Wake Booster VS Thrust Vector Wake

[jhholt9]

New jet boat owner and want to surf... however having trouble deciding between wake booster or thrust vector wake. Just curious if anyone has seen a side x side comparison and/or listed pros and cons of each?

 

[Dough]

Just started selling both of these....

 

[jcyamaharider]

Don't forget about the product that has been around for years and is the OG for surfing behind Yamaha jet boats:

www.gantlinproducts.com

 

[mrtrav]

Don't forget about the product that has been around for years and is the OG for surfing behind Yamaha jet boats:

www.gantlinproducts.com

We need one for us 19 footers.

 

[the MfM]

The thrust vector wake seems to be a bit of a work in progress.

 

[ripler]

I can guarantee that the wakebooster was thoroughly tested before release, the other is being tested by the customers.

 

[tabbibus]

I say wait a bit. TV Wake is promising but still being tweaked. Only a few reviews of wakebooster out there. Let things shake up first

 

[Arcadyus]

I can guarantee that the wakebooster was thoroughly tested before release, the other is being tested by the customers.

All the customers seem ok with being essentially testers of a new product not yet ready for full production. I wouldn't be one to want to test a product you have to epoxy to your boat.

 

[IndySmittyYammi]

New jet boat owner and want to surf... however having trouble deciding between wake booster or thrust vector wake. Just curious if anyone has seen a side x side comparison and/or listed pros and cons of each?

My experience has been pretty great with the WakeBooster. Takes seconds to install. Just position ballast, go straight, and surf.

You’ll need Gantlin’s custom swim deck back, and a bag for the center locker. From there you just adjust to what you need/like.

I can’t say anything negative about the WakeBooster. I returned the TVW simply due to how well the WakeBooster worked. I didn’t feel it necessary to spend the money after getting the results I did. The Wake Wedge was a non-starter for us. My wife didn’t want something attached to the boat full time that was visible. That was just our experience.

PS - the Slingshot board that comes with the Booster is awesome.

 

[jcyamaharider]

My experience has been pretty great with the WakeBooster. Takes seconds to install. Just position ballast, go straight, and surf.

You’ll need Gantlin’s custom swim deck back, and a bag for the center locker. From there you just adjust to what you need/like.

I can’t say anything negative about the WakeBooster. I returned the TVW simply due to how well the WakeBooster worked. I didn’t feel it necessary to spend the money after getting the results I did. The Wake Wedge was a non-starter for us. My wife didn’t want something attached to the boat full time that was visible. That was just our experience.

PS - the Slingshot board that comes with the Booster is awesome.

2 pins and the Wake wedge comes off the boat faster then the Wake booster. Don't want to take it off....... leave it on all day long. When up on plane the Wake wedge has no effect on the boat.

 

[Rod5]

I’ll soon have all 3 and will report comparisons as well as pros and cons to each. Currently we’ve been surfing with 2 wedges (one for each side) for 2 years now. I received the Booster a Couple months ago and have surfed it a few times. Lastly I’ve pre-ordered the TVW back in May and hope to play with them soon...
I also look forward to testing in combination the TVW and Booster together if there is clearance and they don’t interfere with one another.

 

[Ziess21]

I just tested the 21' Wakebooster version this morning, it was a brief demo but I was very impressed.

 

[JeffVans]

@IndySmittyYammi and @Rod5 Have you noticed a cut down on the spray with the wakebooster like the TVW is supposed to do? That's one of the reasons I went with the TVW but it hasn't come in yet (late order) so I'm still doing research.

 

[JetBoatPilot]

One thing I have noticed about the booster is that if you add ballast the wave gets washy. Just our first observation but the reason I make the point is that the wave looks good without it but you may not be able to add wave height if you're not satisfied with the wave height as it is. We could be wrong about this and if it is proven otherwise we'll retract but wanted to be sure to add our observation.

 

[BoaTN]

I picked up the wake booster last week and we spent all last weekend surfing. It was a lot better than I had expected and worked great. Played with the ballast and found with 2 adults on board, and 1 surfing all tanks full made a really nice wave. Had to reduce the ballast a little with more people on board. We've not seen any unwanted spray - sun glasses stay dry until I fall in the water. The board is nice too. This is the best picture I could find of the wave right after somebody wiped out, the rope is kicking up a little water. I'll try to get a better picture this weekend. I see no reason to make any further modifications. My boat is stock other than JBP lateral thrusters and Yamaha wake booster.

