Despite some trailer carnage friday night we finally made it to the water for Sunday and got to put the Matrix thru it's paces. I let everybody have a turn on it throughout the day so I could get different opinions on it and everyone was very impressed with it. The ski handles incredibly well and the SS846 engine is just icing on the cake. I'm actually at a loss of words to describe how it rides. Hopefully some of the guys who rode it will chime in with their impressions. My first reaction is that the ski is absolutely perfect and I'm sure as I get more used to the way it handles, my opinion will only increase from there.
First off lets talk about the engine; The SS865 fires to life the second you touch the button and while it actually runs quieter than my 760, it thumps out a big block bass that resonates in your chest and gets your heart rate going in anticipation. Other than bumping the idle up a touch, the ski ran flawlessly all day without a single adjustment. The power of these engines is so linear and perfect and so controllable. Everytime pull of the throttle nets you the perfect amount of power with zero lags or dead spots. Hugo has a fairly long no wake zone out to the surf and the ski showed zero signs of loading up and responds instantly every time. X-Scream has these engines dialed in to a science and I couldn't be more pleased with my choice in engines.
Next let's cover the mag pump, I'll have to get more seat time in to be sure but it felt perfect with the 14/19 impeller. I never felt the pump slip once the entire day and am thanking everyone who said to skip the TBM setup and make the move directly to the Magnum pump. Me and ScottS were swapping skis all day and it was night and day between his TBM cone and 14/19. I always thought his pump with the Jet dynamics grate, 14/19 impeller and TBM cone hooked up better than anything I'd ever ridden but the mag was just that little bit better and sets the bar that much higher.
Finally I get to the hull.
The first thing you notice is how as soon as you get on the throttle the nose drops and gets you on plane. Even on the backside of waves the recovery from a tailstand to flat transition is merely a touch of the throttle, even with both feet locked in the footholds.
The next thing you notice is the extended bond flange. The lower hull is narrow like a superjet so the hull is still very flickable but as you lean and the rail contacts the water, it holds the ski from going any deeper and keeps the ski upright and stable. This is very nice as you come off a wave as it helps keep you on balance and I found myself riding out of many more landings than I would normally pull off. At the same time, when you really wanted to carve, the rail acts like a sponson and grabs the water making the ski come around in a much tighter radius while still keeping riding stance centered. You can still throw your body weight around if you want to but it just doesn't require it to get the ski to react as desired. The only downside to the extended rail is that it makes flat landings smack that much harder and one has to pay more attention to landing tail or nose
One of the crowning features that makes this ski stand out is the rocker. With the high nose and angled rocker the ski pops so easily it feels like it's 30lbs lighter than it really is and even hitting smaller waves causes the ski to launch high into the air. Coming down the face of the wave I found myself cringing as I was about to bite the nose in and ditch but it never happened, the nose stays up thru everything and even if it does dig in a bit, it slices thru the water cleanly. . I'm still new to surf and unfortunately don't ride near enough to get better at any pace but this ski is so easy to handle that it will definately help. I was told that it would be hard to impossible sub the front of the ski but I had no problems burying the nose and doing some nice turn subs.
Since this entire ski is new to me it's hard to pinpoint which components I can attribute to which reaction but I can say that the overall package deal is a solid 10/10 compared to anything I have ever ridden. The engine is a beast but the hull/pump do an incredible job of keeping it all under control. I have yet to play with my trim angle and I am told that it will loosen up the hull and make it more flickable and less aggressive so I'm looking forward to experimenting during the next ride, the ski is so responsive I found myself worn out very quickly trying to keep up to it and have been told that increasing the trim neutral angle is the magic ticket and the ski will only get better. I can't wait to get out on it again and run some more fuel thru it. It's been 6 months in the works and worth every second.
I would like to take a moment and thank the people who contributed to my build. I couldn't have done it without them and they each played an important role to help me build one hell of a ski at a reasonable price.
First off Bobby Howering of Trinity Composites for inspiring me. I wasn't even looking for a hull or even considering one but saw what he was doing and after speaking to him, decided that this was something I had to be a part of at any cost. The man has vision, talent and an infectious energy that will take him to staggering heights. I am honored just to know him much less own one of his hulls and can't wait to see what he will do in the future.
X-Scream, not much to say here but thanks and keep up the great work. Their engines literally speak for themselves and I can't believe I didn't make the jump earlier. If you haven't ridden one yet, I stongly suggest you don't until you have the $$$ to spare cause getting one will be all you will think of until you do. From the arm wrenching linear power right from the bottom to the top, to the unrelenting reliability and rock solid performance, you just can't beat these engines. I purchased the assembled engine complete with carbs and intake and simply dropped it in, added fuel and it rips! Thanks Pat, Chuckie, Chad, Mike and Radney.
Impros, Time and time again Dave Stewart has bent over backwards and gone far beyond incredible customer support to make me happy. He helped me get a fantastic price on a brand new Skat-Trak Mag setback pump and get it to me weeks ahead of schedule, then, when I had issues with it, he got it all resolved and back to me once again in under 2 weeks at no cost to me. I've said it before and I will continue to praise Dave, there is no other name in the business when it comes to pumps and impellors.
Jetski Solutions, John has been doing my carbs and electrical components for the last couple years now and I wouldn't even consider building a ski without his components. Between his superior products and stunning customer support he has moved his name to the top of my list for life.
Thrust Innovations, Brian has quickly become the man to go to for all things RRP or just new in general. His pricing can't be beat but his customer service , availability and personality are what set him above the rest. If you need it, save yourself calling around, Brian will have it or get it to you at a price that can't be beat. He grills up a pretty good cheese burger too, lol.
Jetmaniac, Chris Williams is the man for all things Superjet. Not just a good friend and riding partner, Chris seems to have a perfect spare of just about anything you could ever need at a price that can't be beat. We don't realize how many little parts and pieces we need to complete these builds are simply keep our skis running but I do know that Chris is the man to call when you are in need.
Lastly, I need to thank fellow members, not only for encouragement but also for the many ideas and parts you guys contibuted.
Thanks Guys! I couldn't have done it without you...
P.S. I guess I better thank Tanner too, he was the first to roll the Matrix and pulled off 3 nice plate to plate rolls with less than a minute of ride time on the ski and showed me up as the mediocre rider that i am.
I guess I should post some pics from the weekend...
I also packed my scale and got a chance to weigh it finally. Fully dressed RTR came in at 319lbs with about 1/2 gallon of fuel in the tank, fire extinguisher and wet turf.
