Stole this pic from Pat at Wb.com W/O getting into the session's sucks thread. What do you all think? Looks like a hydrolic version of the wedge. Looks pretty interesting, wonder why Bu doesn't have the wedge operate like this. <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/191988.jpg" alt="whale tail">

I wish we had better pictures because I can't tell if it is adjusts vertically or horizontally. Does that look like a free rear hinge, maybe so that the "tail" freely trails behind the boat to minimize any effects on handling in turns? <BR> <BR>If those hydraulic rams adjust the attitude of the thing, it looks like it would give you the benefit of trim tabs and an adjustable wedge in one unit. Seems like a great idea to me. <BR> <BR>Does Malibu have a patent on The Wedge? If so, would this infringe on it?

Here's another pic. Despite thier weak sales people, I think they be on to something. <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/191995.jpg" alt="">

Interesting name... <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>(Message edited by D_O_double_G on September 22, 2004)

I thought this was a whale tail... <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/wink.gif" border=0> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/192026.jpg" alt="">

Looks like they stole it off a air chair.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/uhoh.gif" border=0>

Yeah, I saw this item at MAATS and Surf Expo. They have made a lot of changes over the last few months and I don't think they are putting any on production models yet. It is on a swivel so it turns when you turn the boat and it actuates to change the pitch via a trim tab like hydraulic system. The first model looked to be about twice the size of this one. The designers said they were under an exclusive with sessions for two years and then will go public. It seems like a good idea to me but I'm skeptical on how it would effect boats' performance, power and steering wise...just have to wait for some owner feedback, assuming anyone on WW buys one after that dealer debacle a few months ago <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":-)" BORDER=0> <BR> <BR>PS: I'd install D.O.'s whale tale on my boat any time <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":-)" BORDER=0>

I'm not wso sure about it being electronic. Everyone on my malibu always says it would be so nice to have an electronic wedge that will just go down, but I like it the way it is. For one thing I wonder how often it would mess up? Another is that if I put it down myself I know its all the way down and not half way where it could mess something up. Not sure if everyone will agree, I just like the wedge the way it is.

This thing is ALWAYS down. You can adjust it to neutral, but it is always in the water. I suggested the try negative angles as well for skiers but I'm not sure if they have done that yet...

One of the reasons Malibu will not use a motorized hydralic wedge is because it will not be rated by the AWSA or USA waterski as an official towboat

i think this looks like an awesome idea, but... that design looks generally kinda flimsy, and can leverage a lot more force on a smaller area of the transom than the Wedge does. the upside is that it would be only vertical stress, since this one swivels. <BR> <BR>AWSA ratings are of no concern on probably 95% of inboard production in recent years.

From what I understood is that it goes from a 12-degree angle in the "up" position, down to neutral and then a little beyond neutral so that it will actually lift the back end a little for slalom wakes. I'm pretty sure that's what he said, but I'm just going on memory. <BR> <BR>It also has a lot of technology built into it. For example, it automatically goes back into the 12-degree "up" position when you stop so that you're not fighting with it while you're trying to get your boat on plane. Once it gets on plane (based on RPM), it goes back to the position at which it was previously set. <BR> <BR>Also, the whole thing moves with the rudder so that steering is less affected by it. I think this would help a lot as far as performance goes.

Dave, <BR> <BR>Did you mean to say that it automatically goes all the way <i>down</i> when you stop? If so, I've spouting off, for quite some time, about how trim tabs (a.k.a. wake plates) should do that.

No it goes up to the 12-degree position. That's because when you're getting started the bow of the boat is high and the stern is low. If the whale tail were in the down position, it would be dragging on the boat because the angle of the boat would force it to drag. When it's in the 12-degree position and the boat is bow high, it's fighting it a lot less. I think that makes sense.

Well, at least one of you isn't blind. <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/biggrin.gif" border=0>

So their reasoning is that they are trying to match the bow-rise on the boat when it's starting up, so that the tail doesn't have any effect? That seems odd to me because I know that trimming an outdrive all the way down (below 0-degree) with a stabilizer plate or setting trim tabs all the way down will help a boat get on plane much faster. Bow-rise is the enemy when you're trying to get out of the hole. Maybe their design is not well-suited for upward force?

I don't see why it wouldn't lift as much as it would drag? They have been testing for more than a year now and I'm sure they have made many improvements, but it is just hard to say with no feedback. Are there and Sessions wakeskaters on the board to fill us in?