 

[MidnightRider]

I just tested the 21' Wakebooster version this morning, it was a brief demo but I was very impressed.

Any Ballast on board? What was the people weight?

 

[IndySmittyYammi]

@IndySmittyYammi and @Rod5 Have you noticed a cut down on the spray with the wakebooster like the TVW is supposed to do? That's one of the reasons I went with the TVW but it hasn't come in yet (late order) so I'm still doing research.

So, the spray situation is interesting. In our experience, there is still a little bit of spray with the Wake Booster when going in a straight line, or if you have to run the wheel away from the surf-side during a run. There seems to be zero spray if you use a slight turn toward the surfer.

I’m personally not affected by the little bit of remaining spray. My wife however, did notice it and wasn’t comfortable until she put on a pair of shades.

There’s a part of me that wonders if a combo of the Wake Booster and TVW will be incredible. We’re pretty happy with our setup, but I could see us adding the TVW down the road.

 

[Shady28]

I'd second the others experience with the Yama Wakebooster. 3rd weekend on the boat, first time surfing. No expertise driving, setting up ballast or seating in the boat and had kids and 250+ lb adult surfing ropeless. Friend was up and ropeless on our first pass. He was on a friends Supreme the weekend before and preferred the Yama push and wave better and video between him surfing both boats proved it out (also a new boat owner and first time out, so Supreme wasn't tuned in either).

Assuming things can only go up from here as we dial the ballast and seating in the boat in.

*Ballast setup 100% locker, 100% surfside rear and 50% non-surf rear. (3 adults + 5 small kids in boat)

+running thrust vectors and lateral thrusters.

 

[Arcadyus]

I'd second the others experience with the Yama Wakebooster. 3rd weekend on the boat, first time surfing. No expertise driving, setting up ballast or seating in the boat and had kids and 250+ lb adult surfing ropeless. Friend was up and ropeless on our first pass. He was on a friends Supreme the weekend before and preferred the Yama push and wave better and video between him surfing both boats proved it out (also a new boat owner and first time out, so Supreme wasn't tuned in either).

Assuming things can only go up from here as we dial the ballast and seating in the boat in.

*Ballast setup 100% locker, 100% surfside rear and 50% non-surf rear. (3 adults + 5 small kids in boat)

+running thrust vectors and lateral thrusters.

We need videos. Stoked you got a 250lber ropeless. When that supreme is tuned it will throw a monster wave. I saw one last week throwing a wave that was all of 4 and a half maybe 5 ft tall..

 

[swatski]

My experience has been pretty great with the WakeBooster. Takes seconds to install. Just position ballast, go straight, and surf.

You’ll need Gantlin’s custom swim deck back, and a bag for the center locker. From there you just adjust to what you need/like.

I can’t say anything negative about the WakeBooster. I returned the TVW simply due to how well the WakeBooster worked. I didn’t feel it necessary to spend the money after getting the results I did. The Wake Wedge was a non-starter for us. My wife didn’t want something attached to the boat full time that was visible. That was just our experience.

PS - the Slingshot board that comes with the Booster is awesome.

I missed your Booster posts last week, we were on vacation. Looks really good, as you also showed in the other thread!

The combination of Gatlin custom swim deck bag and another big one in the center locker, plus whatever else may be to fine tune - seems to be the winning combo! We find it to work best with the Wedge as well. The Wedge is a bit of a pain to mount on the go, and to switch sides you basically need two... but we love it as all surf regular (one of us was forced to go regular, lol, she is the youngest) and we just leave the Wedge mounted, extended flat, for days with no ill effects.

I don't understand the @JetBoatPilot repeated comments on the Booster wave getting washy with ballast, I have not seen or heard this yet from anyone else.

It might be JBP is a wake surfing expert and knows what no one else does, but still his Booster comments smell a little bit like a slick snub to steer people into buying into his TVWs.
Well, good luck with that but maybe we can start with a SIDE-BY-SIDE comparison, TVWs vs no TVWs surfing?

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