digital cruise pro vs perfect pass star gazer

[STANG KILLA SS]

looking at a 2011 and these are the two options on a LSV (well moomba cruise is offered too)

i have a 03 LSV now with perfect pass and love it, its flawless.
ive got a buddy with a 09 XLV with moomba cruise and said its useless.

we are diehard wakeboarders.

digital cruise pro is $500
Perfect pass star gazer is $1300.

just wondering if it was worth it.

how does the digi cruise pro work? do you set your mph on the screen like PP?

any experience with either would be greatly appreciated.

[mcdye]

digital cruise pro is electronic speed control and Perfect pass star gazer is controlled off GPS.

Do you set your mph on the screen like PP? Yes

I had PP on a 02, got the DC Pro on a 2010, they work very similar.

[Jon]

Zero off is also a factory option the 2011's. It is basically Digital Cruise Pro plus a GPS antenna. It is a $1300 option. Most people will be perfectly happy with Digital Cruise Pro. It is very similar to what Perfect Pass wakeboard pro used to be except it holds speed better. The only time I would consider Zero off is if you are a pro/sem-pro rider or ride with a lot of weight in your boat.

[you da man]

Cory, I know a place that you can get the PP Stargazer for $950. That's where I got mine, just haven't installed it yet

[STANG KILLA SS]

is the digital cruise pro the same as the moomba cruise just with a screen? or is the speed controling software different/improved.
if the digital pro can hold a speed as good as my old perfect pass (non GPS) then i would be fine with it.

so does digi cruise pro work better than moomba cruise? and as good as the older non GPS perfect pass?

[bzubke1]

As far as I know the digital cruise pro holds the speed you set and moomba cruise will just hold the set rpm.

[mcdye]

is the digital cruise pro the same as the moomba cruise just with a screen? or is the speed controling software different/improved.
if the digital pro can hold a speed as good as my old perfect pass (non GPS) then i would be fine with it.

so does digi cruise pro work better than moomba cruise? and as good as the older non GPS perfect pass?

No, Digital C Pro and Moomba Cruise (MC) are not the same minus the screen. The MC is like a cruise control on a car, u get up to speed, u manually engage it and can tweak from there. DC Pro works like the Perfect Pass u have now. Download a boat manual it for more info on how they work.

[KSmith]

The Moomba Cruise in 2010 and 2011 is Speed based, not rpm based.

The disadvantage is you cannot preset a speed for a run.

You must first take the boat up to the desired speed, engage the cruise, advance the throttle all the way open (does not effect set speed just allows the engine to increase throttle automatically when needed to maintain speed).

Once the speed is set there are Plus and Minus buttons to fine tune speed.

You can back the throttle off to idle while leaving the cruise set, when you advance the throttle again up to and past the set point the curise will take over when the speed is reached.

What we do is before a rider enters the water is take the boat up to the desired speed and set the cruise, then idle down where we want to start the run, let the rider gear up and enter the water, all without turning off the engine, then as long as you do not shut off the engine between each run the crusie takes over when speed is reached. When switching out riders we stop the engine let the rider board the boat and start all over again.

The set speed gets cancelled out when the engine is shut off.

That is the big drawback. It isn't as slick as the DC Pro, but it works good. When I bought my boat the dealer wanted 1200 bucks to upgrade to DC Pro, it just wasn't worth 1200 bucks to me just to have a different display (with temp) and being able to preset the speeds.

I think the DC Pro may have some memory capability, but since all it controls is speed (and not ballast, wake plate, etc) how hard is it to set a speed at 22 rather than 20.. a couple hits of the plus of minus buttons can take care of that.

Edit: If I had bought my boat at the boat show and could have upgraded to DC Pro for 500 I would have done it, but I just couldn't justify the 1200 the dealer wanted in August.

[STANG KILLA SS]

looks like DCP may work for me. id love to hear from some folks that have it.

[mcdye]

looks like DCP may work for me. id love to hear from some folks that have it.

Have it, a factory installed 2010 LSV, love it. I had a PP in previous boat. Any specific question?

[STANG KILLA SS]

i guess not, you pretty much have experince with both and are saying they work the same.

i assume you set the speed while at idle(on the digi screen) them just hammer the gas and it stops at teh set speed like PP? when you turn off the boat, does it remember the last speed? what are the adjustment increments? how does it do in the corners? what about low speeds for surfing with the nose way in the air and loaded down with ballast?

