RZ2 under walkway ballast

[adamsjstt]

Anybody no if I can cut a oval shape out of the walkway floor on my RZ2 and install a floor hatch similar to a Malibu vlx. I would like to add additional hidden ballast to the bow.

[chpthril]

On the 06 22Ve models, there was not a lot of open bilge room under the walk-way floor in front of the fuel tank. In 07, the space grew smaller as they 22ft boats got the larger tank that was used on the 24's. Outside of that, its stringers and flotation material.

[adamsjstt]

Obviously it will effect the structural strength of the floor it I cut thru the stringers but will it weaken it to a point of sagging or just a little flex in floor? Other option is to build a compartment similar to the newer TIGES but instead of a walkway icechest I would make the compartment longer and install a custom ballast bag

[rensink]

Not exactly sure how much are you looking to add? I've added weight throughout my Rz2 over the years and curious how much you plan to add to it as I know when my Rz2 gets around 1100lbs in the bow area you better be careful cause it sits LOW very sketchy when dealing with rollers. Now if your boat has the standard U-Shaped 400lbs then there maybe a better route to get the weight you are looking for.

[adamsjstt]

Im looking at running surf sacs on both the port and starboard rear lockers so to keep the 60/40 split I will be running close to 2000 in the bow. I want to hide as much as possible. My u shape sac has a rating of 650lbs and im guessing it fills to around 600. Then I fill two side sacs next to that (rated at 260 each) and im guessing im getting around another 400 out of those two so I need another 1000 if I decide to run dual surf sacs. Just I thought right now. I went to the lake this past weekend and with the rear seat sacs In the rear lockers guessing around 1100 lbs in the rear and with the u shape and side sacs in the front guessing around 1000lbs in the bow the boat plained out fine and the boat could still use some weight.I didn't have a issue with the bow dipping . I want to match or bet the size of my buddies wake on a 06 Malibu vlx that is running around 3800 lbs.

[brett22i]

I cant imagine that there is enough room in that area to make it worth the work required. If you look at how tiges are built, the stringer system is a u-shaped foam formation which is epoxied and glassed to the hull. The open end is in the back by the rudder and closed portion towards the front. Your fuel tank as Chpthrill mentioned consumes almost all of the floor space from the tranny forward to @ the walkway opening. If I had to take a guess, because I cant find any pics from the factory building process and I dont have any good pics from my ballast install, its probably only a few inches deep and would only give you a minimal area to work with for water ballast. (lead might be a diffferent story)
I would also assume voiding any hull warranty for you or the next owner.

[brett22i]

http://www.tige.com/tige-cinema
click on the "Company" tab and choose the "Advanced Composites and Lamination" video

If you skip to 2:15, you can see how much space the stringer system consumes. I know that video is not an RZ but I imagine the stringer system is very similar.

[Wickedcummins]

Throw up some pics.. I wanna see why all you guys wakeboarding need or want so much weight! I got people I pull all the time ever with out ballast throw huge back flips n such

[Bruizza]

I would look into doing something that would allow you to put the Axis bow sac up front. It is arrow shaped and holds 950lbs. Might be able to get it to work by glassing in the walkway so you can't see it then throw the cushion that's the top of the cooler in 12s on top of the fiberglass.

[rensink]

Throw up some pics.. I wanna see why all you guys wakeboarding need or want so much weight! I got people I pull all the time ever with out ballast throw huge back flips n such

It's insane fun to get bucked and believe it or not ballast makes tricks a hole lot easier from start to finish.

[jmhatchett]

It's insane fun to get bucked and believe it or not ballast makes tricks a hole lot easier from start to finish.

i agree, but what is the need for 3800 pounds (mentioned as a goal above). I honestly ran 3000 lbs this past weekend. have 2000 lbs ballast and had 10 people on board so a little above 3000 but somewhere close i would bet. Granted the wake was huge, but to what point does it need to keep growing. If you are pro level and doing insane tricks yes by all means go big. But beyond this point it becomes more of a burden to turn and drive than it is worth sometimes. IMO. I can put my boat out and compete my wake against a comparable Bu and also MC that i run the lake with.

[Bruizza]

For the same reason people put 450hp engines and 10,000 watt stereos in their boats. It makes them happy. We routinely ran 3600-4000lbs in our Axis plus wedge. Sometimes it is just nice to be able to say yours is the biggest, loudest, fastest etc.... Or we all have small penises. Got to be one or the other.

[NICKYPOO]

Throw up some pics.. I wanna see why all you guys wakeboarding need or want so much weight! I got people I pull all the time ever with out ballast throw huge back flips n such

Probably for the same reason some people need an 11sec truck.

Honestly though, don't you guys think you're getting a little personal. Who cares on the why?

[rensink]

Once we finish dialing the wake in with 3500-4000lbs I'll get some pictures up!

[hycosurf]

Cant wait to see pics! Can you show ballast placement as well?