Setting Up Your Boat for Wake Surfing

A comprehensive guide to creating the perfect surf wake with your Malibu, Axis, Supra, or Moomba wake boat

Welcome to wake surfing! Whether you just picked up your first wake boat or you’re looking to dial in your setup, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to create an amazing surf wake. Let’s get you and your crew on the water with confidence.

What Makes a Quality Surf Wake?

Before we dive into boat features, let’s talk about what we’re actually trying to create. A “quality” surf wake isn’t one-size-fits-all—it depends on who’s riding. Here’s what matters:

Wake Characteristics

Size (Height & Length)

  • BeginnersJust learning to get up and ride without the rope. Focused on balance and finding the sweet spot. need a mellow, forgiving wake—not too tall (18-24 inches) with a longer, smoother transition
  • IntermediateComfortable riding ropeless, working on turns and positioning. Starting to experiment with tricks. riders want more push and height (24-30 inches) to work on turns and basic tricks
  • AdvancedPerforming aerials, spins, and advanced maneuvers. Needs maximum push and clean pocket for technical riding. riders need maximum size (30+ inches) and a steep, powerful pocket for big airs and technical riding

Shape

  • The Pocket: This is the sweet spot where the rider surfs. You want a clean, curl that provides consistent push
  • The Face: Should be smooth without excessive turbulence or “wash”—that white water that makes the wake unpredictable
  • The Transition: The area from the trough to the lip. Steeper is better for advanced riders; mellower for beginners

Push The forward energy that propels the rider. More push means you can ride farther back and get more speed for tricks. Advanced riders need significant push; beginners need less to avoid being overwhelmed.

Consistency Your port (left) and starboard (right) wakes should be as similar as possible. Uneven wakes make it harder to switch sides and can indicate setup issues.

Understanding Your Boat’s Features

Modern wake boats are incredibly sophisticated. Let’s break down each feature and how it affects your wake.

1. Ballast Systems

What It Does: Ballast adds weight to your boat, displacing more water and creating a larger wake. It’s your primary tool for wake size.

How It Works:

  • Water weight in strategically placed tanks (bow, rear corners, center locker)
  • Typical systems hold 1,500-4,000+ lbs total
  • More weight = bigger wake, but only to a point

Setup Tips:

  • Surf Side Ballast: Fill the rear corner tank on the surf side (side you’re surfing) to 100%
  • Off-Side Ballast: Fill to 50-75%—you need some weight for balance but not too much or it flattens the wake
  • Bow Ballast: Start at 50-75% and adjust based on how the boat sits in the water
  • Center Locker: If equipped, fill to 100% for maximum displacement

For Different Riders:

  • BeginnersJust learning to get up and ride without the rope. Focused on balance and finding the sweet spot.: Start with 60-70% total capacity
  • IntermediateComfortable riding ropeless, working on turns and positioning. Starting to experiment with tricks.: 75-85% capacity
  • AdvancedPerforming aerials, spins, and advanced maneuvers. Needs maximum push and clean pocket for technical riding.: 90-100% capacity plus consider adding lead or fat sacs

Common Issue: Wake too small? Add more ballast. Wake too big? Reduce ballast.

2. Surf System / Surf Gates

What It Does: Creates a wave on one side of the boat by redirecting water flow. This is what makes modern surf wakes so rideable.

Common Systems:

  • Malibu Surf Gate: Deploys on the surf side to redirect flow
  • Axis Wake Plus: Similar gate system
  • Supra/Moomba Surf Band/Surf Gate: Side-deployed gates

How to Use:

  1. Deploy the gate on the side you want to surf (push button on dash)
  2. The gate redirects water to create a clean, tall pocket on that side
  3. Switch sides by transferring the gate—most systems do this automatically

Pro Tips:

  • The surf gate does most of the heavy lifting—don’t over-complicate with other settings initially
  • If your boat has an “auto wake” or “surf mode,” start there
  • Clean the gates regularly—debris can affect performance

Troubleshooting: Wake face has wash? Check gate deployment and trim.

3. Power Wedge / Wake Wedge

What It Does: A hydraulic plate that deploys behind the boat to push the wake up and increase length.

