New Boat!!

Dchance · January 20, 2010, 01:01:29 PM

Just ordered up my 2010 Z7 with a 200 Pro XS.......Cannot wait!!!

Jared LeBlue · January 20, 2010, 01:07:39 PM

Nice.

Dan929CDX · January 20, 2010, 01:53:18 PM

Nice that boat should fly down the lake with a 200 on it. When does it get delievered and we look forward to seeing the pics.

Dchance · January 20, 2010, 03:22:56 PM

should be about 8 of the longest weeks of my life.

nmanley · January 20, 2010, 03:32:05 PM

Congratulations!!!!

I bet they were ready to deal with the sorry economy huh.

wvbassangler · January 20, 2010, 05:43:28 PM

they changed a little this year I think there much faster

Dan929CDX · January 20, 2010, 06:34:26 PM

Atleast you will have new boat just in time for the spawn.

J.D. · February 09, 2010, 09:24:45 AM

I'm thinking about a new Z-7. Just wondering if anyone recommends a jack-plate and if so what size for which motor (150 opti, 175xs, 200xs)? My biggest concern is chine walking, don't really care to have a boat that is difficult to control at top end speed. I've got a friend that has a Nitro 591 with a 150 opti and it chine walks at WOT, and I've heard that the 591 and Z-7 are the same boat.

nmanley · February 09, 2010, 10:43:28 AM

Even back in the 90's I have not seen a High Performance bass boat with the max rated or slightly less rated HP and the correct jack-plate setting for performance that would NOT chine walk.
This is what separates the enthusiast and the casual runner. The enthusiast learns to drive it and relishes that he is at one with the boat.

To eliminate chine walking all you have to do is set the boat up to run slower and you can be safe from chine walk. Lower the jack plate setting and don't trim up too high for the speed.

BTW not knocking your desire, just offering the option on how to set up for no chine.

coldfront · February 09, 2010, 11:19:37 AM

Quote from: nmanley on February 09, 2010, 10:43:28 AM
Even back in the 90's I have not seen a High Performance bass boat with the max rated or slightly less rated HP and the correct jack-plate setting for performance that would NOT chine walk.
This is what separates the enthusiast and the casual runner. The enthusiast learns to drive it and relishes that he is at one with the boat.
To eliminate chine walking all you have to do is set the boat up to run slower and you can be safe from chine walk. Lower the jack plate setting and don't trim up too high for the speed.

BTW not knocking your desire, just offering the option on how to set up for no chine.

always thought the key is to run as fast as possible/as fast as you want to go...while still being safe.

safety first!

having said that...and as an owner of a high performance 40 hp (not!) I'd think it one of those situations where you can always drive the boat slower than WOT...but it's nice to have it (top end) IF you want it...

nmanley · February 09, 2010, 11:37:38 AM

True Dat!

My concern was with J.D.'s post where he states

QuoteMy biggest concern is chine walking, don't really care to have a boat that is difficult to control at top end speed.

Solution is to set it up so that he can hammer the throttle and have to worry about running into the pucker area of performance. Of course he still has to not over trim or it will still get the pucker factor up.

J.D. · February 09, 2010, 11:41:58 AM

Thank you for your thoughts. I'm just torn between a Z-7 and a Skeeter ZX-200. And I've driven my uncle's 2009 ZX-200 trimmed out WOT and it's very stable. And I'm capable of learning to drive through a chine walk, but I'd rather not. Another question, I'm assuming hydraulic steering is a must have to eliminate motor torque influence on the ride?

TakeSonFishing · February 09, 2010, 12:45:51 PM

This may help and is pretty relevant.

I had a Nitro NX882 with a 150 XR6, 6" (i think) jack plate, etc...

I did the break in thing as prescribed. Once i could finally open her up i left a brown stain on the driver seat. This was my first high performance bass boat. I had never even heard of this thing they call chine. All I knew was my front end wanted to trade places with my back end. It scared me so bad I thought something was wrong with the boat and took it back to bass pro.

One of the salesmen there (extremely nice and helpfull) said that he was a "professional boat driver" and that he was one of the drivers on many bass boat commercials. Yeah, well whatever, I didn't really believe him at that time. I figured why would he be a salesman at bass pro then? He offered to come with me right then and go down to the river and check my boat out. He said he wanted to take it for a spin first alone to test everything. So there I was standing on the boat dock as my boat drove away. He went up river a bit, turned around, then came screeming by. It was the prettiest thing I have ever seen. He eventually let me on board. He said he was going to show me what this boat was capable of so I wouldn't be scared of it when I drove it. This guy was very impressive. He made it turn on a dime without slipping, then he made it do a 360 then keep going without loosing plane (another brown spot on the seat now). He showed me how fast it could stop, start, etc... Then he showed me that he could drive the boat from dead stop, to full out with only a few fingers on the wheel. I am pretty sure I left some finger marks in the wheel from the last time I drove. So then it was my turn and this is how I learned. Start (obviously) with the trim all the way down and go full throttle. Now your on plane and going slow but still at full throttle. Then trim up some, keep trimming up until you just start to feel the slitest bit of chine walk. Stay there or even trim back down if you have to to keep the boat nice and smooth. Get comfortable with that speed/trim amount. Then trim up a little more, get comfortable with that. Trim more, etc... It wasn't long, maybe three or four outings, until I was fairly comfortable with the top speed only having to trim down if I hit a wave that made it start chin walking again. About a month later I was able to go full out, trimmed as high as it would go, right off the bat. From that point on I could drive that boat like a bat out of hell, with not even the slitest problem with chine walk. This boat was fast also. According to the bass pro guys faster than any 882/150 combo they had seen before. GPS with just me, no gear, was top of 72. God I miss that boat. I had to sell it due to financial troubles. Now I'm in the market for one again. I would love to own the same thing. Maybe with an Optimax though. (I have heard they are not as fast as the XR6 though).

Sorry for the length.

nmanley · February 10, 2010, 12:18:58 AM

Good read there TakeSonFishing.

canadian-basser · March 06, 2010, 02:07:35 PM

Congrats!
I was tossed up between the Z7 and Z8 and after thinkin it through the Z8 was the right choice for me. You will be very happy with the Z7 my dad owns one and he can't say enough good things about it!
i take delivery in a few weeks, whens yours coming in?