Background- Why the Wedge?
One of the requirements we had of a wakeboarding boat was that it had a solid wake before we did any tweaking or tuning. Given this initial requirement, we couldn’t have picked a better boat! The Sunsetter hull, with it’s size (21’ long, 16” draft, and 23” beam) has a quite acceptable wake at wakeboarding speeds, even without any ballast or other adjustments. Compared to other ski boat wakes, the Malibu’s feels quite wide to the wakeboarder, presumably due to the width of the hull.

In addition to creating the perfect wake, we also had a couple other goals in mind. For starters, we wanted something that wouldn’t rob us of precious floor space in the boat. Additionally, we wanted a mechanism that would allow us to quickly and easily tune the wake differently for different riders and styles. I am a fan of huge, rampy wakes, while my wife still prefers a smaller, smoother wake. We wanted to be able to quickly accommodate these different preferences without spending all afternoon doing it.

In purchasing the model we did, we got an added bonus- it was used the first hull that will accept Malibu’s Wedge wake enhancing device! After years of tripping over ballast, and dealing with the inconveniences of filling/emptying water sacks, we wanted a more convenient, elegant mechanism to create a larger, more shapely wake. Of all the non-ballast wake enhancing mechanisms out there, Mailbu’s was the only one that really seemed to make sense, and we just happened to have a boat that would take a Wedge.

Before deciding to take the leap and install a Wedge, I did quite a bit of digging around. We have a couple of family friends that have Malibu Sunsetters, one of which has a Wedge. I asked them a million and one questions about (I never had the chance to ride behind it), and I also posted an inquiry about the Wedge to the Wake List. I had a couple of nay sayers that responded (‘It is like hitting a curb’ was one) but the feedback was overwhelming positive. The only negatives points people brought up basically where either ‘It’s too expensive’ or ‘It’s wake is too steep’. At about $700 the Wedge is certainly not cheap, but I felt it would be worth it. Also, I was confident that I could tune the steepness with a bit of properly placed ballast. Time to get with it!

Figure 1: Contents of the Wedge Kit from Malibu

Step 1: Researching installation tips.
Before I was comfortable drilling holes in the back of my boat (below the water line, no less!) I wanted to be sure that I knew what I was doing. To boost my confidence here, I asked a couple of different people for advice. The first one was one of my good friends, Kris Nielsen. Kris successfully installed his own tower and did a bang-up job of it, and he had some help from a veteran craftsman. Additionally, I consulted my local Malibu dealer, Hayden Island Yacht Center. In both instances, their advice was sincerely appreciated. I learned that I needed to procure a couple of specialty items: a quality chamfer (or counter sinking) drill bit, and a tube of 3M 5200 Marine Adhesive Sealant. These items, along with the Wedge kit, a few common tools, and some sincerely appreciated guidance, I was ready to go.

Figure 2: The back end of our boat prior to modification.

Step 2: Dismantling the rear of the boat.
In order to proceed to Step 3, I needed to prep the rear of the boat. This prep work consisted of removing the swim platform, cleaning the installation surface, and exposing back side of the installation point (the Wedge plate has a piece that goes on the inside too). The first two items where easy, but the last took a little bit more work. In order to reach the inside of the transom, I needed to pull out the carpeted shelf covering the gas tank, then disconnect the fuel tank so I could pull it out. In order to ensure I didn’t inadvertently burn up my sending unit, I disconnected the battery before I removed the electrical leads.

Figure 3: Back deck before dismantling.

Figure 4: Back deck ready for install.

Step 3: Prepping the surface for drilling.
This step consisted of covering the installation area with masking tape, then marking the holes. The masking tape layer is simple but very important. Besides giving you a protective layer that you can easily mark on, it also helps to keep the gel coat from chipping when drilling. I used a roll of good, thick masking tape, and covered a broad area so I had plenty of room to work.

Using a carpenter’s pencil and a T-square, I very carefully marked the spot where the holes needed to go. After picking a height that would ensure all necessary clearances on the inside and outside, I drew in some guide lines so I knew I could get the marks centered and level. Thanks to Malibu’s Wedge designers, the plate holes where a nice even distance apart. Once I had a level, centered frame to work with, it was easy to mark the exact centers of the mounting plate holes. Time to drill!

Figure 5: Taped, marked, and ready to drill.

Step 4: Drilling the holes.
Of all the steps, this one had to be the most un-nerving. Once that drill hits the gel coat, there is no going back! I rechecked my measurements (again) then broke out the cordless drill and went to town. Properly drilling the holes was really a 4 step process:

1. With a 1/8th inch bit, drill guide holes for all 4 bolt holes.
2. With the counter sink bit, chamfer each hole out deep enough to remove the gel coat around the ½ inch holes.
3. With a ½ inch bit, follow the guide hole and drill through the transom, making sure the back side of the hole was clean of debris when complete.
4. With the counter sink bit, gently finish the outside edge of each hole to ensure that the bolt doesn’t come in contact with the edge of the gel coat.