Found On: Malibu and Axis models primarily (Malibu Power Wedge II/III)

How to Use:

  • 0% (Up): Smallest wake, fastest cruise
  • 50-60%: Good starting point for most surf setups
  • 100% (Down): Maximum wake size and push, but can create wash if over-deployed

Setup Tips:

  • Start at 60% and adjust up or down based on the wake
  • More wedge = more wake, but too much can make it washy
  • Works in conjunction with ballast—you need adequate ballast for the wedge to work effectively

For Different Riders:

  • BeginnersJust learning to get up and ride without the rope. Focused on balance and finding the sweet spot.: 40-50%
  • IntermediateComfortable riding ropeless, working on turns and positioning. Starting to experiment with tricks.: 60-70%
  • AdvancedPerforming aerials, spins, and advanced maneuvers. Needs maximum push and clean pocket for technical riding.: 70-90%

Troubleshooting: Wake too steep? Reduce wedge. Not enough push? Increase wedge.

4. Wake Plates / Trim Tabs

What It Does: Adjustable plates on the transom that control the boat’s running angle and wake shape.

How It Works:

  • Down: Lifts the bow, pushes stern down, creates taller wake
  • Up: Drops bow, lifts stern, mellows the wake
  • Asymmetric: Can adjust left/right independently for balance

Setup Tips:

  • For surfing, you typically want plates slightly down (30-50%)
  • Too far down creates wash and can make the wake steep and short
  • Use asymmetric adjustment if one side is larger than the other

Difference from Wedge: Wake plates control boat attitude; wedge adds mass to the wake. They work together.

Common Adjustment:

  • Start neutral (50%)
  • If the wake is breaking up, adjust down slightly
  • If it’s too steep, bring them up

5. Hull Design

What It Does: The shape of your boat’s hull determines base wake characteristics.

Key Designs:

  • Displacement Hulls: Deeper V-shape, naturally create larger wakes (most modern surf boats)
  • Surf-Specific Designs: Wider transom, integrated swim platforms, optimized running surfaces

What You Need to Know:

  • You can’t change your hull, but understanding it helps you optimize other features
  • Malibu Wakesetter: Deep V with aggressive running surface
  • Axis: Slightly modified Malibu hull, similar characteristics
  • Supra/Moomba: Wide beam design, excellent for surfing

Hull Impact on Setup:

  • Wider hulls (Supra/Moomba) may need less ballast for equivalent wake size
  • Deeper V hulls may need more bow ballast to maintain proper attitude

6. Speed Control / Cruise Control

What It Does: Maintains precise speed—critical for consistent wakes.

Why It Matters: Even 0.5 mph difference significantly affects wake shape and push.

Optimal Surf Speeds:

  • 10.0-10.5 mph: Beginner-friendly, longer mellower wake
  • 10.8-11.3 mph: Sweet spot for most intermediate to advanced riders
  • 11.5+ mph: Advanced only—wake gets steeper and more powerful

Setup Tips:

  • Always use speed control (cruise control)
  • Start at 11.0 mph for most situations
  • Lower speed for beginnersJust learning to get up and ride without the rope. Focused on balance and finding the sweet spot., increase for advancedPerforming aerials, spins, and advanced maneuvers. Needs maximum push and clean pocket for technical riding.
  • Adjust in 0.2 mph increments
  • Keep RPM consistent—GPS-based systems are best

Troubleshooting: Wake inconsistent? Check your speed. Not enough push? Try increasing 0.3-0.5 mph.

7. Passenger Placement

What It Does: Human ballast! Weight placement dramatically affects your wake.

Strategic Loading:

  • Surf Side Seat: Put 2-3 people in the rear corner seat on the surf side
  • Bow: 1-2 people if you need more bow-down attitude
  • Off-Side: 1 person maximum—too much flattens the wake

Rules of Thumb:

  • Each person = roughly 150-200 lbs
  • 3 people in the surf side seat ≈ 500 lbs ballast
  • Keep weight out of the center walkway during surfing

Adjusting for Crew Size:

Small Crew (1-3 people total):

  • Max out ballast systems
  • Position everyone on surf side
  • May need fat sacs for optimal wake

Medium Crew (4-6 people):

  • Reduce ballast by 10-15% for each person over 3
  • 3 people surf side seat, 1-2 bow
  • Fine-tune with wedge/plates

Large Crew (7+ people):

  • Reduce ballast by 20-30%
  • Still prioritize surf-side seating
  • May need to reduce wedge deployment
  • Watch for boat overloading limits!

Common Issue: Wake not consistent between sides? Check passenger placement.

