Perfect Pass Stargazer boat feels like a yoyo when in Slalom mode

[herseyj]

I've been running the Stargazer in rpm mode for quite some time due to recommendations from Perfect Pass. We don't drop at each end and the PP doesn't recover well out of turns hence the rpm mode. I run it at 3600 rpm and that starts me into the course around 35 and keeps my minimum around 34. I'm 45 and am happy to ski 34.2 mph. The boat is a 1999 Ski Nautique with a GT40. Prop is an Acme 422. We have been toying with the Slalom mode. After the turns the boat is just not there. The line is taught but I am not getting any acceleration until I hit about mid wake and the the boat pulls on me. It's way to late for the pull and I really dislike the speed mode. The course times in speed mode or rpm mode are good but the boat feels like a darn yoyo at 34.2 in slalom mode. I'll put it back into rpm mode and the boat is there and fells more even. I can come out of my turn and lay into the rope and get the proper acceleration. How can I fix this lack of boat response and delay in the acceleration? It almost feels like the boat is slowing when I want it to speed up. The course was gps set. The PP does beep a bit early but we set it exactly as in the manual with the buttons pressed as the pylon was entering the gates. In speed mode the rpm's are typically lower than 3600 but they spike up and down 100 - 150 rpms. The mph on the gauge is more consistent in rpm mode than mph mode as well.

 

Does z box fix this?

 

Do I need to get a 343 with ZO? (or a new boat) the motor and ZO are still way cheaper.

[Orlando76]

Have you tried starting from scratch and remapping the course?

[skiboyny]

If you have the newest version of stargazer and assuming that the return spring, voltage, and servo tests are all good you have to modify the background settings to get proper ball times. If the ball times are off more than a couple of thousandths, it will ski like crap. Had to do this with 2 boats both are perfect now.

[smalor]

Check everything as @skiboyny suggests and you may also need to invert tach signal. I have SG with Zbox. Course times were perfect right off the bat....but individual ball times were out of whack until I tuned the background settings. Makes all the difference!

 

[Ilivetoski]

How do you invert the tach? I got an email from Gary at PP but the directions were cut off for some reason, I am about to ski in about an hour, not enough time to get a response from him. Also, how did you adjust the background settings?

[Ilivetoski]

My z box is about to push me enough to say forget this sport

[DanE]

What @skiboyny and @smalor said.

Having said that no matter what you do to a Stargazer without a Zbox it will always feel like a yoyo.

There has to be a reason Stargazer was never tournament approved.

[Fam-man]

Interesting discussion for me, I have a 98 CC196 with GT40 and am considering installing speed control.

 

I'm at 15 off @ 30 mph and right now the boat holds well. I ski with guys that are 32 mph and get to 35 off.

 

@DanE which level of skier would PP stargazer always feel like a yoyo?

[gregy]

Z box seemed to make mine worse. With Z box the speed correction happened too quickly. We went back to stargazer mode.

[DanE]

@Fam-man Difficult to claim any level, to each his own. 35 off skiers will definitely struggle escpecially if they're heavy pullers.

@gregy Start of speed correction is adjustable, with the OJ cnc 4blade our boat felt too harsh with the same setting as with the acme prop. Fixed that with a change of kx setting to - from normal and an increase in Zbox value to 16. You also have the setting that is supposed to tune the engagement to feel like ZO, think the value runs from 0 to 3. I had to change that back from 2 to 0 when I changed the prop.

[skiboyny]

@Fam-man with all due respect to @DanE who actually got me on the right path to getting stargazer right, I haven't upgraded to z-box cause stargazer seems to pull very nice on both my boat and my ski partners boat 35 off skiers and although, I only get on Zero off a few times a year, the only difference I can feel is a faster gate with stargazer. My partner skis an occasional tournament and skis the same ball count and doesn't notice much difference. We are both on the lighter side (160 lbs) and that might count for something. I suspect z-box reacts much quicker and might be the difference for a heavier skier or puller.

[skiboyny]

@gregy get your ball times right within a couple of thousanths ball to ball) than I'm betting you will like the z-box

[BraceMaker]

@DanE I would think the DBW lawsuit coupled with the current or prior year 3 in C. Has done more to limit development in the speed department.

 

[herseyj]

Thanks for all the feed back. I re did the entry points today and the beeps are much closer to the gates and buoys. At least it isn't beeping well before the buoys. The return spring, volts, etc are all good. I'm not sure how to modify the background settings. I'll dig in the manuals. Another poster also asked that same question. If I find it I will post it.

 

 

[herseyj]

I don't see anything called background settings in the manual. http://perfectpass.com/sites/default/files/StarGazer3-EventMech.Jan2015.doc Please advise on the settings. This is Stargazer not Z-Box. Maybe we need to re calibrate the boat at each speed? We have changed lakes and the water temp is significantly different from when the speeds were calibrated.

[skiboyny]

@herseyj @scotchipman posted the top paragraph is stargazer. What you have to know is ball one setting shows up as ball 2 time ball 3 shows up as ball 4. For our 2 boats the ball one setting had to go up to about 20 and the ball 3 time down to around 15 ball 4 to exit around 18. On a smoothly skied pass the ball times should be within a thousandth or two.

[herseyj]

Thank skiboyny. Those setting were about perfect for what we needed. The times are almost always good on the splits and the boat behaves much better.

[Dacon62]

Mine runs OK in rpm and wakeboard mode but greatly over/under shoots speed in slalom mode. Even when running without a skier. P. Pass told me that they may need to send me a $30 part to make it behave in slalom mode. Have done all the servo, return spring checks.

Used to have a Zero off boat. Giant step backwards.

[skiboyny]

@herseyj glad that worked out for you. You can get it pretty darn close, and once you do, it pulls real nice.

[colo_skier]

My experiences with these settings are documented in the an old thread. Put stargazer

and wonky in the search engine.