Figure 6: Holes at various stages of completion. Start at 7:30 and proceed clockwise.

Once all the holes were drilled and finished, I lined up the mounting plate and bolts for the moment of truth. Voila! A perfect match!

Step 5: Applying the marine sealant.
Since the mounting plate goes into the transom below water level, it is important to seal all holes while mounting. Upon the suggestion of Hayden Island Yacht Center, I used some 3M 5200 Marine Adhesive Sealant I purchased from the local GI Joes. Once the holes were drilled and finished, I liberally lined the holes with the sealant on both sides.

Figure 7: Gooped up holes along with a shot of the marine sealant.

Step 6: Mounting the Wedge plate.
The Wedge plate consists of 2 main parts- an external plate and an internal plate. The plates are held together with ½ inch diameter bolts with large flat washers and locking nuts. I lined the bottom sides of the exterior washers with sealant, inserted the bolts and washers into their holes, then gently applied the plate to the exterior of the transom. I repeated the process on the inside (including a layer of sealant) and tightened them down solidly. Note the sealant coming out around the washers in Figure 8.

Figure 8: The freshly mounted Wedge plate.

Step 7: Mounting the Wedge.
The Wedge itself is a single, solid piece, and it is held onto the Wedge plate with 2 pieces of the same hardware as described above. After lining up the Wedge with the plate and locking it in the down position, I installed and tightened the mounting bolts, taking care to make sure that they where snug, but that they still allowed the Wedge to rotate and change positions.

Figure 9: The Wedge, mounted and in the down position.

Figure 10: The Wedge, mounted and in the up position.

Step 8: Re-assembling and testing the action.
The last step (which I waited to complete until the sealant had fully cured) was basically reversing Step 2, then testing the Wedge’s motion to ensure it was functioning properly and it had the necessary clearances in either position. While I had the boat torn apart, however, I took the opportunity to install a transom mount transducer (for my water temp/air temp/depth gauge addition). After a final inspection, I concluded that the installation phase of this project was complete.

Figure 11: The re-assembled Sunsetter, complete with Wedge.

Step 9: Testing the wake.
After a very long 3 weeks we had to wait to put the boat in the water to see if it still floated, our opportunity finally came! With a light load (3 adults and 2 children) we ventured to the river to give it a shot. The first thing I noticed right out of the bag was how nimble the boat felt without all the ballast in it! It had been quite some time since I had floated this boat without any sand bags or ballast sacks, and it felt nimble as a ballerina. With the Wedge up, it also had the puniest wake I had seen in a while.

The first step to testing, of course, is to actually drop the Wedge down and latch it into place. To my unpleasant surprise, I couldn’t get my hand between the Wedge and the swim platform to release it. Hmmm… Looks like we either drop it before the boat hits the water or the first rider in does the job. From the water it was quite easy to engage once I remembered where the levers were. Starting in the 2000 model year, Malibu has taken care of this problem- they put a trap door in the swim platform so you have easy, open access to the Wedge deployment mechanism. Looks like it works pretty slick!

Note: If you endeavor to install your own Wedge, try to mount the Wedge plate as low on the transom as possible. Don’t go too ballistic since there is limited clearance on the inside, but you could feasibly get it low enough to allow you to fit an arm between the platform and the Wedge. I’ll remember that for the next Malibu I own!

With the Wedge down and the boat moving at wakeboarding speed, there was a noticeable drag at the rear of the boat. As expected, the nose rides a bit higher under way and the boat handles a bit more sluggishly overall. Basically, the boat handled like it had a chunk of weight in the tail, but we went from zero to chunk in the 20 seconds it took to engage the Wedge.

The time finally came to get on a board and check the wake out firsthand. When standing next to it, the wake didn’t look any bigger than it did with about 750lbs. of ballast in the rear, but it did have a much crisper shape. When I eased into it for a bit of air, I was delighted to find a firm, rampy wake under my board. After a few more pops, my smile went ear to ear. For having nearly zero additional weight in the boat, this was a darned fine wake! I would describe it as a mid sized (for a larger boat), very firm, crisp, and rampy. When I really laid into a cut, I was surprised to find myself much higher in the air than I expected for the size of wake I hit. I think I can live with this…

The final word: The Wedge was well worth the funds. It is quick and easy to drop and lift (if not a totally dry maneuver), and it makes a great medium sized wake without consuming valuable space inside the boat. For the majority of the riders out there, I think that this will be a stellar configuration.

Rick Dehlinger
rick.dehlinger@citrix.com

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