[mmandley]

Stang i know your passing on the moomba cruise and i would to if i had the ability to get something else for 500.

I will say for the Moomba cruise we have it and have been using it for 2 years and if you actually understand and know how to use it properly its a set and forget system. Once i set it at the speed you want to go it stays at that speed threw turns and such. When i go get a rider it remembers my settings and when i pull them up it will stop at the designated speed.

The bad side is when i weighted down its a littler harder to get from 15 to 20 MPH to plane out as it doesn't want to give the boat 100% throttle and if you turn the boat off at any time it will erase your settings.

I will upgrade to a digital system or PP or Star if i can fund it but a lot of Moomba Cruise haters realy just dont understand how to use it.

[deerfield]

I will say for the Moomba cruise we have it and have been using it for 2 years and if you actually understand and know how to use it properly its a set and forget system.

mmandley - Next time I'm on the boat I am going to call from my cell phone and have you walk me through how to use the Moomba Cruise. I bought my Outback new in 2007 and have never figured it out. If in fact it is simple and effective, I'd like to use it. I'm from the old school where we did it by touch and two speedos and find it easier to do what comes naturally than to wrestle with technology. - Deerfield

[mcdye]

i guess not, you pretty much have experince with both and are saying they work the same. Yes DC Pro and PP work the same.


i assume you set the speed while at idle(on the digi screen) them just hammer the gas and it stops at teh set speed like PP? when you turn off the boat, does it remember the last speed? Yes, Yes


what are the adjustment increments? dont recall, brain fart.. wanting to say .1 or .2


how does it do in the corners? It will hold the set speed


what about low speeds for surfing with the nose way in the air and loaded down with ballast? Dont surf yet, do run full ballast (1200) with no issues.

[mmandley]

mmandley - Next time I'm on the boat I am going to call from my cell phone and have you walk me through how to use the Moomba Cruise. I bought my Outback new in 2007 and have never figured it out. If in fact it is simple and effective, I'd like to use it. I'm from the old school where we did it by touch and two speedos and find it easier to do what comes naturally than to wrestle with technology. - Deerfield

Real simple. Turn it off when at idle. Now goto desired speed you want to set it at.

Get the boat steady at that speed and turn on the Moomba cruise < green light will come on and flash > Now when the light stops flashing its going to hold your speed, this is the part most people forget. Push the throttle about 25% more forward. This allows the cruise to have extra throttle to hold the turns with.

Now when someone falls slow down and go get them but don't turn off the cruise or the boat. Eighter one will cause the cruise to forget its settings.

Once on the Cruise is slow to adjust up and down but you just hit the + - button or hold it and watch the speed till its where you want. I find it a lot easier to make it speed up then slow down.

Also if you turn the cruise on at idle or shut anything off when you hit the throttle the boat will only go no wake speed and be stuck.

When you are getting closer to taking the boat out call let me know ill be happy to talk you threw it on the phone.

The Moomba cruise isnt the best and has querks but its still a usable system

[2007 Outback V]

The bad side is when i weighted down its a littler harder to get from 15 to 20 MPH to plane out as it doesn't want to give the boat 100% throttle and if you turn the boat off at any time it will erase your settings.


That's what I find to be the biggest disadvantage to moomba cruise. IMO it is useless when the boat is weighted down, at least on my OBV it is. With no weight it does work pretty slick, knowing how it works is key, and mmandley explains it well. I need to upgrade to PP or stargazer, just can't justify the $ yet.

[bzubke1]

For me moomba cruise will never keep speed through turns. My biggest complaint with moomba cruse is the speed varies too much at slower speed. My brother likes to ride at 21.5 and when he cuts away from or into the wake hard the speed will drop 0.5-0.75 mph. The drop in speed causes the wake to be washed out. I ride at like 23.5-24mph and it's not nearly as noticeable for me.

[mmandley]

For me moomba cruise will never keep speed through turns. My biggest complaint with moomba cruse is the speed varies too much at slower speed. My brother likes to ride at 21.5 and when he cuts away from or into the wake hard the speed will drop 0.5-0.75 mph. The drop in speed causes the wake to be washed out. I ride at like 23.5-24mph and it's not nearly as noticeable for me.

