Tige' Switch V

Any thoughts on wake size and performance? My in-laws just bought a tige switch V at the kansas city boat show. They originally wanted to get something used, but found out it was hard to find what they wanted. It seemed to me that the switch v offers great performance characteristics without all of the cushy interior features, although it is very minimalist. I know some people want the interior to be nicer than it is in the switch, but I thought as first time owners of an inboard the boat was a good choice. They own a lake home where the boat will be kept all the time so interior space was not of upmost importance. I would have loved them to get a 22v or something but this is what they decided on. They upgraded to the 335 HP MPI vortec engine. They had the wakeboard package added (tower, 600lb. ballast, dual batteries, wakeboard racks) and it comes standard with taps2. I don't know exact pricing but it was somewhere close to $35,000 in the end. Just wanted to see if anyone has ridden behind a switch V and your thoughts.

I haven't ridden behind it but I know it has the same hull as the 20v, so it should be great.

Just finished the Vegas boat show and the reception for the Switch V was excellent.

You nailed it on the head Kirk. The boat does most everything the first time wakeboard boat owner needs for right around the price of a two to three year old upper end V-drive.

My impression - this boat looks incredibly cheap. I was surprised how cheap the boat looked, I really thought it would be more impressive. The windshield flexes big time and none of the interior seems to match and the fiberglass work seems really cheap.

Nick,
Man you really hate Tige'as a company. I read many posts of yours before I decided to post this thread. To each his own. I am a KSU graduate as well, go state even though they will never win a big 12 championship with Bill Snyder. Anyway, when the boat comes in April I will be excited to see how it performs and will post what I think.
I still think you are missing the point of the Switch V, the interior is supposed to be simple, gauges are not great looking, but it supposedly has the performance characteristics of the 20V. We'll see.

The hull is identical to the 20v, so of course the wake is also the same. I just started putting 2 500# sacks in the rear locker of my 20v, with about 350# up front. The wake is nice and big and clean at 22.5mph.

Thanks Bill,
Do you also run an automatic ballast in your 20V? It looks like I am gonna have to get a hold of a few sacks and a pump.

don't let it get to you people talk trash about tige but that is changing because more and more people are getting them especialy with the hull change in 2003. People are pissed because it threatens the image of their precious MC or SAN or Malibu, you get the picture the big names cant take the competition. Tige' is a great boat i love mine and it's here to stay. And, don't forget most of the people that bash Tige' don't have one and don't know anything about them, and the ones that claim they are so knowlegeable on tige without owning one base usualy base their experience on a one time thing or on the old hulls, which weren't that bad either.

Nick clearly has issues with Tige. That's OK it's his prerogative. The fiberglass work is identical to all of the Tige's so he's got issues with the entire brand.

The wake will be awesome! I was at the Vegas boat show and was very impressed with the hull and overall design. I have to say that it almost looks like they TRIED to make the seats look cheap. For folks who prefer to be behind the boat...who cares about the seats!

Kirk, I don't have an automatic ballast system - but I wish I did!

I recently picked up 2 Let's Go Ride sacks and they fit in the rear lockers really well, nice and flat so still plenty of room to throw vests, ropes, etc. on top. I'm installing a 12v receptacle in one of the lockers to make it easier to fill and empty the sacks.

Guys, I am not a big fan of Tige. The thing is, I really like the guys at Skier's Wharf Extreme, they are good people. But I don't like this boat. I will tell you that I do like some of the newer boats and the blue 22v at the show was awesome. I think Tige has come a long way, but they are not there yet.

Here is my Tige problems. The interior has always looked cheap, don't know if it is, but it still looks cheap. The old towers were crap. And the biggest problem, the company told everyone that wood was the best way to build a boat, and then all of a sudden composite is the way to go. And don't start on the Life + 10, there are so many holes in that warranty that if you could actually get the company to give you a new boat, you should be congratulated. I have looked into Tige some as Jake at SWE wanted us to look into Tige, mainly with the 20v. The big problem I have with Tige is they don't offer a boat that is useful to me. I am a 4 event skier/wakeboarder. I don't blame Tige for going after the wakeboard market, all I am saying is they don't offer a good ski boat so at this point I have no interest in the company.

I want to be clear also that none of my problem with the company has to do with wake performance, they seem to have great wakes, but I like quality of boat as well as quality of wake. And for owners that always complain about how bad Tige gets bashed, the Tige dealers sure seem to like to bash as well.

The point of the Switch V is to be cheap as Kurt said, but you could have been in a Moomba LSV at the KC Boat Show for about $3,000 less than the Switch. And I think the LSV looks way higher quality than the Switch.

Funny, Kirk, I thought Bill Snyder won a Big 12 title this year!

(Message edited by kstateskier on February 23, 2004)

(Message edited by kstateskier on February 23, 2004)

if you are a skier you have no right to comment on wakeboard boats. and obviously you haven't been in the non switch model tige's, all my friends who have MC and SAN and Supra think the inside of mine is the nicest. get a life poser

nick, why dont you go to waterskier world. As far as Tige looking cheap, comeon centurion boy!

