2014 MasterCraft ProStar - What was the final trick solution?

[ToddL]

I recently saw a post on Facebook that the 2014 ProStar is ready for production. Yet, I never saw any info about how they got the trick wake optimized. All the chatter has been completely about slalom and ergonomics.

 

Does anyone know if they chose ballasts, weights, wedges, or what?

[ForrestGump]

That is still being worked on. Some parts aren't making initial production. Like the bow cover won't be ready for the first boats and will be shipped at a later time.

[ToddL]

Ok.

[Chef23]

Does Malibu own a patent on the wedge? It seems like an obvious solution.

[Ilivetoski]

What MC is trying- 2 slots in the back for 100lb weights. This wont work. Nate told me the other day these words- "A wake is created through water displacement. Not by putting stuff in the back of the boat and forcing it down. It dosent work like that. The MC used to have the absolute best hands down trick wake. With this new hull it is going to be hands down the worst."

[Chef23]

@Ilivetoski adding weight to the back of the boat absolutely impacts the wake. Weight in the boat sinks the hull which causes a bigger wake. Look at the wakeboard boats with the sacks and ballast systems.

 

I am not saying the new MC would have as good a trick wake but adding weight to the back would be one way to improve it.

[Horton]

More or less if you want a killer trick wake the boat will suck for kids and beginners. If the wakes are super flat at 24 & 26 mph they are going to suck for tricks. I am sure MC is going to tune it but you simply can not have your cake and eat it too

[KcSwerver]

@livetoski one way to create water displacement it to put weight in the back. Not saying its a great solution but it is a solution.

[Ilivetoski]

@KcSwerver @Chef23 I worded that wrong (or nate did), it dosent mean that it literally will not work. But you have to think about what that means. Especially with practice, with different riders, crews, skis, equipment, and where all this stuff is placed will differ. It will be extremely (that is a generous word) to be able to replicate it. What happens when you have very heavy boat crew in a tournament and then have a very light boat crew? 2 different wakes? I am sorry, just too many holes in the plan of "throw shit in the back and see what happens" for me.

[MattP]

@livetoski Nate tricks?

The boat crew+gas in tournaments for slalom affects the wake just as much if you ask me.

[Chuck_Dickey]

I posted this question on MC's Facebook page and the reply was "The trick wake on the new Prostar is great up to about 20 mph which is when the boat planes off and the wake disappears. Some new style trickers are going faster and this is what we are addressing"

[Horton]

@Chuck_Dickey

I edited your post. Pretty sure that was a typo

[gregy]

My buddy puts a fat sack in the back of his PS197 for wake boarding and it makes a giant wake. Think is about 750 lbs.

[SkiJay]

At the unveiling in Calgary, the MasterCraft rep told me they had tried loading the boat down with a gross amount of weight, and it worked for slow tricks. But at higher trick speeds, the boat still went up on plane and the wake flattened out, so they were looking at some version of a wedge at that point.

[ForrestGump]

@ilivetoski Trickers now face the same issue. If you had a 250lb driver in practice and a 125lb driver in a tournament, you're faced with the same thing with all of the current boats.

[ToddL]

I think I'll start a new business, Sumo Pinners. We will hire Sumo wrestlers and teach them how to pin for tricks. We'll bring them to record tournaments for hire by the round. Also, we'll make them available for hire at practice sessions. Some may even be available for longer term contracts to become familiar with the skier's trick runs and typical falls or ride-outs. Yep. Seems like a profitable opportunity with significant market and demand. ;-)

[ForrestGump]

Good thing the new ProStar has more space. :)

[Brewski]

Supra had that adjustable plate like a Sanger Barefooter has.... Just sayin'

 

[ntx]

My son says his best ever tour. trick pass was at regionals at Cypress one year with T. Caldwell (sorry T) driving, and me pulling pin.

 

@ToddL. I like the way you think. fyi you also owe me for pinning for you at aquaplex earlier this year. Feel free to deduct your commission. For @klindy I am known his "wake enhanceing device" to my son I am known as his portable "fat sack" (he is the only one that can call me that)

[andjules]

I heard MC's final solution is if you're a tricker, they'll fly @eleeski to your site with a blow torch, duct tape and wd-40. You have to provide a week's food & lodging and scrap metal. Oh, and it voids your warranty. See http://ballofspray.com/forum#/discussion/9417/mastercraft-experiment-part-two

[GAJ0004]

We will have to wait and see if it passes the USA Water Ski boat tests.. I would be surprised if it did not pass. Just fill 4 or 5 plastic 1 gallon jugs full of sand and put them in the back of the boat. It should make the wake big enough for tricks. We will have to wait and see until someone tricks behind the new boat..

[ForrestGump]

USA Waterski boat test really revolves around slalom and jump acceleration and tracking. The only thing a boat has to do for tricks is hold speed.

[eleeski]

The prototype's wake is on par or better than with Malibu and Nautique at my 18.5mph speed. It will certainly pass. While I was pleasantly surprised, it still sucks compared to the old 197 (or my 79 American Skier). Still, probably the best trick wake out there - but that's not saying much.

 

Blow torch? Oxi-acetylene torch! Or a good stick welder. WD40 and duct tape rock!

 

Eric

[escmanaze]

So I don't know what the rules are for tricking, but I know that with my 97 SNOB, I've dinked around with a few things for wakeboarding and wakeskating, and there is a world of difference at 22 mph between fat sac and no fat sac in the back. It's just a normal sack, probably 350 pounds. Without it, it is exactly as described above by @chuck_dickey. Between 18 and 22 the wake undergoes a complete transformation from rampy to roller. However, with a 350 pound sack in the back, it still hasn't hit that transition yet and it is still in the rampy phase at 22. I'm not saying it is a wakesetter wake or anything, but at least it maintains a proper shape, and the 350 pounds doesn't hurt the size either. All of this is with just my wife in the driver seat (so I actually offset the sack in the back a bit toward the passenger side.)

 

I have a hard time envisioning why the same thing couldn't be done with this Prostar. If it has a good trick wake at 18, then it sure seems to be like it should need just a little weight in the back (let's say 500 pounds since the boat is wider the mine) in order to keep it from planing off as much at 22 and maintain a decent trick wake.

[eleeski]

@escmanaze Fatsacks do make a wake difference. But they also make huge differences in handling, performance and safety. I've driven lots of boats both with and with out fatsacks. The differences are severe. Fatsacks are not the optimal solution to a wake issue.

 

I believe Mike Murphy came up with an elegant solution to the water ballast vs performance problem. He rapidly floods/drains the water ballast with cleverly designed tanks and plumbing. I haven't seen it in a production boat - yet.

 

The new MC wake still needs some tuning but it is certainly a reasonable trick wake. The old MC wake is as technically good as possible, steep, large enough and with a smooth table - a tough benchmark to meet. Instead, the new wake is similar to the Nautique 200 trick wake (which holds the women's trick record - so we can still perform on that style wake). I have to adjust my style to adapt.

 

That 97 Nautique is one of the best wakes made too. It was wonderfully sensitive to weight changes - a bit of ballast made the trick wake great, running light made the slalom wake disappear. I still own my 97 Nautique.

 

Eric