Best surf settings for the Z1

[Clug Z1]

This is my first year surfing and the wave seems to be different everytime I go. My boat is a 2014 Z1 no VX and 1600# ballast system. I can get a big wave, but it seems to lack push. Just wondering if anyone could recommend some settings? (i.e. taps, speed) Also, I heard some talk that I should fill the bow bag on the opposite side I am surfing to 25%. Is there any truth to this? Any help and recommendations are appreciated.

[JohnnieMo]

That wave looks pretty good. I also thought mine didn't have enough push but it turned out to be the rider. The best advice I got was to move your back foot forward a bit. Also, stay close to the platform until you get your "balance" just right.

More weight will help you.... no doubt.

The wave will be different each time. Your goal is to try and accomodate for that. I find my ideal list angle is around 6 to 7 degrees (verify with your phone). You look listed good because the wave is nice and clean. Too much or too little list and you'll get a rooster tail of sorts. I'd say you just want to weight it evenly enough as to keep the existing list. If it were me I'd borrow a 750lb fat sack and try it in some different places. Once you find what works it would tell you what to buy.

[Dandy]

The Z1 without VX and the Pro (1600 lb) ballast does actually put out a very nice wave with decent push. When we got our 2013, we had the VX with the wrong brackets and struggled to surf it - removed the VX and rode all over the place. We always filled the bow - both sides and then the rear surf side and depending on people, even added just a little to the off side. The front weight will give you a longer pocket to work within. I would at the very least fill the surf side front. I believe we ran ours at about 10.8-11.2 MPH and TAPS 3-4.

Based on the picture, I would try to get your toes out closer to the edge of the board, not in the water, but toward the edge, probably sticking over the white traction. This will allow the edge of the board to be "grabbed" by the wave. You also need to shift your weight forward, this can be done by shifting your hips towards the boat and depending on your weight, board, wave and skill level may need to shuffle your feet forward some. Its about finding the correct "balance". Not always easy - I am not pro, or even semi and never will be. The lake we ride, I can ride around just about anywhere, but just out from a sandbar, if I have a long run the water drops from 30' to 10' and my wife can almost pinpoint where I will lose the wave. There are alot of factors. Stay patient, stick with it and you will have it in no time. You can already get up on the board and that is probably 60% of getting to where you can ride without the rope.

Keep at it!!

[Thegerman618]

Rode behind a Z1 and its nice wave once dialed it (thanks again for that DP). I am about your size and for us big guys it takes some time to figure out where to be in the wave and on the board. The little guys have it east huge waves, and huge pockets because well..... they don't weigh anything. Us big guys lose the pocket a little faster and that huge wave don't look so big when your standing next to it. I ride a Ronix Koal Fish 5'4" and my pocket is maybe 6 feet long with me surfing, yet my girlfriend on 5'4" board can go almost 20' in the pocket and ride back in on the same wave.

Dandy has the setup just right IMO, my only difference is my speed 11.8-12.2 but I have different boat so apples and oranges. I have not played to much with bow weight, I have lots of friends that run the V bow sac 650, I only run a 400 down the walk and 1 person in the bow on the surf side and it works for me. Time on the board and wave is the best way to dial it in, few trips ago I loaded the boat with 10 people and moved them around the boat while surfing to find out what was great and not great saved some time filling and draining bags to figure it out. Good Luck.

[Clug Z1]

Thanks for all the advice. It is much appreciated.

[Z1Fan]

It does depend on the weight and board of the rider, I could never get enough push, I am 230#, my son who's 150 had no issue..., try a different board etc
But that boat needs lotsa weight as well

[cbath]

I bought that exact surf board when I bought my R20 last year. I'm 6'1" 250 lbs and could not go line less for nothing! I switched to a Brigade Bomber surf board this year and now struggle to keep it off the swim platform [emoji12] I would suggest trying a couple different surf boards if you can as that will help in the beginning. After you get the hang of it and where to put your weight and foot placement, you can go line less on almost any size wave/board! Keep at it, it takes time!


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[Z1 Freak]

I Have a 2014 Z1 with Surf Ballast (2000 lbs). I run my rear surf side full, the bow 50 to 100% fill, Taps 3-5 and 11-11.8 mph depending on who's riding and what they prefer. Play with those settings and you will find your wave has lots of push. However as they previous posts said it comes down to technique. Be aligned with the wave going down it not away from it by your toes close to the edge of the board where the wave is, weight forward (try moving your back foot forward a bit to shift your weight forward and your weight shifted forward by your front foot pressing down on the front of the board). It really comes down to technique. Hold the rope to get your technique down so if you lose the wave you can get back into it, It will be a much faster learning process this way.

[dilpickle]

I've got the same boat & ballast setup as you. For me to ride regular on my CWB Ride surf board, we fill both fronts till the vents are overflowing & the rear surf side. It is usually only my wife & 2 boys in the boat, I make the boys sit on the port side. I ride @ 11.8 MPH, taps @ 6-this combination of speed & attitude of the boat allows for a good, solid wave that will support me on this board (I'm 6'3" 265 lb)

The other piece of advice I would give is once you are up, hold the rope with your left hand & put your right hand straight back while looking at the wave. In your pictures, your upper body is turned towards the boat-this will invariably cause your feet to turn away from the wave & make the sweet spot harder to find. I occasionally concentrate on the swim platform where the Tige logo is, or right where the exhaust comes out of the back of the boat.

[Iwndr]

I have a 14 with the VX, I fill the Bow full then fill a 400# sac on the Bow Seats so 800 Total, I put a 750" Sac on the floor, it goes from the rear bench to the cooler, I have Wake 9 bags above the hard tanks so around 1500 there then I fill the off side rear 50% and then drain it off till the wave cleans off. Taps at 4 on when surfing Port. At 8 when surfing the Starboard side. anywhere from 10.8 -11.2 on speed I will lighten up a bit with a bigger crew but if you weight up like that it doesn't matter where anyone sits. Is that the fish you are riding? you should be able to go wireless with it easy its a good learning and cruising board. as some said above move your feet forward on it, you have most of your weight on your back foot in the pic, balance that out to cruise, weight on your forward foot is the gas and weight on your back foot is the brakes. Your wave looks pretty good, you will be wireless in no time!

[Z3CO23]

That's some serious weight man! Awesome.

[DOB]

What is the app called for checking your list angle.

Thanks!

[Iwndr]

This is with just the 400# stock Tige Bow sac, My wife shut me down on the 400 on the seat.......... Two in the boat and the rest is set up like I said above. I'm 6'1" and 230 and it gives me plenty of push

11889475_10207896843809046_3563820243720225085_n.jpg

[Iwndr]

Oops screwed up and got the picture in there twice

[Captainkurk72]

What is the app called for checking your list angle.

Thanks!

If you have an iPhone it's the compass app. After calibration and the compass appears, swipe from right to left and then rotate phone to landscape and presto. I use a window mount at the helm and adjust so that it reads zero when ballast empty. Then fill & list until I reach the desired value.


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