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Old     (andruz)      Join Date: Oct 2008       05-27-2011, 10:33 AM Reply   
Hi Crew!
I used to have a perfect pass control, but today I need one new and I think in this new model.
Does anyone tested?
http://www.hydrophase.com/

I`m from Argentina!
Thanks!

Andres
Old     (andruz)      Join Date: Oct 2008       05-30-2011, 7:54 AM Reply   
anybody??
Old     (davidggriffith)      Join Date: Sep 2008       05-30-2011, 8:59 AM Reply   
it's a holiday this week end people should be back on tuesday
Old     (badhabit)      Join Date: Mar 2009       05-30-2011, 9:26 PM Reply   
I'm curious of the responses as I'm on the market.
Old     (fozz)      Join Date: Apr 2011       05-31-2011, 8:09 AM Reply   
I've been considering the ridesteady as well... I'm just hesitant to be the first one with it.
Old     (MikeyG)      Join Date: Apr 2010       05-31-2011, 12:00 PM Reply   
That makes 4 of us so far....Honestly - a group buy would probably get me to jump. Anyone else have any interest in this as a group buy if given the option? I would be willing to document and post about the install and overall function of the system when complete. I wakeboard, hydrofoil, and slalom ski so I can assure you it will be put to the test. I also ride on water with and without a current. What do you say RideSteady???
Old     (dizzlestoy)      Join Date: Aug 2006       05-31-2011, 1:07 PM Reply   
Im in the market as well. But I think Im just going to bite the bullet and get the PP Star Gazer. It scares me the fact that I might buy the ridesteady and it break and this guy leaves or goes belly up. What also could happen is he could sell the the kit cheap but sell parts high cause he can. Think Ill go the RIGHT way this time.

Last edited by dizzlestoy; 05-31-2011 at 1:08 PM. Reason: spelled wrong
Old     (Jeff)      Join Date: May 2010       05-31-2011, 1:59 PM Reply   
It's hard to tell from pictures but the way RideSteady interfaces with the factory throttle cable doesn't look as slick and simple as the way Perfect Pass does it. it might work fine or it could be something that requires constant fiddling and adjustment.

In general the GPS option lends itself to DIY installation too. I installed my StarGazer in about 1.5 hrs with a lot of goofing off and thinking about the optimal way to route the wiring and what not. Installing a paddle wheel would at least double that install time due to the big hole you'd have to drill and what not. Unless you ride in a place with a significant current the GPS is the way to go.
Old     (MikeyG)      Join Date: Apr 2010       05-31-2011, 3:15 PM Reply   
Is there a Hydrophase rep on here that could explain the system in a little more detail? I don't mind poking a hole in the hull for the paddle wheel - but would like to hear some more about it first. Or maybe some testimonials from other users. Anyone? Anyone?
Old     (adamp)      Join Date: Mar 2011       05-31-2011, 3:34 PM Reply   
Money back guarantee
Still wondering whether the Ridesteady speed control system is for you? No problem. Try it out for 60 days and if you’re not 100% satisfied, you can return it. We want you to feel great about your investment.

(Although, that does mean you're drilling a hole that you will need fixed if you're not satisfied with the Ridesteady system)
Old     (MikeyG)      Join Date: Apr 2010       05-31-2011, 3:38 PM Reply   
Couldn't you just put a thru hull drain plug in its place if you decided to return it? Seems like an easy fix.
Old     (Ridesteady)      Join Date: Apr 2011       05-31-2011, 7:34 PM Reply   
Hey Guys,

Let me address your questions and concerns.

1) @Andres - If you have a 2010 Malibu, most likely you have throttle-by-wire (no physical throttle cable). In that case, Zero-Off or Malibu's speed control is your only option. That said, I don't know what configuration they ship in Argentina - perhaps they still ship mechanical throttle engines down there. Also, we aren't currently shipping to Argentina, but may be able to work something out.

2) Group buys - we're currently not offering group buys as we have a fairly substantial discount already; I hope y'all (yes, we're in Texas) can understand.

3) Throttle cable - PP's throttle connection is fairly simple--it has less parts to mess with on install. The Ridesteady throttle connection does have several advantages, though.
  • Flexible install - there are many ways that the L-brackets can be configured which provides compatibility on a wide-array of boats.
  • No outer cable movement - only the inner stainless steel cable needs to move during 'cruise' operation
  • Cable support - the Ridesteady control cable is supported by the 'cable guide' instead of being supported entirely by the throttle arm.
  • No fuel rail obstruction - some boats have fuel rails immediately in front of the throttle arm which can interfere with a front-mounted control cable install
  • I could also mention our solid stainless steel throttle motor spindle, environmentally-sealed connector (also used on Harleys), smaller, lighter, more efficient motor, lack of hot power resistor, etc. But I won't.

