Wake Plate and Cruise

[maxpower220]

I am looking to buy either a leftover 07 or new 08 Outback (DD). I split skiing and wakeboarding with a little bit of barefooting. I would like to get better at slalom. Right now, I can get 2-3 bouys 15' off at 30mph, yes I know that I suck.
I have read about the hydraulic wake plate and it's effects on slalom wake, but does it make a boarding wake better? In other words, does it work like Tige's TAPS system to trim the transom deeper at slow speeds to create a bigger, better wake. I don't want to spend the extra money to get something that won't make the boat better at wakeboarding speeds. And no, I don't want an Outback V.
I have never had cruise or Perfect Pass, so anything is better than nothing. Are there 1200 reasons to upgrade to PP? ($1200 for PP).
Thanks in advance for any helpful responses.

[zegm]

We are also big time slalom skiers and perform at your level too! We ordered a LS after speaking to the dealer and several people from the Ga. Tech ski team. You can get both worlds with this boat and it is actually about 500 dollars cheaper than an similiarly equiped Outback V. The Moombas come with a cruise control so we will try this but I like you decided that since I don't have perfect pass now and my wife and I both pull each other just fine through the course (again we are NOT tournament skiers) then we decided a z-cargo bimini was a better place to put our money.

[gt9118]

Wake plate is a must for boarding! I think you would be disappointed if you didnt get your boat equipped with one.

[YellowMoomba0]

I too am a DD ski purist, who likes to kneeboard a little bit. After skiing behing Nautiques and MC, then the Outback is the only Moomba option for me. Nothing wrong with a couple of bouys at 15 off. Of all the posts regarding perfect pass I have never read one that someone did not like it. Anyone that has had it will always get it again. Do you have magnets in your course? If so, you will need Digital Pro perfect pass with the magnet sensor. It has a Wakeboard mode as well. In my opinion, yeah its worth the extra 1200.

[JesseC]

It would DEFINATELY help the resale value!! I personally will not own another boat without it. You set the speed take off and forget about the throtle. It is super nice when someone that is not that experienced drives the boat. I know you slalom skiers like to go perfectly straight and have the speed even more perfect, so if you can cut one thing out of the equation it has to help a little!! right....

[cab13367]

I am looking to buy either a leftover 07 or new 08 Outback (DD). I split skiing and wakeboarding with a little bit of barefooting. I would like to get better at slalom. Right now, I can get 2-3 bouys 15' off at 30mph, yes I know that I suck.
I have read about the hydraulic wake plate and it's effects on slalom wake, but does it make a boarding wake better? In other words, does it work like Tige's TAPS system to trim the transom deeper at slow speeds to create a bigger, better wake. I don't want to spend the extra money to get something that won't make the boat better at wakeboarding speeds. And no, I don't want an Outback V.
I have never had cruise or Perfect Pass, so anything is better than nothing. Are there 1200 reasons to upgrade to PP? ($1200 for PP).
Thanks in advance for any helpful responses.
maxpower,

On the wakeplate, it seems to me that it would be of little value for a hull designed to put out a flat wake. On my LSV, it helps bring the transom up higher off the water at waterskiing speed thus flattening the wake. For wakeboarding, I leave the plate up and the ballasts full. So in your case, you would need ballast for wakeboarding, not a wakeplate. That's only my understanding and I am sure I will be corrected if I've misled you :)

On perfect pass vs EZ cruise, you need to understand how each one works and then you can decide for yourself if PP is worth the cost. With EZ cruise, you bring the skier or boarder up manually, then engage the cruise manually once up to speed by pushing the set button. It then holds the RPM, not the speed. You make adjustments using the +/- toggle switch.

With PP, you can program it to store names with an associated speed (saves you from having to remember what speed everyone likes to be pulled at). So before pulling someone up, just call up his/her name on the PP and pull him/her up manually. Once you get to that pre-set speed, the system will beep indicating that it has taken over. It will adjust rpm to hold the pre-set speed, which is handy when turning, etc. It disengages automatically when you pull back on the throttle. Also, PP has a built in display that will show you the water temp whereas EZ cruise does not.

Also note that PP can easily be added after the fact for about the same price as if you ordered it with the boat new.

I have PP so that I can get a consistent pull when my wife drives, and so that I can watch my wife and son board and surf rather than having to keep an eye on the speed. My wife loves it as all she has to do is steer - she is not comforable having to steer AND try to maintain speed at the same time. Overall, it makes for a stress free driving experience and provides a consistent pull to whomever is behind the boat. Some will go as far as to say it's a marriage saver.

To me, it's worth the money.

Hope that helps.

