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Any 2015 Owner Purchase the Surf band Yet, Thoughts?


Wakesetter67

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So I hear we can purchase the Surf band for our 2015 boats, Anyone install this yet! or better question, Do you like it! How well does it work? As you can see I'm bored and just thinking of things to do to my boat to pass the time, I'm on the fence on this. If I'm with my wife or friends that do not go often, I think this would be a good thing, When I go with my surf buds probably not as important, And yes I do mess with my wake a bit depending on conditions and board I'm riding,

Edited by Wakesetter67
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I have been wanting to do this for a long time but there is no retro kit for 15 yet. The reason being they are having connection issues with Bluetooth. So they are creating a kit that moves a Bluetooth antenna to the transom. Until they get it figured out on the 16's they are not selling them to 15's.

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I have been wanting to do this for a long time but there is no retro kit for 15 yet. The reason being they are having connection issues with Bluetooth. So they are creating a kit that moves a Bluetooth antenna to the transom. Until they get it figured out on the 16's they are not selling them to 15's.

Thanks, I know my Dealer was trying to get a price on it, I wonder now that I did Stereo delete and do not use there blue tooth if that would even work?

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I own a 2016 23LSV and the manufacturer did not put in the diode in the dash that receives the signal, so obviously surf band didn't work. Once my dealer figured out the problem, they put in the part needed and surf band worked, but it doesn't work that well. In order to change the speed, wedge or gates, you gotta put your weight on the front of the board and get as close as you can to the boat, then lift your hand above your head, aim the surf band directly towards the driver and once they duck, it may engage.

Good luck with adding something, especially near the dash.

Edited by bbattiste247
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I own a 2016 23LSV and the manufacturer did not put in the diode in the dash that receives the signal, so obviously surf band didn't work. Once my dealer figured out the problem, they put in the part needed and surf band worked, but it doesn't work that well. In order to change the speed, wedge or gates, you gotta put your weight on the front of the board and get as close as you can to the boat, then lift your hand above your head, aim the surf band directly towards the driver and once they duck, it may engage.

Good luck with adding something, especially near the dash.

Well like they always say, Never buy first year stuff, They always improve on things, Thankfully the Dash has been awesome!!

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Most of the connectivity issues can be resolved by the dealer relocating the receiver that is behind the sport knob. They need to move it from behind the metal plate on the knob and orient it so the flat side of it facing backwards as high as they can vertically with the wired side down.

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I own a 2016 23LSV and the manufacturer did not put in the diode in the dash that receives the signal, so obviously surf band didn't work. Once my dealer figured out the problem, they put in the part needed and surf band worked, but it doesn't work that well. In order to change the speed, wedge or gates, you gotta put your weight on the front of the board and get as close as you can to the boat, then lift your hand above your head, aim the surf band directly towards the driver and once they duck, it may engage.

Good luck with adding something, especially near the dash.

I wonder what the real issue is. Poor receiver or transmitter?

You have to figure on a boat, you are typically in a pretty ideal area for wireless transmission. Bluetooth should have no trouble in a situation like that transmitting 30+ feet. Heck, my iGrill Mini is rated for 150' Bluetooth transmission - I've tested that with it outside, transmitting past my fireplace and 3 walls, across my house and it still worked fine. A good 100+' plus those obstructions. It's a $39 device communicating with an iPhone. Even my $9 Bluetooth adapter for my outside stereo will receive signals when I'm in the house a good 25' away.

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Most of the connectivity issues can be resolved by the dealer relocating the receiver that is behind the sport knob. They need to move it from behind the metal plate on the knob and orient it so the flat side of it facing backwards as high as they can vertically with the wired side down.

Is there a big data transmission cable that goes with it? Seems like it would make a whole lot more sense to locate surfband receiver by the surfgate controller on the transom.

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Most of the connectivity issues can be resolved by the dealer relocating the receiver that is behind the sport knob. They need to move it from behind the metal plate on the knob and orient it so the flat side of it facing backwards as high as they can vertically with the wired side down.

picture? I have been under the dash of a surf band equipped boat yet...

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I wonder what the real issue is. Poor receiver or transmitter?

You have to figure on a boat, you are typically in a pretty ideal area for wireless transmission. Bluetooth should have no trouble in a situation like that transmitting 30+ feet. Heck, my iGrill Mini is rated for 150' Bluetooth transmission - I've tested that with it outside, transmitting past my fireplace and 3 walls, across my house and it still worked fine. A good 100+' plus those obstructions. It's a $39 device communicating with an iPhone. Even my $9 Bluetooth adapter for my outside stereo will receive signals when I'm in the house a good 25' away.

