TAPS- What it does and doesnt do...

[Ruune]

ok... I've seen various discussions on wakeboarder.com, and had several lengthy discussions both with fellow Tigé owners and non-owners, regarding what TAPS is claimed to do, and what it really does. I thought I'd bring it to this forum to see what the general concensus is, among fellow owners.

Tigé has been claiming that you dont need ballast, since the TAPS system can create massive wakeboarding wakes. After 3 years of ownership, I still find this hard to believe- even moreso now than before. In my personal experience, you DO need ballast to have a competitively-sized wake... just like any other boat.

Supra/Moomba, Malibu, and yes- now even nautiques have some sort of plate on the back of the boat to adjust the shape of of the wake... which is exactly what TAPS does. It shapes the wake- and does not make it bigger. The wake is the same size whether TAPS is at 1 as it is at 8. Sure, theres more of a 'lip' on the wake, but it is not bigger. I've tested this at length with my own 22v- with and without ballast.

Now, thats not to say TAPS doesnt do a magnificent job shaping the wake. In fact, when I weigh down my boat with two 350-lb sacks in the back, and a 540-lb sack in the front, I move the plate between 2 and 4... depending on people in the boat, and who is riding.

Again, TAPS is wonderful- especially coupled with the convex-v hull. You can really clean up a wake's lip when you have different types of loads and riders in and behind the boat.

However, I do feel that the Tigé sales/marketing team is being quite a bit misleading, in that you DO need ballast in order to have a wake thats comparable to the others that do have it. Otherwise, why would a ballast system even be offered?

[Tequilasun]

I agree to a point. I don't thing Taps2 is a replacement for Ballast..Especially for those that want big wakes. I'm annoyed by those that say that Taps2=Ballast, whether it be Tige themselves, or individual dealers.

Where I disagree with you Runne is in whether or not it makes the wake bigger or not. In an un-ballasted 22V, there is a significant difference between the opposite ends of the Taps2 spectrum. (I know that technically the hull position is what is causing this difference, but the Taps2 is the device that creates the running attitude of the Convex V hull)


As you add ballast to my boat the changes from one end of the Taps2 adjustment to the other, have less and less effect on the overall size of the wake, and more on the shape of the wake.

So IMHO. Taps2 does not replace ballast. In Unladen boats, it does have an effect on wake size which decreases as ballast is added. As ballast is added Taps2 becomes invaluable as to the shape of the wake.

I would like that explained better to people who are considering purchasing a Tige...I guess it's just much easier to say Tige's don't need ballast.

[Moki]

When I first bought my boat, I was sold on the hype that you don't need ballast. But I have changed my mind since and view the taps as a wave shaper as well. It does the change the size of the wake, but it shapes it more than it changes size. The new Mastercrafts also now have a hydraulic plate. Tige has definitely revolutionized the market with TAPS. However, it appears that new boats are being made to handle more and more ballast. I don't know, but my theory is that when Tige first came out with TAPS, typical ballast wasn't as high as it is now and it may have performed just as well. Now that boats have a lot of ballast, TAPS alone can't compete with that.

[zad0030]

Is there a difference between TAPS and TAPS2?

[Ruune]

glad to see that I'm not alone here- it just seems to me that Tige should change their marketing approach... since its misleading the way it is now.

[dogbert]

I'm with Tequila on this. I'd also like to add that on the smaller boats (20, 21 & 22), TAPS/TAPS2 will have a bigger impact on wake size because Tige's boats are heavier than most boats. On the 24s, this difference is probably offset by the bouyancy of the boat, so you need more ballast than you do on the smaller boats.

Also, keep in mind that Tige's target market is families who want a performance towboat (i.e., variety of riding styles and sports). It just so happens that these same boats can compete with more specialized performance towboats from the other manufacturers.

I do agree with you Ruune, that if you're buying a rider's edition boat (one clearly targeted for more advanced riders), then saying TAPS eliminates the need for ballast seems counterintuitive. I had a long discussion with one of the Tige product managers about this when they debuted the 22Ve at the reunion in 2005 here in Austin and he told me that unless you're an advanced rider, ballast is not needed. Having said that, my son was able to get some pretty decent air on his jumps without any ballast in that 22Ve. The surf wake was killer also (again, no ballast). The product manager did recommend getting the ballast option in my case.

