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Perfect Pass questions


Intense

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Hey all,

I'm considering adding a Perfect Pass system to my boat and was wondering how many of you have done it and how difficult it was? From a cost and experience perspective, I've looking at the PP Cruise model. If I'm just getting started wakeboard (possibly wakesurfing later) and general all around fun, would the Cruise be sufficient?

Also, can anyone comment how difficult the install was? I'm fairly mechanically inclined, so I don't think this would be too difficult.

thanks!

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I did PP WBPro on my last boat. Took about two hours. Half of that was getting the nerve to drill in the bottom of the boat for the paddle wheel. Really was an easy install with all the instructions.

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I did PP WBPro on my last boat. Took about two hours. Half of that was getting the nerve to drill in the bottom of the boat for the paddle wheel. Really was an easy install with all the instructions.

Cool, sounds easy enough.

Why did you opt for the Pro over the Cruise? Did you want the option to set the speed via RPMs or MPH?

thanks!

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I have the RPM only Cruise that I use for Foiling and Skiing. It works great @ 22MPH and above. I have not tried it any slower. The only thing that I don't like is you have to manually set on first pull (like a car). On subsequent pulls it acts just like the more expensive models. Great bang for the buck (and upgradeable)...

BTW, install was very easy. No paddlewheel.

Edited by YJim
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cruise is upgradable to a point where you eventually have to swap out the whole module. so if you think there is any chance at all that you are going to upgrade, go for upgrade from the start. the other option is to try to find used or ebayed parts. that's how i did it, and it WAS cheaper that way, just took me longer to get it all together.

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Don't cheep out on this one... go for the PP Pro, the install is easy - just follow the directions, and check back with us when you're ready to do it

RPM mode doesn't really work for wakeboarding or surfing.. there is too much throttle control needed to hold the right speeds

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  • 2 weeks later...
Hey all,

I'm considering adding a Perfect Pass system to my boat and was wondering how many of you have done it and how difficult it was? From a cost and experience perspective, I've looking at the PP Cruise model. If I'm just getting started wakeboard (possibly wakesurfing later) and general all around fun, would the Cruise be sufficient?

Also, can anyone comment how difficult the install was? I'm fairly mechanically inclined, so I don't think this would be too difficult.

thanks!

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I installed a PP wakeboard last year without much difficulty. Always difficult to cut a 2" hole in the bottom of your boat but after you get the nerve, the paddlewheel works well. I use RPM mode for slalom skiing and this works well. You need a paddlewheel for lower speeds for some wakeboarders and foiling. I debated which unit to get from Perfect Pass but decided that if I was going to the work of installing this, I wanted to have as much functionality as possible. I did have a problem with my control module which they fixed after last year's season under warranty.

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I did PP WBPro on my last boat. Took about two hours. Half of that was getting the nerve to drill in the bottom of the boat for the paddle wheel. Really was an easy install with all the instructions.

Cool, sounds easy enough.

Why did you opt for the Pro over the Cruise? Did you want the option to set the speed via RPMs or MPH?

thanks!

This is a great thread! When I was looking at getting PP (still want to) I found all my info here. PP thread

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I would definitely go for the Wakeboard Pro over the Cruise version. I've found Wakeboard mode, which uses speed sensing from the paddlewheel, to be more accurate for low-speed towing, like wakeboarding or hydrofoiling. Plus it's nice to be able to just set the speed and not have to worry about calibrating it to RPM first time out each day to compensate for load or wind. The PP gauge can replace your speedometer gauge. The install is the same as PP Cruise, except for the hole in the hull for the paddlewheel. The other reason to consider WB Pro is that you can get rid of the pitot tube-based speedometer and get a dead-on accurate digital speedometer.

If you do get WB Pro, make sure you pay attention to paddlwheel location. If you get it too far forward, it will be susceptible to chop and cause speed variation. And make sure you put it in a location where it's accessible from the inside so you can pull the paddlewheel module if you need to. Here are the WB Pro installation instructions FYI.

Also, note that those paddlewheels (made by Airmar) can be had with water temp sensors and depth gauge transducer built in (look here), so theoretically you could put in a paddlewheel and have a digital speedometer, water temp and depth gauge all in one package (Faria makes the gauge) if you have the space for an extra gauge. Note that the PP gauge is a tachometer and speedometer, so theoretically, you could pull both tach and speedo from your boat, put WB Pro in the speedo hole and get a multifunction tach or multifunction speedo (you can even get them with Malibu OEM graphics). Just a thought. May be more of a project than you want, but if I had an older boat and was looking at replacing some instrumentation, that's the way I'd go. These Faria digital instruments are pretty much plug and play. You can do a lot of mixing and matching - for example a digital speedometer with fuel gauge built in and put the depth finder in the old fuel gauge hole. Etcetera.

faria.jpg

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I have had experience with both. The cruise also uses the paddle wheel and is effective. It works great in a straight line and reacts quite like the more expensive Perfect Pass Pro. With the cruise you take off, get to comfortable speed, rider gives you the thumbs up, press the button same as you do in a car and drive. When rider falls, pull back on throttle, pick up rider and take off, speed is resumed, really working closely as Pro version. Speed is adjustable on the fly with buttons. With Wakeboard pro you have a visual setting making it a bit simpler. Yes the Pro version is nicer and works better, but with that said if you want something cost effective and simple to operate it works fine.

