How to Get Chase Hazen’s Wakesurf Set Up

Wakesurfing is here to stay, and 2013 has been one of the biggest years ever in terms of wakesurf-centric boat technology. But all the gadgets in the world won't get you the perfect wave if you don't know how to correctly weight your boat. Properly placed weight, in the form of people and ballast bags, can make the difference... Ever wonder how the pros can pull off 540 shove-its and 3-foot airs? The first step is having a great wave. We went straight to the source to cut down your time experimenting with ballast so you can have more time to enjoy the swells behind your boat this summer.

The good news, Tige team rider and surf-style aeriel savant Chase Hazen says, is that weighting the Z3 is exactly the same with or without the Convex VX. Hazen puts majority of his weight in the back compartment on the side he's going to surf and then continues to load it up around midship. He then fills the internal ballast on the side he's surfing, and keeps it about half full on the opposite side. Finally, he tweaks the wake's shape with TAPS2 to get his ideal balance of steepness and power.

"In general, the idea is to get a slight lean on the side you're riding on, and then you want to sink the boat down evenly to give the wake more power," Hazen says. "There is a big misconception on 'the more weight the better,' but a lot of boats can be overweighted. You also have to adjust how much weight you put in your boat depending on how many people are in it."