I am FINALLY a TIGE owner!!!

[geek]

Well, this is my first post on tigeowners.com because I am now finally a Tige owner!

For Christmas, I bought my wife and I a slightly used 2008 Z1. I have been in the market for a Tige for 2 years now and haven't been able to find the "right" deal. A week before Christmas, the one I couldn't pass up fell in my lap. I am so excited about it, I cannot hardly stand it.

The boat has 22 hours on it and most of them were put on it by me (previous owner is a friend of mine). No dings, has a 12" sub with tower speakers. It's black and white, could use a little color, but I fell in love with it the moment I saw it.

Too bad the winters in Idaho are so long because I just can't wait to get this thing on the water.

Only drawback is that it needs a ballast system. I have been reading on the forums about some options, but haven't been able to make heads or tails out of the information so far. Any suggestions?

[chpthril]

Congrats, and welcome to the forum.

In RE to the ballast: 1) what are your ballast needs; surfing, wake-boarding, both? 2) what is the skill level of a typical rider in your crew? This will help determine how much you need no, but you also want to have room to expand. 3) do you feel up to doing a plumbed-in automated system or just want to manual fill? Most manual fill for the first season, then it gets old and they want to do a full install. Answering 1 and 2 will make answering 3 easier.

[talltigeguy]

Geek,

welcome to the forum and congrats!

Without pics, we do not believe that it happened. post up a pic or two of that boat as soon as you can.

[geek]

Thanks for the welcome and the response.

To answer your questions.

1) I do enjoy wakeboarding, but surfing is what we will do most of.

2) I have been surfing for a few years, I would consider myself somewhere between beginner and intermediate. Most of the adults that will be riding with me would be in the same skill level. I have 3 kids ranging from 4 yrs - 11 yrs. They are mostly interested in surfing but my oldest really enjoys wakeboarding. Although, he is still a beginner.

3) I would love to have a fully automated system, I am worried about drilling holes in my newest prized possession. I believe that with the correct information I would be able to install just about anything myself. I probably would consider manually filling for a while until my comfort level is a little better.

I don't know how possible it is, but I would really not want to give up any room in the passenger area of the boat. It seems counter-productive to me to have a ballast that just sits in the walkway area of the boat. I wouldn't want to be tripping over it all day.

I have surfed behind this boat. While the wake is not "monster", I believe it to be adequate. If I recall correctly, it was best with the TAPS set at 6 and the speed just under 11 MPH, but I would love to have it be a bit bigger.

I hope I have answered your questions.

In reply to the request for pictures, I would love to post some. The boat is in my garage right now and it BARELY fits. I will see if I can snap a shot or two that do the boat justice.

[rushin]

Congrats to you and your wife!

That is good when you can get a deal like that as far as already being familar with the boat and it's history. All 22 hours of it.

[Dave S]

Welcome to the club, sounds like you scored a great deal. Now post some pics, lol.

[Timmy!]

Merry Christmas to you guys! Congrats on the new boat!!! 2011 is going to be a fun year for you! Post up some pics!!!!

[mikehayburn]

Congrats!!!! Welcome my friend

[chpthril]

To answer your questions.

1) I do enjoy wakeboarding, but surfing is what we will do most of.

Many advanced boarders will tell you that you dont need to add ballast till you have all the basics down. I even now one boat owner who wouldnt add ballast till his son stuck his first invert, now he runs 3K+ in his VLX Now, i'm no expert, but I can say that a quality wake and good mechanics is all that needed to accomplish a whole bag of tricks. So, let me ask, have you guys wake-boarded behind this Z1 and what was you impression of the wake?

If surfing is your main goal, then you could go with just a single sac and pump and manual fill it. Or step up to a 3 sac system that would give you front and rear ballast for boarding and then rear ballast for surfing. The Z1 really response well to bow weight when surfing, so would recommend going with a sac for the rear as well as one for the front. With that in mind, the Z1 with just ballast in the rear is still a great wake.

