My review of the 2008 Tige Z1

My local dealer, Redline Watersports (www.tige.ca) held there annual wine and cheese event on a local lake. This is a great event for all. Redline brings the full Tige line up out on the water for past present and future Tige owners to come have look and a test drive. This was the second time I have attended ( last year at this event is when I became a Tigeowner for those that remember when I bought my 22VE)

The day could not have been better, weather was dry, somewhat cold but clear. Perfect conditions to have the lake to ourselves. Water temp was a brisk 56C so no one was tempted to board or surf on this day.

Boats in attendance were:

RZ4
RZ2
Z1
24Ve
22Ve
20V
20I

Everyone was welcome to drive any of the models as much as they would like ( and we all did) ask questions and talk about the boats we all love.


I was really interested to check out the new Z1.

I gotta tell you this boat looks good on the water! I think Tige hit a home run on the look of the boat. Inside it is much differnet then what we are all use to when it comes to others in the Tige line.

The free board is lower and has a malibu type feel to it. I personally was a bit cramped in the drivers seat ( I am about 6.4) and felt a bit to close to the dash, the exact same way I felt when I sat in the BU line. with that said, I was comfy once there. The layout of the dash was quite nice and easy to see and reach everything. This boat was without the vision air chair which is a option worth getting! I have it my RZ2 and I think this would have given me the extra room and brought the overall comfort up a notch.

The rear lockers are big! I don't think the pics do it justice, I did not measure, but I feel they are larger bays then my RZ2. The opening is wider and longer, storage is not a problem in the rear of the boat!


The shape of the hull is very good, The boat we drove had no ballast and there were only 2 of us, when we took her out. I was pretty impressed for having no extra weight in the boat and only having Taps to play with this day.. if the factory ballast is ever going to be enough to please people, this is the boat that will shine with it.

Handling was typical Tige, smooth precise and very very good in the rough water. Steering was smooth and the hull has a very balanced feel to it.


The only two things I did not like and I suggest Tige make these changes fast!

Are:

1) The plastic dash insert and glove box are super cheap! I think any bayliner has a nicer glovebox door and dash insert! It appears to be a cheap flimsy type plastic. totally brings down the look of the boat. I could only hope that the optional stainless upgrade would include a proper billet door and dash insert.

2) Tige needs to come up with a simple shelf to cover the motor when you lift the hatch(s), BU has this and it is a good compromise and makes a useless opening useful with a place to keep rope(s) handles, gloves etc etc.

Overall I like it and I think if Tige is going to sell quite a few of these !

I drove most of the others as well, but since the Z1 is the newest hull for Tige, I thought I would focus on that the most.


** Just a update from my dealer ( I had posted this thread yesterday on Tigeowners.com) The Z1 I drove was # 4 out of the factory and, Tige is looking to change the dash insert and glove box . Good news!

Wake @ 21mph with the taps @ 5 ( in the middle) No extra weight in the boat and only 2 people.

Again Surf wake with no weight and only 2 people... taps set @ 7-8 10.8 MPH

how big is the Z1?...the lack of cupholders on the sides isn't a great idea

looks really nice, but the wakeboard wake seemed a bit lacking, but if it's a small boat i understand (PLEASE TIGE OWNERS - I DONT WANT TO START A WAR)

21 feet long. I am a tige owners, i think its a nice boat. But to small for me.

this spencer from sunny mesa?

Hi Nick,

As Spencer mentioned it is a 21 foot boat. This one had no ballast and only 2 people including the driver LOL. It was also very light on fuel, this is not typically how I would imagine most people would have the boat set up for weekend use.

At the price they are selling for, I would imagine most are going to be ordered/sold with the factory 900LB ballast.

We all know what weight does, so take that wake and add the 900 lb factory ballast, fuel, gear, people and then dial it in with the taps and I am willing to bet there will be a lot of smiles on board.

what is the price?

Im In Canada, so our price will be different but In the other thread, a dealer said they will start @ 39K USD

Price range on a Z1 will be 39ish up to 54ish

"The plastic dash insert and glove box are super cheap! I think any bayliner has a nicer glovebox door and dash insert! It appears to be a cheap flimsy type plastic. totally brings down the look of the boat. I could only hope that the optional stainless upgrade would include a proper billet door and dash insert."

