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2013 Tige Ballast Systems - New Pumps, New Hose, Built for Speed

The engineers at Tige have never been afraid to innovate on the highest level. For 2013 there have been some major improvements to the design and implantation of the factory ballast system. The goal for Tige was to increase speed to reduce the time it takes to fill and drain your ballast tanks. Basically they know your time is worth something and when you are on the boat you do not need to be waiting any longer than you need to. They have blown way past that goal with the incredibly fast 2013 system. A lot of the bottle necks that plagued 2010-2012 Tige' boats have been remedied with a couple simple upgrades.

We noticed that Tige had changed pump suppliers to Attwood Marine at the end of 2012 but the pump of choice at the time was the Attwood Tsunami 800gph. This seemed odd as it was a reduction in speed when compared to the previously used Johnson 1000gph pumps. We knew they had to be looking at the big picture. Tige is now using the fastest ballast pumps in the industry, the Attwood Tsunami 1200's. This is the same pump used to manufacturer the Fly High Tsunami Pump. It is a solid product with a proven track record and we like this decision.

Our extensive in house testing has shown that increasing pump capacity does not provide a noticeable decrease in fill times without in turn increasing the hose diameter. All Tige boats will now be equipped with 1-1/8" ballast hose providing the least restriction and best flow rates. Not only will the water fill into the ballast tanks at a faster rate but the auxiliary bags will have a lot easier time allowing water to gravity drain down into the hard tank as well. This new upgrade is a win win. We are excited to see what other changes have been made as soon as we get into a new Tige.

The factory installed ballast system configurations Tigé now offers are designed for every wakesurf and wakeboard skill level. When customizing your boat the three wake enhancing configurations are standard, surf, or pro.

Standard / Base Ballast:

Tige's standard ballast option comes in at a industry average 900lbs. The wakeboard wake is great for most riders all the way up to the intermediate level. The system is comprised of two 250lb below floor rear tanks and a 400lb an under seat wrap around bow ballast tank. The wakeboard wake characteristics appear a little steeper than desired with a little kick at the top. Wakesurfing is possible with this amount of weight but it takes some skill and a nice long board. Take if from us and upgrade to surf or pro if you are purchasing a new boat.

Surf Ballast: (Shop Tige Surf Ballast Bags)

The Surf ballast option provides a much needed ballast bag upgrade on top of the underfloor hard tanks using a piggy back system. The two additional 350lb. ballast bags fit neatly into a void in the side of the compartment providing a total of 1600 lbs. of displacement. The bow tank remains the same which is kind of a bummer for the wakeboarder that opted for the upgrade. The wakesurf wake is great and allows the rider to throw the rope in the boat with plenty of push in the pocket.

Pro Ballast

Our favorite choice out of the three, the pro ballast option, is exactly what we would use when wakeboarding or wakesurfing. This system is what a rider's rider would demand. There are 4 tanks providing around 2300 lbs. of total water weight. The rear ballast bags and tanks remain the same but the bow gets some much needed love. Instead of the bow hard tank the RZ2 will get a 400 lb. bag on each side the Z3 / RZ4 will see dual 550 lb. bags.

Shop Tige Wakeboard & Wakesurf Ballast»

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