Tigé Z1

By Capt. Rob Smith

From the front

Two adults can sit up front in lounger style in 16 feet of space ahead of the windshield. Each has a dedicated drink holder for their beverage of choice.

The tower

Every Z1 is built to have a tower, whether it goes out of the building with the 6463 T6 grade aluminum tower Tigé can install, or you can add one later. Every Tigé has reinforced the hull for a tower, it is a performance skiboat, so a tower is expected somewhere along the line. There are lots of options, even in the tower, like pivoting board racks, upgraded stereo speaker systems and a cool halogen light bar.

Cockpit and helm

Instrumentation at the helm includes Medallion Can-Bus digital/analog gauges and throttle-by-wire technology. Tigé SpeedSet control is optional, but if installed it is right at your right hand finger tips so you simply reach from the fly-by-wire throttle up to the control, setting a speed perfect for your rider. You never have to let go of the wheel to drive the Z1.

Seating in the cockpit is designed for up to 9 adults to relax in 55 square feet of space. Ergonomic seating wraps around from the companion dash to just behind the captain’s seat. The captain’s seat is fully adjustable and has a flip up bolster. An integrated ice box is in the cockpit for your drinks and snacks along with 10 drink holders. Docking cleats and fender holders are easy to reach when you pull up to the Tiki hut at your favorite marina or beach. There is a total of 59 square feet of storage aboard with a huge compartment from the cockpit all the way up to the bow, so bring on the long stuff!

Aft

There is 20 square feet of sun tanning space across the back of the Z1. Just aft the bench seat is a standard aluminum ski pylon that brings the tow point up a bit higher than the standard sport ski boat and fits the needs of the advanced skiers well. Access to the engine is through two gull-wing pads that create the sunpad. You have adequate storage to either side of the engine and the panels can be removed for advanced access and service to the engine when needed. On back is a transom activity bench where you can relax and strap on the boards, enjoy the view from the stern and launch yourself into the cool lake when you are ready to relax.

The measure of it all

The Tigé Z1 measures 21 feet length overall with a beam width of 100”. She seats 11 with a load capacity of 1850 lbs people and gear. Weighing 3714 lbs. dry, she has a 26” draft. This model carries up to 38 gallons of fuel.

Test Results

On test day the seas had moderate chop due to the gusty winds, but the Z1 handled them nicely. The most impressive part was that this weather was not a show stopper for Tigé. They, in fact, encourage buyers to test on days with chop and compare to the competitor’s ride on the same kind of day.

Turns were silky smooth and the transition from slalom to wake was under 4 seconds. Over the roughest water, The Z1 proved solid as a rock and the seats absorbed much of the landings. Adding wake or taking it away takes one or two seconds and the difference in the wake is visible; the attitude of the boat visibly changes and the sound of the engine changes as well, proving the TAPs2 system does indeed have an immediate and recognizable affect.

Our test model was equipped with a PCM 5.0L Pro Sport 275-hp engine with ZF transmission and 13 ½ x 16 bronze propeller. At 3000 rpm, the Z1 cruised along at 24.5 mph for a full tank range of 120 miles. Top speed reached 45 mph at 5000 rpm. She reached plane in about 4.2 seconds and was passing 30 mph in 7.7 seconds. Keep in mind, this was more of a practical test as well. We had three adults on board, much like you will when you use the Z1.

I’ve tested the Z1 in even rougher conditions than the moderate chop we had. From much experience testing boats in sloppy conditions, I was impressed with her ride. Nothing broke loose and my back didn’t ache all the way home. In fact, it didn’t bother me at all. That is very indicative of the design being solid as well as built for the comfort of the crew.

Conclusion

What is really comforting, other than the fact that you have a budget friendly boat to get you into the sport, you have the only company that I am aware of with a Lifetime Plus hull replacement warranty. You can forget about worrying about any problems with the hull, they will replace it, and they back almost everything else onboard with a 3 year warranty. You just need to pick out your options and pick out your color scheme.

Speeds measured with Stalker ProSports radar gun. Fuel consumption (gallons per hour) measured with Floscan digital fuel-flow meter on gas inboards, sterndrives, and outboards, TechMate electronic scan tool on gas EFI inboards, Caterpillar digital fuel-flow meter on diesel engines, or permanently installed fuel-monitoring equipment. Range is based on 90% of published fuel capacity. Sound levels determined using Radio Shack digital decibel meter on A scale. 68 dBA is the level of normal conversation.

Performance Chart

Test Conditions