ZO settings for 15-22 off at 34 mph

Dacon62

All this letter/number stuff makes sense just not sure where to start.
Running 34 mph at 15-22 off and wondering what a good starting point is...B2?
Going to hit the water March 1st. Water will likely be 35-45 and air 50 if we get lucky. That's a baller index of approx. -17.
Gotta love/hate southwest BC Canada.

ozski

Pick one and stick with it. B2 works.

Dusty

Like @ozski says- B2 will usually work. If you are lighter than average, try the A settings too. If you ski mean and love punishment, then C3+ is for you!!! Post video!

Murrski

@Dacon62 - My opinion is to try a couple different settings if you can. Before I had PP/SG w/Zbox I would opt for the "general" setting of B2 in tournaments because that's what drivers recommended. With my skiing style - I don't have a nice rounded turn on my offside. I tend to pivot tightly and I would often get slack at the finish of the turn. Now that I have the zbox - I played with some settings and prefer C2. It picks me up earlier than B2 at the finish of the turn and helps keep a tight line. B2 is a good place to start but once water temps warm up for you and have more patience to trial and error - give a few other settings a shot.

ral

B2 would be a good point to start. In general, if you tend to be breaking at the waist or in a bad position at the buoy, try to avoid C. If you tend to have a rather decent position at the buoy but get deep sometimes, try to avoid A.

John Brooks

I agree with these guys, start at B2, read the ZO manual so you understand how the settings work and then practice at several settings until you find one that gives you the most benefit.

disland

Take a few passes have the driver change the settings around without you knowing. It wont take many passes for you to find what you like. I believe too many people pick something for the wrong reasons like, that what so and so uses or I think I ski such a way so this should be what I use and so forth. Blind testing is the best way to do it.

Chef23

At 15-22 off I am not sure the setting is as crucial as for skiers that ski deep shortline. I would recommend skiing B2 for a while then potentially try some different settings.

I don't have a ZO boat to train behind and I use the setting recommended to me by April Coble after she watched me ski and changed the settings a few times during my set. I haven't messed around with any changes.

@Dusty it is interesting that you say if you are lighter than average try the A settings. I am far from lighter than average and I have skied A2 at weights ranging from 215-240 running mid to deep 35 off.

ozski

@scotchipman Nate skis on A2, at least he was when he was here and ran a couple of -41's so I'm guessing thats his letter.

The_MS

Put it on B1 and ski. Do not test settings until your body is strong and you are skiing well.

Marco

I agree with @MS to keep it on B until you are skiing well, but once you are back in form, don't be afraid to play around with it in practice. Unless you are a shortline skier, the differences feel pretty subtle (unless you are 200+ and get on it it hard off the buoy, then be ready for a hit on C). Experiment until you find something that works with your style.

ToddL

I'll just add that with ZO, the more you pull the boat down, the more it will respond to get that back before the next buoy. Thus, the sweet spot is to find a setting that picks you at the same time you load the boat, and one that ramps in the same way you load so as to minimize the amount of variation in boat speed. An awesome hand throttle driver will work with you in balance and harmony with your pull. Selecting your ZO setting, is like auditioning different drivers looking for that balance.

ozski

Does anyone think it should be one setting and one setting only for all skiers?

Wish

@ozski Your discribing PP Classic....We are waaaaaay past that unfortunately. So... yes.

ToddL

@ozski that is exactly what my old school ski buddy thinks. My response? See above.

ozski

If all tournament boats were fitted with both PP and ZO I wonder what the majority of skiers would opt for? Or a PP emulator on ZO? Hmmmm

volsandskis

@Dacon62 I typically ski at the same level you do and changed my setting from B2 to A2 and really like it much better. I am 175 and 6 feet tall if that helps. Good luck with the cold water!

Dusty

@Chef23- I suspect you are a much smoother skier than I, and for sure you ski far better. I have seen some of the heavy , deep shortline skiers use just about every setting, but they seem less prone to 'emergency measures' when using B or C- A big guy deep at the buoy seems to require throttle a bit sooner?... I weigh 195-200 and have come to prefer A3. A1 worked but the throttle stayed on too long for me, and punished (several of) my bad habits...