The full spectrum...

First things first… how can Tigé make a boat that performs across the full spectrum, and just what is that spectrum anyway? If you take a slalom skier for a tow, he’s going to want to have a smooth, shallow wake so that he can be keeping up speed while going back and forth across the boats wake and wash without stumbling.



A wakeboarder, on the other hand, wants a fat wake to jump off of and get serious air as he flies across from side to side. To get a shallow wake on a typical boat, you go faster so that it planes better. But you can’t do that while towing a skier. They need a mid range speed to stay in control. To get a fat wake, you’d slow a typical boat so that the bow is up high and the stern is dragging. That means slowing down which does the wakeboarder no good for high jumps. So what to do?

Planing isn’t a problem as most boats will do it at a moderate speed. So the slalom guy’s happy. To get the wake up, you keep the speed and sink the boat lower. That means adding ballast by filling tanks or removable bags called “fat sacs”. Then you’ll have to drain them later to haul back to the dock without burning more fuel. If only we could have a boat that could do it all… (cue “Glenda the Good Witch” music here.)

Playing T.A.P.S...

T.A.P.S. stands for Tigé Adjustable Performance System, and it’s exactly as the name implies. Instead of the hull dropping down slightly in the stern, Tigé’s hull has a slight rise, which Tigé calls convex-V, and behind that, at the transom, is a plate that is adjustable at the helm that controls the characteristics of the hull, and therefore, the wake.

Presto, you have a planing boat with a light wake and at the touch of a switch to lower and raise the plate, you can squat the stern to increase the wake. It’s performance heaven for watersports enthusiasts and it’s on every Tigé hull.



The perks...

Not only do you get great performance, you get a very functional boat while you’re at it. The triple hull tracking fins will have you turning on a dime, and having the engine in the center of the boat keeps the hull on a relatively level plane throughout the performance envelope, save for manually adjusting it with T.A.P.S.

Tigé has kept the beam wide enough at 8’4’’ (2.4 m) so that you have full walk around capability, even with the center-mounted engine. The flip-up bolster seat is standard, as well as the ski tow mirror and removable teak swim platform, in case you want to leave that at home. For notable options, you have the much desired SpeedSet cruise control, and wakeboarders will need the collapsible tower and swivel board racks.

We didn’t care for the removable Lexan windscreen that goes in the walkthrough to the bow. Most often that feature is hinged leaving one less item for storage.



Specs...

Your Tigé Z1 has a LOA of 21’ (6.1 m) and a beam of 8’4’’ (2.4 m). She weighs in at 3,714 lbs (1,482 kg) and holds 38 gallons (113.6 L) of fuel. The Tigé Z1 is powered with a GM 5.7L engine with various upgrades available to increase horsepower as desired, from 315-hp to 360-hp.

For family watersports on a boat that keeps professionals happy at peak performance, you can’t beat a boat that gives you the full spectrum of characteristics. And the Tigé Z1 can do it all in a fun boat that’s easy to handle, whether on the water, or behind the vehicle on the way to the ramp. And that’s a combination worth looking into.

• Top speed for the Tigé Z1 (2010-) is 43.3 MPH (69.7 KPH), burning 21.9 gallons per hour (GPH) or 82.89 liters per hour (LPH).


• Best cruise for the Tigé Z1 (2010-) is 24.5 MPH (39.4 KPH), and the boat gets 3.74 miles per gallon (MPG) or 1.59 kilometers per liter (KPL), giving the boat a cruising range of 128 miles (206 kilometers).


• Tested power is 1 x 343-hp PCM EX343 5.7L.

Tigé Z1 (2010-) Standard and Optional Equipment

Systems
CD Stereo
Exterior Features
Outlet: 12-Volt Acc
Swim Platform
Tower: Watersports
Transom Shower
Canvas
Bimini Top

= Standard = Optional