2015 Z3 Wakeboard setup ?!?!?!

[Greeko]

He guys,

I have a 2015 Tige Z3 with Surf XL ballast and AVX

I bought this Z3 because we LOVE to surf but now we are reminiscing the good ol days when we used to wakeboard as well.

We are not very good, ride around 19-20 MPH with 60 foot rope length. Ballast is only 500 or so of lead in the rear corners (left there for surf). Taps set at 4-5.

When we first tried to get up.... The wake was mushy and the lip rolled over..I increased the speed to 21 MPH and it got a bit better but it is still really really washy. I tried adding more weight to the front... I couldnt tell if this helped or not..It looked really bad .. I was kinda bummed. I also found that the boat was really touchy side to side while wakeboarding..

Can anyone make some recommendations of speed/ballast/taps?

Thanks

[zogzila]

I have a 2013 Z3 with the exact same issue. I've tried a number of weight, TAPS and speed variations with very very limited success.

Closest I could get to something remotely ride-able was 500+LBS front, 300LBS in each locker, TAPS 5 at 21 MPH (which is fast in my book). Even with this set up only the driver side was sorta clean, thought it was very soft and weak. Passenger side was pure wash. We could clean it up a little by having a 150lbs passenger move back and forth from side to side with the rider.

I'm not sure what can be done to get a clean solid wake at 18-20 MPH at any weight or taps configuration.

Cheers and good luck with your setup.

[Greeko]

I have a 2013 Z3 with the exact same issue. I've tried a number of weight, TAPS and speed variations with very very limited success.

Closest I could get to something remotely ride-able was 500+LBS front, 300LBS in each locker, TAPS 5 at 21 MPH (which is fast in my book). Even with this set up only the driver side was sorta clean, thought it was very soft and weak. Passenger side was pure wash. We could clean it up a little by having a 150lbs passenger move back and forth from side to side with the rider.

I'm not sure what can be done to get a clean solid wake at 18-20 MPH at any weight or taps configuration.

Cheers and good luck with your setup.

Thanks man,

I find the exact same thing as you. I like wakeboarding at 20-21...im a wuss! lol It just doesn't seem to clean up. I am spoiled from my old Mb F21 Tomcat..Amazing wakeboard wake!!

[jmhatchett]

Guys, the only thing I can say is pretty much gotta speed up, I ride (22VE) at 75' rope length and speed at 24.6 mph. Malibu has a cleaner wake at slower speeds but anyone doing any jumps and tricks is riding in the 24-26 range. If you want to go slow keep all weight forward and run no ballast in back. Taps plays important roles in wake attitude at high speeds also. Each boat is different. Good Luck finding what works best for you!

[BCRider]

Nik, Front ballast would only make it more washy imho. Being ~220lbs I ride at 22mph and 75' and I never have an issue with washing or wanting to go faster. My old boat I had to run at 24mph. Not this one. Weight wise I'm running 650lbs a side and taps at about 4 and it's a great wake.

You may need to try speeding up a bit but I don't know if you need to be dong almost 25mph.

[Greeko]

Thanks guys,

Ill try out those combinations this weekend!

[SBM1234]

Is the 500 lbs of lead split 250 per side? I would try filling the nose full with that much lead in the back.

[Greeko]

Is the 500 lbs of lead split 250 per side? I would try filling the nose full with that much lead in the back.

The lead is split between the two back ends yes, port side has maybe 60 lbs more.

I will try moving it up front

[SBM1234]

The Tiges I have owned love nose weight for wakeboarding. I'd run full nose, no rear and Taps at 2-4 and see what happens. I can get a clean wake on the ASR at 19, I am not sure that the Z3 will offer the same, but I bet you can get it to clean up if you keep on tweaking.

Welcome back to the manly sport my friend! j/k LOLOL!

[Z3CO23]

IMHO Z3 was never designed to or planeed to be great low speed wake board hull. It was designed to be the surf giant. I would say rz2 is better suited hull and the best is ASR.

ASR promo video even says they wanted to attack wake boarding the way the did surfing with the Z3

[loudelectronics]

The ASR is a wake animal. Completely different than the z3. The asr you can load up with as much weight as you want and the boat will still drive better loaded than a z3 unloaded. It was made for making huge wakes at speed and that it does.

The Z3 can also make a decent wake for boarding. Not asr, g23 or x star level but as good as a nautique or Bu for sure of similar design. We found that pro stock ballast was good and if you add any more it has to be bow weight or center weight. So put people up front and by driver. The wake is really touchy side to side so once you have it dialed don't let anyone move. We did 21 mph which is roughly 23 to 24 GPS.

[Greeko]

The ASR is a wake animal. Completely different than the z3. The asr you can load up with as much weight as you want and the boat will still drive better loaded than a z3 unloaded. It was made for making huge wakes at speed and that it does.

The Z3 can also make a decent wake for boarding. Not asr, g23 or x star level but as good as a nautique or Bu for sure of similar design. We found that pro stock ballast was good and if you add any more it has to be bow weight or center weight. So put people up front and by driver. The wake is really touchy side to side so once you have it dialed don't let anyone move. We did 21 mph which is roughly 23 to 24 GPS.

Thanks for the suggestion. I noticed it was really touchy side to side as well!!
I will try all in the nose or center.

Can't you calibrate the speed control to read accurately?

[SBM1234]

Any updates? Did you get it dialed in?