4) Install - Yes, a GPS-based system will be easier to install as you obviously don't have to install the paddlewheel. Consider these points, however. With a GPS-based system:
  • You won't know the speed over water unless the water is still (whether you care about this is subjective).
  • You won't know the water temperature (many people care about this).
  • Your 'startup time' will vary from several seconds to several minutes (up to 6 minutes on a 'cold start').

5) Money back guarantee - As Adam posted, and as our website states, you have 60 days from date of purchase to return it if you're not 100% satisfied. The installation manual (http://www.hydrophase.com/support) is arranged so that you install the throttle motor/cable first, then the display and CPU, and at last the paddlewheel. This way, you'll have a good idea that everything fits together properly before touching your hull. If you do install the paddlewheel and still want to return the rest of the system, we'll 'sell' you the paddlewheel for a discounted price of $100 and return the rest of your money (sans shipping). The remaining paddlewheel can be connected to PP's SG system to give you water temp, or you can use it to hook up to a paddlewheel-compatible speedometer so that you have a water-speed reading alongside PP's GPS speed reading.

I'm sure I forgot something, but I think that covers most of it. Let me know if you have any more questions!

-Justin

Last edited by Ridesteady; 05-31-2011 at 7:36 PM. Reason: formatting
Old     (pickle311)      Join Date: Oct 2005       06-01-2011, 9:53 AM Reply   
I've talked with Justin quite extensively on this system and it sounds great. I was just about to pull the trigger on it until I blew up the motor in my boat a couple of weeks ago. It's about time someone brought some competition to PP at a lower price.
Old     (spyderman)      Join Date: Mar 2007       06-01-2011, 10:37 AM Reply   
I browse through here all the time, and found this thread the other day. I talked to Justin and ordered my system today!

Hopefully it will get here soon so I can begin the install. I will post a thread about my thoughts on the install process once I have it in and can get some time on it.

I have been needing a speed control system in my boat for years (1996 Tige 22' V-drive) but we do a lot of river riding and I was never too keen on the GPS adjsutment idea. I was super stoked to find an alternative to the PP system and decided to go for it.
Old     (dizzlestoy)      Join Date: Aug 2006       06-01-2011, 11:26 AM Reply   
Just got off the phone with onlyinboards. Ordered the perfect pass stargazer. I remember all those threads before with problems with perfect pass and there support team taking great care of the problem. I payed more but Ill get the support to back there product for years to come.
Old     (cadunkle)      Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: NJ       06-01-2011, 5:48 PM Reply   
Just thought I'd comment since some people are bringing PP into this thread. I recently got a PP Wakeboard Pro (paddlewheel) and my last time out (third time since PP install) had issues with the display going blank after being on for anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple minutes. PP does seem to have good customer service so far. They are sending me a new gauge no charge under warranty. Hopefully this fixes it, but even if it doesn't my thoughts on their customer support are very positive so far. No hassle to get a replacement gauge in the mail. I'd prefer that the system just worked, but things happen, and how a company deals with those things to keep customers happy is what matters.

That all being said, if Ride Steady had posted here before I bought my PP I would have bought their system instead. When looking at their throttle control it makes more sense to me as opposed to the way PP works the throttle. Of course the price is a fair amount cheaper too. Competition is good to keep prices down. If Ride Steady takes off, PP will have to lower prices to remain competitive. Eventually both systems will be similarly priced at a point that booth companies can make a reasonable profit on each unit, but not the crazy profit PP must make now.

Beyond that.... GPS was not an option I considered for too long. I ride ona tidal river... So 4 times a day I have a 6 MPH current that is constantly changing depending on the tide. The spots I ride are also fairly short, which means relatively short straight sections before turning around and changing against/with the current. I also like having water temp. Probably not a big deal for most, but just one of those things I missed about my last boat.

Drilling the hole and mounting the paddlewheel wasn't a big deal. It's just a mental hangup about punching holes in your boat. I will say if I could do it again I would mount the paddlewheel farther back. I mounted mine about 6" port of my center drain plug (direct drive) and 10" toward the rear. When making left turns the PP holds a steady speed, but on right turns the paddlewheel must come out of the water some as it throttles up hard and asks for more throttle. It will just keep accelerating while turning right if you let it. On right turns I just back off the throttle a little to keep a steady speed. Not a deal breaker and it is what it is, since the hole is already drilled. If I were to do it again I'd mount the paddlewheel on the starboard side exactly opposite of my raw water pickup. I feel this would ensure it's always in clean water.

