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WaveControl Aftermarket Surf System


NWBU

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It looks like the rumors of WakeMakers selling the Go Surf Assist system finally came true. I'll be interested to see how many older non-SG boats start adding these around here, although the price tag is a bit steep for me at $4K, without installation.

http://www.wakemakers.com/wavecontrol

I have concluded that I am taking mine to gosurfassist in March to have them installed.

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Yes, how does it operate??? is each function a manual switch or is it computer driven like the surf gates? With Surf gate, it deploys at 7 mph and retracts if you go over 13 mph and retracts when you retard the throttle and speed goes below 7mph... Not just a switch that deploys when you hit the switch and retards when you hit the switch again. Being that the Go Surf Assist System is more of a trim tab, it may not have the effect like the Surf Gate does, so it might not matter as much, But I've had my surf Gate stick open and you can not turn the boat to taht side if it does. If Go Surf Assist does not affect turning when deployed it may have a leg up on Surf Gate. Either way I am very happy with Surf Gate! :)

Edited by BlackBluMalibu
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Yes, how does it operate??? is each function a manual switch or is it computer driven like the surf gates? With Surf gate, it deploys at 7 mph and retracts if you go over 13 mph and retracts when you retard the throttle and speed goes below 7mph... Not just a switch that deploys when you hit the switch and retards when you hit the switch again. Being that the Go Surf Assist System is more of a trim tab, it may not have the effect like the Surf Gate does, so it might not matter as much, But I've had my surf Gate stick open and you can not turn the boat to taht side if it does. If Go Surf Assist does not affect turning when deployed it may have a leg up on Surf Gate. Either way I am very happy with Surf Gate! :)

The $4K GSA price tag comes with an automated controller.

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Don't know... it probably depends from hull to hull/transom to transom. the Wakemakers page says it should take 2 hours to install. So that's probably a whole weekend for me.

  • Like 3
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Unless you're drill'n and fill'n it's going to take considerable more time to install than 2 hours. Just pulling the interior apart, finding mounting locations for the electrical components, power taps for the system and running the electrical back to the tabs is going to take more time than that. Heck I'd probably take close to an hour a side just measuring, drilling and properly mounting the tabs themselves.

I'd be very interested to see the quality of a two hour installation. Not on my $40K plus boat. If I were doing the install I'd probably realistically take about 2 hours figuring out the mounting of components, planing out the electrical taps, routing the cables tabs and any other misc components. I'd probably take another 2-3 hours to actually cleanly install the system so that it looked like it came from the factory that way. What sense would it make to do it any other way?

At $4K that's a real investment that you probably will not get back at resale as these devices tend to go in and out of fashion quickly. The fact that it wasn't a factory option will scare some people away. As the system ages getting someone to trouble shoot it should something go wrong (which it typically will) or parts availability could also be an issue. On the up side it appears (at least from what I'm seeing) that this is mostly a Lenco system that they've added their propriety tabs to. If this is the case Lenco has been around for some time and is a stable company. So you're basically looking at the actual tabs that could be a sourcing issue. Still $4K is a tough nut to crack for what is basically a modified Lenco trim tab system.

http://www.lencomarine.com/

Another thing that concerns me is they have several documents on replacement control units and actuators for ski boats. These tabs haven't been on these boats for that long yet their offering components like they're throw away replacement parts. I've also read several posts about the rams leaking and going bad. I personally don't have any experience with these systems but this could be an expensive system to keep running if you're replacing components every 2 or 3 years. Something to think about anyways.

Edited by Bturner
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I find it funny that as soon as surf gate was introduced, everyone was bashing Malibu for not offering the option to existing boat owners. Now someone comes out with a fully automated surf system for roughly the same amount of money as the surf gate option and people immediately say "it's too much."

If you have a $40k boat without surfgate, another $4k to get that option is still a whole lot cheaper than spending another $30k to get into an axis or older Bu with SG. You may not get the money completely out at resale but I don't see it hurting the chances of a sale and why worry about resale if you love your current rig but want a new feature.

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I find it funny that as soon as surf gate was introduced, everyone was bashing Malibu for not offering the option to existing boat owners. Now someone comes out with a fully automated surf system using the same Lenco Rams and using a more sophisticated tab than the slab-sided, non -adjustable Malibu surfgates, for roughly the same amount of money as the surf gate option and people immediately say "it's too much."