Might as well tell them to change that cheap a$$ I/O looking throttle knob, too.

That must be a bad picture or something, because that throttle know is not cheap at all, IMHO.

Same one I have on my 22i, Tige places the TAPS control on the throttle knob, so I believe they are all pretty similar. Maybe it is a difference of opinion, but I don't think it is a cheap product at all.

no rodney this is spencer from the middle of no where iowa.

they're changing the glove box door or atleast i think they said they are. the rear storage is huge on them. i'm pretty sure you could fit a 750 sack in each locker and still have some room for vests. i can't wait to get one in here and test it out with different weight placements.

I think it throws a pretty good wake for the way it was set up. And if you can get one fully loaded for 54, i think its a deal.

yeah 54 is a great price. thats loaded up with everything you could possible get on it.

Just remeber 54 is the MSRP...there "could" be some sort of dealer discount

if you pay anywhere near MSRP on a new boat you got screwed.

Looks like Tige's version of a X1 and why not they already have an XStar.
It looked pretty cold wherever those pics were taken. Every time I see pics like that, it makes me love Florida even better. I bet its beautiful there in the summer though.

That is a cute little wake that thing puts out....

in my opinion -
if the boat is in its lightest state, it is not even worth posting the pics of the wake. no one can know exactly what weight does to the wake. you are just hurting the boats rep with those pictures. it looks like you can do some ok slaloming behind it, so if the wake does get way bigger, could be a great boat for multi-use.

Seshed the Z1 all day long on Monday, don't worry all you Naysayers, when loaded (Stock + ~750), it's SICK......

Plus the boat looks great on the water and handles like a Tige. Not to mention priced at $40k(bone stock)-$55k(loaded to the hilt). Try it before you dis it.

Billy- Thanks we love our home province of B.C. The winters can be cold but your right, when we have a good summer they are picture perfect

Mike- I totally agree with you and was hesitant to post the pics of the wake as it was ( no people, no weight and hardly any fuel) but then I decided to post anyways. I know when I searched for my 1st boat I had a lot of factors to consider and I just wanted to post my impressions on this new Tige hull. In talking to my dealer, that boat sold that day.... so it impressed someone and again suited that family's needs.

i'm with Brandon. i rode one ballast full and 5 people in the boat adn it seemed to be a good wake, there was about foot n a half chop that day so i couldn't get a real good feel for the wake. i had pics from that day but there was no use posting them because it wasn't proper conditions to show what it could do.

I only have two hands and need both to drive the boat. Where's my beer gonna go?

Plus it bothers me that all that space behind the seats, where every boat maker in the last decade has put cupholders and storage space, they have enclosed. It just strikes me as wasted space not having that area open.

from what i can see there isnt 1 single cupholder.

The cup holders are on the floor- Like MC/CC/Bu did back in the 90s. Why can't Tige put them along the sides like everyone else does. They are always in the way when the drink holders are on the floor.

Man I have to say this- as a Tige Owner even- I am so not impressed with the styling of ANY of the Tige boats since the 22ve. They seem too squared off and almost stripped down interior-wise. When you pay the kind of money boat manufacturers are asking these days, I want a little "plush" in the boat and it needs to feel solid. I haven't ridden behind a new Tige- but honestly If I don't like the way the interior looks I would never buy one. IMO there are only a few really "dialed" boats out there that can justify their prices and will look good long-term. I don't think Tige's headed in the right direction style-wise. They build a super solid hull and a quality product- but come on guys- how about some style? Just my opinion....sorry.

I havent seen one in person but the exterior lines look really good in pics.

i do agree with the cupholders though. the boat looks weird without them on the sides. Other than that, I think it looks great.

Will, you should go check out an rz4. i hated the ve's and the rz2 but the rz4 is something else. Tiges other products don't hold a stick to a rz4.

882001, come by the shop and check out for yourself. There are plenty of cupholders in the boat. How many cupholders are in your boat?

brandon, you know my crew so you know we are all full blown alcoholics. so i added 8 cupholders to mine. making it an even 10.heres 4http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d80/882001/?action=view&current=DSC00897.jpg
very easy to see in a picture.

oh yeah brandon, i did check out tims rz4 and it is legit.

will5150- i'm haveing a hard time trying to find a spot on any of the tige models that aren't stylish. maybe your just an old school type of guy but all the shape lines is what people are liking these days.

the cup holders in the side would be nice and for those of you that haven't been in a Z1 yet for the driver there is a cup holder down by the drivers right foot.

