Tige` owners

The Tige website says that with the TAPs2 you don't need ballast. Is this true? Does the special hull and the TAPS hold its own against stock ballast on other boats? Sounds sketchy to me. I would just demo on my own but the closest dealer to me is in Texas!

i'd still sack it up.

I figure that most still add tons of weight. I was just wondering how it compares to other stock weight or the wedge etc.

I've got an '04 22V and IMHO, the stock wake is as good as or better than any other unweighted boat. But with that all said, I add about 2000# for a really great wake. It all depends on how much and what shape wake you want.

How much weight is the, if any, stock ballast?

I'm not sure about factory stock ballast, but I think about 800+ lbs. I've got the Rival system installed by my dealer and that is about 1200#, about 360# in lead and now I'm using an extra bag in the walk way that I put in from 400 to 600#.

i would imagine that in a 24v tou could easily fit 3k#. now THAT would be a good wake!!

Depoint50ae, The Tige Convex V hull which has substantial rocker built into the hull allows the boat to naturally settle to displace the water to build the wakeboard wake. Other boats which have hook built into the hull, which causes lift, have to depend on heavy ballast systems to offset the lift to displace the water to build the wakeboard wake. We continue to improve the Convex V and TAPS2 system for our hulls every year. Tige has participated in many boat tests this year and we have been found to have comparable wakes with no additional ballast in comparison to other manufactures that depend on ballast and wedges. Check out boattest.com for some test results. MasterCraft has also had their boats tested by boattest.com. The best comparison will be the Tige 24Ve and the MC X45. Boattest speaks highly of both boats and they were able to capture how the Convex V and TAPS2 create the wakeboard wake. If you are on the boattest site check out the performance and fuel usage comparison numbers for the boats tested. You will see that the Convex V hull and TAPS2 system is very effecient. The Tige outperformed the MC with a 5.7 340 hp. The MC tested with a 6.0 375 hp. There are other inboards tested on the site. The older models are available in an archived status. Sorry for the long post. It turned into a sales pitch. I can't help it.

Like any boat, it depends on how you ride. If you're advanced and going big, sack it up! I put 2500# in my 22v. Big wakes are created by displacing water. There is no substitute for sinking the boat deeper in the water to displace more. IMO, TAPS is not a substitute for weight, but a control device. Here's what I responded to a similar question on WW a while back:

Don't know about the moomba/supra version of the trim plate, but Tige's TAPS system is essential. Just "weighting the boat down" can make the wake worse, if the weight is not properly added. Furthermore, Trim plates are NOT to be used in place of ballast - but work with ballast to ensure a proper wake, among other things. TAPS/Wake Plates are awesome. I would put it on any boat. It does several things. First it controls porposing. Most wakeboard boats porpous when they reach 35-40 mph unless they are loaded really front-heavy. Putting the plate down keeps this from happening. Next, if you have 8 or 10 people on the boat and some of them are beginners, emptying the ballast may not shrink the wake enough to make them comfortable riding over the wake. Putting the plate down really does shrink the wake a significant amount. Third, if you have a rider who pulls hard, he can pull the boat slightly off plane and cause it to porpous. Again with putting the plate down - when the driver feels the bow start to rise into a porpous, he can push it back down with the plate. Fourth - getting out of the hole. When the boat is loaded down (2000+ lbs) putting the plate down out of the hole improves the hole shot significantly - when the boat breaks plane, set the plate back to the position you ride at. Fifth - Wake control. This is what REALLY MATTERS! If a boat is loaded too back heavy, the lip of the wake washes out. If a boat is loaded too front heavy, the wake shrinks. Trim plates allow you some play in this matter, as well as costomization of the wake. If say you have the ballast system the way you want it and then 6 big guys sit in back, the wake may get bigger, but it will wash. Putting the plate down fixes this. If you have enough weight up front, leave the plate up and the wake will get as big as possible because the boat is allowed to sink more. If you like more of a mound of a wake, leave the plate up - to put a bit more lip on the wake for a stonger kick off the top, put the plate down a bit. Anyone who knocks a good trim plate doesn't know how to utilize it/doesn't care about a really controllable ride. I say good because if it breaks a lot, you've got a crappy one and I could see that being a problem. In my experience (2200 hours between four boats with TAPS), they don't break.

