WaterSki Magazine

Kristin
2009-10-08 10:24:20 | 660 views | 3 Comments

BOAT REVIEW
With a super-sleek design, the Tige RZ2 burst onto the scene last year with lines that immediately made us take notice of the wakeboard boat’s flare. So with Tigé encouraging us to use the optional ballast for our ’08 tests, we were particularly interested to see how it would affect this wakeboard boat’s ride. What struck us most about the Tige RZ2 is that we couldn’t pin a rider type to it. With the ballast weighing the boat down, the TAPS2 wake shaper really made a big difference in how steep or mellow the wake was. We liked riding at 23 mph with 70’ of rope. Level 5 gave us a nice steep lip while setting it to 3 mellowed the wake out quite a bit for beginning or intermediate riders.

BEST FEATURES
Wide bow
Due largely to the pickle-fork bow design, the bow is really roomy and open, especially for a 22-footer, and can seat up to six.

Edgy transom
It’s not just the front of the boat that has angled styling lines. The back also features unique cutouts and an aggressive vibe.

SPECS
Dry weight: 4,150 lb.
Draft: 24 in.
Storage: 60.2 cu. ft.
Passengers: 14
Load cap.: 2,445 lb.
Fuel cap.: 48 gal.
Length: 22’
Width: 8’6”

TEST ANALYSIS
Measurements
Bow: 18.83 sq. ft.
Floor to tower: 7 ft. 2 in.
Gunwale height: 2 ft. 9 in.
Main lounge: 61 sq. ft.
Sun pad: 19 sq. ft.
Platform: 13.33 sq. ft.

Wakes
We were really impressed with the versatility of the Tige RZ2. We noticed the RZ2’s wakes tended to be a little steeper with more lip than the company’s Vé series. It felt like we generally got a bit more vert at the top of the wake than in similar boats, but the TAPS2 let us make the wake mellow or steep.
Overall: The RZ2 can produce a wide range of wake shapes.

Acceleration
With 340 hp upgraded engine (315 standard) and Acme 13.5×16.5 blade prop
To 30 mph: 6.9 sec., 169.4 ft.
To 36 mph: 9.1 sec., 280.6 ft.
Top speed: 42.5 mph, 4,900 rpm

Handling
Bow rise: 19.4 degrees during typical acceleration. The dash height and windshield height were about average, relating to driver visibility. Tracking: Tracking was a little loose, mainly due to the boat’s size. The driver had to concentrate a bit to keep a steady path. Turns: Good performance as we turned to pick up fallen riders and to dock after our sessions.

Vibration: Gs crossing wake at 22 mph: 1.97
Our boards shook in the racks at higher speeds.