Yeah thats cool I can reach down by my foot to get a drink while drivin a double up. Its not about the number of cup holders its about where Tige puts them.

Putting the speakers on the floor sucks to. What a dumb place for them. That wake is cute though LOL.

nu bu- you must of missed the part the original post that said there was him and the driver in the boat no ballast and not even a full tank of gas. and taps at 5 so it was lifting the rear end of the boat up a little. what type of a wake would you expect with that weight situation.

tige claims they dont need ballest. they are wrong?

i think it looks a 100 times better in the nose than the 22 ve

I agree!!! This is definitely the gentleman's choice! I like the cup holders on the Tige better then the Malibu any day...Why would I want to turn my my glass of frothy beer just to slip it into one of those cup holders behind my back. Nice job cup holder arguer's, now lets find a real topic to discuss, besides cup holders which the Tige RZ1 has.

Nice Job Tige, Kudo's to you!!!

I don't know what you guys are talking about, looks like a pretty nice slalom wake to me

you don't NEED ballast, but you'll want it if your a serious boarder.

Ryan Tige's don't need ballast right, they have the best invention in the boating industry TAPS. LOL, I mean wakeplate.

Lets get back to reality for a second. WW doesn't represent 100% of the people who buy tournament boats, if that was the case, everyone would probably want to own a EPIC, arguably the best real factory wake out there. All the other boats, I don't care what you own caters to everyone in the market, mostly family's that want to tube, board, surf, ski, relax etc etc on there boat on weekends. (weekend warriors) I would be willing to bet that less then 10% of tournament sales are for just hardcore riders.

You need to face facts- TIge's appeal to people for various reasons, just like BU, MC and others appeal to others for other reasons..If you want to argue Tige's marketing of not needing weight, then let me ask you this, do you ride with stock factory ballast in your BU? and if so, can you honestly say it would not be better with more weight? ..... All these boats benefit from weight and in just about every boat out there, factory weight never is enough to please the hardcore riders but again, if the market was truly there or represented by the hardcore rider the manufactures would respond and cater to it in new offerings, Do any of the so called big 3 seem to worry about the EPIC? the answer is no, because they know EPIC has gone after a niche market of the hardcore rider that is probably to small to see on the radar for them. in other words, it doesn't make sense to do the R&D to bring a boat like that to market to sell a to a small niche market. there current offerings cater to the markets they want to appeal to and I am willing to bet they want to keep the family guy with the kids happy, not the hardcore rider.

Tige just markets more directly and openly to the family where the others trade on there name, reputation and history.

If you were 40+ married with a family and 3 kids, and you want a tournament boat, what would appeal to you? or what is important to you?

Maybe: (?)

- Safety
-Ride quality
-Storage
-versatility
-Ease of use.

Not to mention if you were 100% new to boating it could be hard to convince your wife and family that taking on water to fill the boat is a good thing?

I think that is Tige's approach or pitch when it comes to "no extra weight needed" marketing, at least that is my take on it.

And you have to admit that when you are in the family guy shoes, it sounds good and makes you think.

So get off Tige's back with the no weight thing as it is NOT directed to the hardcore rider but more to the family weekend warrior type the people for the most part, that pay the bills for these boats. Tige makes the ballast a option and for the people that want it they don't force you to buy it, and for the most part they don't try to talk you out of it. Why would they? it gives their product more versatility to cater to more and more markets.

It's good marketing for their target market and it works, if it didn't Tige would not sell a single boat, and we know that is not the case.

As I said in the in a later post, the boat sold to a family that will probably never see this post, or even WW, but they are doing what we all want to do with our boats.... having fun with it.

(Message edited by kscales on November 05, 2007)

(Message edited by kscales on November 05, 2007)

(Message edited by kscales on November 05, 2007)

LOL!! Way to defend you product. You may be taking some of the posts way to seriously. Yes I do ride with factory ballast and it's plenty big for me, but I'm no pro either so it doesn't matter.

Hook....... Line and Sinker.......

