hemlock

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If you've gotten up 1000 times, and are now struggling... you probably had poor technique getting up but were athletic enough to get away with it. Like everyone's said already, stay in a ball all the way. Arms straight and tucked in always. And where shorts that don't balloon and drag on you. 34.2 Mph is where you should ski and cut the rope to 22 or 28 for some fun open water skiing.

I was thinking... if getting high or wide for the gate is ideal? Why? I'm thinking angle is key and getting high or wide will help get angle. Here's a crappy illustration: The "ideal" angle through the gates. And a less desirable angle through the gates. Of course getting tight (ideal) angle requires a proper stack, and will create crazy speed and timing to get it correct. I believe that *not* getting high or wide will make it very difficult to get the best angle.

Based on the title of this thread, I would vote for someone that won a gold medal in a decathlon. Best ever of that? Hard to say.

My ski buddy across the lake is planning to go. He's a fireman. The first he went to was around a decade ago when it was in Vancouver B.C. He got one ball. I think it was his 2nd time ever skiing. LOL He'll get a ton more buoys this time.

I'm curious, what is the rule for the 1/4, 1/2 and full point ball count? Does the tip of the ski have to make the zone? or the front foot, back foot, tail of ski?

The latest version of PP Stargazer is 9.21 as of July 2021. Since version 9.12 which came out a year or two ago fixed the lock in speed and made the system lock in very similar to a zero off system. Having said that, this is with 3-event, not wakeboard edition. The wakeboard edition I believe does not use the RPM at all. If your master module is fairly new, I believe you can order a "stick" from PP to upgrade your master module software to 3-event and this will help tremendously with slalom and help with the lock in quickly, and no surging as it uses both GPS and RPM to govern the servo. And FWIW, here's a little story: (I have a 2003 Sunsetter LXI) I ordered PP Stargazer about 10 years ago. I forget the exact year. It was 3-event with version 8.x of the software. It worked, but had the classic problem of locking quickly with a short setup to the course, and surged at around ball 2-3 of the slalom course. A few years ago, I upgraded to version 9.0x (with a software upgrade stick) and was then able to modify the background settings which fixed the surging issues in the course. Yay! Then last year I upgraded to 9.12 and this made the lock in similar to zero off. So I had a pretty sweet system. No surging in the course, and locked in quick. This year, I thought I would try to get closer to a zero off pull and ordered the PP zbox unit. PP said my Master module was too old and I would require a new MM that could handle the voltage needed with zbox. Okay. I guess I just wanted to clean up my segment times and have the "accelerometer" aspect as part of the system. At first, it felt like a harder pull, but it kept the boat running how it should. Kinda like how when zero off first came out... most guys hated it because it was a less forgiving pull, but eventually you prefer it as the boat "holds" the speed it is supposed to run at. Anyway, for the non-tournament skier, yet shortline skier, the non zbox stargazer 3-event system with version 9.12 or higher will be awesome and you'll love it. Okay, so now I upgraded my system from 9.12, to 9.21(with zbox with a new master module) and I'm left with a spare 3-event master module with 9.12. My buddy across the lake has a 2000 Sunsetter LXI. He has Stargazer wakeboard edition. Not sure which software version, but he had the dreaded surging in the course and frustrating lock in times. So, I thought to myself that we could swap out his master module with my now spare 3-event at version 9.12. (Scottish Whiskey was part of the transaction) We go to hook it up and try it out, but he had no rpm sensor cable. Balls! Okay, so we order an RPM sensor from PP and install it. We take it out, map the course, run the autocal baselines. Run a non-skier pass. Boat locks in beautifully and it is night and day difference! Run some skiers and nothing but smiles.

hmmm, re-read your original post and maybe it's not the wait time feature since you are running 9.12. The only time I've heard beeps similar to that is when a skier falls in the course and the boat driver stops the boat half way through the course. As if the timing didn't get a chance to finish. Do you have multiple maps of the same course?

