Steering assist?

[maboat]

I am old school and still like to slalom ski. I can pull the back of the boat around with the original cobra fins. Wondering if the bigger fins would help. ?

I'm an EX old school slalom skier, but completely gave it up after getting my Yamaha. I was the tail waggin' the dog when I tried to slalom behind my Yamaha. The largest Cobras (Ultimate or Magnum?) may help but I suspect you will still pull the boat around without keel fins and a substantial rudder.

I never competed in slalom, but I sometimes wondered if this could be a roundabout way to still clear the buoys with another 5-0ff on the rope. Bottom line is I really didn't like to slalom behind a jetboat. I liked so many other things about the Yamaha and Dr. said I had to give my knees a rest so no more skiing and I still have the Yamaha jetboat.

 

[farrelltravis]

@maboat glad you didn't witness my attempts at skiing at Broken Bow then!

 

[maboat]

@maboat glad you didn't witness my attempts at skiing at Broken Bow then!

What type of skiing? Don't feel bad. I could slalom and parallel ski all day, but I was not able to get the hang of a wakeboarding before I gave it up altogether

 

[farrelltravis]

My "skiing" was several attempts to get up. Once finally up, thanks to some wider skis @jawsf16 let me borrow, I got up and skied for about 10-15 seconds or so.

Wakeboarding was a lot easier for me. I got up on the 3rd try.

 

[latitudeadjuster]

My "skiing" was several attempts to get up. Once finally up, thanks to some wider skis @jawsf16 let me borrow, I got up and skied for about 10-15 seconds or so.

Wakeboarding was a lot easier for me. I got up on the 3rd try.

re: I got up on the 3rd try.

Girl at a sand bar told me that once......

 

[farrelltravis]

 

[maboat]

@maboat glad you didn't witness my attempts at skiing at Broken Bow then!

I did get to see you doing multiple sub-moves at the end of the day

 

[farrelltravis]

I wouldn't do that.....

 

[davel501]

I'm an EX old school slalom skier, but completely gave it up after getting my Yamaha. I was the tail waggin' the dog when I tried to slalom behind my Yamaha. The largest Cobras (Ultimate or Magnum?) may help but I suspect you will still pull the boat around without keel fins and a substantial rudder.

I never competed in slalom, but I sometimes wondered if this could be a roundabout way to still clear the buoys with another 5-0ff on the rope. Bottom line is I really didn't like to slalom behind a jetboat. I liked so many other things about the Yamaha and Dr. said I had to give my knees a rest so no more skiing and I still have the Yamaha jetboat.

Agreed. Forward swept tower is meant to move the tow point toward the pivot point of the boat. It fixes the stern walk but that sets the rope pretty high for skiing. Not sure that is a good thing or bad thing.

 

[jdonalds]

After 4 years with the original Cobra fins we went finless this year. The boat handles differently. We had to "un-learn" habits. Now we use the short burst of power method to coax the boat in the direction desired. I've found that there's nothing I can't do finless. Doing 180 turns at 35 mph is now wicked fast.

I think the benefit of fins depends a lot on your boating situation. Only two people drive our boat, my 20 year old son or myself. I'm pretty good at docking and putting the boat back on the trailer but my son is even better. So we're not concerned about someone inexperienced having to deal with a new steering issue. It simply doesn't happen after 5 years of ownership. Your situation may be different and adding fins may be a help for your inexperienced guest drivers, or perhaps a family member who just doesn't sit at the wheel often.

If you have long no-wake zones I think this is the best overall application for fins. Jet boats, including jet skis, tend to wander quite a bit at 5mph. As an experienced driver I find that I can keep the boat on course in no-wake modes with small steering corrections. But someone who doesn't have a good feel for the boat behavior might over-steer and find themselves going from lock to lock with the steering wheel. Fins will be a great help here.

I do feel that docking is often touted as a place where fins will be helpful. My docking procedure is always done at very low speeds. I'm talking about 1/4 foot per second or less. Fins will be effective when water is passing by them. At very low speeds there just isn't enough water passing for the fins to have much of an effect. Using the pumps and very small bursts of power for short times is much more effective than the fins at those very low speeds. Again your situation may vary and you may dock at higher speeds than I do.