Actually, not really defending Tige, as I have nothing to do with them other then owning one.. but rather trying to point out the obvious for people like yourself;) LOL

O and BTW- Thanks for making my point for me about how people play into wake size and there true ability.... LOL I think you summed it up perfectly with that last line!

I dont't own a tigé, And I agree with him, The wake is just with hull and wakeplate. Not ballast, no "wedge".

Tigé isn't known for massive wakes, there known for versatility.

Bet slaloming is no fun behind your boat. With a tige you could still pull off record slalom runs on a RZ4.

i dont like the cup holders on the side. i hate a hole cut out of the back of my seat. i love the way tige does it. ive seen and driven the rz1 and it did well. plenty of room nice clean wakes and plenty of power not to mention so many cup holders its not funny. i guess if the worst thing you can say about it is you dont like the cup holders. then tige did real good. dont be afraid to try a tige all you find is it will out perform all other inboards at a much better price.pound for pound foot for foot you cant beat a tige. it just cant be done!!

yeah billy they have a pickle fork boat like the x-star the only thing about tiges version its BETTER and cost a whole lot less

nu bu- if your ur half the people that buy 50+k boats that wakeboard skills consist of one wake jumps then u don't need ballast. if your like me and my friends that are wakebaording from the advanced level all the way to the pro level then you'll need 2600lbs like i have in my RZ2. can you please post a pic of ur VLX's wake with 2 people, half tank of gas, no ballast, and wedge or no wedge witchever you would like. i know it wont be any better than the Z1's wake in the above pic. the way that ur acting about the wake pic makes me think that urs will throw a huge wake with those conditions. i board on a VLX about the same amount that i board on my boat so i know it wont throw a advanced level wake wiht no ballast, 2 people in the boat, half tank of gas.

Well said KScales... hit the nail on the head. Funny thing is, 90% of the guys on WW would probably ride better behind a stock tige. They all think a huge wake is gonna make then a better rider, when in actuality its just gonna hinder their progression. My fav. thing to see on the lake is a brand new $80K "big 3" loaded down with ballast and extra weight sunk down to the rub rail and a wakeboarding pass consisting of 31 healside wakejumps and faceplant on an attempted surface 180!!!!

Ryan nubu is just poking a little fun...relax no one really takes these post that serious. I really don't believe anyone spending 40+ on a newer boat is going to do so soley based upon the opinion of people post on this site.

Secondly I am one the most advanced one wake jumpers out there and ballast really helps when I want to go big.

ewing what helps you go bigger a big wake or good form?

well said john doe, i see the same thing at my lake. I have NO BALLAST in my tige and go bigger than some people on my lake with 90 thousand dollar unnamed wake boats

You tige guys really are taking my post way to serious, you'd think you all owned a MC or something.

Spence for me the bigger the wake the bigger I go. I have ridden behind an RZ2 with no ballast and the wake was fun. However I definatley have alot more fun when the boat has some extra weight.

One thing is clear, there is a forsure a shift happening with Tige owners. On our owners forum, I think everyone is pretty much using ballast now, either internal, sacks or both. Let Tige do there marketing how they see fit to attract their target market. but once you become a owner and more focussed on the sport of boarding, you are in the same boat ( pun intended) as other boat owners with other boats looking for ways to increase stock wakes via more ballast.

In my RZ2 I have the optional factory ballast ( 900lbs) plus another 1200 lbs in sacks. I would say pretty standard for any tourney boat.

The nice thing about Tige, is it allows people a good simple entry point into the sport with a very versatile boat.

Texas Tige is having a Z1 debut/open house at the dealership in Houston, TX on Thursday, Nov. 8th, usually pretty good times. We will also be showing Transgression and having alittle food and drink if anyone will be in town. Starts at 6:00pm and will be ending????

Come and see the Z1 for yourself, and hang with the 2007 #1 Customer Service Tige dealer in the World. Sorry, had to get that plug in there.

Dang I'll be in Houston on Nov 11th...

Brandon,

Shameless self-promoter!

Greetings from the cold white north.

Wat-up JK????

Monday: Air temp. 87 degrees F., H2O temp. 75 F.

Wish you guys were here to Shred Your Faces Off....

nu bu: Dang.....

