Understanding these features can make a world of difference to newer boaters. 

Centurion takes pride in offering the most adjustable waves and wakes on the water. There are a variety of different features on every Centurion model that allow you to set your wave or wake up for however you like to ride. With so much customization at your fingertips the learning curve can be somewhat intimidating for newer drivers, understanding how a few key features affect your wave and wake can make a world of difference on the water.

Ballast

Each boat is going to have a slightly different ballast configuration. Typically, for wakesurfing, you’ll want to fill up all of the available ballast with the exception of the bow. If you have lots of people in the back of the boat, or just want to lengthen out your wave a bit more you might want to try adding some bow ballast. As you might already know, the RAMFILL tanks will fill and drain very quickly on the go (for more about RAMFILL click here). For that reason, you may want to drain 10% from the RAMFILL tank on the opposite side of the surfer to help clean up the wave. Some people will add extra ballast in the form of lead bags, this is optional but not necessary in Centurion models as you can get up to 5550 LBS of internal ballast stock from the factory.

Speed

People wakesurf at speeds anywhere from 9.5-16 mph, but 10.6-11.8 mph is pretty typical. Riding at a slower speed will make the wave taller, but will also shorten the wave in length bringing the surfer closer to the boat. Riding at a faster speed will make the wave longer and knock down the height. The more ballast your boat has, the faster you can surf while still having a powerful wave. If you are riding a wakeboard, 18-23mph is going to be your range for speed. The faster you go, the longer and cleaner the wake will become. If you are riding at a slower speed try making the rope a bit shorter.

The Stinger Wake Plate

The Stinger Wake Plate is the center trim tab on the back of your boat. When this plate is deployed it creates lift on the back end of the boat. This helps to reduce bow rise and helps get the boat up on plane. While you are riding, the Stinger Wake Plate is one of the most effective tools for tuning the wake or wave. 0% is the resting position for the Stinger Wake Plate. At the 0% setting the plate will be flush with the hull of the boat letting the back end of the hull displace the most water possible. 100% setting means the Stinger Wake Plate is fully deployed creating maximum lift on the back end of the boat. While wakesurfing, 0% setting will provide the steepest and most powerful wave. As you deploy the Stinger Wake Plate more and more the wave will become longer, flatter, and shorter in height. The Stinger Wake Plate can also be a good way to clean up the wave if it ever looks a bit washy. If you are wakeboarding the Stinger Wake Plate will have the same effect as if you were wakesurfing. 0% will make the steepest wake and adjusting towards 100% will flatten it out.

QuickSurf Pro

The QuickSurf Pro system utilizes the two tabs on the rear corners of your boat. This system is used only for wakesurfing. QuickSurf Pro allows you to wakesurf with an evenly weighted boat and enables you to switch the wave from one side to the other in 1.8 seconds. When you click the “surf right” option, the tab on the port side of the boat will deploy creating a clean surf wave on the starboard side. When either tab is deployed, it pushes the opposite side of the hull deeper into the water to maximize the wave while also blocking the whitewash from the non-surf side. If you still weight your boat with a lean to the surf side, you won’t need to use as much QuickSurf compared to a boat that is weighted totally evenly. If you weight your boat evenly you normally want to set QuickSurf Pro to around 85% on both sides. A higher % setting on the QuickSurf should make the wave very clean and flatten it out a bit. A lower % setting on the QuickSurf would result in a steeper wave that might be a little messy depending on your ballast configuration. If you are using your QuickSurf Pro to transfer back and forth from one side to the other, an even ballast set up is recommended.

QuickLaunch

Quicklaunch is a useful feature to help get the boat up on plane when it is full of ballast. When you turn on Quicklaunch, all 3 tabs including the Stinger Wake Plate and both Quicksurf Pro tabs will deploy creating maximum lift on the back end of the boat to get you up on plane more easily. Once the boat planes off all 3 tabs will return to their previous settings automatically. Quicklaunch can be left on at all times when wakeboarding.

CATS

CATS is an acronym for Centurion Articulating Tracking System. The CATS is essentially an extra rudder that locks in on a setting. This feature allows for small corrections in the way the boat tracks through the water. CATS can be extremely helpful for wakeboarding or wakeskating. If you are wakeboarding and the wake is washed out on one side, you can fix that with the CATS without moving a single person around in the boat. If you need to clean up the port side of the wake, adjust the CATS into the positive numbers until the wake has cleaned up. To clean up the starboard side of the wake, adjust the CATS into the negative numbers.

About Centurion Boats: Creating the World’s best waves, wakes and ride since 1976, Centurion is a towed water sports boat manufacturer built on innovation and commitment to excellence. As a Correct Craft Company, we are charged with “Making Lives Better”. We embody this phrase with the boats we build along with the lives we live on and off the water. Centurion Boats is the perfect ride every time. To learn more about Centurion Boats, visit www.centurionboats.com.

About Correct Craft: Celebrating 95 years of excellence in the marine industry, Correct Craft is a Florida-based company with global operations. Focused on “Making Life Better,” the Correct Craft family includes Nautique, Centurion, Supreme, Bass Cat, Yar-Craft, SeaArk, Parker, and Bryant boat companies, Pleasurecraft Marine Engine Group, Watershed Innovation and Aktion Parks. For more information please visit www.correctcraft.com.