Re: Perfect Pass Cruise control
I know this post is getting a little old, but I'm sure "perfectpass" is searched on a semi-regular basis, and there seems to be little info on it in these forums.
To go back to the original poster's question, YES, it can be installed on essentially any carb'd boat, 4.3L or larger, according to PerfectPass. It seems they do not have a setup for 3.0's, but I guess I don't understand why...it's a pretty generic setup with the way it hooks up to the carb.
Anywho....
I will be installing their Stargazer GPS-based system on my 1999 Stingray with 5.0L carb'd Volvo in the next month or so, and I was wondering what I will be getting into. I found the link below with some basic info and a few nice pics of what to expect. I found it informative. It's missing a pic of the GPS antenna install itself, but otherwise it gives a pretty good snapshot of what the system is, how it will need to be installed, and how it will look after installation. These pics show a true inboard ski boat (Tige) with a center mount motor...but a Chevy V8 is a Chevy V8 no matter how you slice it...so it shouldn't be much different putting the same system on most any I/O...Mercruiser or Volvo. PerfectPass specifically markets this product to I/O owners just as much as it does inboard owners.
I had no idea the servo motor in the engine compartment was so....large....for lack of a better word. And the fact that it clamps to the coolant hoses seems odd, but I guess it works. And I also didn't make the connection in my brain that this unit simply replaces the speedo in the dash, which is nice since my dash has absolutely ZERO space to add another gauge anywhere and I was struggling with where the PP control gauge/buttons might be mounted. I guess you can't beat the stock speedo hole for that! Problem solved! I also didn't realize until recently that the gauge also provides a small digital tach readout...likely more accurate than most boat tachs, a nice bonus.
Just sharing, in case others might have a small eureka moment by looking at these pics:
http://legermn.com/Perfect_Pass_install.html
Here's PerfectPass's instructions for installing on any boat with a mechanical throttle linkage (EFI or Carb doesn't matter):
http://www.perfectpass.com/download/usersmanuals/StarGazer-WakeEdition-Mechanical.pdf
I'm choking a little bit on the $1,200-ish+ price tag, but anyone who has experienced pulling an aggressive wakeboarder behind an I/O while trying to hold a steady low speed and perfect wake (which is essentially an IMPOSSIBLE combination to achieve and maintain for longer than 5 seconds) knows how valuable a system like this would be in terms of preventing rider fatigue/driver frustration, and adding a TON of enjoyment to a sport. So I'm looking forward to buying and installing, and REALLY looking forward to using. Programming individual names of skiers and boarders with custom speeds to within 0.1 MPH will be stellar. Driver/rider won't even need to remember their favorite speed anymore...just select your name from the menu before jumping in the water! I will report back with my experiences after the fact, probably sometime this June after I get a chance to try it out a few times first.
