Althoughwaterintrusionandwavesspillinginsideaboatisanobviousboatinghazard,
thishazardcanbeincreasedwhenweightingyourboatforwatersportssuchas
wakeboardingorwakesurng.Aswakeboardinghasevolved,ballastsystemshave
beendevelopedtoaddweightandincreasethesizeofthewake.Thesimplest
ballastsystemonthemarketisthewaterballasttype,suchasthe“FATSAC.”The
questforthelargestwakehascausedsomeboatoperatorstoexcessivelyoverload
theirboats.Itisnotuncommontoseeoperatorsuseaftermarketballastsystems
andthenputadditionalpeopleandgearintheirboat.Beadvisedthatthispractice
canleadtooverloadingyourboatwhichmayleadtoanyofthefollowing:changes
inhandlingandperformance;capsizing,ooding,andsinking;boatoccupantsgoing
overboard.Do not overload your boat.
Alwaysbeawareoftheloadinyourboatanddonotloadtheboatinexcess
ofthelistedcapacity.Eachboathasamaximumcapacitylabeldisplayingthe
maximumweightofpeople,gearandballastthatcanbeplacedintheboat.
Whenloadingyourboat,giveattentiontotheeectthattheloaddistribution
hasontheboat’strimangle.Trimangleisthetechnicaltermfortheupordownpitchangleof
yourboat(alsoknownasthe“bowup”or“bowdown”angle).Theforeandaftloaddistribution
ofweight,passenger,andgearcanaecttherunningtrimangleoftheboat.
• Excessiveweightplacedinthesternoftheboatcancausetheinabilitytogetonplane,high
bow-upangles,andcanleadtosteeringdiiculties.Highbow-upanglescanbedangerous
duetothereductionintheoperator’sforwardvisibilitywhichcanleadtocollisionsand
groundings.Highbow-upanglescauselongertransitiontimesfromdisplacementmode
(slowvelocity,0to5mph)toplaningspeeds(18to20mphandabove).Duringtransition,it
isimportantthattheboatoperatorpaysattentionsothat(s)heisabletoseeforwardand
thatthetimeintransition(orinthe“hump”speedregion)isminimized.
• Excessiveweightplacedinthebowoftheboatcanleadtoveryatplaningtrimangles
whichmayleadtheboattoturnaggressively,unpredictably,andwithoutsteerinput.The
phenomenonofyawinstabilityiscausedbyheavybowweightsandrunningveryat(bow
downorattrimangles).Thiscanoccurwithexcessiveweightinthebowcomparedto
weightinthesternoftheboat.Anotherilleectoftoomuchbowweightincomparisonto
sternweightisthatwithextremelyheavybowloads,theboat’sbowmaydiveorsubmerge
whencomingoplane(deceleratingrapidly,orencounteringwaves/wakesatslowspeed).
Ifthebowsubmerges,thenwaterwillenterandoodyourboat.
• Whenencounteringconditionswhichmayleadtobowdivingorbowsubmergence,itis
recommendedtoacceleratetheboatbeforethewave/wakeinordertohelpraisethebow
andgetoverthewave/wake.
• Ifthebowsubmerges,therecommendedactionistoreducethrottletostopforwardspeed,
getpassengerstomoveaft,andturnonthebilgepump.
Itistheboatoperator’sresponsibilitytotellpassengerstomovetootherseatsonthe
boat,soastonotoverloadthesternorbowoftheboat,norrestricttheboatoperator’sforward
visibility.(SeeGetReadysectionofthisowner’smanualforadditionalinformation.)Thereisno
singlerecommendedseatingorloaddistributionforallconditions.Experiencewithyourboatwill
allowyoutodeterminewheretoproperlyallowpassengersandgeartobeplaced.
Excess and improper loading of bow area forward of windshield may
cause water inux, operating instability, and loss of control resulting
in injury or death. Bow Capacity Limit - X persons or XXX lbs. person,
gear and ballast. This is posted separately on your boat but still
included in overall capacity. Use good judgment when weighting your or any towed water sports.
Visibility of the Operator
The operator of the boat is responsible, by law, to “maintain a proper lookout by sight and
hearing.” The operator must ensure that he/she has appropriate visibility for safe operation.
weighting
your boat
during
watersports
activities
Axis
Owners
Manual
2019
Page 20