The typical comments I get from riders who ride with me for the first time is that the wake is intimidating at first compared to what they usually ride, especially when we add ballast.

I dunno, it's kinda like splitting hairs on car option packages...I'm not sure it's worth the amount of space we've filled up with this discussion, IMHO.

[bfrank]

From a Skiers point of view I love the Taps.

I can dial in the wake for who ever is behind the boat, as well as whos in the baot as well.
We love flat water and taps can get us to almost perfection. (its never flat enough )

Having the ability to make those adjustments is a real plus, and you can see that it is a benefit with the other manufactures following suit.

[NICKYPOO]

The point is, the way Tige presents the TAPS vs. ballast deal is wrong. Don't get me wrong, I would never own a boat without it. God bless Tige for coming out with it, even if it was to keep the thing from porposing itself into oblivion (at least that is the way I heard it). Either way, I love it. So does the rest of the world (MC, Supra/Mooba, Nautweek, ect.). The way Tige sells it has gone way past annoying. It's the only thing I don't like about Tige as a company. Everyone who owns a Tige has to answer the same question at some point,"Is it true that you don't need ballast since it has that TAPS thing?" What have the rest of you answered? "Well no, not really." "So they're liars?"

It's lame Tige. Very frustrating for us faithful.

[spharis]

I don't have any ballast, and it makes my wake larger. I also only have a 600lb sac, and it makes my wake larger with that. I think it has to do with the amount of ballast you run. To a certain point, TAPs will make more of the hull sit in the water, displacing more water, and causing a larger wake; but once you get to the max hull displacement by adding ballast, TAPS is not going to make the wake larger. That's physics.....and it's the law!

Is there a difference between TAPS and TAPS2?

I think TAPS is hydraulic bennet trim actuators and tabs, and TAPS2 is electric, unsure of the manf. It's the same setup that has been used on fast boats for years. In fact, if you know someone that wants somethign similar, you can take certain hull measurements and call Bennet, and they can send you a suitable system. It might not be as "scientific" as the Tige' matched hulls are, but it will be close.

[zad0030]

I think TAPS is hydraulic bennet trim actuators and tabs, and TAPS2 is electric, unsure of the manf. It's the same setup that has been used on fast boats for years.

On our 2003 21i we have TAPS and its electric. Its the Lenco system.

[spharis]

On our 2003 21i we have TAPS and its electric. Its the Lenco system.

Cool maybe someone who knows more can chime in then. I know my second gen TAPS (1997) is a very very simple system. Couple of relays, cuple of actuators, a tab, and a pump w/ a resevior.

[chpthril]

Here is my take on the whole taps/convex hull deal

With the Taps plate up (7) with no water pushing on the plate, Tige's hull acts as a "displacement' hull at slow speeds, it sits low and pushs water creating a sizable wake.
The plate it's self is not creating the wake, the hull is, the plate will shape the wake, but not make it bigger. The boat will put out the same size wake with out the plate.

The plate lets you "trim out" the boat to have a ski wake. My 22ve planes out nicely at about 26 mph, after that the change in wake size is small whether taps is up or down but the shape improves.

I dont have ballast so I cant comment on the Taps/covex w/ weight. I do know for a fact that my unweighted Tige has a bigger/better wake than a 23Bu w/wing down and water in the tanks.

I agree that you dont need ballast.... for recreational boarding, but to do "pro" like tricks.... yes

[wannabewakeboarder]

i would have to say i got 2 friends with 06 22ve and a buddy with a 00 21i and i think the wakes bigger on it what do you guys say to that?

2000 21i is at http://www.wakesiderides.com/rides/i...ge=out&id=2051 mike

[Moki]

i would have to say i got 2 friends with 06 22ve and a buddy with a 00 21i and i think the wakes bigger on it what do you guys say to that?

2000 21i is at http://www.wakesiderides.com/rides/i...ge=out&id=2051 mike

I would say that 2000 was a pretty good year for Tige boats There is a post, I think it is Surfdad, who talks about how that hull design creates a bigger wake.

[wannabewakeboarder]

yea i go no pics of the wake but you have to trust me( im a little intimadated) but thats a great boat...