How to mimic ZO (if possible)

[WBLskier]

I know there have been other posts on here and elsewhere on this topic, but I can't seem to find them now. I am curious if there is any way to mimi ZO. I used to compete in tournaments quite a few years ago. I'd like to get back into them sometime in the next couple of years. Most of our boats don't have speed control and none have ZO. I'm afraid I'm in for a rude awakening when I try to run behind a boat with ZO. Is there any way to prepare? I am a 34mph skier. Would it help to train at 35mph or would this just throw off my timing? Any other thoughts? Thanks.

[Marco]

If you don't ski behind any ski control, you might be in for a rude awakening. I know I was. If you ski behind PP much, don't sweat it. Choose B2 on ZO, and it is very similar to PP Classic. The differences between A and B are somewhat subtle. Not so much with C. I tied my tournament PB the first time I ever skied behind ZO.

[Horton]

Skiing fast is not a bad idea. Just tell your driver to do a crappy job and it will feel just like ZO.

[skibug]

I think ZO effects everyone a little differently. Now that I am fully converted to ZO on our 2009 MC 197 TT (1.5 seasons); when I go back to PP i have to run KX at ++, an extra 10 on the skier weight and an extra 10 in the base line and it still is softer and more forgiving. That said, now that I ski ZO more; I almost prefer it....almost.

[6balls]

I consistently ski best on ZO even though I train PP classic. C3 for me. Bro trains PP stargazer and runs C2.

[Jim Neely]

I train with Stargazer. In tournaments I use C1 and don't notice a difference.

[Chef23]

I generally train behind PP Classic and ski A2 in tournaments without any trouble. That said if you are training without any speed control unless you have a very good driver and are timing every pass you are in for a rude awakening when you start skiing behind boats with speed control.

[Bdecker]

I get decent exposure to ZO but ski more perfectpass. C2 for me seems to have produced the best results but I haven't played with the settings enough to be sure. Seems the fretting over ZO has significantly declined in the few events I've skied this year.

 

It's worth dropping a perfectpass system into boats without speed control in my opinion. My old Supra ran great with it and I got another several years out of the boat for relatively short money. KX+ or ++ especially if it is carbed, but it should give you a good enough baseline to train from.

[Chef23]

What does kx++ do on a PP system do? Does it apply to Stargazer. I have always skied withou adjusting that.

[Dirt]

Some of you may have watched this already in the other post. If you listen to the boat it sounds similar to ZO. I skied a tournament this weekend and got my worst scores of the year behind ZO after training like this for two weeks. I went back to PP Classic and it felt easier. It seems like ZO feels great until the line gets shorter. Maybe lighter skiers like ZO better than heavier skiers.

 

Here is a 32 off slalom video with kx+ and px 80. Does it sound close to ZO?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfZ_NiJjXos

 

[LeonL]

KX is throttle response. + and ++ are firmer responses, while - is softer response.

[skibug]

Dirt, are you getting hot times that way or are the 16.95?

[Chuck_Dickey]

Kx is the response time of the throttle once it senses the switch closing. Kx- is delayed, normal, + & ++ are quicker to respond. Px is a % of the skier weight applied at the Kx setting. Since PP is rpm based, the Px setting adds or subtracts rpm based on the skier weight input setting. So in theory, the Kx- would be like an A setting, the Kx+ would be like a B and Kx++ would be like a C.

 

1, 2 & 3 would be like increasing the Px setting

 

Never could get my StarGazer to work well, and getting it to emulate ZO was a lost cause.

 

ZO Rocks, just set it an forget it

[Dirt]

Getting good times but I have to set it to a minus 30 in tournament mode and run the ssb at 38.

[auskier]

personally, I would try taking 30-40 more out of the baseline and bring the SSB back up. Are the segment times coming out good with the SSB that high?

[Dirt]

Yeah, that is the only way we have been able to balance them with it not gassing until the skier pulls from 1-2.

[eleeski]

You must have a working switch to use the KX +, ++ or - settings. The Stargazers I've used have had no switch, have not been "set up" for me and have not felt like ZO (nor have they felt "good" to me). My old boat had PP Classic with the switch. I ran KX - PX 10. My boats were always dirty on the hull (algae from being left in the water) so I had to run my weight about 100 pounds overweight (I was too lazy to reset the baseline). The transition to ZO C was easy and ZO has always felt "good" to me. PP Classic when my switch failed felt "bad" and did not feel the same as ZO. Shoot for the warm side of tolerance with the PP Classic and the transition will be easy.

 

The paddlewheel makes trick feel like ZO. No transition issues at all for me. I GPS checked my PP regularly (PP Classic did drift a bit). PP for tricks was great (except on DBW boats where it took forever to engage). B3 or any C setting feels normal in ZO.

 

Summary for my feel: PP Classic with a working switch set to KX- PX10 with the baseline set down so the skier weight is 100 pounds overweight and pull warm times = ZO C3.

 

Eric

[will]

We have been skiing PP w/ working switch at KX++ PX50 and it gives a similar response as ZO B2

2006 Ski Nautique 196.

 

[Dirt]

I will try the suggestions here next week. Thanks for the input.