;)

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I think at $2999 it would be more fair. OEM should always be more expensive than aftermarket. When something goes wrong with this, your dealer is going to look at you sideways when you ask for help fixing it.

Only time will tell.

Honestly though, if I could see it work on my exact hull (video or w/e), then I'll be pretty compelled!

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Don't know... it probably depends from hull to hull/transom to transom. the Wakemakers page says it should take 2 hours to install. So that's probably a whole weekend for me.

Yep, 2 hours for a team of 3 experienced techs who have already done multiple installs on identical boats!

So does it deploy and retract based on speed? Have its own GPS sensor or hook into the boat or Perfect Pass speedo somehow?

The picture on the Wakemakers site looks like a Diamond hull so if the video is from the same boat that looks good for me!

$4,000 seems pretty steep though. You can get the Lenco rams, mounts, and dual controller for about $1,200 so they are asking over $2,800 for two trim tabs and a slightly modified controller. Maybe the price will come down by May.

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I installed mine. was more than two hours, but not terrible.

electrical is easy...brain box needs power/ground. everything else is pre cabled with connectors.

installing the tabs is quite easy...4" in from outside of hull, flush with bottom. actuator 2" above the hinge edge in the center.

it has gps, auto-retract at speed (15 I think) and simple controls (surf left, surf right, knob to adjust the tab incrementally to get wave the way you want it).

the actuators are lenco, the tabs are certainly not and custom engineered. tabs also have 'secondary' tab ("thruster") that adjusts as well to get set up properly.

As always, drilling holes into beautiful boats can be scary. FWIW, fill and gelcoat of the wrong hole isn't too expensive. trust me.

  • Like 2
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Curious...how many holes are drilled all the way through the hull? Just the two for the electrical connection?

all of them. they provide long screws. I believe 24 holes total.

then the large hole near the helm for the controller (actually drilled 4 1" holes then opened up the whole thing)

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On my axis there's about 4" between transom and back of the tanks. Lots of room to get a nut on a threaded fastener.

My initial reaction was the price is too high but having thought it over its reasonable. I think ill stick to my $120 HDPEgates for now though.

  • Like 2
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Yep, 2 hours for a team of 3 experienced techs who have already done multiple installs on identical boats!

So does it deploy and retract based on speed? Have its own GPS sensor or hook into the boat or Perfect Pass speedo somehow?

The picture on the Wakemakers site looks like a Diamond hull so if the video is from the same boat that looks good for me!

$4,000 seems pretty steep though. You can get the Lenco rams, mounts, and dual controller for about $1,200 so they are asking over $2,800 for two trim tabs and a slightly modified controller. Maybe the price will come down by May.

The GPS is standalone... the "brain" doesn't need to be integrated into your boat's existing speed control, it just relies on its own standalone GPS.

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If you're drilling all the holes all the way through the transom, it seems like you would need to remove the rear stock tanks on a Malibu to access the interior. Is that correct from your experience on your MB?

not sure. if there is no gap between transom & tanks then I guess you need to control depth.

in my MB there's a gap.

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If they are drilling all the way through then are they using a nut, or just a wood screw that protrudes?

stainless steel screws. the location is along the bottom of hull maybe 1/2" up...so it never sticks out teh other side..it basically continues through the bottom of the hull.

the actuator mounts will poke threw (3 holes each) plus the actuator cable.

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If they are drilling all the way through then are they using a nut, or just a wood screw that protrudes?

protruding screws are just fine, and probably seal up better than a hole that's big enough to accommodate machine threads (assuming in both cases that fasteners are also being coated with appropriate below-the-water-line sealant). you can always go in with your dremmel and cut the protruding heads off if it drives you crazy to know that they are there.

For reference, that's how lenco recommends installing their trim tabs too. Actually I think that's how surfgates are installed as well.

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This may save me a $60K boat upgrade. From a functionality perspective this is the only thing I wish my current boat had in comparison to the new boats on the market. I have the Wicked Wake tabs now and really like the even weighted, relatively quick change over that they provide. This would be even better.

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