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**BigBruce** · 07-31-2016, 01:41 PM

Just in case, the garage door is 7' x' 16'; the garage floor is 24' x 24'; so ideally, it should fit most tow boats if I just get it in the door! If I have to keep it somewhere the first season, that is OK with us, just hopefully not a long term requirement.

One other thing, is that we will probably have 6-8 people on the boat for a day on the water. Some of the lakes where we might go, Lake St Clair, Torch Lake, can get choppy, so we are hoping that the boat will handle that well

**gfunk208** · 07-31-2016, 05:58 PM

Hey Bruce I just went through this same decision. Every person i talked to had the talking points on what their boat did that every other one won't. I drove a lot of them and i could tell you what 99.9% of people on forums say " drive them all and then you'll know which one is right for you" They say that because there is truth there however it doesn't just magically work its self out. All things being equal, Price, warranty ,cost of use etc, it would be an easy decision but those things aren't equal so I will give you my .02 on the journey i took. I have always been a Mailbu guy my parents had a 98 sunsetter when I was growing up went into a 04 sunscape then my brother bought a 08 23 lsv. we have a local malibu/nautique/axis dealer here and they are great. My brother traded the 23 lSv on a new G25 and when i saw how much they gave him on trade it got my juices flowing. How could you buy a boat new drive it for 9 years and only lose 22 grand. I started looking that day. at used malibus what I found is that the used market is juiced. meaning a good used v-drive is a premium right now and for that 04 sunscape we used to have they still want over 30k. I set a budget of 65k and found myself looking at new supreme and axis. The dealer here is great and i agreed to purchase an axis a20 after driving an a22. I wanted to keep the boat in my garage and with swim deck i needed to be 20 ft boat. The boat came in and i couldn't pull the trigger it was so CHEAP feeling. So i looked at a VTX he had in the showroom. I loved all the tech. But at 23-27 mph you not only couldn't carry on a conversation with the person right next to you, you could barely hear the radio. It also drove so squirrelly. I didn't like the boat at all. I started looking at bigger boats and raised my budget to 75 k. Now in this range you can get a great used boat 13 lsv23 or san 230. But again not all things are equal i wanted a good boat backed by good warranty. I loved the look of the Tige RZ2/4 we don't have a local tige dealer he is about 2 hours away. i called on a boat they had and the sales manager said I'll drive it down next weekend for you to drive. during that time i looked at used x-star ,a used 23 lsv, a nautique 230, and a used x-45. Really like the fit and finish of the MC's but they were both rattle traps windshields, seats, towers, it felt like everything had a little play in it and all squeaked. I had about decided on 23 lsv but waited for the tige drive. He brought it down and i instantly liked the look of the boat. Its aggressive looking and the only one that is on the river out here. The same engine in the VTX sounded about half as loud on this boat. not quite the fit and finish of MC Bu or SAN, a lot less money for a new boat and a huge step up from axis supreme and moomba.I love the time touch 2.0 and taps 3 has been great. just about to get our 20 hr service and we have loved the RZ2. IT threw a great surf wake right out of the box wakeboard wake is really good and you can use the taps 3 as a trim to flatten the wake(sort of) to ski.still messing with the surf wake but the 5 year warranty you get by buying a brand new boat and the deal i got with the equipment i felt like it was a no brainer. at the end of the day its your preference that matters.. Is my brother G25 a nicer boat. HELL YEAH!! could i have 2.5 of mine for what he paid .. HELL YEAH!! here she is
boat.JPG boat1.jpg boat2.jpg boat3.jpg

**BigBruce** · 07-31-2016, 08:32 PM

Thanks for this. We have also looked at Moomba, Supra, and others. How were you able to gain comfort with this Tige? How are you with the quality and ability if the manufacturer with honoring the warranty?

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

**chpthril** · 07-31-2016, 09:04 PM

The MC salesman mentioned concerns like auto-fire suppression (?) and NMMA certification and other safety features that were alarming to us.

No, gosh, really? A mastercraft rep said bad things about their competition

. They've been doing that, as long as Tige had been around. The fact that they say those things, read between the lines. its an indication as the level that Tige is on their radar.

All BS aside, what safety concerns were alarming to you?

Ask that MC rep about back on 06 when they talked about the TAPS plate being there to fix a defective hull design, then low and behold, the 07 MC came out with a plate

This has my wife nervous about going with an unknown manufacturer.