2) I have been surfing for a few years, I would consider myself somewhere between beginner and intermediate. Most of the adults that will be riding with me would be in the same skill level. I have 3 kids ranging from 4 yrs - 11 yrs. They are mostly interested in surfing but my oldest really enjoys wakeboarding. Although, he is still a beginner.

400# + people is a nice place to start, and adding more, like with a larger sac or a custom sac, the wake just gets better.

A setup with a Fly High W701 V-Drive sac set (2 400# sacs) for the rear and a W711 Integrated bow sac for the front will give you about 1200# for boarding. For surfing, this would give you 400# on the surf side, and if you were manual filling, you can easily stack the other 400# sac on top and add about another 700#. This setup can easily be plumbed in.

3) I would love to have a fully automated system, I am worried about drilling holes in my newest prized possession. I believe that with the correct information I would be able to install just about anything myself. I probably would consider manually filling for a while until my comfort level is a little better.

Although an install is in depth, anyone handy with basic hand tools can do it.

I don't know how possible it is, but I would really not want to give up any room in the passenger area of the boat. It seems counter-productive to me to have a ballast that just sits in the walkway area of the boat. I wouldn't want to be tripping over it all day.

I have surfed behind this boat. While the wake is not "monster", I believe it to be adequate. If I recall correctly, it was best with the TAPS set at 6 and the speed just under 11 MPH, but I would love to have it be a bit bigger.

Depending on what sacs you went with, you can easily stow away more then enough ballast, especially for surfing. For boarding, though, depending on how much you needed to add, down the road, you may find the need to add additional weight to the front, and the easiest place is to lay a sac in the walkway or on the bow seats. But lets not get the cart before the horse

[laserfish]

Congratulations!! As the owner of a white and black Tige, I can tell you that the simple grows on you. I agree with you, winter is too long, even here in TX. Can't imagine waiting through one of your winters. Post up those pics!!
Also, we have a 21 footer, do not have ballast yet after 8 years, and still have guys doing invert and 360 tricks with the stock wake. We also surf with no ballast. Large wave, short pocket. Since you know this boat, you know its characteristics. Should be able to get used to it over the summer while you save up for your fully automated system. Have FUN!!

[ajholt7]

Welcome to the family!

[geek]

So, let me ask, have you guys wake-boarded behind this Z1 and what was you impression of the wake?

I wakeboarded behind it one time, I had some trouble finding a sweet spot to get some air. The wake was very wide and felt really soft. I ended up taking about 10' off the rope and it was much better at that point.

[Ewok]

Congrats, Merry Christmas and Welcome! What part of ID will you do most of your boating? I just moved to Spokane and there are a few TOs who are kicking the idea of a NW meet up. I set up a photobucket account just to post pics on this site, and you can upload pics to photobucket from an app on the iPhone of you have one.

I have the basic factory ballast (900lbs) which is 250 under the side lockers on each side of the engine and a 400lb sac under the bow seats. I can surf pretty well on just one 250 lb sac filled but I'm going to upgrade that over the winter with some help from Chpthril. If you love surfing you will do it alot and you'll want to have an auto system. From what I've read on this site, the key is to test drill and test fit the through hull fittings in plywood to make sure you have the correct size hole bit. Don't be shy, this is a very active site with lots of knowledge on many topics, again, welcome!

[geek]

@Ewok

I live on the east side of the state. We spend most of our time at a lake east of Ammon called Blacktail. We also go to American Falls reservoir, Bear Lake and Island Park. We also make a yearly trip to Lake Powell and spend a week there.

I go to Boise often for work and would like to spend some time with the boat over there, and I REALLY want to make a trip to Coeur d'Alene this summer.

[Ewok]

@Ewok

I live on the east side of the state. We spend most of our time at a lake east of Ammon called Blacktail. We also go to American Falls reservoir, Bear Lake and Island Park. We also make a yearly trip to Lake Powell and spend a week there.

I go to Boise often for work and would like to spend some time with the boat over there, and I REALLY want to make a trip to Coeur d'Alene this summer.

When you come to coeur d'Alene shoot me a PM, I live 20 min from the lake.