Brandon,

Got our final ride in last Monday. Air Temp 61 degrees F,. Water 46 F. Crisp clean mountain air and water.....

Like the Canadian Geese we might just have to fly south to your place to "roost on ya".

Isn't that what you say down there Brandon, Dang..

Wanted to see what this #1 Tige dealer in the world was all about

Nice pics. I would hate to crash hard into that 46 degree water. Slurpee head for a week?

I give you prop's for being "1# in Customer Service"

simply put that wake looks like a slalom wake... I'm sure TAPs was 100% wakeboard even though I'm that will be denied, if ballast isn't stock don't use it in an argument...surf was is even weak, maybe if that wake came from you driving straight, but on a turn... not so hot....sure its a "family boat" not a "Wakeboard boat" but anything v-drive puts that out, 90's maristars have that wake and then some, also lots lots cheaper....I'll take my 50k to the moomba dealer and get a big "family" boat from an XLV

if you don't like the wakeworld crowd... why hang around... sure people get mean on here, its the internet, where even the biggest pansy can talk sh*t all day and nat get beaten up for it

http://www.tigeowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5533

all you naysayers just make me laugh. you must of not gone past the 2nd grade and can't read or something. do i have to say what the conditions where in the boat again. i don't care what boat ur in with no weight what so ever they aren't going to produce the level of wake that we all want.

That's funny ryan since you're not to far out of the second grade. Quit getting your panties in a bunch, and making yourself look like a punk. Quit taking it so seriously, we understand you love tige and probably rode the little bus to school as well.

can't argue that logic

i did ride the little bus but i was sitting right next to you hahahahaha. and i don't take anything on this site serious. i just like to make sure that the right info is posted not just some bs.i have no problem with anyones opinions as long as they have the proper knowledge in what they are talking about. it would be like someone asking me to write a review on a x-star. i've never driven one and only boarded behind one once. i don't think anyone including me would care to hear what i think about the boat. and the panties are far from a bunch. you'll know when they are.

Haha nice comeback LOL! Well obviously you know how to have fun to and aren't taking it to seriously like some of the whiny biatches that posted on here (Kscales).. Ryan I'll be very dissapointed if you run over to Tigeoweners and start crying about how mean wakeworlders are and talking smack about the people on there like a little CHILD

lol yeah i know how to have fun. i use to take it all serious when i first started posting like a year ago but then i just got over it. n don't worry i'm not even a member on the tigeowners site.

Man I am always down for a good laugh and a joke. That's why I still read nubu posts!...

Who's really the crying little whiny bitch, your the punk that doesn't seen to want to drop it..

at least z-1 has a nice looking tower

Kscales you're a punk biatch and you know it, I never said shiat about you. You took it personal and to a place it didn't need to be. You're nothing but a little Khunt muscle. Good thing you're in Canada, we don't need biatches like you here. Why didn't you post that crap up here you little biatch???

(Message edited by 05mobiuslsv on November 11, 2007)

@ nubu Jeremy- Is that all you got? man you have to lighten up... you seem to be taking this way to seriously.... Sound familiar F*CK head? take your own advise bitch!

For anyone that cares, here is a PM that nubu sent me a few days ago.. to me, seems like he wants to start something...

From nubu to Kscales:

"Nice post over there you deuchbag. Quit whining like a little bitch. Can't take the heat get the •••••••• of the kitchen. I wouldn't rely on that dumbass ********, he made an assclown out of himself over on the malibucrew."

End quote.

Like I said, you make yourself look bad, no one else but you!

Take your own advise and chill....

I think you should each get in your boats, drive at each other as fast as they'll go ram head on, who-ever is still floating is right, on whatever you're fighting about.... i lost the point of the argument awhile ago

Nick totally agree with you l lost the point a while ago and it just turned into anger.

basically I am tired of NUBU's verbal diarrhea he calls posts on WW. he has like 900 something posts and I bet 90% of them are like the above ones, insulting people and there boats. ( pretty much any boat but a BU)

Someone never learned to keep his mouth shut if he doesn't have anything nice to say.

Nick- or maybe get on their wakeboards and ride doubles. both of them jump at the same time and see what happenes hahaha that would be pretty cool. i don't know what it would settle but it would still be pretty cool.

Could you imagine the fight on who's boat we would use? LOL

HAHA