I understand they are not known to you, but other than coming here, what research have you done regarding Tige history. Ive known about Tige since 03 or 04 and then bought an 06. Id buy another tomorrow. Ive worked on models from 99's to 2016s. Ive been down in the bowls of just about every tow boat made, and you'd be surprised at how well built they ALL are, and how similar. Theres a regular here thats had an 97 since new.

**JohnnieMo** · 07-31-2016, 09:31 PM

Welcome and good on you for doing your due diligence.

I was in your shoes about 5 years ago. I was saved up the money to buy my first tow boat and I was sniffing around for all the info I could find. I'll say this first:

The owners of a brand are fairly indicative of that brand.

What I mean is that a brand (of towboats or anything else really) reflect the types of people that own it, and vice versa. So the types of people you find on this forum will be a glimpse into Tigé as a whole. This also applies to other brands.

What I'll say about this forum is that people are family oriented, gracious, helpful, unique, and adventurous. Very nice community here. Before I bought my boat I spent a couple years lurking here and really enjoyed this the comraderie.

I came from a Larson Senza and got wind of thus surfing craze. We bought a board and tried to surf the Larson. It didn't work but we still had a great time trying.

I got to try surfing two boats that summer. One was a Centurion Enzo, 2008 I believe. It was gorgeous, spacious, but surfed no better than my Larson. The owner was completely uninformed however so I can't blame the boat. It was also insanely loud.

Next I came across a gorgeous 2011 Tigé 22Vé across from me in the marina. I found the owner and he offered a ride (a glimpse into Tigé owners). It was the nicest boat I had ever been in. The interior was immaculate. The drivetrain was buttery smooth. And the surf wave was the push of a few buttons. Instant satisfaction.

After that it was really Tigé's fight to lose. I looked at every brand. My shortlist came down to a Mastercraft and a Tigé RZ2. What won me over was the culture. The Mastercraft salesman was so utterly pompous I couldn't stand it. (I later determined that that era MC couldn't surf anyways). Tigé on the other hand was family owned, fun loving and kind. It was an easy choice.

Although it took me until 2013 to buy I was very happy with my choice. A Tigé Z1.

I can't speak to many other brands but I can say that Tigé is right at the top. Your dealer still matters a lot so make sure they have a good reputation too.

Sent from my BlackBerry Priv

**gfunk208** · 07-31-2016, 10:36 PM

I have a good friend who is a Malibu/Nautique certified tech and he is the type of guy who will tell you problems with every brand as he has worked on all of them. he had something negative and positive to say about every brand other then nautique until i brought up the Tige. "proven Motors good tech really good price for the amount of boat you get" that is what he told me before i even started researching them. that lead me here where i have found guys that don't seem pretentious or arrogant and genuinely are excited for you to get into wake sports. another forum i told them i was looking for a family cruiser to pull a tube 30-40% of the time because i have young kids and i received about 10 replies telling me to quit wasting their time and go get a bayliner before i deleted the post. Not that way here or with the dealer i bought from was not interested in just selling me a boat listened to what i wanted then made recommendations the whole experience once i decided to go Tige has been pleasant. They just introduced the 5 year 555 hr warranty and let me tell you no matter what brand or type of vehicle you will find people complaining that the warranty doesn't cover anything. what I've found in most instances is that they jacked up the boat/car and want the warranty to bail them out. Tige has a great reputation and I'm not worried in the slightest that they will warranty any manufacturer defect or mechanical failure that occurs while I'm covered. My cover had a small tear in it when they delivered it. The guy said keep this one I'll ship you a brand new one and when the box gets here just drop the old one in and ship it back. everyone has their own reason for the boat they bought my biggest was VALUE. i wanted to stay in a price range and i wanted new. I'm confident that i got the best boat in that range with the options i wanted. almost every manufacturer has made huge strides and these new boats are all good. But i felt like the RZ2 was just the right first boat for me I didn't want something huge and hard to handle I didn't want something so small you couldn't have friends i wanted it to surf great wakeboard good pull the crap out of a 3 man tube rock a good tune (tower of power rev 10's adding another amp and rev 8's soon) and look good. This boat does all of that. the interior feels like it belongs with bu and san not axis and lower lines and i paid lower line money.

