I Want REAL WORLD TESTIMONY: Z3 Rough Water Performance

[JLG]

My local lake is rough most days as we get a lot of wind and my Z3 handles it #likeaboss!! haha but seriously it does. I have had several boats and the bow on a Z3 and the way the rear transom sides are designed is terrific. Not sure when they implemented the concaved rear side on the Z3, but when you hit large rollers it throws the wave away from the boat and we have rarely, if ever taken a splash on the boat.

Another example is we boat on LOTO several times a year and trust me this lake has huge huge waves. The Z3 again handles well. I can still manage to travel in the 20-25mph zone with no issues and passengers will be comfortable. I do like to put 25% front ballast in the boat if wanting to travel these speeds as it tends to keep the front from slapping so hard. Do this and I guarantee you won't regret everything the Z3 has to offer.

[jskcevans]

I have the Z3 and boated on Okoboji, it does fine without the ballast full. With the ballast loaded up you are gonna take same waves if you stay on West. I was on Minnetonka in MN last weekend and the rollers going all over the place really stresses my wife when she drives. For a cruise it does great and it cuts the wave well.

[Cain8768]

I Want REAL WORLD TESTIMONY: Z3 Rough Water Performance

I haven't tried our 15' Z3 out here at lake of the ozarks with the ballasts full but I will not take it above 15 mph when it's crazy busy out. My wife says that when she sits in the back its not bad at all but when you have an empty ballast and try and run 20+ mph it beats you pretty good.

However, on smaller lakes around us we can run at 20 - 25 mph almost the entire time and it does great. Those cruiser wakes are just tough on the boat.

[dakota4ce]

Thanks guys. We have really been spoiled by the triple pontoon. They deliver a smooth ride about as much as they are ugly. Its impressive. BUT, I am not going to get 2 hoist spaces at the other place. And surfing is here to stay.

I know we will never achieve the ride quality of the toon. Never. One scenario really bothered me with the 24Ve--we took it out on a big whitecap day (20mph outta N) on West Lake to watch my son race his XBoat sailboat, and we were getting wet. Not taking waves over the bow in a wholesale manner, but close enough to spray straight up into the air, into the wind, and into our faces. That was annoying when I haven't had a boat get me wet like that in years. (spoiled little wuss, I know).

If the added freeboard of a Z3 would thwart that, I am happy. The roller cruising we can deal with. Just go 15 and take your time.

[ericinmich]

I boat on similar lake, 10mi by 5mi and it can get messy. Over 30years I've had 17 to 22 ft I/Os, and a 16 ft alum fishing boat. My 22ve is worse than all but the fishing boat for rough water ride and spray over the bow. What I do like is the cruise control so I just put the boat in plow mode (ie surf speeds) and it does a decent job.

One worry I have with my 09 22ve is the alpha tower base and if it can hold up to rough water pounding. My gut feeling is no so I'm taking much easier with this boat than with any of the deeper V I/Os... there, not much to beat up. The leverage that the alpha tower puts on the base while it's carrying 2 Rev10s, the tower weight, etc must be huge. I could do the math but to swing maybe 200lb of mass up/down (back/forth) the base to fiberglass mount must flex a bit which can't be good...

[Stingreye]

Does the z3 have that much more freeboard? I know the surfing pics from ragboy make it look like it but I always assumed it was because the z3 lists much less to make a good wave.


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[dakota4ce]

Does the z3 have that much more freeboard? I know the surfing pics from ragboy make it look like it but I always assumed it was because the z3 lists much less to make a good wave.


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That is actually an excellent question. It sure looks like it does, but maybe not a ton. Eight inches maybe?

Does anyone know?

[mnpracing]

That is actually an excellent question. It sure looks like it does, but maybe not a ton. Eight inches maybe?

Does anyone know?

More than what? Prior years' z3's? No.

More than the RZX? No.

[JohnZ3]

I've owned many different sized boats. 21 to 40 feet. I/O's and now my first inboard Z3.
The Z3 handles great and i've been in ROUGH conditions. You just have to drive it, throttle up when it's "flat" and slow down over the big rollers.
I have not taken a wave over the bow and my kids ride up there ( 6 and 9 years old) .