I don't regret buying PP at all, but if I were to do it again I'd probably give RideSteady a shot due to lower price and made in America (PP is Canadian). I hope those who go with RideSteady post back here with their experiences, either positive or negative.
Old     (dizzyj)      Join Date: Jul 2003       06-01-2011, 7:30 PM Reply   
hmm..interesting.
a friend I work with just mentioned to me today that he knew someone who was developing a new cruise control for boats. Im assuming this is it.

if it is, and If I can try it out, I would be more than wiling to give an un-opinionated review.
Old     (ferral)      Join Date: Sep 2007       06-19-2011, 10:24 PM Reply   
Just pulled the trigger. I'll report back how it goes.
Old     (parkcityxj)      Join Date: Mar 2001       07-07-2011, 12:27 PM Reply   
Bump, since nobody has reported back about Hydrophase. I just got Hydrophase and installed it on my '95 Sunsetter this weekend. I talked to Justin @Hydrophase for about a 1/2 hour before I pulled the trigger, he's a good guy and answered any question I had. He didn't try to sell me as well, which I was stoked on. I was surprised at the quality of the hardware and install was easy. The hardest part of putting it in was fishing the wires under the floor.

Right out of the box it's worked flawlessly, I'm running about 1,200 lbs of ballast and I haven't had to change any of the settings. I've ridden with it two days so far. It engages quickly and does corners well too. It's been years since I've had a solid pull behind my boats, IMO it's the best $800 I've ever spent plus I'm getting $100 back for documenting the install. It pulls just as good as any boat w/Perfect Pass I've ridden behind as well. The only features I'd like to see is adding rider profiles to the system, but I only ride w/a handful of regulars and I can remember their speeds.
Old     (moon)      Join Date: Oct 2008       07-26-2011, 1:34 PM Reply   
Bump. Just ordered today and hopefully getting it here by friday. I'm fairly handy with the tools, but can someone give me a rough estimate on install time? Such as, will this be an all day project or will a friday evening be enough time to get me on the water the next day?

Also, parkcityx, did you have a paddlewheel in your boat already or did you have to drill the hole (just curious)? My boat already has an older paddlewheel so I'm going to take that out and use the existing hole and replace it with the new paddlewheel so I can have the water temperature feature. If you've go pics I love to see them.

Thanks
Old     (ferral)      Join Date: Sep 2007       08-05-2011, 10:21 PM Reply   
Hey guys, got busy and it slipped my mind to get back on here with my updates.

First off, customer service has been great. The package arrived just a few days after I ordered. Justin got in contact with my right away just to see if I had any questions and ask how the install was going. He stayed in regular contact as I worked on it, as I was busy and did my install and tuning over a few days. I had a few minor questions that got answered right away, and I immediately got my $100 refund for fully documenting the install. Other than that, I’m happy to say I haven’t needed any customer service. System has been in the boat for a little over a month now.

So for the install, I would say I spent about 2-3 hours doing everything but the paddlewheel, and probably another 2 hours for the paddlewheel. It would have been faster if I didn’t have to drill the hole, and if my original hole saw had been deep enough. I was quite surprised how thick my hull was and had to run out for a bigger saw. My only regret is that I put the paddlewheel too close to the center line, and it turned out that my hull was slightly curved at that point so the bezel doesn’t sit perfectly flat. However with everything properly sealed up, I have no leaks. I tested by putting in my drain plug and filling the bilge with some water. The drain plug dripped but the paddlewheel did not .

I run about 2100 lbs in the boat and 23-24MPH, and it did take some adjusting to get the control settings right. My main problem was with a bad speed overshoot, but with a little tinkering I go the settings to where I like it. I now just go full throttle out of the hole, and leave it there. I still get a small over-shoot above my set speed, but I prefer that to slowly inching up to the set speed. The settings a flexible enough that I’m sure you could do the opposite if you prefer. Since my paddlewheel is on the left side, I do get more overshoot coming out of right turns, still haven’t tried to fix that. It works great on left turns though. I attribute that to the speed sensor slightly lifting out of the water during right turns and not getting good readings.

Overall, this has been great so far. Driving is far easier, I actually get to watch the rider in the rear-view a bit instead of just the old look ahead, look at gauges, look ahead, look at gauges…. My wife loves it too, she thought it was totally worth the money and it is much less stressful for her to pull me now. I have also been able to get good pulls from some people (who shall remain nameless ) where I didn’t get very consistent pulls before. I debated for a long time about getting PP, but the price always kept me from doing it. Ridesteady is looking to be a great lower cost alternative, and I don’t feel like I have sacrificed anything by going that route.