**ajbpilot** · 08-01-2016, 12:46 AM

If it means anything I am about to take delivery of my third tige. I had a 2005 22v and just traded my 2013 Z3 for an RZX. I live in Dallas and my dealer has been very supportive and they treat me like a valued customer so my dealer experience has been good. With that said it does come down to what you want and also performance vs. price. I have been very happy with my boats and would say that the Z3 is an awesome machine. It makes a great surf wave and the wakeboard wake is as good as anything you could need. True for probably every boat in their lineup. But all that is behind the boat. From were I sit I think the tiges have the best styling and it is a very solid boat. The interior held up great. My z3 never rattled or felt loose and I felt the quality of the build was top notch. I loved driving it and it did much more duty than surf and wake with few issues. Any issues that did pop up (and none of those have been tige problems just widely used industry components i.e. Clarion) the dealer handled under warranty. There are a lot of Malibus where I live and they seem like good boats but they look boring to me as does the Nautique save the g series and even that didn't turn me on compared to the RZX. I'm hearing some real quality issues about Malibus from some loyal Malibu folks but I have no personal experience. Maybe it comes down to some simple things...

Value- read that as price vs performance. Tige is VERY COMPETITIVE here.
Dealer support - depends on the dealer but I feel the factory backs up the dealers well.
Reliability and build quality - I doubt you would be disappointed. Tige is easily a top tier brand.
Pride of ownership - we have every kind of boat on our lake and I'll tell you that I have never felt like I was driving a lesser brand. We get compliments on our boat regularly and I still think tige has the best looking interiors of the major brands.

Do your research then go with your gut but definitely consider tige in the top bracket. GOOD LUCK! and come back here and ask any questions you want.

**talltigeguy** · 08-01-2016, 01:02 AM

A few random comments.

Tige is not an unknown manufacturer. They've been around a long time, and will continue to be around.

Dealer relationship is important. Many new boats from all companies have problems, and you need that dealer to fix it. If the dealer of any brand seems like they aren't working hard to earn your business, run away. Talk to the head of the service department and get a feel for his character.

If you are looking at the new Nautique, I suspect it is probably going to be an 85K boat or more. Worrying about gas mileage is sort of nuts compared to the price of the boat. If you are the kind of guy who sent tons of dollars out the door but stresses about pennies, then a Tige IS likely to be most fuel efficient.

I think with boats, you should 'feel' it. There are logical reasons to do what you do, but you shouldn't be able to sleep the night before you see your boat the first time. Do your homework, then let the emotion carry you. It should be fun!

Good luck in your search, and feel free to update the thread, even if you go away from Tige.

**ChrisBarnes05-12-84** · 08-01-2016, 02:25 AM

I have friends that own almost every brand of towboat. Moomba, Malibu , mastercraft, tige, and supreme. I think they are all great boats. My new boat won't be here until this week so I have spent the last month riding on all the boats. I personally choose tige because simply put they make damn nice boats. My 13 Z1 never once broke down in over 3 years of ownership. Hopefully my 17 will be the sames

**Z3CO23** · 08-01-2016, 03:18 AM

I can only reiterate what others are saying. 2nd Tige Owner here and we have loved both boats. There is brand loyalty and bias everywhere.

It really comes down to personal preference. All major brands have a few QC issues etc. Demo Demo Demo and choose the one you love.

Also, dealer makes a huge difference, make sure the dealer is good. Poor service and bad dealer relations can ruin a boat experience.

**Germaine Marine** · 08-01-2016, 03:29 AM

I will tell you this.....and you can do what you want with it. And bare with me on the long review...

Every maker has a staple that I think they do better then the other, its what makes all of them unique. I have been a loyal Tige guy but before this last purchase I decided to really take the time and look around. I drove every budget boat to every high end boat and let me tell you, its a good time to be buying a boat. Everyone is trying to out do the other and the over quality of the industry is showing it.

I know I own a Tige so take this with a grain of salt but I think for the money they are building the best, overall easy to use boat that centers around surfing. The interior isnt over the top but its nice and the TT/Tower/Motor/Hull/Taps3 are all excellent well thought out features that all work in a nice harmony. If you are an avid wakeboarder and that is huge for you then unless you are buying an ASR or possibly an Rzx I might look elsewhere.

What is your price point? That will be a huge factor.... 70? 100? 130? Those are three unique areas for all the builders...... with some building nice boats across the line vs some only dominating the higher end of the spectrum..

Negatives...