The only time i've taken a wave over the bow was my mistake and turning to quickly to pick up a surfer. Full ballast.

Cruising over choppy water is not going to be comfortable, but it is very safe and secure in the Z3. Just my opinion of course.

I love my Z3. And so do my dock neighbors that always want a ride.

[ragboy]

One of the things I noticed, going from the 24Ve to RZ2 to RZ4 to Z3, the Z3 handles rough water and water over the bow better than all of them. The 24Ve was better than the pickles at keeping water out of the bow, but the Z3 is better than the 24Ve. I think its just the way the keel pops the bow up when it dips, faster, not sure. As far as ride, I would say the Ve and Z3 are similar, I used to have chine lock issues once in a while on the Ve, but I don't recall ever having a chine lock issue on the Z3.

Hope that helps.

[Ryanmorgan1984]

Never fails! I posted in this thread about never taking a roller over the bow and not really taking to much time to teach the theory to my fiancée on how to avoid it.... I now need to take back that statement! We went out last night and another boat got uncomfortably close after I fell surfing. In a panic she did whatever she could to get the boat back to protect me including two dips of the bow.

The rollers that came over the bow were our own. So of it's worth anything, the only rollers that have ever been big enough to swamp the boat, are the ones it throws to surf with.

Always makes me laugh hearing the shock and watching everybody's reaction after they get soaked.

[loudelectronics]

My biggest gripe with the z3 is how wet of a ride it is. Our 24v was so dry with next to no splashing in the boat. If there is some wind and chop the spray comes right over into the cab.

[ragboy]

There is a technique that you can use to turn around fast, and you can time it, its faster than trying a power turn and taking water over the bow. Some tips we use all the time when its busy.

First, when riding if you notice a boat get in your wake and ride close have a signal to the rider that they know they need to stop doing any tricks and wait, do not fall. At this point we will stand up and yell at the other driver to move left or right. The rider waits for the all clear, and does not fall, driver goes straight.

2nd, teach all your riders "board up". If you rider falls and you see a boat coming anywhere close, yell board up to the rider and the rider should put their board high in the air with the brightest side towards the boat. Kids especially need to learn this, and it is very effective.

When you go to turn, lift throttle, turn hard and give it power (not power turn) to the high side for fastest turn and move like you are going to take on your own rollers without waiting for them to pass. As you are getting past 90 deg and about to get into your rollers put the boat in reverse keeping the wheel turned toward the high side. If you did it correctly the boat is already rotating around very quickly, now put that bad boy in reverse before you hit the rollers. This will continue your turn, but also alter your forward momentum and timing and allow the rollers to go under without coming over bow. The moment the last roller is under, its just a few seconds, hammer down and don't go straight to your rider, go IN BETWEEN your rider and the boat. When you go faster weighted down it is hard to steer and you don't want to be too close to your rider, all you want to do in this situation is put your big boat in the EYEBALLS of the guy that can't see your rider.

Hope that helps, practice this first, and it works on any normal turn around, you just can use reverse and forward with less zeal. ;-) It really works because when you just try to hammer down and turn it takes a long time to do that turn, the quickest way to your rider is to do the 180 as fast as possible and THEN hammer down.

Its a really fun technique, and those of you that like to drive will have fun doing it, especially with the liquid smooth throttle by wire found on the Indmar engines. I can do all of that with 2 fingers on that beautiful throttle.

[dakota4ce]

My biggest gripe with the z3 is how wet of a ride it is. Our 24v was so dry with next to no splashing in the boat. If there is some wind and chop the spray comes right over into the cab.

Now this post grabs my attention--after several favorable posts one about wet ride. I have found my Ve to get me wet on windy days due to the dipped nose being so close to the water at idle speeds. Z3 is just as guilty?

[loudelectronics]

I have no problems with dipping the nose. The boat is very dry in respect to taking on rollers and such. Likely better than my 24v. However while under way at surf speed and even Wakeboard speed there is considerable splash that comes into cockpit if there is any wind at all. My 24v was super dry in that respect with much less spray and better diversion.