Chris, Jamie and Doug can run '39 off behind a Switch i the first time out, must be a half way descent wake for slalom.

Nick, my bad I meant to say national championship. You contradict yourself when speaking of tige's, just because they don't make a boat that suits you doesn't mean anything. z is correct, the inside of the non-switch tige's is very nice.

Z, you should probably be cutting Nick a little more slack. He was only giving his honest opinion. As he stated, he is a 4 event skier, which includes wakeboarding. Posers are usually the first to call someone else a poser.

(Message edited by socalwakepunk on February 23, 2004)

OK, I'll address this one more time.

z and wallyworld - first, I don't know why I am even giving you my time. I also wakeboard, probably as well as either of you and I have been around tournament boats all my life, so I would say I can talk on the subject. I would guess I have way more experience with boats than both of you combined. I don't see how I'm a poser, as my screen name is kstateskier, so how is that posing? I would put my Centurion up against a Tige any day. And it is currently for sale, so it doesn't really matter, but thanks for calling me Centurion boy. I have friends with MC, CC, Malibu, Supra, Moomba, etc. and they all diss Tige's interior, wood boat building, etc., so your comment holds no ground. If you think a Tige is built anywhere close to a MC or CC you are kidding yourself. I have been in non Switch Tige's. I don't have any problem with the wake, my beef is the boat building, that is why I won't own one.

Lee- Jamie, Chris and Doug could run 39 behind a 1980 Ski Nautique, what is the point. These guys are high end athletes. The Tige slalom wake is not in the top 20 of boats ever produced, though that is all I will say, as this is a wakeboard forum.

Kirk - You're right, it doesn't mean anything that the Tige doesn't suit my needs. As I said, that's just another reason I won't buy one. And we will win a National Title in the next 5 years, write it down.

Now that we're done with the flaming, I'll tell you my boat has things I don't like. I don't like every way Centurion builds boats. I just don't have ownership goggles. I have seen the Centurion bashes on this board, probably just as bad as the Tige bashed. It's just my opinion, if you don't like it disagree, that's why about 10 manufacturers build boats, people make different choices.

So, I'll finish with what I should have said in my first statement to the post.

"Personally I was disappointed, as with the talk and the direction that Tige has been going, I was expecting a lot more out of this boat as far as the interior quality goes."

(Message edited by kstateskier on February 23, 2004)

Nick,
I hope your prediction comes true and we win a national championship. I will definately put a lot of hours on the tige' this summer. If it holds up at lake of the ozarks I will conclude it's a well built boat.

Kirk, I hear that, I did a 6 month internship down there this past year and riding around in the Centurion down there was painful. I would have loved to have a MC 280VLD with the twin screws. I hope you enjoy the boat and prove me wrong. Just getting out on the water and enjoying the sport is the real important thing.

The switch interior definately looks cheap, but I have no clue what the wake is like... Not to mention nick is right about the windshield, it shook like a drunk girl on a bar.

I think the Tige interiors in thier other boats are fine but definately not in the Switch...

Wait, wait, wait.....back up here a bit. Where are the drunk girls and where is this bar of which you speak? And is the bar made of wood? 'Cuz that's definitely the best way to build a bar...And why does the word "build" have a "u" in it?

I don't think Tige is a threat to companies like CC, Master Craft, and Malibu. I think they are the competition. I would choose a Tige over Master Craft and Malibu everytime. I was seriously considering a new Tige until I found a used SAN that fit every one of my requirements.

The Switch has it's place in the market right next to Moomba, Centurian etc.

The rest of Tige's line up is right there with the other top boats.

Greg, I agree, but if you didn't have to worry about money you would buy an X-Star, that is the sweetest boat ever. I am just happy I don't have to board behind a 24 foot I/O anymore!!!!

In fairness to nick, Tige does promote a versatility of sorts (look at the promo materials), not just wakeboarding. I think the 20V (same as the hull in the switch V) is approved by the AWSA for skiing, and there aren't any other V-drives out there that can say that. So what I'm saying is, that Tige does promote versatility to some degree, and there seem to be national organizations that agree.

talltigeguy - The Switch i is the only Tige boat approved by USA WaterSki and it is only approved for Class C tournaments, not allowed for Record tournaments. The approved boat is equipped with the GM Vortec 5.7L with Acme 13 x 11.5 Nibral and Perfect Pass v6.5. For more info on approved boats, see http://www.usawaterski.org/pages/current%20news/cn2003approvedtowboatsfor2004.htm

The only non-direct drive boat approved is the Ski Pro Extreme I/O which is approved for ABC Barefoot tournaments.

nothing personal but who cares man, boats a boat and you buy what you like

..or what you can afford at least.

maybe in your case, but i got exactly what i wanted.

Nick,

Congratulations on your 777th post. Too bad it will take another 1500 to set us all straight.

Guys, that last post wasn't a jab at all. I was just kidding that everyone can't buy the boat they like the most, didn't mean any offense at all. I promise!