Yes i can see this also, in turns if you have the 25% extra it will hold decently unless you are doing a hard turn or a 180 and even then i don't know if PP will hold that perfect eighter. I expect it will. Moomba cruise is operating of RPM so as the boat gets water resistance it slows the boat down and the engine slows down and hence the boat speeds up but at some point the RPMs are at a steady and the boat its self just slows down.

I have rode in Als boat and he has PP and its really nice but i will say I can feel the boat constantly jerks forward when the PP holds speed. I get used to it after a while but the first couple riders its just a little strange feeling.

[rdlangston13]

Real simple. Turn it off when at idle. Now goto desired speed you want to set it at.

Get the boat steady at that speed and turn on the Moomba cruise < green light will come on and flash > Now when the light stops flashing its going to hold your speed, this is the part most people forget. Push the throttle about 25% more forward. This allows the cruise to have extra throttle to hold the turns with.

Now when someone falls slow down and go get them but don't turn off the cruise or the boat. Eighter one will cause the cruise to forget its settings.

Once on the Cruise is slow to adjust up and down but you just hit the + - button or hold it and watch the speed till its where you want. I find it a lot easier to make it speed up then slow down.

Also if you turn the cruise on at idle or shut anything off when you hit the throttle the boat will only go no wake speed and be stuck.

When you are getting closer to taking the boat out call let me know ill be happy to talk you threw it on the phone.

The Moomba cruise isnt the best and has querks but its still a usable system



this sounds like very very useful information! i will have to try this out in a couple months!

[kaneboats]

"boat constantly jerks forward when the PP holds speed."


with the non-stargazer model PP, there are two settings that will correct this:

CRS and KDW

These settings help you adjust how "aggressively" the PP acts. I have the non stargazer model and am pretty happy with it. Like any system it has a few quirks but if you learn to adjust a little bit it can be a very functional friend. I like having surf speed, wakeboard speeds for me and all the kids and ski speeds all programmed into PP so I can just "load" the right setting before each person's run. Also, I shut the boat off when near a rider in the water. I would not want to have to keep it running just to hold a cruise setting. PP is worth the money and even if it didn't come with the boat I'd probably add it.

[KSmith]

Yes i can see this also, in turns if you have the 25% extra it will hold decently unless you are doing a hard turn or a 180 and even then i don't know if PP will hold that perfect eighter. I expect it will. Moomba cruise is operating of RPM so as the boat gets water resistance it slows the boat down and the engine slows down and hence the boat speeds up but at some point the RPMs are at a steady and the boat its self just slows down.

I have rode in Als boat and he has PP and its really nice but i will say I can feel the boat constantly jerks forward when the PP holds speed. I get used to it after a while but the first couple riders its just a little strange feeling.

Actually the 2010 and 2011 Moomba Cruise are Speed based, not RPM based, and mine holds speed real well even through turns. It aint' fancy, but it gets the job done! As mmandley noted, if you shut off the engine and leave the cruise turned on, when you start up the engine and try to go somewhere... it is a bit confusing throwing the throttle wide open and not going anywhere LOL! All I would add is the ability to dial in a speed at idle when first starting the engine for set... but it only takes a few seconds to bring her up to speed, set the cruise, throttle down and let the rider gear up...

[mmandley]

Yea im not sure why they changed but i know mines RPM based as right now speedo was jumping all over the place. I think my new water temp gauge is adidng turbulance sometimes or something. i plan to swap the paddle wheel and the temp places under the boat to see if it fixes the issue. We just used the GPS last summer to see what speeds we were going.

As for the Moomba Cruise vs the PP and Star systems, i am not trying to compare by any means, both of the other systems are fare better then Moomba cruise i was saying that Moomba Cruise is very usefull if you understand it.

Once i see the extra cash in my budget i will be upgrading but as of right now i dont see the benefit for the purchase. Other things i want to get first.

[schuylski]

I know it's not fancy, but I'll also agree that Moomba Cruise is very useful and gets the job done. It would be nice to dial in speeds ahead of time. And the shut the boat off reset thing took me a while to figure out what was going on- really drove us crazy.

But now knowing how it works I find it completely sufficient. Not perfect. But holds speed through corners well too, as Ksmith said 2010 MC is speed based.