Here’s the throttle control motor mounted to my exhaust riser:
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Here’s the throttle control cable before/after:
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Paddlewheel:
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Gauge:
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CPU mounted under the dash:
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If there's anythign else anybody wants to know about or see, just let me know.
Old     (moon)      Join Date: Oct 2008       08-07-2011, 11:41 PM Reply   
Looks good ferral. I received my system last Saturday and completed the install last tuesday night. Basically worked on for three nights in my drive way with a flashlight hanging off my bimini. I used it on Wednesday and loved it. Very easy to use and install was not bad. Thanks Justin!!! I'll be getting pictures to you shortly.
Old     (lakeeffect)      Join Date: Jul 2007       08-17-2011, 7:24 AM Reply   
Been busy on the lake riding with mine as well. For me it was about an hour to install the wiring and another hour to drill for the paddlewheel!

We have had great success with it. I love being able to let others drive while I go out and surf or wakeboard and not have to worry about speed. It keeps up fantastic!

Probably have about 60 hours of use with it! I love it and customer service was great.
Old     (edozier)      Join Date: Mar 2012       03-23-2012, 7:13 AM Reply   
Hey Lou,

I noticed that your boat is an I/O runabout. I have a similar boat and want to pull the trigger on the ridesteady control but was nervous about the boat falling off plane and all that. When I'm maintaining speed sometimes I have to feather the trim to keep the boat on plane.

How does the ride-steady system handle your boat as compared to a competition ski boat? Any trouble with falling off plane?

Thx!
Old     (ferral)      Join Date: Sep 2007       03-24-2012, 1:34 PM Reply   
Evan - at what speed are you generally riding? When I ride, I'm usually around 23-24 MPH and coming off plane is never an issue no matter what I do with the trim. That said, I always start with the trim all the way down and then bring it up about 1/8 at the most to put a bit of lip on the wake. Once I find that sweet spot, I just leave it there and the boat will plane out only slightly slower in that position.

For newer riders or kids where I might be keeping it as slow as 15-16 MPH, then I just leave the trim down all the way the whole time they ride. At that speed, it is very easy for the boat to come off plane but the ridesteady does a good job holding it, much better than i do on my own!

It sounds to me like there is something fundamentally different about our boats if you have to keep making trim adjustments to stay on plane. I've never had that problem. If you are going pretty slow, I would suggest just leaving the trim down. Trimming up will not help you plane. I hope that helps.

Last edited by ferral; 03-24-2012 at 1:34 PM. Reason: typo
Old     (edozier)      Join Date: Mar 2012       03-26-2012, 7:54 AM Reply   
Hey Lou,

Yea, most of the guys I pull prefer ~20 MPH. What I meant by falling off plane was that around 17-18, my boat will start to fall off plane unless I correct by adjusting the throttle. My speedo is unreliable and so I maintain speed from watching the tach and there is a lot of lag and guesswork involved. I guess if there was a system holding the speed steady at 20 (much more reliable than I am) then it might not even be an issue. It was more of just curiosity into how well it worked with an I/O. I mostly only experience the planing issues when I'm trimmed up a bit so as to shape the wake better.

When I wakeboard I prefer ~23MPH and the boat doesn't fall off plane at that speed but when other people drive boat, I teeter between 20 and dangerous because they cannot maintain speed. I'm definitely pulling the trigger on buying this system, I just wanted an unbiased positive confirmation that it works with I/O boats.

Thanks!
Old     (moon)      Join Date: Oct 2008       03-26-2012, 8:46 AM Reply   
Evan, Do It!!! It's well worth the money.
Old     (ferral)      Join Date: Sep 2007       03-26-2012, 10:22 PM Reply   
Evan, it sounds like this is just what you are looking for. The paddle wheel based speedo will be far more accurate than what you have now (I assume you have the little triangle that sticks down and reads water pressure like mine did) and since this works off the real speed, you don't get the lag of trying to adjust by RPM. Its really nice knowing you are going to get a decent pull on your own boat. It sounds like your issues are all what I was dealing with before install too. I can definitely confirm I works well on an I/O. Good luck! If you go for it and have any trouble, let me know, I will be happy to give whatever advice I can.
Old     (edozier)      Join Date: Mar 2012       03-27-2012, 7:39 AM Reply   
Thanks Lou!

I'll report back after the install. It'll probably be a month before I pull the trigger.

-Evan
Old     (nitrousbird)      Join Date: Sep 2008       03-31-2012, 6:41 AM Reply   
I'm in the market for a speed control. I like the Hydrophase price, but the reason I am personally passing:

- No GPS. I want GPS.
- Display is available as a 3.5" model. I need a 5"
- Display isn't as nice (single line) as the PP display, and can't be matched to look like a factory gauge.

Sucks I'll end up paying $350 more for a PP, but the above items are deal breakers.

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