Don't worry Nick some of us still have a sense of humor

Kirk, In all fairness there is no way I would ever buy an X-Star; I think they are ugly as hell (MHO) If money were no issue I would buy in this order. SAN, 22v, X-2, VLX. It doesn't matter now, I just bought the boat of my dreams and did not have to pay for a new boat. This all kind of seems like a pointless argument it was just a few years ago that I wish I had a boat period. I just waited at the ramp for somebody to take me with them...

This all kind of seems like a pointless argument it was just a few years ago that I wish I had a boat period.

That is the most definetly true. I had to wakeboard off of a Jet Ski for three years and watch all of the wakeboard boats pass me by. Most people tend to get caught up on the BS and forget the real reason...to have fun!

Greg and Pierce, I agree with both of you, the only reason I started this was to see mostly about the wake of the Switch V and in general what people thought. Greg I do agree that there are many great boats on the market now. I am just very glad to have a wakeboard boat to ride behind.
Does anybody have any pics of the wake off of a Tige 20V??

Here is one from the Tige Owners thread at http://messageboard.wakeworld.com/MB/discus/messages/3183/90189.html?1077180723

The user said, "here is wake of an 2004 20V with no weight, no tanks full, 1/4 tank of gas and only three people in the boat all by the helm @ 18mph."

I know what you mean guys i grew up going behind a 16ft wahoo and watching all the other boats. it sucked i am on cloud nine now that i have my Tige'.

Pierce, that looks like a really nice wake.

That wake looks great. I can't wait to load the Switch V down and watch it grow!

Solid looking wake, but did you ever notice how no-one cops to have weight in the boat when snapping pictures of their wake. I always made sure I had a lot of weight in the boat when taking shots of my wake. Who really take photos of their wakes with no weight and always is on empty. By the look of the rooster tail, I'd say there is some weight in the boat, although it is going awefully slow. Almost has that Tige lip. Wonder if the Tige' lip rears its ugly head when weighted.

lip forms regardless if taps is all the way up in wakeboard position. just so you know

rooster tail forms regardless if taps is all the way up in wakeboard position. just so you know, not to mention i try to make my wake have a lip, i like the lip personaly, everyone likes something diff. though

Nope, no lip on my 20v when weighted. Last time out I ran 500# sacks in the rear lockers and about 350# up front with 4 people in the boat and the wake was big and steep, but most importantly clean, even with TAPS at 8 running at 22.5mph.

Also Who rides at 18mph? If you could still ride at a high level at 18mph we wouldn't be putting so much weight in boats. take wake pics at real riding speed, people riding 18mph and 53 ft of rope are not ready to be thinking about huge wakes.

i ride 23 behind my tige and to get that lip i like i over load the front of the boat, it is hard to get though since its a 03 with the new hull. have a full size sac (500) running between drivers and passengers towards the bow. two smaller sacs (120 each) on each side of engine then about 300 in the back. but i guess i like the lip cause its what i grew up with and i used it as a reference point when doing tricks so it helps with my timing. not talking a washy lip just where it just starts to lip a little bit.

and for understanding in my post "lip forms regardless if taps is all the way up in wakeboard position. just so you know" meant to say rooster tail, thats why i followed up with the other. sorry for the confusion.

Yeah, no kidding JZ.

45 posts and not one pic of Switch V!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????

This is only a stock photo, but here you go David.

That ones a little small, here is another

Yeah, that's the one photo I have seen of a Switch V.
Looks sharp. Not crazy about that tower though.
I guess not many people on here own one or have them in the showroom...

"did you ever notice how no-one cops to have weight in the boat when snapping pictures of their wake. I always made sure I had a lot of weight in the boat when taking shots of my wake"
Well now that would be because that's the only way for you to have a nice wake. Take a shot of your boat without the ballast full and everyone will think you owned a Prostar 190
It's called TAPS...

All Taps does is clean the wake up. A trim tab will not make that much of a difference.

No hook in the hull makes it work. Deal with it.

You have already informed us that you don't like the boat brand of which this post is the subject so please, get over it and move on.

Just kind of a shot back at the ProStar 190 comment. It does help the non weighted wake when your boat weighs about 1000 pounds more than anybody elses.

I'll leave you alone now John, wouldn't want you to actually get worked up enough that you could actually maybe tell me some reasons I should like Tige like the rest of these guys have, rather than just taking stupid shots at my post. But I've already explained why I have absolutely no right to post on boats and no experience at all, so I guess you are the bigger man.

You are right Nick, I am not going to get worked up enough to try to change your mind about Tiges. I believe that this board serves a great purpose for wakeboard, watersports, and boat enthusiasts to share information, ideas, and a general enthusiasm for on-the-water activities. There should be no reason to get "worked up" at all. If I had responded to your description of Taps fuction above with an essay on why it was incorrect in my opinion, then we would have yet another, who is right, and who knows more debate to bore everyone with. I thought I was simply being brief and direct to the point.