Test driving/riding a 2014 Z1 with VX

[Booms]

Ok Z1 pros. I am taking out a brand new 2014 Z1 tomorrow. It has the Surf Ballast system. How should we set it up for the best surf wave possible with the stock system.

Thank you for your input.

I will take pictures for everyone to see.

[Wood]

Fill the front both full. Surf side rear full and off side some. To much in off side will cause the wake to be washed out. Our 13 z1 came with the surf ballast, as part of the final deal the dealer installed the bigger pro bags in the front. The boat is night and day better with the new vx brackets. Make sure they are correct. Have fun. Check out our wake on the Wake 9 website. Their custom bags make it a monster.

[Dandy]

X2 what Wood said. We run pro ballast and set up the same way. Another user (dmbisbest) has a 13 Z1w/VX and agrees that the new brackets make a big different. He also runs surfside full and front oposite 1/2 full. You MUST confirm the brackets, the boat was better without VX than with the old brackets, most likely if it is a 2014 is should have the correct brackets.

We have found that you need to fill the bags until they overflow and then give it a few minutes and start the pumps filling again, they will fill the front for another 30sec to 1min as air seems to get trapped. This goes the same for the rear sack, except we push down or stand on the sac to try and push the air out the overflow and then start the pump again. Getting the sacs FILLED with water makes a difference on our boat. We usually run fairly small crew 3-4 adults +1-2 kiddos.

Good luck tomorrow, we are new to inboards and surfing and it was a huge investment to get into it. After getting our Z1 and the memories we have made since the end of June, we havent looked back.

[ragboy]

You will need extra weight in the front if you use more than stock weight in the rear.

[Dandy]

Booms,
Any update on what you thought of the Z1 with VX? Just curious on what you thought. With the correct brackets things seem to be going quite well for us with the factory Pro Ballast. I keep hearing over and over to get the custom Enzo type sacs and the extra 300+/- lbs will make a HUGE difference.

[Booms]

Dandy,
The 2014 Z1 is snice! Once we got the wave cleaned up there was good push for only having the stock Surf Ballast. We rode with the both front full, surf side full and opposite side 25% full.

Some observations -
My buddy who owns a Malibu now and is looking for a new boat he thought that the boat put out a great wave with very little list to the surf side.
TAPS really helps adjust the wave to the riders specs.
The vynal is top notch.
The magic button is nice being able to turn on the radio and TT without having to turn on the key.
I could not get my phone to sync with the Bluetooth radio. Which drove me crazy. I even downloaded the app.
The throttle is really touchy/sticky.
Liked the color changing LEDs in the tower. Those are now known as "sex" lights.
The boat seems small going from my 08 RZ2. Seems like the sitting area is a lot smaller. There were 5 guys in the boat and we were looking for more space. Only 6 inches shorter than our RZ but seemed a lot smaller. Maybe it is the built in cooler and bow cushion that makes it feel smaller.
Would love to put some custom 1,100 pound sacs in the rear and see the wave! Both the dealer and I only had 2 hours to mess around. Next time i will take my sacs and put them in the Z1.
I need to try a Z3 now just for the space. However, I do not think my dealer will order one. He does not think he will sell a big boat like that.

I really liked the Z1. I would buy that boat in a heart beat if i was looking to down size.

I will attached some pictures of the boat soon. I was too busy driving and checking things out to take pictures of the wave.

[Booms]

Some more pictures -

image.jpgphoto.jpg

[ragboy]

OK, raise your hand if you would give your left nut for that magic button.

[chpthril]

OK, raise your hand if you would give your left nut for that magic button.

Sorry folks, MLA does not accept nuts, left or right.......

[Dandy]

Thats funny, I just sent MLA an email earlier about Magic Button Kit status, along with a few other things. For the record, no mention of paying by nut was made! Think this is how PayPal started?

[ragboy]

My understanding is that there is some issue that also had to be resolved with the touch system that made this feature unable to be retrofitted. Believe me, I asked. It has been at the top of my own personal feature requests for some time, glad to see it.

That said, if chp has a way of doing this that is awesome. Let me know I will be more than happy to help get the word out that it can be done on older tige touch systems.