21i Owners with Perfect Pass installed

[Sanger]

Any 21i owners (non throttle by wire setups) have problems holding wakeboarding speeds with Perfect Pass in speed mode? Specifically the boat wanting to serge if the water is not smooth.

[dogbert]

It could be your throttle tensioner that's worn out and the jossling that you get in rough water is causing it to malfunction.

[Sanger]

Thanks Dogbert, I think the problem is the paddle wheel location. Sorry to have to give the long story but it might help to understand how the problem occurs. When we purchased the boat in 03 we mostly did water skiing over wakeboarding. Well now and can’t tell you the last time I had my waterski on! Wakeboarding has taken over which means using ballast and speeds around 22 mph. This is the set up that causes the problem. With a lot of trial and error I found that using about a 1,000 lbs of ballast (700 lbs back & 300 lbs front) 22 mph and the taps all the way up I get a really nice shaped wake with a lip on top to get that extra pop of the wake. Unless the water is very smooth the PP will start surging and get violent if you don’t back off the throttle. If you run the taps below 2 it usually won’t start surging unless the water conditions are getting rough. RPM mode is the easy fix for this but if the wind is blowing or you are on a river you won’t get a consistent speed. I think the problem is the location of the paddle wheel. It’s installed just in front of the engine and at wakeboarding speeds it may be very near the water break line. When I was installing my auto ballast system I tried moving the paddle back behind the transmission where I had drilled a hole for the ballast water inlet and I had big problems with speed swing. PP could not adjust quick enough to keep a consistent speed. Because of space the paddle was further back than installations on a V-drive. I’m hoping someone else has had this problem and found a better location for the paddle wheel. Naturally my wife says just run the taps down! No, no, no, I want my cake and eat it too.

[Domsz06]

have the same boat, and same problems. I believe you need to adjust your PP to read the speed more often so it keeps it steadier. I haven't messed with it yet, but just what I was told.

[Sanger]

Domsz06 sorry to hear you have the same problem. I've tried several different settings with the PP and it doesn't really help. I looked at a new 21i and the paddle wheel is located behind the motor but I'm not ready to drill anymore holes in the bottom unless someone with PP tries it first! Guess I'm chicken

[Domsz06]

i'll drill a hole in my boat. But I need to check all the optios out first before I drill. I have the plug for the other hole so it could be plugged up. but Not drilling till I get it all figured out.

[nickleuci]

PP has two different settings, one is there to adjust the way pp controls speed with weight in the boat, the KDW. According to PP if the boat is slow to react, you can increase the KDW and the system will react more aggressively to correct the speed.

With the control off press the up and down arrows together to access the KDW settings. PP says boats with large loads will need a setting higher than 80.

[zad0030]

PP has two different settings, one is there to adjust the way pp controls speed with weight in the boat, the KDW. According to PP if the boat is slow to react, you can increase the KDW and the system will react more aggressively to correct the speed.

With the control off press the up and down arrows together to access the KDW settings. PP says boats with large loads will need a setting higher than 80.

Theres also a setting that changes how many samples it takes from the Paddle Wheel. I think its the NN or something, the book says you should never need to change it.

[Domsz06]

i'm gonna look at mine tonight.

[zad0030]

Domsz06 sorry to hear you have the same problem. I've tried several different settings with the PP and it doesn't really help. I looked at a new 21i and the paddle wheel is located behind the motor but I'm not ready to drill anymore holes in the bottom unless someone with PP tries it first! Guess I'm chicken

Mine is right next to the transimission, ill get a pick if you would like.

[dogbert]

Ok, then I'd recommend calling the guys at PerfectPass. They have pretty good customer service and can probably help you.

[Sanger]

I’ve tried several different combinations of settings with regard to the pull and paddle sampling. Nothing made any improvements. When I called PP last year they suggested loading the boat differently or moving the paddle wheel but no definitive answer on where to move the paddle wheel.

[Sanger]

Zad I'd like to see some pics.

[zad0030]

Zad I'd like to see some pics.

Well Its too late now but I can take some tomorrow when I get off work(3:00PM central)

[zad0030]

Here you go...