Last summer i bought a 2007 challenger 180 se with everything but the tower for a screaming deal. first thing i did after buying it was build a tower, modeled it after the factory one. im about 200 lbs and enjoy wakeboarding (not too bad) but it seems if i have more than 3 people in the boat all 150-200lbs and i'm on the board the boat has a hard time pulling me (or any one else) out of the water, especially if i'm on the wake skate (smaller board area). the problem is it appears to have lots of power but you really have to feather the throttle or it "breaks traction" and cavitates until you back off and catch the water again. the boat with 4 or 5 people will do 44 mph it has about 35 ish hours on it, i have removed the impeller and inspected the wear ring and it has a little grove around it about enough clearance to slide a piece of paper between the ring and impeller, but mostly i found when it was assembled at the factory the black sealant that was used was really used and had gobbed and dripped inside the intake tunnel, after 5 hours of carefully removing the excess it runs much better but still will suck with3 or 4 in boat and pulling wakeboard. have i just hit the limit of the jet to suck water? how much can any one else load in a boat and still pull a board? i now have it apart again and how do i get the drive shaft out to inspect the seal? and also where can i find oil, filter, supercharger washers and wear ring? (local dealer went under last year)
cavitation under load?
- Thread starter JustinM
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Weight?
There is a chance you have a problem with your weight ratio. If you can pull the board with one person on the board, driver and spotter, then yes, you've probably overweighted the boat.
I know you said you made your own tower, modeled it after the factory one. My question here is, did you use the same lightweight materials? I"m at work right now and dont' have access to my manuals but I know their is a weight capacity. This will include the people onboard and anything you carry extra, like your tower, coolers, extra gas and people.
You have the 18' footer though, so I think you should be able to have 5 people seated.
You don't really state it but you kind of refer to it, about how many people you have in the boat when this happens. But,you don't say specifically that you have tried this with only a spotter and driver, no additional weight. If you have and you have no problems, then it's def going to be weight related.
The drag you create on the boat is going to be at the drag time. Once your up, the boat should be fine, unless it's overweighted..... So, let us know!
There is a chance you have a problem with your weight ratio. If you can pull the board with one person on the board, driver and spotter, then yes, you've probably overweighted the boat.
I know you said you made your own tower, modeled it after the factory one. My question here is, did you use the same lightweight materials? I"m at work right now and dont' have access to my manuals but I know their is a weight capacity. This will include the people onboard and anything you carry extra, like your tower, coolers, extra gas and people.
You have the 18' footer though, so I think you should be able to have 5 people seated.
You don't really state it but you kind of refer to it, about how many people you have in the boat when this happens. But,you don't say specifically that you have tried this with only a spotter and driver, no additional weight. If you have and you have no problems, then it's def going to be weight related.
The drag you create on the boat is going to be at the drag time. Once your up, the boat should be fine, unless it's overweighted..... So, let us know!
Weight limits?...
Send me a PM so I will have a record of your question. I'll look up the loaded weight limits on the boat for you. I think, under normal conditions, you should be able to haul 4 or 5 people. As long as all of them aren't 200 plus.
This day, 200 pounds really isn't that big, especially if your somewhat tall.
I'd still ask the question about the weight of your materials on the tower. If you over built this thing, it could quite possilby be your reason for the cavitation under load....
Send me a PM so I will have a record of your question. I'll look up the loaded weight limits on the boat for you. I think, under normal conditions, you should be able to haul 4 or 5 people. As long as all of them aren't 200 plus.
This day, 200 pounds really isn't that big, especially if your somewhat tall.
I'd still ask the question about the weight of your materials on the tower. If you over built this thing, it could quite possilby be your reason for the cavitation under load....
Oh a d he tower is all allumum, it can easaly be picked up with one hand (40 lbs?) used stock mounting points and even fits under he stock cover for 180 with tower. Drawn on cad bent in the drive way with hydralic tube bender and welded at friend's shop. It's off, I'll post a pic later, only regret is not making it a foot taller for easier access to back and it's not foldable.
Cool.....
Yep, sounds like you know your fabrication..... No need to post pix, less you just want to. I got an idea of how much it weighs. This shouldn't be a problem. If you can lift it with one hand.... your good.
PM me, I'll look up the weight limits for you tomorrow when I get up... I'm on night shift tonight.....:cheers:
Yep, sounds like you know your fabrication..... No need to post pix, less you just want to. I got an idea of how much it weighs. This shouldn't be a problem. If you can lift it with one hand.... your good.
PM me, I'll look up the weight limits for you tomorrow when I get up... I'm on night shift tonight.....:cheers:
I just want to say thanks to this site, I had two skis before the boat, and I can not tell u how much I have learned from this site, I have worked In a couple auto shops and am currently an electrical engineering student but every time I log on I'm on for hours, half the time reading about random stuff that dosent even affect the stuff I have, thanks
Problems...?
I don't know... Looking at the specs of the boat, this thing should handle what you want to do.
The specs say this boat had a weight capacity of 1,440 lbs. That seems like enough for you to seat several passengers and a wake boarder behind it.
I do know, from my experience on a Comp II slalom, I can create a real heavy drag on a boat when I "cut and jump".... I really never got into wake boarding very much. I tried it back in the 90's but, really didn't care for the lack of control on the water. It was like riding a knee board standing up. I have watched some in this sport though, it's really awesome to see what these guys can do on them these days.
At 200 lbs., it may be possible for you to create enough drag that you cause the motor to loose contact when you bare down on your board. If the boat is cruising along and you apply a hard cut, I'd imagine there might be some affect; just a theory.:cheers:
I don't know... Looking at the specs of the boat, this thing should handle what you want to do.
The specs say this boat had a weight capacity of 1,440 lbs. That seems like enough for you to seat several passengers and a wake boarder behind it.
I do know, from my experience on a Comp II slalom, I can create a real heavy drag on a boat when I "cut and jump".... I really never got into wake boarding very much. I tried it back in the 90's but, really didn't care for the lack of control on the water. It was like riding a knee board standing up. I have watched some in this sport though, it's really awesome to see what these guys can do on them these days.
At 200 lbs., it may be possible for you to create enough drag that you cause the motor to loose contact when you bare down on your board. If the boat is cruising along and you apply a hard cut, I'd imagine there might be some affect; just a theory.:cheers:
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