2013 Z1 Issues

[stanzberger]

We have a new to us Z1 that we used for the first time today, and have a few issues that we need to work though, and am looking for some help/advise on where to start.

1) - Throttle/shift lever is very sticky/difficult to **** gears back and forth.

2) Steering the boat seams to be quite stiff especially when turning to the left. I know prop wash could be a factor but compared to other boats its stiffer than it should be.

3) Ballast bags.. Starboard Rear will fill, but will not empty, Port rear will fill and empty, but once full and you turn the pump off it looses 1/3 to 1/2 of its fill pretty quick. I am not positive on the front since Its harder to see them but they seam to be working as water comes out for both being full and when empty. I will check them tomorrow.

4) Sound system, having a hard time figuring out how to adjust so the speakers on the tower are louder and in the boat a bit lower. This one is not as big of a deal, and I am guessing if I read thought the manual i'll be able to find it.

If anyone has any recommendations on some basic settings for surf/wake if you have one as well would be great. I know I have a few days of messing around with ballast/speed to get things dialed, but need to get the bags working right first. Thanks so much for any and all feedback.

[chpthril]

Sound system, having a hard time figuring out how to adjust so the speakers on the tower are louder and in the boat a bit lower.

"Fade" can work, but its crude as it can only be accessable at the head in the glove box. However, you will likely need to rearrange the RCA cables behind the head. From the factory, I think Non-Fade goes to tower amp and Rear goes to woofer amp.

Likely a blown fuse or bad drain pump for the rear STDB ballast.

The passive draining on the port side, can be through the fill, drain or vent lines. If its the OEM sacs, then likely the fill line.

[scottspray]

Just bought a 2013 Z1 this spring. Liked the fact that the Z1 was bigger in 2013, but it still fits in my garage. All we do is surf.
My shifter is stiff also going in and out of neutral, which is the only time it uses a cable. Throttle is by wire. Tried some lube on the linkage at trans and it helped a little. Want to address the shifter SOON. Keep us updated.
My Z1 has four ballast bags and two hard tanks stock. (Eight pumps and a lot of plumbing) Make sure you Bilge pump is working. I put a stop valve in my rear fill line just before the Y which splits the fill line to go to the sack and tank in rear. It made a big difference in the loss of water, but I still think I have some small leaks. I’m sure I have leaks up front but haven’t had time to look. I plan on replacing the rear bags and looking for more leaks this winter. The fact that the rear floor will fold forward should make it I little easier.
You can grease the rudder linkage and your steering may get easier. I think my cable might have been replaced.
We have been surfing a ton this summer. Wake Shaper! My Z1 didn’t come with the VX extension on the back so I really needed one. Big difference! The ice cooler in the walkthrough is a great place for 50lbs bags of steel.
We usually have three in the boat with 300lbs of steel spaced throughout. Wake Shaper. All ballast Start full. 11mph. taps set at three at least. Keep us posted.
Also like the fact that the 2013 Z1 still had the PCM EX343. It runs clean and quiet. It’s a great little surf boat.
Have fun

[scottspray]

2013 Z1
Both rear 3/4 full, 200lbs in walkthrough ice chest, 100lbs under spotter’s seat, 11mph, taps at 3 with shaper, front bags empty. Just chillin’

[stanzberger]

"Fade" can work, but its crude as it can only be accessable at the head in the glove box. However, you will likely need to rearrange the RCA cables behind the head. From the factory, I think Non-Fade goes to tower amp and Rear goes to woofer amp.

Likely a blown fuse or bad drain pump for the rear STDB ballast.

The passive draining on the port side, can be through the fill, drain or vent lines. If its the OEM sacs, then likely the fill line.

Thanks so much on the feedback.

Speakers - was able to turn the Gain up on the amp for the tower speakers and good to go.

passive draining issue in rear bags, looks to be solved by closing off the ball valve below the fill pumps, so will be looking into putting one a one way check valve on the fill lines.

As far as the lack of draining on the one bag.... OMFG.. what a pain in the..... I wish it was just a blown fuse, unfortunately it was not that easy, turns out the drain pump for the rear bags is under the floor panel, which was quite the project to get to. Once i got to it I was able to take the pump out and spin the motor head which was really sticky and once I spun it a few times it freed up and put it back in and has worked great ever since. So needles to say would have been really helpful if there was an access panel in the floor to get to the pump.

From what I can tell we have the pro bag set in the boat with bags that take up most of the locker and there are also hard tanks under the floor boards as well. We have been messing with the settings and getting close to having a wake dialed, will post settings we get figured out in a few more days.

[scottspray]

Did you have to take out the batteries or the taps pump to get to the drain pump on the hard tank? Do you have the VX extension under the swim platform? Mine does not and I was able to get a decent wave easily with a shaper. I’ve ordered replacement L shaped bags for the back. But that is a winter project along with the throttle.