We’ve added another bag to our CustomFit line of boat year/make/model specific solutions; this time for Tige’s 22i. This bag, which is rated at 530 pounds of capacity, is a perfect in the rear lockers of all 22i boats. Traditionally a difficult boat to add additional ballast to, these custom bags make it easy to add additional weight in the rear lockers for wakeboarding or wake surfing, and that weight is completely hidden.

Perfectly sized to fill all of the available space in the rear lockers, without doing any damage, these bags are the best way to get additional ballast in your Tige 22i wakeboard boat.

Combine with a portable ballast pump or add a fully automated ballast system for the ultimate setup.

Our CustomFit ballast bags for the Tige 22i are $289.95, and hold a maximum of 530 pounds of water. If you would like to purchase this bag, please contact a ballast expert.

Most people are familiar with our ballast system upgrades for Malibu, Mastercraft and Nautique boats, but what a lot of our customers don’t realize is that we have a wealth of experience with all of the major manufacturers, including Tige boats.  Last summer we teamed up with Wake9.com to show just what’s possible when a no limits approach is taken to building the best possible surf wake.

Take a look at the video below to see the results, and when you’re ready to upgrade your Tige wakeboard boat, or any other brand, contact a ballast expert to start planning the perfect wake.

A Tige Boats Public Surfing Announcement. A Wakesurfing video with the details on the latest sport to take over your lake and how the Tige ballast system does it better than anyone, on both sides of the boat!
Tige Sufers: Dom Lagace, Chase Hazen, and Ashley Kidd

Over the past decade, Tige has secured a spot at the top of the wakeboard boat industry. Make the pilgrimage to your local boat show and check out the new Tige’s. The staff at WakeMakers considers the newest generation of Tige’ Boats, one of the best equipped in the market. Tige says that they have the best wakeboard boat in the world. You can’t doubt that, as they have the wakesurf wave to back that up.

What you get in quality and creature comforts inside the Tige is worth every penny you spend. New features like the three ballast package options are leading the industry. Some guys may have 3 or 4 LCD screens that move up and down but Tige asks the questions that matter. How does that new technology make you a better rider or create the best day on the water? The ability for the boat operator to control both under floor factory ballast and additional above floor factory ballast from the helm sets Tige apart. The simple yet functional design has the end consumer at the focal point. Just watch this video and you will get a taste of what Tige has been doing Abilene Texas.

WakeMakers is now offering Custom Tige Ballast Bags for the RZ4. Get the most out of your Tige RZ4, RZ2, RZR, Z3, Z1, R20, 24Vé, and 22Vé, Factory Tige Ballast System. Just take out the OEM bag and add our bag in it’s place. Instant wake enhancing greatness.

Custom Tige Port Ballast Bags
Custom Tige Starboard Ballast Bags

What it is: Tigé PiggyBack Factory Ballast System Upgrade

Interested in adding the rear component of the Tigé Wake Surf Ballast Package or Tigé Pro-Level Ballast Package to your boat for surfing, but don’t want to hassle with filling ballast bags by throwing a pump over the side of the boat? Our exclusive WakeMAKERS.com Tigé Pigyback ballast upgrade allows you to add an additional 400, 750 or 1,100 pounds of fully automated ballast to the factory Base Package system on your Tigé wakeboard boat.

Because our PiggyBack packages are designed to integrate directly with your factory wakeboard boat ballast system and are controlled using the switches on your dash or the TigéTouch, everything stays completely automated and effortless to use.

For Use In:

Our  is designed to work with any Tigé boat that has factory rear ballast tanks that are installed below the floor of the boat and use aerator pumps for filling and draining. Confirmed models include the following boats:
- ’09-Current Tige RZ2
- ’09-Current Tige RZ4

For specific questions on fitment, and for possible compatibility with other models, click here.

Bag Size, Application and Dimensions:

Starting at $69.95 Buy Now »

Scared of doing this to your boat? Install thru-hull fittings the right way for a leak proof install.

If the thought of drilling a hole in the bottom of your boat conjures images like the one above, you’re not alone. We sell a lot of automated ballast systems and ballast systems components, so it’s no surprise that we hear from a lot of customers that are uncomfortable with the idea of drilling one (or more) rather large holes through the bottom of their boat.

We figured it would be beneficial to post a little how-to that outlines the process of drilling through the fiberglass hull of the boat, and then installing the thru-hull fitting. This article is specific to an intake for a ballast system, but the same procedure can be applied for any hardware that is installed in the boat’s hull. Alright, let’s get on with it!

Required Tools & Supplies

In addition to the actual hardware you’ll be installing, the following items are necessary:

• Measuring tape
• Masking tape
• Felt-tip pen
• Power drill
• Sharp drill bits
• Appropriately sized hole-saw bit (refer to documentation included with your thru-hull for the correct size)
• 100 grit sand paper

Step 1: Planning the Install The first step is to determine where the fitting will be installed, and as the old adage goes, you definitely want to measure multiple time to make sure you won’t be encountering any problems down the road. When locating your thru-hull you first need to ensure the location you choose will have a sufficient supply of fresh water at all times, and that it will not interfere with any other systems on the boat. This includes, but is not limited to, the engine’s raw water intake, the paddle wheel speed sensor and the depth finder transducer. You want to make sure that the intake will not be located directly in front of any of those items, as the disruption to the flow of water can alter their performance.