I purchased a 16z3, im an anal retentive freak, ocd if you will. I love my new boat but id be lying if I said things dont drive me crazy that you prob wont find in some of the competitors boats... For me if you are going to spend the big money then Nautique fit and finish is second to none, and I mean things down to where the glass and floor are cut to put in panels etc, But it comes at a price. Personally I think if Tige fixed this one issue It would take them into another notch. For me it drives me crazy when I open the center hatch and I can see where people over cut and butchered with a sawzall some of the cuts for the floor hatch and rear transom area, it looks like **** to be quite honest, enough for me not to want to open it when people are around. But in all reality you dont ever see it , but in my opinion its not an excuse for it to be so butchered.

I dont know if the Rzx is like this in the line but considering I have a problem with it in a 100k boat I dont know if I could swallow it in a 130k boat...Something that you need to consider, and maybe the 17s will be better? hard to say.

Positives..

Unrivaled support. It starts with the dealer but man o man is Tige direct incredible. My boat undoubtedly had some issues, things I didnt necessarily see at delivery since I wasnt worried and didnt eagle eye it... (Long drive)

1. Tower hammered in transit and retouched with touch up paint (horrible)
2. A few upholstery pieces flaking
3. Wrong trailer
4 Bad House Battery
5. Center access hatch on crooked and the glass cracked at the floor

These were the issues I had with my particular boat at the start.... I am not a hot head but I definitely was not pleased but here is what my dealer did, opened a file and contacted his rep who I met and was treated with the best service ever while visiting the factory... That rep called my personally went over every issue not because he had to but because my happiness matters to them. We went over every fix and how it would be done, Upholstery being the main concern where I didnt just want a new skin on an already stapled base . The conclusion was that I would enjoy the boat for the remainder of the summer and everything would be ordered and waiting at Germain at seasons end including all new completely assembled cushions. You cant really ask for anything else, not a single question of whether I did anything. Complete and total responsibility.

My Dealer. I dont know if I have dealt with a better Dealer who was as in-tune and connected as Noah at Germaine Marine. Their is a reason he is making big waves in the boating industry, the way he operates should be a blue print for the industry.

He has been available at a moments notice, from before the sale to after. Did I mention he threw in some stuff and didnt charge me when ordering? Or how I was stuck rolling through the dark last weekend and called me at 11pm to help get me safely lit up and back to the dock?

These are all things I just havent seen with other companies...... The fit and finish in some of the floor glass needs some attention but the overall boat and quality is excellent and they are motivated to become better with every passing year.

For the price and family like service as well as the versatility over the entire line I think its a no brainer....

**007** · 08-01-2016, 05:05 PM

I think you will find many good answers here consistent with the above. I'm also not going to push one brand or another, other than to say I love my Tige and would do it again in a heartbeat. I've had an excellent experience with the boat. The company itself and my dealer (Performance LOZ) has been a big part of that.

Myself, @trace, @detonate and @carfanatic all came out of Yamaha jet boats and into the Z series for surfing specifically. I know there are others I cannot think of right now. While jetboats have come a long way, the features, fit and finish of my Tige was well above what those boats have to offer. And honestly Tiges are not a huge jump in $$ from the top of the line models offered by those manufactures.

I help out at local boat shows for the last several years. Every boat has its strengths and weaknesses as already pointed out. Every year something newer and cooler comes out. Its like an arms race right now especially with surf boats. In the tow boat industry its hard to know what is good and bad, vs. just hype and bling. I appreciate a sales person who sells on the merits of his or her product and knows how to use it. Some reps are very knowledgeable, but I've run into quite a few who don't know squat about what the competition has to offer. Some just bash the competition because they think it will get them a sale. Listen, research and evaluate yourself. Take everything with a grain of salt. Getting on the water with an owner is often better than a boat salesperson, if that salesperson doesn't use that kind of boat regularly.

Good luck. Most of us here will be Tige fanboys to some extent, I'd expect the same brand loyalty on other websites. I can say after 150 hours and a season and a half, I am a very happy Tige customer.

**Detonate** · 08-01-2016, 07:46 PM

Love my Tige, would buy another one in a heartbeat.

With that said, I do still lust after the Malibu Wakesetter LSV.

I really like that my Tige is very usable, without a lot of fluff features that just inflate the cost without contributing to the enjoyment of owning the boat. I liked the Malibu a little better than the Tige from a luxury standpoint, but really liked the aggressive unique look of the Tige Alpha Z tower. And with the ~$20k difference in price tag, it was really a no brainier for me to go with the Tige.

Just my .02 cents, but I don't really like Natique, Mastercraft, Supra, etc... Just weren't really in the conversation for me.

Only other boat that I was interested in was the Centurion, but again, the price seemed way above and beyond what I felt I was paying for.

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