two Supras, for example, will not be exactly the same. This would probably only really tend to be a problem for a pro athelete though. Just offering some speculation as to why we haven't seen this on the ski boats.

[G-man]

From past experiance with Tige's I can tell you that unless your boat does not have hook in the hull a adjustable plate will do nothing but push the bow down just like hook in the hull. The Tige's are designed without hook in the hull. When the adjustable plate is used it pushes the bow down.

[Jerseydave]

The 06 Maristar 230 has a "trim tab" mounted at the transom right between the exhaust outlets. I would assume it does help, since that boat is heavier than the 05. I've had 2 other boats with dual trim tabs, and there is no doubt it lowers the bow down, raising the stern and reducing the size of the wake.
Try it and let me know how you make out (before I do it to mine) :D

[NeilM]

I'm seriously considering the same thing -- I just haven't found anyone who's done it first...

[jimmer2880]

my biggest concern would be structural integraty where the adjustment devices (screws, jacks, whatever) attach to the boat. That has got to be a lot of pressure.

My old Supra had one which made a big difference. Lowered the wake a couple inches while at the same time doubleing the roostertail size & removing 4 mph from the top end. But - it was the favorite slalom boat amongst my crew.

[NeilM]

So I gotta go first?

Jimmer, I'm not too worried about structural integrity at the transom -- they're built. I'm more worried about spending money and not getting the results I want...

Lemme think on it...

[parks_jr_55]

sorry to get off topic but Neil, what happened to your MasterCraft decals?

You gotta let everybody know what you are riding in/behind.

[bigmac]

So I gotta go first?

Jimmer, I'm not too worried about structural integrity at the transom -- they're built. I'm more worried about spending money and not getting the results I want...

Lemme think on it...It's a tempting modification and it looks pretty easy to do, but I gotta wonder...if it worked really well, why are there so few MC owners that have done it, and why hasn't Mastercraft made it available as an option (as Supra has) ?

I have seen it related on barefoot sites as being a good thing. Here's a photo of a non-controllable wake plate that I found on barefoot central.I wouldn't have any problem screwing the plate and controll units into the transom, but I might be a little hinky about drilling a hole through it for the hydraulic lines from the pump to the actuators.

http://www.barefootcentral.com/Boat_Review/Mastercraft/MC%20Pics.%20005.jpg

[NeilM]

sorry to get off topic but Neil, what happened to your MasterCraft decals?

You gotta let everybody know what you are riding in/behind.

It still says MasterCraft.. It just doesn' say "MariStar" anymore.. It's OK, I suppose, for the "X" guys to have the giant decals on the side of the boat, but, (IMO) not on the MariStar.

It looked too much like a floating billboard to me, so I had the dealer remove them.

[jjsosnowski]

that picture you posted is from kieth st.onges boat. I skied with him last week.We talked about that plate.With that plate on his 197 it slowed it down to much for footen.His sponsor mastercraft super charged his lq9 to make it perform.That brought his hp to 500 and a extra price tag of six g's His new boat is a v drive with the plate,he actually likes the wake better. hope this helps

[Jerseydave]

Who sells that plate in the picture and how much $$$?

Looks pretty simple to me.

I noticed yesterday that my 230VRS rides "bow high" at 34 while slalom skiing. I just wonder how much difference a plate would make.

[parks_jr_55]

It still says MasterCraft.. It just doesn' say "MariStar" anymore.. It's OK, I suppose, for the "X" guys to have the giant decals on the side of the boat, but, (IMO) not on the MariStar.

It looked too much like a floating billboard to me, so I had the dealer remove them.

I agree there.

I would like the MariStars to have the MasterCraft decals on the side.

You still have a cool boat.

[tlcrichardson]

Did anyone ever put a plate on? I just purchased a 230 maristar and with young skiers I would like to lower the prop wash and wake. I bought it for the kids wakeboarding and they love it, but they have some friends that ski also. They think it is great to wake of a tower and ski off the pole. They do not know any difference, but I would like to improve it for them if I could and know that it would help. Thanks for any information that you might beable to provide me with.

[mccobmd]

I'm looking at this on my 06 X1. I agree the transom is plenty thick, the hole through the hull if you use the lenco electric tabs is very small but it is still 2 holes through the transom.

[dooger]

Here are a couple of threads with wake plate installs. Hope this is what you are thinking of.

http://www.mastercraft.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?t=4812&highlight=lenco

http://www.mastercraft.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?t=11290&highlight=wake+plate

[wayne99]

Hey thinking of adding a wake plate to my 02 X9. Will it help me for wakesurfing over my 1300 lbs of balasts?

Thanks

[CiscoStu]

My '06 X-30 has the plate, and I think it makes a big difference to the wake... When we surf, with the plate all the way down, the bow is significantly lower than without the plate. My wife isn't comfortable driving with the nose way up in the air, so she's figured out to lower the wake plate... You can actually see and feel the nose come down when you are running at about 35mph and you lower the plate. For surfing, it does make the wake a little softer, but it's still a gigantic wave.

The only negative thing about it is the little control wire that runs through the transom. Mine leaks, and it drives me nuts. Not much - maybe a couple gallons over a weekend, but it's enough to make the bilge pump run after being in the water for the weekend. I know, it's a BOAT, it's OK for it to get wet, but I know other boats that are completely dry after a weekend - not a drop in the bilge.