At high speeds the newer larger fins are designed to move up out of the way so they aren't effective.

So the only place I think fins are really useful are in no-wake zones. If your boating situation includes long stretches of no-wake zones then by all means you will benefit by installing fins. Our situation does not include long no-wake zones.

It's a good poll though and I see about 2/3 of the respondents have fins installed.

After many thousands of boat sales and more than a decade Yamaha and other boat manufacturers have chosen not to include fins, even as an option. That makes me wonder...

 

[BravoMike]

What type of skiing? Don't feel bad. I could slalom and parallel ski all day, but I was not able to get the hang of a wakeboarding before I gave it up altogether

Age and knees don't allow me to ski like I used to either, but I still like to pull out the slalom ski a few times a year. My competition ski is collecting dust since I got my "fat boy" ski...my name for it. Allows me to get up easier, but can still cut it up a little. Like you, never got the hang of wake boarding, so gave it up as well. I do miss my Malibu for the skiing, but love my Yamaha for everything else we do.

@davel501 having the tow point actually helps with slalom skiing in my opinion. Easier to deep water start and cut back and forth since boat is pulling the rope at an up angle.

@farrelltravis if you ever want to try slalom skiing, you can use my ski and I bet you a six pack I can get you up and skiing

 

[farrelltravis]

@BravoMike you are on buddy!

 

[Sheboat]

No fins here!

 

[cwoav8r]

I have the original Cobra Jets on my boat, and my wife can feel the ass end of the boat move a little when I cut... of course I can't feel it, but it is a little more difficult for me to slalom vs. when I skied behind an inboard boat... either because the boat is giving a little bit, or I'm just gettin' old (more likely the latter). I am sure a Perfect Pass, which I have put of for far to long, would help a ton dialing in the ideal speed so the boss doesn't have to concentrate on that aspect of pulling me.

So based on reading this thread I have a few questions.

Is there a chance that the Cobra Ultimates will do a much better job of keeping the stern planted if I use them in the full time mode over my originals? The adjust-ability makes them very attractive. I also am plagued with a lot of no wake zones here, just ask @Murf'n'surf ... so the prospect of no hands (minimal input) idle speed operation is important.

@Cobra Jet Steering LLC , you are going to give a "special" upgrade / trade in price to those dedicated customers that have used and LOVED your original fins? That stainless has to be worth something...

Just kidding Jeff, you did me right when I first got my fins, and I have enjoyed them ever since... worth every penny. And just to settle the Ford vs. Chevy debate, if I do buy another "fin" product it will be from Jeff, it's a loyalty thing for me... Thank you Jeff! That being said I think I just shot myself in the foot for any discount...

Anybody interested in a gently used set of original stainless Cobra Jet fins?

Lastly, @BravoMike , what did you pick for a fat boy ski? I have always skied on HO and recently found one that interested me, but I can't remember at the moment what it was... I go about 190lbs. Interested to know what you are using and your thoughts... my 28 year old HO Extreme just ain't working for me anymore... wait for it:

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

I have the original Cobra Jets on my boat, and my wife can feel the ass end of the boat move a little when I cut... of course I can't feel it, but it is a little more difficult for me to slalom vs. when I skied behind an inboard boat... either because the boat is giving a little bit, or I'm just gettin' old (more likely the latter). I am sure a Perfect Pass, which I have put of for far to long, would help a ton dialing in the ideal speed so the boss doesn't have to concentrate on that aspect of pulling me.

So based on reading this thread I have a few questions.

Is there a chance that the Cobra Ultimates will do a much better job of keeping the stern planted if I use them in the full time mode over my originals? The adjust-ability makes them very attractive. I also am plagued with a lot of no wake zones here, just ask @Murf'n'surf ... so the prospect of no hands (minimal input) idle speed operation is important.

@Cobra Jet Steering LLC , you are going to give a "special" upgrade / trade in price to those dedicated customers that have used and LOVED your original fins? That stainless has to be worth something...

