WaterSki Magazine

Kristin
2009-10-08 10:24:36 | 991 views | 5 Comments

BOAT REVIEW
All new this year, the Tige RZ4 is the big brother to last year’s Tigé breakout addition, the RZ2. At 24 feet long, this boat is marketed as a big, bad wakeboard boat, and once we took it out we had to agree. Tricked out with all the optional wake features such as tower, cruise and the factory ballast for our test session, the RZ4 made great wakes and distinguished itself as our editors’ favorite Tigé. Also, like the RZ2, it has very aggressive styling lines of any of the company’s boats. Tigé designer Danny Gutierrez happily showed us every Italian race car-style cutout and edge. And like every Tigé, it uses the patented ConvexV hull and TAPS² wake plate to increase the boat’s displacement for wakes that can change shape fast.

BEST FEATURES
Pronged bow
The pronged, pickle fork design tapers to a bow entry that slices through the water while enabling the bow to be much wider for extra room.

Transom bench
The cutting-edge styling continues here with angles that accentuate the aggressive vibe while creating a very usable bench for riders to get ready on.

SPECS
Dry weight: 4,485 lb.
Passengers: 17
Fuel cap.: 48 gal.
Length: 24’
Width: 8’6”

TEST ANALYSIS
Measurements
Bow: 24 sq. ft.
Floor to tower: 7 ft. 5 in.
Gunwale height: 2 ft. 9 in.
Main lounge: 71 sq. ft.
Sun pad: 20 sq. ft.
Platform: 14.5 sq. ft.

Wakes
Size: The RZ4 had the biggest, meatiest wake of the Tigé bunch. We were all impressed with the size we got from just the factory ballast.
Shape: When we set the shaper to 5, the wake was almost too peaky for our tastes. A 3 setting gave us a nice even ride.
Overall: The RZ4 was a favorite among testers, and it really added to the experience Tigé gave us last year with the RZ2. The wake was consistent, meaty and big enough even for advanced riders.

Acceleration
With a 400 hp upgraded engine and Acme 13.5 x 15.5 four-blade prop
To 30 mph: 7.37 sec., 169.3 ft.
To 36 mph: 9.63 sec., 279.6 ft.
Top speed: 44.2 mph, 5,490 rpm

Handling
Bow rise: 18 degrees during typical acceleration.
Our drivers were happy with the visibility, with the dash offering a low profile and the bolster being especially high.

Vibration:
Gs crossing wake at 22 mph: 1.5
The RZ4 seemed solid with no major rattling. The tower had some sway to it.