Al

[deerfield]

maxpower - I have an '07 Outback and would buy another in a heart beat. I ski. My previous boat was a Nautique. Two of my sons wakeboard. The tower and factory ballast give them all the performance they will need for several years. For proof, check out the video on this bulletin board of a guy gettin' great air goin' wake to wake behind an Outback. Some of the time we just pull tubes behind the boat. I have not footed yet behind the Moomba. Our boat does not have a wake plate. Would have been a waste of money according to the dealer from which we ordered our boat. EZ Cruise is a step up from no cruise control on my Nautique, but have not yet figured it out. From the description of its functionality, I think Perfect Pass is the better, albeit more expensive, mousetrap. If your lookin' to improve your skiing and enjoy other water sport activities, you can't go wrong from a performance standpoint with either a leftover '07 or new '08 Outback. Happy hunting! - Deerfield

[maxpower220]

I am very familiar with PP and it's features. I have never had it in any of my boats. I have read about cruise, but didn't know if it's more help or PITA for use during skiing and boarding. PP will depend on how cheap I can get the 07.
The wake plate is my big question as I would have it added to the 07. If I order an 08, it would be one of the "free" upgrades.

My biggest problem is that I am sitting in Baghdad and won't be in the states til April. I feel the pressure to make the decision while I can still order an 08 my way with the incentives during the boat show season. My wife is going to look at and drive the 07 on Thursday. So my decision will be based on her appraisal and the deal that I can get on the 07. If the cost difference isn't big enough, then I will order an 08.
I sold my MC 195 before coming here last year. She has plenty of time in the driver's seat, so I trust her opinion of the boat.
Thanks for your inputs.

[zegm]

about the wakeplate, I cannot see why something called a wakeplate would make the slalom wake better. I believe it forces the bow of the boat down to create More wake for the wakeboarders. Not a problem if you get a 08 boat as it is a free pick. Certainly the 07 boat will have some options on it and you can get around 2K off the 08 with boatshow specials. Don't forget the 08 has a better waranty which will cost you additional on an 07. I guess when you wife returns list them side by side and see which is most attractive. And again an off the shelf LS is a DD ski boat that comes standard with a gav. bag and tower that add up to over 2k if you get them as options on a Outback. The makes is a great cross over boat! And then you can pick the boat show specials again for it too.

[sar]

The wake plate setting works exactly like the Tige' Taps system, so much that when our club was shopping for a Tige I said "look, the concept is exactly the same a three of their competitors [centurion,supra,moomba]." Except, Tige focuses most of their marketing on whereas on the others it is just a complement.

If you go to your dealer or a boat show and see an outback without the wake plate you will notice that instead it has a smaller short plate on there to replace the chime type edge that an older style boat would have.

In slalom use the wake plate can be used to tune exactly where the bump will be, and if you raise it up some you can actually make the spray at about 22' off so that if you're running shorter it should be smoother.

There is a significant difference in pulling the plate up for wakeboarding! Our old boat was a mastercraft prostar 205, the Outback competes with what its wake was with a 3/4 full 1000lb back bench. When we throw our skylon on and two people on the back seat the wake is better than the mastercraft's. We have members who were getting plenty of air to cross the wake their first time out on it. Check out these pictures of a boarder (Anne Gurley) from the pylon - wake plate up @ 20mph with 3 people in the boat (not in the back)

http://www.combier.net/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8726&g2_serialNumber=2
http://www.combier.net/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8729&g2_serialNumber=2
Photos by Robert Combier @ combier.net

There is ton of lip and breaking point adjustment just as with taps or more weight.

Out,

[zegm]

Thats also I-75, old US Highway 41 and Red Top mountain in the back ground too if I am not mistaken?

[maxpower220]

Thanks Sar, that is exactly what I thought, but hearing it from someone who has the system on the boat I am looking at is what I was looking for. Thanks for the pics. On the 07, the dealer said he could add the plate for $600, so that is a definate add. Obviously, it will be "free" on the 08.
I used to have a MC 205 also, so I am familiar.

Thanks.

[zegm]

Maxpower,

Sar helped us at the Atlanta boat show! With his help we picked an LS rather than an Outback V.
He knows his stuff and is a great guy!

We too own a MasterCraft and our switching! Can not say anything bad about them but will not pay additional for a name anymore.

[h2oskierrick]

Okay Max,
Here's my input. I too am an avid skier and own a 2007 Mobius LS. My understanding is with the Mobius LS the plate is a must because of the hull design, especially for skiing. My experience shows that the plate works for bith skiing and for boarding, you just need to find the sweet spot for your boat, the loading, ballast, etc... I would definitely get the plate, especially with eBoat show incentives.

The cruise works okay for wakeboarding and a little less okay for skiing. I have only used it for boarding myself, because I'm the only one in my family who ski's.

If I were to do it over again I still probably wouldn't get the Perfect Pass, but I like to drive the boat. I would spend the saved bucks on stereo equipment or a good cover.

Just my opinion,

Good luck and have fun

Rick