X-Star Ballast Upgrade 2017-2019

[Scent of a mule]

Anyone upgrade their stern locker ballast bags under the locker dividers? I do not need much storage and found bags on Wake Makers that are 900 lbs per bag. I believe the existing are 300 lbs per bag.

If you did upgrade your bags did it make a difference in wakeboard wake or surf wave? Do I need to offset that kind of weight with some mid boat or bow weight? I have 300 lbs of lead I could add to the lounge lockers.

Appreciate any feedback.

[LDA6339]

Sounds like a thread perfect for the Ballast subforum

[TolCarMan]

I put 910s in the back of my X30 this season and it made a huge improvement from 250s. More ballast=better wake (usually)

[maniacmikes]

Anyone upgrade their stern locker ballast bags under the locker dividers? I do not need much storage and found bags on Wake Makers that are 900 lbs per bag. I believe the existing are 300 lbs per bag.

If you did upgrade your bags did it make a difference in wakeboard wake or surf wave? Do I need to offset that kind of weight with some mid boat or bow weight? I have 300 lbs of lead I could add to the lounge lockers.

Appreciate any feedback.

Not that it matters all that much or addresses your question, but I am pretty sure the stock bags are 450#. I remember Palma saying each hard tank is 800 pounds, which makes the bags 450.

Anyhow, I have added weight over stock, just not by upgrading the bags. Wake and wave just get bigger with weight. I feel that with too much weight in the rear, things kind of go sideways a little, so my thought is that you would need to add the lead up front, but you just have to test it and see.

I always like having "too much" ballast...so if it is just my wife and I, I can fill it all the way up and be happy, but if I have a full crew, maybe I need to drain a little from the rear. It is a good problem to have.

[FourFourty]

From what I could tell on my experiments with mine, whatever weight you add in the very back of the boat, you need to add about 50% that amount in the bow.

Maniac is correct, they are 450s. So if you went from 450s up to 900s, you’d need 450-500lbs in the bow to compensate.

This is why I just added the 450s in the middle of my XStar. It kept all my rear storage free, and no need for lead or plumbing in a bag up front.

[Scent of a mule]

From what I could tell on my experiments with mine, whatever weight you add in the very back of the boat, you need to add about 50% that amount in the bow.

Maniac is correct, they are 450s. So if you went from 450s up to 900s, you’d need 450-500lbs in the bow to compensate.

This is why I just added the 450s in the middle of my XStar. It kept all my rear storage free, and no need for lead or plumbing in a bag up front.

FourForty,
You and I have chatted offline but you added 450 to each lounge seat (cooler locker and port lounge locker)? Based on my measurements everything I build on wake makers gets me to about 225 each.

[FourFourty]

FourForty,
You and I have chatted offline but you added 450 to each lounge seat (cooler locker and port lounge locker)? Based on my measurements everything I build on wake makers gets me to about 225 each.

Ya, I used the 450s, but you are right, they don't hold the full 450. I had calculated it as well, and IIRC I came up with about 250lbs on the starboard side, and about 350-400 on the port side (compartment is bigger).

This seemed to work really well, because the port side wants a little more weight anyway (because of prop rotation). A lot of guys will throw 100-150 under the observer seat to compensate for rotation, but with that setup on the Star, the center bags would take care of that job.

But to answer your question, yes, you wont get 900lbs more. Its more like an added 600lbs.

[maniacmikes]

440 - you might know this: is the front ballast tank offset to port side at all? Just looking at it (from the very limited view through the access hole), it seems like it has more volume on the port side of the tank vs. the starboard side.

[LDA6339]

From what I could tell on my experiments with mine, whatever weight you add in the very back of the boat, you need to add about 50% that amount in the bow.

Maniac is correct, they are 450s. So if you went from 450s up to 900s, you’d need 450-500lbs in the bow to compensate.

This is why I just added the 450s in the middle of my XStar. It kept all my rear storage free, and no need for lead or plumbing in a bag up front.

This is a really good rule of thumb.

As for the lead in the bow or just more belly weight debate - I'll speak pro for the lead in the bow, it keeps the bow down when you're cruising and at wakeboard speeds and in my opinion helps the overall feel of the ride.

That being said, it is a con that you have to carry that weight around all the time, including trailering.

[FourFourty]

440 - you might know this: is the front ballast tank offset to port side at all? Just looking at it (from the very limited view through the access hole), it seems like it has more volume on the port side of the tank vs. the starboard side.

The starboard side is notched off on the back of that front tank. I think they just do it to have more room for the pumps and such (especially the early XStars that had twin pumps on the front tank.

The rest of the tank is symmetrical. So, If there is a biased to the port side, it is very little. 10-15lbs maybe?

[moosehead]

The demo outing we had on an 18 Star showed massive storage available above the transom tanks and bags. Not sure if that interior compartment flooring would hold a second set of bags without reinforcement, but there’s a ton of space for additional badonkadonk to be added.


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[Scent of a mule]

I spoke to Wake Makers and they do not have the hardware or bags that will plug into the MC fast fill plumbing. I assume the MC plumbing is a larger diameter than the standard plumbing used in the industry. Told me my only option is to fill bags over the side of the boat.

Anyone know the size MC is using for their plumbing?

[FourFourty]

1 1/2” Id

[FourFourty]

Scent- I found it. Check out post #134.......

https://www.mastercraft.com/teamtalk...=84560&page=14

[Black ‘n Green]

We opted for lead

We put 200# lead in each rear locker, 2 bags under the bags and two bags on the shelf inside at the transom. Another100# under spotter seat to offset the prop torque. We just use the quick fill as it was designed. Can’t see us ever wanting for a better wave. Trailering is not an issue because we live on a lake and have a triple axel trailer when we do transport the boat.