Putting It All Together: Sample Setups

Here are starting points for different scenarios. Remember, every boat and lake is unique—these are foundations to build from.

Setup 1: Beginner Rider, Small Crew (2-3 People)

Goal: Mellow, forgiving wake that’s easy to learn on

  • Ballast:
    • Surf side rear: 100%
    • Off-side rear: 50%
    • Bow: 60%
    • Center: 75%
  • Surf Gate: Deploy on surf side
  • Power Wedge: 40-50% (if equipped)
  • Wake Plates: 50% (neutral)
  • Speed: 10.3-10.8 mph
  • Passengers: All on surf side seat

Setup 2: Intermediate Rider, Medium Crew (4-6 People)

Goal: Good size wake with clean push for practicing tricks

  • Ballast:
    • Surf side rear: 100%
    • Off-side rear: 60%
    • Bow: 70%
    • Center: 100%
  • Surf Gate: Deploy on surf side
  • Power Wedge: 65% (if equipped)
  • Wake Plates: 40-50%
  • Speed: 11.0-11.3 mph
  • Passengers: 3 surf side, 1-2 bow, 1 off-side

Note: With more people, reduce ballast by 15% from baseline

Setup 3: Advanced Rider, Max Wake

Goal: Biggest, most powerful wake possible

  • Ballast:
    • Surf side rear: 100%
    • Off-side rear: 75%
    • Bow: 80%
    • Center: 100%
    • Plus 400-600 lbs additional (fat sacs if available)
  • Surf Gate: Deploy on surf side
  • Power Wedge: 80-85%
  • Wake Plates: 40%
  • Speed: 11.2-11.5 mph
  • Passengers: Load surf side, 2-3 in surf seat

Fine-Tuning Your Wake

Once you have a baseline setup, make small adjustments:

If the wake is too small:

  1. Add 10-20% more ballast (surf side first)
  2. Increase wedge by 10%
  3. Add more passenger weight
  4. See detailed guide →

If the wake is too big:

  1. Reduce ballast by 10-15%
  2. Decrease wedge by 10%
  3. Redistribute passenger weight
  4. See detailed guide →

If the wake is too steep:

  1. Reduce power wedge by 10-15%
  2. Raise wake plates slightly
  3. Decrease speed by 0.3 mph
  4. See detailed guide →

If the wake is too mellow/long:

  1. Increase power wedge
  2. Lower wake plates slightly
  3. Increase speed by 0.3 mph
  4. See detailed guide →

If there’s not enough push:

  1. Increase speed by 0.3-0.5 mph
  2. Increase power wedge
  3. Add more surf-side ballast
  4. See detailed guide →

If the wake face is washy:

  1. Reduce power wedge by 10%
  2. Adjust wake plates up slightly
  3. Check surf gate deployment
  4. See detailed guide →

If wakes are inconsistent between sides:

  1. Check passenger placement
  2. Verify ballast fill levels
  3. Check for asymmetric wake plate settings
  4. See detailed guide →

Tips for Success

Take Notes: Keep a log of your settings and conditions. Note what works and what doesn’t.

Change One Thing at a Time: Don’t adjust ballast, wedge, and speed simultaneously—you won’t know what helped or hurt.

Give It Time: Make an adjustment, surf for 5 minutes, then evaluate. The wake needs time to settle.

Water Conditions Matter:

  • Smooth water = cleaner wakes
  • Chop = may need to adjust speed or settings
  • Shallow water (< 15 ft) = wakes behave differently

Fuel Load: A full fuel tank adds 400-800 lbs, typically in the rear. Adjust ballast accordingly.

Altitude/Temperature: Higher altitude or colder water may require minor speed adjustments.

Maintenance for Best Performance

Keep your surf system working optimally:

  • Clean surf gates regularly: Remove weeds, debris
  • Check ballast pumps: Fill and drain times should be consistent
  • Inspect wake plates: Ensure smooth operation, check actuators
  • Verify speed calibration: GPS-based systems should be calibrated annually
  • Winterize properly: Drain all ballast tanks completely

Need More Help?

Every boat and situation is unique. If you’re struggling to dial in your wake, our expert team at Active Water Sports is here to help.

  • Visit us: Canby, Oregon City, or Redmond locations
  • Call: (971) 715-1170
  • Online: Browse our troubleshooting guides

Now get out there and make some waves! 🌊🏄