ZO settings for heavier skiers

[ghutch]

Just thinking out loud here... I'm 6'3", 210. Thinking if I run ZO on C settings it will not slow down as much and have to react "more" to keep the speed up. I tried it the other day and it felt pretty good, still early in the season to really tell anything. I have also run plus settings with good results. Again my thinking is that by the boat remaining "stronger" the drop in speed and subsequent reaction will not be so drastic keeping me swinging around the pylon more efficiently. Hope I'm explaining this right. Crazy or hmmm... may be on to something? Come on SUMMER!!!!!

[Kelvin]

I'm 6'3" and 215 and used to run C1+ for the exact reasons you stated. The boat coming into the gate a little hotter helped to keep my speed up throughout the course.

[6balls]

Neither my brother or I were "heavy" perse--about 200 lbs a piece but we mean business behind the boat-and often times at the ball. We ran on "C" settings.

[thager]

I am 194 lbs and dainty on the line but have been C1 for years.

[skihacker]

I'm only 170# but I've been C2+ for years, tried to switch once or twice but just too much "squish" in the wrong places.

[Sethro]

I'm 6'5" and 225-230ish usually. I use C2+ and can really tell the difference when I forget to change it, and that's usually from B2 or B3.

[ghutch]

Are there any pros running C settings? And if so how big are they? I would think Parrish is the bigger of the pro men. Anyone know what he runs?

[MISkier]

Not a pro, per se, but Open Men's competitor @Triplett runs a C2 setting.

 

To answer your other question @ghutch, I think he is about 5' 11" and something like 190-195.

 

As for his scores, he's had a practice score of 3@-41 (not sure if any more that that) and a 2@-41 at the 2018 Nationals.

[A_B]

When I was around 240 and going from PP to ZO, I tried a bunch of B and C along with + settings, thinking A settings were just for lighter skiers, but at the suggestion of @Ed_Johnson tried A1+ and found a lot of timing issues of hooking up after the buoy went away. Today at a little more weight and skiing more recreationally, I seem to bounce from A1+ to B2 on a new MasterCraft, and A1+ on my 07SN.

[Stevie Boy]

used to always run B2 but everybody seemed to be skiing on A2 the difference for me is that, or though the pickup is nicer on A2, when I ski on B2 I am always earlier in the, course than when I ski A2

[harrison_343]

im 17 and just learning the course, everyone asks me what ZO settings i run when i get onto the dock and i have no idea what is a good starting point. I ski at 43kmh and up

[ral]

@harrison_343 , B2.

[lpskier]

@ghutch CP is A2 behind Nautique, B2 everything else.

[Deanoski]

For me Settings change with boats and motors

 

[ghutch]

@Deanoski what is the thought process and settings you use from boat to boat? @lpskier I have noticed the A2 setting being used quite a bit. Adam Cord even mentioned once before about staying away from the C settings due to it dropping too much and having longer to catch up. I'm not 100% this was his meaning but how I understood it.

[lpskier]

@ghutch If I recall correctly, @adamhcaldwell told me that he preferred the A setting because it allowed the boat to advance down course further before load is added. I presume this translates to a tighter line and the rope being closer to 45* to the direction of travel before ZO engages. I’ve tried the A setting and for me it doesn’t work as well as C2.

[ghutch]

@lpskier looking at the chart for ZO it seems the A setting comes on latest while C will come on earliest. Again just thinking the boat will maintain speed and not slow down as much on C.

[Adam Caldwell]

@lpskier

 

This is tricky. For me, Yes, there are things about A settings that help keep the boat moving out in front of the skier on the way into the buoy. HOWEVER, its no good if you are not getting enough energy on the way into CL. You have to get support and adequate throttle into CL before anything good will happen into the next turn.

 

Some boats at 36mph are almost too sensitive (too fast on/off throttle), and moving from a "C" to an "A" has helped. Load that same "sensitive" boat up with a bunch of people, gear and fuel, and the C will probably be better then A.

 

The same boat that feels good on an A setting at 36 might feel terrible at 34mph with "A". Dropping to 34 over the last 4 years I almost always have to push to C2/C3 before I like what I am feeling.

 

I think a lot of it has to do with the ZO programs, Hull Drag, and Propslip/Engine RPM for given speed and what we are asking the boat to handle in terms of crew weight, fuel type, intake air temp etc and then on top of that handle the skiers input off the ball and behind the boat.

 

There's no "right" answer. But, if you study the numbers provided in the ZO tables - interestingly there are things about A1 that are more similar to C3 then you might think.

 

[BG1]

Try A plus,1,2,and 3. A plus is stronger than any combination of ABC123. B and C plus even more so.

[ETskier]

Another factor in ZO setting is if you are sking with the older dual puck antennas or the revision S single puck. They feel different. At most tournaments the boats are single.

 

 

[The_MS]

With the 6.2 PCM I use B1 with 87 octane and c1 with 90 octane.

With the 5.7 I use A3 with 87 and B2 with 90 octane

[Bruce_Butterfield]

@The_MS but what settings do you use with a red vs blue vs yellow boats?

[ghutch]

@The_MS you're not heavy enough to pull the boat down! :D

[The_MS]

Any boat in yellow brings out the Cs and 3s.

@ghutch just put it on B1 and ski. If it feels out of sync on first pass, just move the letter.

 

[ghutch]

Looking a little further.. and getting more advice.. now thinking the C setting may not allow for that swing into the buoy line due to coming off too soon. Did ski C2 today and should have run my 35s. Felt great. This is obviously still an experiment to find what works for me but still like reading the feedback from others.

[customski]

@ghutch

6’3” and 200lbs.

Used to ski c1@36 but now prefer a3@36 and b2@34, No great theory behind it, just try different options at times and they feel best for me..

Been running 38 much more lately but I’ll thank the c75 for that more than zo settings..

[ghutch]

@customski Denali for the win!