(Message edited by Matt Ostmeyer on October 31, 2005)

But don't get me wrong (Terry) The convex-v hull does let the boat settle down in the water better than a hooked hull. During break-in periods on my new boats, I spend several weeks every year riding the boat with no extra weight. I can do all my tricks and still get plenty of pop off the stock unweighted wake. And for most riders, that wake is plenty. It is just more fun, when you are advanced enough to handle it, to sack it up and go bigger!

I agree with Matt. The unweighted Convex hull with TAPS is a great above average stock wake and perfect for begginers or for just having a blast with no hassle.

But for experienced riders you will want to add weight. I add about 1400 pounds and sometimes even more. Depends how many riders are with me. The TAPS does work great for trimming out the hull and assisting the boat on the hole shot when fully weighted.

Matt said it well.

I use the TAPS to customize the wake shape. When unweighted, I like it up for a steep wake. When I add weight, I need a bit more rampiness and I put it down to some degree. I think TAPS is awesome.

You guys have it right. I have always qualified experienced advanced riders as candidates for additional weight if they are looking for advanced or pro sized wakes. I have found that you do not have to add near as much weight for those advanced wakes however. If Paublo is following this thread could you please post the video of Ruck riding at Bartlet Lake? This wake was with 12 people in the boat with no additional ballast. I am guessing a total of no more than 2,000 lbs. I read a lot of threads where people are adding more than 2,000 lbs on top of stock ballast. The vast majority of boaters involved in wakeboarding can't handle stock ballasted boats or unweighted Convex V Tiges. WW is a forum where most people have experience in the sport.

i dunno man, you can't totally discount water displacement with a trim tab and non-j-hooked hull. yes it helps, no it doesn't make up for basic water displacement.


EDIT: where's the closest tige dealer to san diego. we have everything except them i think.

(Message edited by madchild1 on October 31, 2005)

I dont think we have them in Oklahoma either. I will have to go to texas to buy one!

depoint50ae, we just opened a dealer at Grand Lake Oklahoma. That may be closer than Tx.

depoint50ae,

If your willing to brave the cold water... I have yet to winterize my 06' 24V ... if you'd like I'd be willing to meet u out at Dirty Bird and give you a test ride/drive, seeing as I live in Yukon. Shoot me an e-mail.

Terry,

What dealer might that be?

Terry made reference to a video of an '06 24V. This had no ballast except 12 passengers including driver. About 1/3 were kids. It was a great wake, very clean on both sides and didn't stop Ruck from throwing anything. What was really impressive was the water was not perfect conditions and Ruck did an invert off of a roller- that didn't end up on the video.

http://www.wakepics.com/view_single.php?medid=17374

Mad Child - there's one in Corona

Depoint50ae - I ride behind a friends 22i and it has a great wake without any extra weight, just can't surf behind it.

I have a 02 23v and I run less Taps and more weight. I run like 500 in the nose, like 1000 in the back and Taps at like 5 or 6 and the wake is big and clean.

Mad Child - there's one in Corona

damn, that's a drive. i'll wait until the la la land boat show.

Tige' Watersports in Corona. #1 Tige' dealership in the world. Check them out they do a great job! Head North on the 15 and then West on the 91. Only a couple of exits down the 91.

that's easy for you to say johnathon, you live in the oc whereas i live 110 miles from the dealer.

In my 22I I run a 600# bag in the bow and two 350#'s, in each of the rear storage areas. That and 4 to 5 riders in the boat is a great start.

At that point the TAPS is used to help on the hole shot "push bow down". Once at riding speed I only move it about 1/3 of the way from that position. Of course not weighted it would be fully engaged.

One thing i was impressed with was the gas consumption on the Tiges. Brandon from Texas Tige took us out on his 22V (sac'd out) for the day and it sure didnt seem to go throuh very much petro at all!