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Best new wakeboat feature of 2017?


DarkSide

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Ok most of the awesomeness for 2017 has been released.  What is your favorite NEW features from any brand?  The one you hope migrates across if not already on BU.   Last year was wristbands, everyone now offers clamping racks, what is the #gamechanger for this year?

I will start. 

DOCKSTAR is freaking awesome!  But also $5k option... not sure I would pony up for it.

Auto wake - wake monitor thing is kinda cool, I would like to see it in action.  But suspect more gimmicky than awesomeness.

G3.5 is slick, if I were ordering 2017 malibu I would struggle paying G4 $$

Silent Stinger - centurion pumps exhaust into thier center wakeplate, infuses it with water, disbursing exhaust across bigger area.  Basically FAE 2.0.

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Auto wake for me.  Dockstar still wont help people who cant drive a boat.  Ive seen plenty of people with I/Os have trouble at a dock.

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I thought autowake would be cool until I went on a demo of a '17 SA...... it is about useless in my opinion. Setting up with a different size crew or moving weight around causes it to compensate with the tabs (as well as ballast), and while adjusting tabs can get the boat angles right (to make autowake system happy with the position of the boat in the water.), moving them totally changes the wave characteristics.

consider this....... would you want a computer changing your wedge position on you constantly?? No, because that has a different effect, regardless of the hull position in the water.  The computer might get the hull positioned to compensate for weight difference, but now the wedge could be in a position that has a negative impact on wave quality. Same thing with tabs, especially with surf tabs, and a computer trying to change the list of the boat with them. 

This system works great for replicating the correct attitude of the boat, in the water, every time. However, it sucks at replicating the same wave every time.

With all that said, if it could do everything it wants to do, by only manipulating ballast throughout the boat....... it would probably be an absolutely awesome system.

  • Like 4
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55 minutes ago, TenTwentyOne said:

I thought autowake would be cool until I went on a demo of a '17 SA...... it is about useless in my opinion. Setting up with a different size crew or moving weight around causes it to compensate with the tabs (as well as ballast), and while adjusting tabs can get the boat angles right (to make autowake system happy with the position of the boat in the water.), moving them totally changes the wave characteristics.

consider this....... would you want a computer changing your wedge position on you constantly?? No, because that has a different effect, regardless of the hull position in the water.  The computer might get the hull positioned to compensate for weight difference, but now the wedge could be in a position that has a negative impact on wave quality. Same thing with tabs, especially with surf tabs, and a computer trying to change the list of the boat with them. 

This system works great for replicating the correct attitude of the boat, in the water, every time. However, it sucks at replicating the same wave every time.

With all that said, if it could do everything it wants to do, by only manipulating ballast throughout the boat....... it would probably be an absolutely awesome system.

I was thinking that autowake would be useless too. At least in my boat it would be. My wife is always getting out of her seat to put something away, and the kids are getting up moving to the bow and stuff. I was thinking this would reverse the system, especially as my wife moves from side to side while in motion. It probably works well if everyone stays stationary, but most people that boat with us move around some. Would NOT be something I would need.  

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On 10/19/2016 at 9:26 PM, DarkSide said:

Ok most of the awesomeness for 2017 has been released.  What is your favorite NEW features from any brand?  The one you hope migrates across if not already on BU.   Last year was wristbands, everyone now offers clamping racks, what is the #gamechanger for this year?

I will start. 

DOCKSTAR is freaking awesome!  But also $5k option... not sure I would pony up for it.

Auto wake - wake monitor thing is kinda cool, I would like to see it in action.  But suspect more gimmicky than awesomeness.

G3.5 is slick, if I were ordering 2017 malibu I would struggle paying G4 $$

Silent Stinger - centurion pumps exhaust into thier center wakeplate, infuses it with water, disbursing exhaust across bigger area.  Basically FAE 2.0.

DS, what is the different between the silent stinger and a surf pipe going down into the water?  The prop wash with a surf pipe pushes the sound and the fumes back away from the boat.  It almost seems like the SS would create a lot of back pressure the way it constricts down into the wake plate??? It is not an open free flowing "exhaust".  Or maybe I am looking at it wrong?

Edited by Fman
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Basically VERY similar, SS should disburse the exhaust over a greater area.  It shouln't constrict, because even though openings are smaller there are many more openings.  Obviously not much real data out yet, but looks very interesting.  Also very clean look for boats that have center plate...

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5 minutes ago, tjklein said:

Really interested to hear the difference.  I think it's a good idea and cool integration...just have to see how well it works.

I will absolutely let you know.   I have FAE now and really like it.  The only downside is the exhaust line when wakeboarding in the center  (beginners).  Which is not a huge issue.  But i do like the look and concept os SS.  I did order it, so we will see if it does what it says it will.  Here is what it looks like.  You can see upper left where exhaust comes out of yhe boat and connects to the plate.

FB_IMG_1477170539861_zpslepeib5a.jpg

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maybe not new but the center rear seat of the axis a20 & a22 that I worked on is something I wish my vtx had, along with a center walk though. Not having to step on seats seems so nice.

 

3.5 levers would be nice, but even my daughter can use the 3.0 knobs so it isn't a huge deal to me.

Edited by oldjeep
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Tower folding has come a long way since in the last 2 years.  The knobs on my 14, were good for the time but the new latches are night and day better.