Also, be sure you have enough clearance on both the inside and outside of the hull. It helps to pick a landmark, like an existing fitting or component, that is visible on the exterior of the boat as well as in the bilge compartment.  Usually the outside isn’t an issue because you’ll be doing the install with the boat on the trailer, and bunks are the biggest obstacle here. Inside you need to have sufficient room not only for the components that will attach to the thru-hull, but also for the installation. Remember, you’ll need more room for all of your parts to be assembled than they will actually occupy once installed.

Once you’ve determined the ideal location for the intake, apply masking tape to the exterior of the hull extending out from the intended location by at least six inches.  Applying masking tape will serve two purpose; first, it will prevent damage to the surrounding are if the bit happens to slip, and second it will prevent splintering of the gel-coat (which is the exterior colored surface of the boat’s hull that gives it the smooth glassy appearance). If your boat has a finished bilge liner (Malibu direct drive models for example), you’ll also want to mask of the interior where the penetration will be for the same reasons outlined above.

Step 2: Drilling the Pilot Hole
Well, the hard work is done, now it’s time to drill the hole.  While incredibly simple and straight forward, this step is obviously the most intimidating, so just make sure you’ve placed the fitting correctly above and take your time.  The first step in the drilling process is to drill a pilot hole for the hole saw bit you’ll be using.  Starting from the exterior, use the same size drill bit as the pilot bit on the hole saw you’ll be using to drill through the hull of the boat.

Step 3: Drilling the Final Hole
Now that you’ve got a hole that extends all the way through into the bilge of the boat you can score the fiberglass on the inside to prevent chipping when the hole saw bit finished the cut.  To do this start from inside the bilge compartment and insert the hole saw bit into the hole you drilled in the previous step.  Either using your hand, of if you have clearance, the drill running in reverse, lightly score the fiberglass inside the bilge by applying pressure rotating the hole saw bit.  This will result in a cleaner hull when the hole saw finishes the cut.

Now you’re ready for the big moment, let’s finish drilling the hole from the outside of the boat.  Gelcoat is actually a very brittle material, so we need to be very careful not to damage or chip the gelcoat around the perimeter of the hole we’re going to drill.  With the drill in reverse, start from under the boat and apply pressure to the drill to use the friction of the bit to wear through the gelcoat completely.  This will control how much “bite” the bit has, which will prevent chipping of the gelcoat.  Once you’ve worn through the gelcoat, which is only a couple millimeters thick, and “feel” much different than fiberglass, switch the drill to forward and continue drilling completely through the hull.

Step 4: Chamfering the Hole
The final, and perhaps most important step before actually installing the thru-hull fitting it to chamfer the gelcoat around the perimeter to prevent superficial cracks from occurring in the future.  Because gelcoat is brittle, if it is subjected to any force parallel to the finished surface of the hull small spider cracks can occur and radiate out away from the center of the hole.  The preventative fix is simple, we just remove the gelcoat around the edge of the hole so the fitting doesn’t make contact with it at all once installed.  The easiest way to create this chamfer is to use sandpaper around the circumference of the hole until the gelcoat makes a 45 degree angle with the fiberglass underneath it.

Now all that’s left to do is install the thru-hull fitting following the recommended installation method, and using the appropriate adhesive/sealant to ensure you’ll have a leak free setup.  For more information refer to the instructions included with the fitting you are installing (where applicable).

Conclusion
Hopefully this guide has proven beneficial, if you have any questions feel free to contact us and we’ll be happy to provide assistance.  If you need to purchase any of the items discussed in this guide you can view them by clicking on the image below.

Our Price $13.95-$57.95 Buy Now »	Our Price $14.99 Buy Now »

Fly High called us the other day to ask if we would be interested in buying some custom bags they had made that a customer had decided not to use. We said sure, why not, send them our way. Imagine our surprise when the box arrived tucked in among one of our shipments, and we opened it to find these custom made Tige bow ballast bags. When they said their customer wasn’t interested it never crossed our mind that their customer might be the company that built your boat!

So if you’ve got a Tige Z1 these custom bow bags are perfect for you. If you’ve got another boat with an open bow, then chances are they’re perfect for you too, especially if you’re into surfing. Having a single custom bag made to these dimensions would easily cost $400 due to the shape, but since we got them for a deal we’re passing the savings on to you.

Buy This Custom Wakeboard Ballast Bag»

Add two of these bags to the bow of your boat and you’ll have a fully integrated setup that excels for surfing, is great for wakeboarding, and won’t break the bank.  Plus, you’ll still have your center storage area available for your anchor.