Just kidding Jeff, you did me right when I first got my fins, and I have enjoyed them ever since... worth every penny. And just to settle the Ford vs. Chevy debate, if I do buy another "fin" product it will be from Jeff, it's a loyalty thing for me... Thank you Jeff! That being said I think I just shot myself in the foot for any discount...

Anybody interested in a gently used set of original stainless Cobra Jet fins?

Lastly, @BravoMike , what did you pick for a fat boy ski? I have always skied on HO and recently found one that interested me, but I can't remember at the moment what it was... I go about 190lbs. Interested to know what you are using and your thoughts... my 28 year old HO Extreme just ain't working for me anymore... wait for it:

Thanks, I appreciate that loyalty.
I have been in it for about 12 years now, haaa I just turned 62 a month ago, still kicking ass out on the water though .
As for the newest steering you mentioned it's so different than the older units like you have.
Water sports or in big surf even in heavy traffic, boat tracks nicely even in deceleration or in wakes.
It does what you want no question.
I actually did a recent post to show how it even controls the boat while cutting the power in a turn, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cobra-jet-steering/257584527645178?ref=hl I believe people will be wanting this even more now that Yamaha is making boats with enhanced steering at all speeds.
As for trade on the old ones just send me an email I do trades for the old, small, obsolete, non adjustable steering that you used forever. "that's called get their thinking down " . I can deal with those .

 

[Wayloncle]

I have the original Cobra Jets on my boat, and my wife can feel the ass end of the boat move a little when I cut... of course I can't feel it, but it is a little more difficult for me to slalom vs. when I skied behind an inboard boat... either because the boat is giving a little bit, or I'm just gettin' old (more likely the latter). I am sure a Perfect Pass, which I have put of for far to long, would help a ton dialing in the ideal speed so the boss doesn't have to concentrate on that aspect of pulling me.

So based on reading this thread I have a few questions.

Is there a chance that the Cobra Ultimates will do a much better job of keeping the stern planted if I use them in the full time mode over my originals? The adjust-ability makes them very attractive. I also am plagued with a lot of no wake zones here, just ask @Murf'n'surf ... so the prospect of no hands (minimal input) idle speed operation is important.

@Cobra Jet Steering LLC , you are going to give a "special" upgrade / trade in price to those dedicated customers that have used and LOVED your original fins? That stainless has to be worth something...

Just kidding Jeff, you did me right when I first got my fins, and I have enjoyed them ever since... worth every penny. And just to settle the Ford vs. Chevy debate, if I do buy another "fin" product it will be from Jeff, it's a loyalty thing for me... Thank you Jeff! That being said I think I just shot myself in the foot for any discount...

Anybody interested in a gently used set of original stainless Cobra Jet fins?

Lastly, @BravoMike , what did you pick for a fat boy ski? I have always skied on HO and recently found one that interested me, but I can't remember at the moment what it was... I go about 190lbs. Interested to know what you are using and your thoughts... my 28 year old HO Extreme just ain't working for me anymore... wait for it:

At first I was all "JETSKI!" Then "OLD DOCK!" Looked like they were close anyway.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

That hands free thing has bothered me since day one and is the reason I am thinking of trading into a 2015 or 2016.
@cwoav8r If you get the updated fins please let us know how well it corrects this hands free issue.... A couple hundred bucks is much better than $60k!!

 

[ScarabMike]

I want to try these out on the Scarab. On windy days, the tower and bimini act like a sail, and the boat drifts some when going over 25mph. These might be the fix.

 

[Gym]

I went from the original Cobra's to the Ultimates. When I first opened the package and held the New Ultimates up to the originals I was disappointed that the new fins didn't appear much larger than the old. After installing the Ultimates I was blown away by the difference in handling. It's virtually hands free. No more S turning in "no wake" zones. My wife was more pleased than me. I can't speak to the TV XL's but, like @cwoav8r I had the originals when they were the only game in town and I like the strength and durability of the metal fins.

 

[cwoav8r]

One other thing that is kinda related after watching Jeff's video... is there any advantage at all to the plastic gates over the aluminum?