I could go either way on walk-through, i dont love it but dont hate it either.  The flip down like on the M235 and new MXZ is awesome!

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I like Dockstar.  I would love to be able to just back my boat out of my slip, instead of pushing it (I need to turn right immediately, so reverse points the boat the wrong way).  There are places I cannot park my boat at a place we go eat a lot because it is really tight, especially when boats are refueling, and I can't maneuver the boat well enough to navigate the area.  I would love being able to back up a tad when I misjudge the wind and current (back of the cove, it funnels both at times), rather than having to start over at times.  Or be able to hit reverse when I remember I forgot to swing in the boards wihtout having it pull the boat to the right.  So yeah, I really like it.  Not because I think it can save me from not knowing how to drive, but because it would make a few things I do a lot easier.

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1 hour ago, 67King said:

I like Dockstar.  I would love to be able to just back my boat out of my slip, instead of pushing it (I need to turn right immediately, so reverse points the boat the wrong way).  There are places I cannot park my boat at a place we go eat a lot because it is really tight, especially when boats are refueling, and I can't maneuver the boat well enough to navigate the area.  I would love being able to back up a tad when I misjudge the wind and current (back of the cove, it funnels both at times), rather than having to start over at times.  Or be able to hit reverse when I remember I forgot to swing in the boards wihtout having it pull the boat to the right.  So yeah, I really like it.  Not because I think it can save me from not knowing how to drive, but because it would make a few things I do a lot easier.

This. I would only really use dock star on holiday weekends. Gas pumps and bars on the river here have tight turnarounds in them. It takes a pretty skilled captain to drive a V drive around the slips/pumps here on a busy weekend. Rockstar would make that a breeze. For that very reason it's the best option of the year for me. No enough to make me switch brands though.

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I think the Autowake will get better as they tweak it a little. I do believe it has a delay in it so that if someone moves and goes right back to the same position it doesn't try and correct right away.

I also like the new Centurion silent exhaust. It looks legit. 

Edited by DatTexasBoy
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On 10/21/2016 at 7:24 PM, TenTwentyOne said:

I thought autowake would be cool until I went on a demo of a '17 SA...... it is about useless in my opinion. Setting up with a different size crew or moving weight around causes it to compensate with the tabs (as well as ballast), and while adjusting tabs can get the boat angles right (to make autowake system happy with the position of the boat in the water.), moving them totally changes the wave characteristics.

consider this....... would you want a computer changing your wedge position on you constantly?? No, because that has a different effect, regardless of the hull position in the water.  The computer might get the hull positioned to compensate for weight difference, but now the wedge could be in a position that has a negative impact on wave quality. Same thing with tabs, especially with surf tabs, and a computer trying to change the list of the boat with them. 

This system works great for replicating the correct attitude of the boat, in the water, every time. However, it sucks at replicating the same wave every time.

With all that said, if it could do everything it wants to do, by only manipulating ballast throughout the boat....... it would probably be an absolutely awesome system.

Saw a 24.5 foot beautiful se 450 I think, they said they had the feature, drive forward and to the side of curl with my boat at a 17-20 yard distance and was thoroughly unimpressed with the wave, spoke to dealer and he said politely not exactly these words but yahoos under weighting the boat, I asked more money than sense and he replied different words but essentially pretty much, he said it's huge and need to sink it.

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On 10/19/2016 at 10:26 PM, DarkSide said:

Ok most of the awesomeness for 2017 has been released.  What is your favorite NEW features from any brand?  The one you hope migrates across if not already on BU.   Last year was wristbands, everyone now offers clamping racks, what is the #gamechanger for this year?

I will start. 

DOCKSTAR is freaking awesome!  But also $5k option... not sure I would pony up for it.

Auto wake - wake monitor thing is kinda cool, I would like to see it in action.  But suspect more gimmicky than awesomeness.

G3.5 is slick, if I were ordering 2017 malibu I would struggle paying G4 $$

Silent Stinger - centurion pumps exhaust into thier center wakeplate, infuses it with water, disbursing exhaust across bigger area.  Basically FAE 2.0.

Wow, $5K for Dockstar?!  Any idea how much the Silent Stinger upgrade costs?

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Wake plates are part of quick surf package, which is $2214.  Its like surfgate, an option that 99.9% take... So $2214 for quicksurf and $612 for silent stinger.  $2826 for surf system and silent exhaust BEFORE discount.  In comparison I think surfgate is almost $4500 now.

 

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On 10/22/2016 at 3:18 PM, DarkSide said:

I will absolutely let you know.   I have FAE now and really like it.  The only downside is the exhaust line when wakeboarding in the center  (beginners).  Which is not a huge issue.  But i do like the look and concept os SS.  I did order it, so we will see if it does what it says it will.  Here is what it looks like.  You can see upper left where exhaust comes out of yhe boat and connects to the plate.

 

Wait, What?  DarkSide is going to the Dark side?  Where was this publicized?  

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This one is used by epic boats, several yachts, and is starting o make it into wake boats.  Vacuum Infusion vs traditional fiberglass. There are numerous advantages,  lighter, stronger, eliminates gel voids,  and is significantly more environmentaly friendly. 

FB_IMG_1477454673318_zpspw0nebih.jpg

Resin is pumped in and the excess is vacuumed out.  

Edited by DarkSide
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