Advice on ‘17 R21

[carpaz]

Hey all,
We’re strongly considering a ‘17 R21 with under a 100 hrs that looks absolutely perfect. Currently in a ‘03 MC X30.
My only hang up is that it has no analogue gauges or switches, EVERYTHING depending on that screen. Have folks found this to be as much of a problem as I fear it could be?...
Thanks in advance!

[freeheel4life]

Does it have the 7" or the 4" screen(hard to remember)?? I've replaced a handful of the 7" as a technician. Havent seen a single 4" fail but its also a numbers game. A lot less 4" screens out on the water. Im also speaking in terms of Supra and Tige as both used basically the same 7" screen with different soft touch buttons on the edge.

The takeaway would be the smaller 4" is a reliable compenent thus far, though not exactly a joy to use. Get in the boat and play with it.

Bigger question would be which version of TAPS 3 does it have on it?? Does it mount to platform or the transom?? Also does it have the M2 tower or Alpha Z??

End of the day I think the R21 is a big step up. Getting a trim plate and surf system that isn't a stick on device will be a game changer. Ballast system is an improvement as well. You running any lead currently??

[carpaz]

Great questions!
Hoping your name is referring to tele—?:-)
I’d say the the screen is 7 but hard to say, it’s actually about 7x4”. I’ll try to attach the link. So no huge fear of fuel, ballast, eng temp, etc all dependent on software?
Re the TAPS, it’s a TAPS 3 on the transom.
As far as tower goes, I’m not sure which it is. Is there preference or concern one way or another?
Totally agree with the step up factor. Our hopes are that this boat will allow for easier transitions between surf, slalom, wake boarding and kid tubing without huge reconfiguration. The 03 MC x30 is a great boat but not easily versatile. No, no lead, just stock plus one fat sac.
Thanks a million.

[carpaz]

Had trouble attaching photo of screen so just changes my profile pic to the pic of the screen...
thx again!

[sandm]

So no huge fear of fuel, ballast, eng temp, etc all dependent on software?
.

there's switches buried under the dash to dump ballast and get you home if you ever have a screen fail. you can dump ballast, bilge, blower and lights. it's kind of a pita to get to on some of the early tigetouch models but newer ones have the redundant switches in a much better location(ours are behind door in bow in front of helm.. you could even theoretically use the boat out on the water swapping fuses to keep everything running but you would lose cruise control. that's 100% dependent on the screen.


google alpha z tower and m2 tower. I LOVE the alpha z but our last '14 z3 had some issues with it and replacement parts are getting harder to find. I'd shy away from a boat with alpha z if it was me. it's my favorite tige tower but as they age, the uncertainty of parts if you need them kept us in a newer boat this time.

good luck.....

[freeheel4life]

Great questions!
Hoping your name is referring to tele—?:-)
I’d say the the screen is 7 but hard to say, it’s actually about 7x4”. I’ll try to attach the link. So no huge fear of fuel, ballast, eng temp, etc all dependent on software?
Re the TAPS, it’s a TAPS 3 on the transom.
As far as tower goes, I’m not sure which it is. Is there preference or concern one way or another?
Totally agree with the step up factor. Our hopes are that this boat will allow for easier transitions between surf, slalom, wake boarding and kid tubing without huge reconfiguration. The 03 MC x30 is a great boat but not easily versatile. No, no lead, just stock plus one fat sac.
Thanks a million.

It is a tele reference. Thats my addiction.

Thats the smaller 4" screen. It's been reliable IMO/experience. If it were to take a complete $hit you can still get off the water, and as sandm said there are some redundant backup switches under the helm.

Also as sandm said, the Alpha Z is a good tower, but parts support is becoming less.. IIRC 17s didnt have the Alpha. I think they had a tube tower that was in between the Alpha and M2.

A handful have converted TAPS3 to GSA and really like the results though its not needed.. Id plan on some lead. It really spices up the surf wave. X

[carpaz]

Thanks gentlemen.
this tower doesn’t seem to be either of the 2 referenced.
https://www.actionwatersportsaz.com/...OwnedInventory

^^^ This is the boat we’re looking at.
Great news about the back up switches. My family’s not too hardcore so I’m hopeful the TAPS3 would us just fine.
Thanks again guys!

[freeheel4life]

Yeah, that was the in-between tower. Cant remember its name. Its just fine but as far as I know its no longer available, so don't run it into anything or have a tree fall on it and you will be fine. Even if the worst happens insurance will just be paying for a newer M2 tower as that is the replacement option.

Its hard to tell from the pics and all the model year changes are hard to keep track of but it looks like the TAPS3 actuators are mounted to the swim platform. Not a huge deal but some boats had issues with the plates camming over the wrong way and put the actuators in a bind. Probably not this boat but if it does have that issue there's an easy fix.

Taps3 will be awesome and having a trim plate(TAPS) will be an upgrade as well. The 420BT equalizer is a nice plus as well.

[freeheel4life]

I'm having issues editing, but just fyi....

There are two separate warranties to transfer if this is the first time its changed hands.

[BurnMac42]

there's switches buried under the dash to dump ballast and get you home if you ever have a screen fail. you can dump ballast, bilge, blower and lights. it's kind of a pita to get to on some of the early tigetouch models but newer ones have the redundant switches in a much better location(ours are behind door in bow in front of helm.. you could even theoretically use the boat out on the water swapping fuses to keep everything running but you would lose cruise control. that's 100% dependent on the screen.


google alpha z tower and m2 tower. I LOVE the alpha z but our last '14 z3 had some issues with it and replacement parts are getting harder to find. I'd shy away from a boat with alpha z if it was me. it's my favorite tige tower but as they age, the uncertainty of parts if you need them kept us in a newer boat this time.

good luck.....

I was told there aren't switches on the '17 R21? At least that was what peeps told me when I owned mine...thankfully I never needed them though if they did exist...

[sandm]

i'd find that odd not having them and free would have called me out if they didn't. our z3's with medallion were behind the panel above the sub you can see in the pics-would assume the op's boat he posted is in the same location. our r23 has them behind the backrest in front of the helm where the heater is.

[carpaz]

Fee heel- yeah, luckily I’d be the second owner and eligible for warranty transfer, I’ll look into more of course.
I’ll have to look more closely at the actuators, I’m not an engineer but wouldn’t think platform mount makes much sense.
Something I have t seen before is rear ballasts being sort of suspended from the wall. Both sides have the mounting hooks breaking free already. For a boat with only 25 hrs on it I imagine they’ll all fail soon.
There’s lots to love about this boat except for the asking price, 71k, and they’re not budging.
You all rock, thanks!

[Ironrequiem]

I thought that one was called a Diamond Tower...

[Ironrequiem]

Here is a video of that tower...I believe it ran for a year or year and a half.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1C1btvTX8w

[carpaz]

Iron- yup that’s def it. Thanks. Hope that the tower’s short life isn’t an indicator of problems.
Going to work on getting that price down. COVID prices are killing me.
There’s a 2013 MC x25 Gen 1 (117 hrs) I’m also looking at but it would require a good deal of surf wave work... either upgraded surf system or lots of ballast and surf gate business...
thanks again all.