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I have had experience with both. The cruise also uses the paddle wheel and is effective. It works great in a straight line and reacts quite like the more expensive Perfect Pass Pro. With the cruise you take off, get to comfortable speed, rider gives you the thumbs up, press the button same as you do in a car and drive. When rider falls, pull back on throttle, pick up rider and take off, speed is resumed, really working closely as Pro version. Speed is adjustable on the fly with buttons. With Wakeboard pro you have a visual setting making it a bit simpler. Yes the Pro version is nicer and works better, but with that said if you want something cost effective and simple to operate it works fine.

I don't think that Perfect Pass Cruise uses a paddlewheel - I think it is entirely RPM-based. Wakeboard Pro can be either RPM-based (at any RPM), or it can be actual speed-based (at any speed below about 25 mph). So with WB Pro, you get the option of speed or RPM based control, plus the ability to preset the desired speed or RPM. Plus the conversion of your pitot-based speedometer to an accurate digital speedometer that won't plug up.

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To the OP, I would go for the Pro. Either wait and save up or sell something to get some extra cash. The Pro is Sooooo much better, just set the digital speed or scroll thru pre set names and Bingo, you're done. For surfing it is Invaluable.

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for future resale value of the boat & ease of sale I'd opt for the digital/wakeboard pro model. It's the same thing & can swap between modes but honestly don't know why would ever set it in wakeboard as it dumbs it down !

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I have had experience with both. The cruise also uses the paddle wheel and is effective. It works great in a straight line and reacts quite like the more expensive Perfect Pass Pro. With the cruise you take off, get to comfortable speed, rider gives you the thumbs up, press the button same as you do in a car and drive. When rider falls, pull back on throttle, pick up rider and take off, speed is resumed, really working closely as Pro version. Speed is adjustable on the fly with buttons. With Wakeboard pro you have a visual setting making it a bit simpler. Yes the Pro version is nicer and works better, but with that said if you want something cost effective and simple to operate it works fine.

I don't think that Perfect Pass Cruise uses a paddlewheel - I think it is entirely RPM-based. Wakeboard Pro can be either RPM-based (at any RPM), or it can be actual speed-based (at any speed below about 25 mph). So with WB Pro, you get the option of speed or RPM based control, plus the ability to preset the desired speed or RPM. Plus the conversion of your pitot-based speedometer to an accurate digital speedometer that won't plug up.

actually, there IS a version called Wakeboard Cruise and works just a Malibuman has said. There is also Perfect Pass Cruise, which is RPM based. So the advantage of Wakeboard or Digital pro (besides the visual display of RPMS or speed) is that you can go paddlewheel OR RPM based.

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I just installed WB Pro in my 98 VLX. Install was way easier than expected and it works awesome. I was doing auto-ballast at the same time so the boat was a bit apart, but it would be just as easy on it's own. 2 hrs tops for a first-timer that is mechanically inclined...........

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I know that it's not PP but if I were in the market for speed control, I would strongly consider the new GPS based system. I looked through this thread and I did not see any mention of it. Owning PP pro I can say that it would be nice to have a system that doesn't need to be tweaked every once in a while. Zero Off GPS

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I know that it's not PP but if I were in the market for speed control, I would strongly consider the new GPS based system. I looked through this thread and I did not see any mention of it. Owning PP pro I can say that it would be nice to have a system that doesn't need to be tweaked every once in a while. Zero Off GPS

Zero Off GPS-based speed control is definitely intruiging, but looking at their website, I'd have to be very suspicious that anybody that buys it now would essentially be a beta-tester for the company. The OP's boat can't have Zero Off AFAIK since it doesn't currently work on non-TBW engines. Here are a couple of other issues hinted at by someone on another forum who is in the know with Indmar.

  • 1) ZeroOff requires an ECM swap. Not a reflash, like Perfect Pass, but a real swap to their own proprietary ECM. That ECM is made by some other company so what's left of your Indmar warranty just went belly up.
    2) The timer aspect for the slalom gates is an issue.
    3) There are some issues with the 3-event aspect of ZeroOff - not the least of which is the fact that when hitting a ski jump, the boat needs to be accelerating, not slowing down.

It may be a great product in the future, but it looks like that have a way to go before it's ready for prime-time. My guess is that if GPS based speed control turns out to be a good deal, Perfect Pass will be out with a ready-for-prime-time version PDQ.

Edited by Big Mac
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