It also depends on the bluetooth spec that was implemented: 4.0LE (low energy), encrypted, non-encrypted, synchronous, non-synchronous, etc.

If this is a simple as @23LSVOwner indicates, then a RF replacement (49MHz or similar) might be an interesting after-market add-on but the initial development costs would be significant. It might be time to break out the tools and figure out the pinout behind the sport knob...

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You still have viper II Bluetooth, and the cost is around 600-700.

Do you have any part numbers, etc?

I assume that there are three parts needed:

1. surf band(s) (how many come by default 1 or 2?)

2. control box that goes behind the dash

3. Viper II software update*

* does the dash system need an update? if it's implemented as a control box maybe the dash system doesn't need an update, but pairing would have to be done via a physical button or switch on the control box

Edited by mikeo
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Is there a big data transmission cable that goes with it? Seems like it would make a whole lot more sense to locate surfband receiver by the surfgate controller on the transom.

No large cable. A relocation cable is in the works to move them to the back.

picture? I have been under the dash of a surf band equipped boat yet...

Don;t have one handy. It's not hard to miss. It's black and covered in something that looks like heat shrink. The smooth side has a silver sticker on it. Unit itself minus the cable is roughly 1.25 inches wide and 3.5 inches long.

BTW everyone, it's not bluetooth. It's RF.

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No large cable. A relocation cable is in the works to move them to the back.

Don;t have one handy. It's not hard to miss. It's black and covered in something that looks like heat shrink. The smooth side has a silver sticker on it. Unit itself minus the cable is roughly 1.25 inches wide and 3.5 inches long.

BTW everyone, it's not bluetooth. It's RF.

Interesting to know it's not BT. I'm not sure who stated it was BT, but I know I've assumed it was as long as I've known about it.

I'll go look in the '16 manual, but is there anything on the dash system that indicates the surf band is a component of the system and/or attached?

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you people do realize you have voices and thumbs, right? with all this touchscreen technology if you aren't able to communicate with the driver at surf speed and them know enough about how to change the settings they probably shouldn't be driving.

this kinda reminds me of the chairs in the pixar movie Wall-e.

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Well like they always say, Never buy first year stuff, They always improve on things, Thankfully the Dash has been awesome!!

missed out on some Dash issue threads have we Ferris? Bueller? Bueller? JK

Edited by alpensurf23
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I've been having "issues" with my pre-order MS Surface Book and the surface Dock. One of my colleagues reminded me "pioneers take the arrows, settlers take the land." So true!!!

Sadly if you want surf gates you get the surf band. No choice!

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Sadly if you want surf gates you get the surf band. No choice!

If you want to take the surf band and the control box out of your boat and send it to me just let me know. It sounds like it's fairly easy to remove if you don't want it and I'll give it a good home!

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Do you have any part numbers, etc?

I assume that there are three parts needed:

1. surf band(s) (how many come by default 1 or 2?)

2. control box that goes behind the dash

3. Viper II software update*

* does the dash system need an update? if it's implemented as a control box maybe the dash system doesn't need an update, but pairing would have to be done via a physical button or switch on the control box

I don't have part numbers, but you order the band through your dealer. You would have to bring your boat in as well and there is an update for the system to make it work. The factory rep was in last Oct I believe and he said it would be a 6-700 dollar add on, but it would be compatible. Also if you wanted to add the reaeview camera from the factory, that can be done as well. So I was told

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I've been having "issues" with my pre-order MS Surface Book and the surface Dock. One of my colleagues reminded me "pioneers take the arrows, settlers take the land." So true!!!

Lets face it Malibu knew it was not ready but shoved it out the door to let dealers take the heat. I see some much hype over Malibu stepping up their QA/QC but I am not seeing any evidence of this. I could not spend $100K+ and say its ok just fix it when you can.

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Well like they always say, Never buy first year stuff, They always improve on things, Thankfully the Dash has been awesome!!

How about keeping one of these things post warranty...that is the question

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Lets face it Malibu knew it was not ready but shoved it out the door to let dealers take the heat. I see some much hype over Malibu stepping up their QA/QC but I am not seeing any evidence of this. I could not spend $100K+ and say its ok just fix it when you can.

They pushed it out to preempt the Correct Craft release. The surf gate video was thrown together last minute for sure.

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