Mastercraft and Tige are two household brands and industry leaders in the world of powerboats for towed watersports. When trying to choose between the two, the main criteria are generally:
- Wake/wave – for skiing/wakeboarding/surfing, for family or competition
- Budget – boat size, fit and finish, features (surf system, storage, screen, etc)
- Driving preferences – bow rise, power, rough water handling
- Ergonomics – seats, helm, sound system, tower, racks…
Nowadays, most wake boats on the market are capable of creating a decent wave if set up correctly. The key difference between different brands and models is how much effort it takes to achieve a good wave/wake, and how close to your preferences you can get in terms of size, shape, transition, etc.
Tige is a pioneer of surfing, offering some of the best surf waves for the budget. The company’s 3 boat lines are the ZX, the RZX, and the Z:
- ZX class: Tige’s elite line with high-end interior features and a focus on shaping the best wave
- RZX class: high levels of options in terms of features. This middle-range line also focuses on a solid surf wave.
- Z class: versatile capabilities and performance for skiing, wakeboarding, and skiing
MasterCraft boats are often praised for their high-end build quality, performance, and attention to detail. They are favored by both professional athletes and recreational riders due to their superior wake and surf capabilities, user-friendly features, and reliability. Their Product lines include:
- X line: Mastercraft’s prestige line – pickle fork bow boats between 22′ and 26′. Focus on exceptional wave performance
- XT line: six mid-range models from 20’ to 25’ with a focus on both wake and wave performance, and lots of customization options. Pickle fork or traditional bow styling.
- NXT line: 5 affordable models ranging from 20’ to 24’, with essential features and a focus on all-around wake and wave performance.
- The XSTAR S is MC’s top-of-the-line model, and the PROSTAR is their dedicated waterski boat.
Let’s look at three common Mastercraft vs Nautique model comparisons.
See also: Mastercraft vs Nautique – which to choose?
Tige R23 vs Mastercraft XT23
Boat owners often consider the R23 to offer a firmer and better-shaped wave when set up the right way. The waves generated by Mastercraft’s Gen2 surf system look attractive but tend to be mushier.
The Tige R23 will surf decently (albeit not fantastically) with default ballast, provided there’s no weight in the bow. For a really beefy and long wave, though, you need to add extra lead, e.g. 300-450 lbs on each side, under the rear plug-and-play ballast.
Alternatively, listing the R23 will make the wave a lot better, even with a single bag and without lead. This means filling up the rear bags all the way up on the surf side only and putting all crew on that side.
Another combination that works well for the R23 is filling to 20% bow on the surf side. Set the SURF setting to 4 and TAPS setting to 4 – the higher the latter, the steeper the wave gets. You can start with a speed of 10.8 mph, as you drive faster, the wave gets longer but also mellower.
Remember that the XT series is Mastercraft’s middle line (NXT being the lower end), so it doesn’t have all the high-end features you might expect from a Mastercraft boat, despite the $130 price tag for a fully optioned version.
X23 vs RZX3
The Mastercraft X23 has one of the best surf waves out there, a thick, waist-high wall, assuming a proper setup. It’s a great, highly adjustable surf wave.
The X23 wakeboard wake is also quite good, very firm and steep for a Mastercraft, with a nice poppy lip. It’s a lot of fun and allows you to throw all kinds of spins and inverts.
The wake is not as clean at lower speeds as other Mastercraft boats. The X23 is also a little sensitive to weight shift – although that’s common to most deeper V surf boats. You quickly get used to balancing the boat if you wakeboard often.
Weight placement is also important on the X23 to achieve the best surf wave. In general, the weight should be placed in the back on the surf side. Once that’s done, the wave is very consistent and one of the best out there.
Many boat owners prefer the X23’s wave over the Tige RZX3’s, as the latter is considered very steep and not as configurable. However, the RZX’s wake and wave are also quite a good package for the money.