Highlight slalom and press up. I think you can menu through the settings. "WT" (Wait time) is the one you are looking to adjust. I think this option has been removed as of later versions of 9.x

Maybe I'm naive, but I trust the people in the boat to save me, more than a life jacket. And a cga life jacket won't flip me over if I'm face down knocked out. So, go for a vest that you can move freely in, so you don't wipe out hard. :)

I had better success with the top-of-line Radar gloves. Also, when I get up, it's both palms down on the handle and placed in the finger tips.

Thanks for the tip @ROBOT. It's a simple reminder to keep the arms close to the chest and sometimes us amateurs (who don't ski a lot) forget how important that is. I specifically like the concept of the inside arm/elbow close to the body.

Not sure about wake edition, but 3-event is 9.2.1 Big difference was how the speed locks in, feels more like a zero off lock in for the set speed. I believe 3 event could be configured as wake-edition too, not sure if that is still the case though.

Great thread! I've had Stargazer on my 03' Malibu Sunsetter for a few years, and currently have version 9.12. I had the initial surging when I first got it with version 8. Since I've upgraded to 9.12 and modified the background settings (20, 15, 20) the surging went away. I don't have Zbox. The pulls from 22' into 35' off have been great, (since 9.12) and have no issues. No surging, no weird mid course anomalies, but I do get the odd mid section or end course segments + or - above .04. (All segments and overall timing are within tolerance) I feel the same pull on my 03' Sunsetter, or my lake buddy's 15' Response (ZO) or 14' Mastercraft (ZO) And the end of the day, I'm happy with it, but this thread has influenced me to get Zbox. :) Just to tighten up the segment timings, but maybe also to help me ski more buoys. So, one is on order! But I'm curious. This thread contains lots of stats and graphs on PP Stargazer with or without zbox. Thanks to those who shared. But I would love to see some stats on a pure Zero off boat, again just curious. Does a ZO boat run straight +-0.0 segments on every ball? Anyone drive (or ski) both a pure ZO setup, or a PP Zbox setup, and take note of the segment timing? or differences? Thanks.

@UWSkier @johnseed @escmanaze , are absolutely spot on. The Sunsetter is, and will be to this day the best crossover boat for that young family that wants to slalom ski awesome wakes, trick, jump, or wakeboard. And it is big enough to hold people in the boat comfortably. It's also super easy to work on since you have the room to manage the basic maintenance of a boat. However, it's difficult to buy one because no one wants to let them go. :) Find one, and you won't regret it, find one similar... you won't regret it either. Side note: ski boats that steer with a rudder are just... well... so much fun!

Thought I would bump this thread and see if anyone has tackled this problem? Anyone replace this sensor? or installed a different one to get accurate water temp readings? Here are some better pics of the water/lake temp sensor: and here is a top view from within the engine bilge area: Thanks. I contacted a local dealer but haven't heard back yet if this sensor can be replaced.

@slmskrs I'm a little confused by the graphs... You mentioned that -.02 was slow, but I've always interpreted the PP display ball times of -.02 would be a fast time. What am I missing?

Does Radar not make a trick handle? I don't seem to see one on their website. Wondering if you have to custom order one, or is Masterline the only option?

Nice video! Interesting how Nate "relaxes" at ball 6. Of course... he's made the pass! And he's having fun. But, I like how he's all "business" at every pass before going into the gates. Such a smooth motion. Upper body does not budge.

Loved the first ride on my 2017 Radar Vapor. The turns felt so much easier. It was fast yet stable. And it still feels the same even in 2020. Came from a HO NOS ski (maybe around 2012 or so?) and before that a 1988 HP Connelly. :) It's funny though... on the new ski I scored more personal bests than I can remember and knocked 2 loops off my best pass. Was it the ski? or did the ski make me ski better? I'm thinking the latter.

@ROBOT , Thanks so much for sharing! Great article.

The videos up top are nice when they are relevant to the times, or a highlight to current events. If it was "all the time", it may get bothersome.

Thanks for the video, interesting that they made both a vdrive and a direct drive?

I remember seeing this boat in the early 2000's. Would love to see some recent photos if you have that boat. Thx!

If I were in your shoes, I would give this one a very hard look. https://www.ski-it-again.com/php/skiitagain.php?endless=summer&topic=Search&category=Boat_3Event&postid=56513