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what is the best gps speed control to replace the paddle wheel on the 2011 vlx


Hentz

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I have had the NL4 for 3 seasons, and just got a NL3 to run my speedo this year. They are both awesome products backed with excellent customer service.

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quick question guys, escpecially those on the newer boats, why are you replacing the paddle wheel? what is it that you dont like? Not accurate enough?

(1) I kept hitting the paddlewheel on my boat hoist; (2) keeps speed better (doesn't "wander" as much).

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Funny thing, I've noticed over the last few weekends out that I keep getting spikes in the speed. It may be time for an upgrade.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Maybe Malibu will get it right on the 2015's.

Not much talk of it on here....the '12 Malibu GPS option in conjunction with MIFI 6 is rock solid and RIGHT. The NL4 is a good upgrade from the paddle wheel, but only changing the input signal and not the speed control unit itself.

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I've seen quite a bit of talk on it here... maybe because mine does it as well. Most people who have installed the NL4 have been happy with the improvement. It's on my wish list. Both, to improve speed stability, and so I don't have to worry about trailering the boat 1 inch off of center and damaging the paddle wheel (that Malibu placed right next to the trailer bunk).

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NL4 is a geeat product, easy to install, took 10 min and holds speed SO much better than paddle wheel! Still retains water temp on dash too!

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OK bought it and installed it today, but a bit disappointed. I really didn't feel like there was much of a difference from the paddle wheel. I'm sure I couldn't have done anything wrong, since it is just a male and female connector and plug the GPS receiver in. this is on a 2011 vlx. ANY THOUGHTS?

Edited by Hentz
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sorry I can't comment on your 2011, however the gps upgrade for my 2006 23 lsv made a huge difference. The paddle wheel had a really hard time holding speed on turns and seemed to surge quite a bit when we were going slow at surf speeds. The upgrade in my boat made our boarding experience much better.

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does anyone have any more insight on a 2011 before I box it up and return it? It hasn't made any difference what so ever in my speed control.

Edited by Hentz
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does anyone have any more insight on a 2011 before I box it up and return it? It hasn't made any difference what so ever in my speed control.

Dang, installing on my 2011 tomorrow. Did you wakeboard with it? What problems are you having?

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Dang, installing on my 2011 tomorrow. Did you wakeboard with it? What problems are you having?

I've wakeboarded and surfed with it. I'm not having problems with it, but there is absolutely no change in speed control at all with it installed. it searches for speed just the same as it did the paddle wheel.

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I've wakeboarded and surfed with it. I'm not having problems with it, but there is absolutely no change in speed control at all with it installed. it searches for speed just the same as it did the paddle wheel.

Which GPS puck did you get?

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Huh, just tested mine. Before the Nautic it did pretty well at surf and wakeboard speeds, but really surged and hunted at waterski speeds. Problem seems to be gone! Sticks at 32 MPH.

Hentz, have you calibrated your speedo? If not, do so. Download a MPH GPS on your phone and go into SETUP in Malivue and calibrate your Speed. Last ditch effort...

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Huh, just tested mine. Before the Nautic it did pretty well at surf and wakeboard speeds, but really surged and hunted at waterski speeds. Problem seems to be gone! Sticks at 32 MPH.

Hentz, have you calibrated your speedo? If not, do so. Download a MPH GPS on your phone and go into SETUP in Malivue and calibrate your Speed. Last ditch effort...

the GPS I have is a little triangular sensor. my vlx hunts for speed within about .5 MPH up and down from set speed with the paddle wheel. I really wanted the nl4 to work like everyone else has but there is absolutely no change between the GPS and the paddle wheel for me. maybe its my location or something, who knows. very sad, but the paddle wheel is not all bad, just not as good as my perfect pass wakeboard pro I had. nl4 is boxed up and readyto be shipped back :(

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the GPS I have is a little triangular sensor. my vlx hunts for speed within about .5 MPH up and down from set speed with the paddle wheel. I really wanted the nl4 to work like everyone else has but there is absolutely no change between the GPS and the paddle wheel for me. maybe its my location or something, who knows. very sad, but the paddle wheel is not all bad, just not as good as my perfect pass wakeboard pro I had. nl4 is boxed up and readyto be shipped back :(

Wow, I thought I was the only one. I have had nothing but problems with the gps speed control since installing. I just sent it back yesterday, it would not even hold the speed at all the last time I used it. It registers mph on speedo, but totally surges with speed control. When I first installed a couple months ago it was working, but not better than the paddle wheel. It has progressively gotten worse, I had to disconnect multiple times on water, once burning my ARM on the exhaust manifold. I tried moving the puck all over the boat with no changes.

I must have got a bum unit, because there was no improvenent over the wheel. I am very curious on what they find out with it. My paddle wheel seems to work fine.. and after the headaches I think I am going to kindly ask for a refund.

Will keep everyone updated...

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