Most people would choose the X23 over the RZX hands down if priced similarly, due to quality and resale value. Boat owners would generally agree to pay an extra $10k for a one-year-old Mastercraft X23 vs a new Tige RZX.
The fit and finish on the Mastercraft is superior to the Tige. In the RZX, this quickly becomes obvious by shaking the surf tabs and the flipped-up seats. Bouncing on the floor a bit also makes everything flex. The X23 clearly has much better build quality.
The RZX’s interior looks quite nice and is very functional for the money you pay. However, most people feel it doesn’t measure up to the Mastercraft. The driver’s seat and ergonomics are an example of the things that make buyers choose the X23.
The X23 beats the Tige for rough water riding. However, the bow rides quite high when surfing. The RPMs also run quite high when riding – then again, this is common among boats with 2:1 transmissions.
The X23 also wins over the RZX when it comes to resale value due to Mastercraft’s brand recognition. However, if you buy a used Mastercraft, the warranty only transfers once so you may end up reselling a $100k boat after 2 years without warranty. As a result, a Tige may resell better.
MC X30 vs Tige Z3
Given a similar price, most people would choose the Mastercraft X30 over the Tige Z3. Most will only consider a Z3 if its price is $20-25K lower than the X30. In actuality though, it’s common to see Z3s go for around $15K less vs the X30.
If surfing is your main focus, the Tige Z3 has a nice shape wave with a clean face. Typical of the Tige wave, it’s very steep, which works well for some riding styles. The wave can be tamed a bit with the plate – albeit at the expense of push.
Many riders find the Z3 wave much better than the X30. The Z3’s surf wave and wakeboard wake are also highly adjustable, and can easily be toned down or pumped out based on the rider’s level.
X30 owners, on the other hand, contend that it surfs just as good as the Z3, and that all the tricks that are possible on the Z3 can be done just as well on the X30.
Also, the Mastercraft GEN2 surf system makes the wave really good with lots of push, and very simple to customize or switch without any listing needed.
Some Z3 boats require listing to tune the wave, which takes a bit of time to set up. For this reason, some prefer the X30 because of the surf system. However, it’s often argued that listed boats tend to make a better surf wave. Note that the Tige has a lot more room for weight sacks than the X30.
The X30’s wakeboard wake is considered better and much less touchy side to side than the Z3. The X30 also has one of the best slalom wakes of the bigger wake boats, quite good for a 23′ wake boat (albeit not at the level of a ski boat).
When it comes to fit, finish, and construction, most boaters find the Z3 doesn’t come close to the X30. Some feel the Z3 has a somewhat cheap feel for the money you pay due to hard and plain-looking interiors.
You may also find the Tige a bit too flashy in colors, with an overly busy interior. The large amount of stitching often mean ripped seams in the future.
Most boat owners agree the X30’s interior finish is great. The touch screen on the Mastercraft is nice and very easy to use. Some people, though, report they don’t feel much difference with the Z3’s touch screen.
The captain’s chair on the Z3 is appreciated, and sending the kids up front in the playpen is a nice option. Boaters like the rear-facing seat behind the driver. Similarly, the reversible seat on the X30 is a big plus.
Many people find the Z3 has nice lines and an attractive look on the water. Another pro of the Tige is that it has very easy access to the engine and transom for maintenance.
On other other hand, Tige owners often report minor quality issues early in their life, such as gel flaws and stitching pulling apart.
As mentioned earlier, the X30 will generally hold its value better than the Tige, Mastercraft having stronger brand recognition.
Final thoughts
Obviously, whether you opt for a Tige or Mastercraft depends on a lot of factors including the opportunities you find, your preferences in terms of space/design/wave/wake/tech, your resale outlook, and your perception of the brand.
While few boaters disagree that Mastercraft boats have better quality build than the Tige, many feel the Tige surf wave is at least as good as the MC wave given the right setup.
The amount and ease of wake/wave adjustability on a given Tige or Mastercraft depends on the model and the surf features it comes with.