The Boat Show That Changed Everything: One Owner's Switch to Tigé

Kevin Rhodes didn't plan to switch boat brands. But sometimes the right boat - and the right company - changes everything.

The Beginning

Back in 2017, Kevin Rhodes and his wife were considering a big decision: should they dive into the boating lifestyle? To find out, they started renting boats on their local Dallas/Fort Worth area lakes - and the answer became clear almost immediately.

"We quickly realized that yes, we want to raise our young growing family around boating and water sports," Kevin recalls. That realization launched them into boat ownership - and over the next several years, they navigated the boating world with a previous brand. They'd learned valuable lessons about what matters most on the water with their growing crew. While they were committed to the boating lifestyle, they'd also learned that not all boats - or boat companies - are created equal. They knew their next boat needed to deliver everything a serious wakeboarding and wakesurfing family demands - and they weren't willing to compromise.

The First Look That Changed Everything

Fast forward to the 2024 Dallas Boat Show. Kevin walked in with no plans to buy a boat - until he laid eyes on the newly released Ultré 23ZX.

"It was love at first sight. Literally and figuratively," Kevin recalls. "Everywhere my eyes landed on that boat, I found myself in awe of the design, the engineering, and the innovation."

The LED light package immediately caught his attention, along with the premium stereo quality. The innovative cooler design, the transom seats that flip either direction, the abundance of storage - all without needing to run board racks off the tower. For someone comparison shopping wake boats, the Ultré's thoughtful design stood out immediately - this wasn't just another wakeboard boat with the standard features. Every detail felt purposeful. But what truly set this experience apart from past boat-buying decisions wasn't just the product itself.

"While at the boat show, I got the chance to speak with the President of Tigé and several of his staff for about an hour," Kevin shares. "They assured me that if I made the switch to Tigé, they would not let me down, and I would not regret it. That was two years ago now, and they have held true to their word. I couldn't be happier."

Life on the Lake

Today, the Rhodes' family keeps their Ultré 23ZX on a lift at their local marina, just 10 minutes from home. Weekday lake days mean Kevin and some friends breaking away from work for surfing and relaxing - usually just an hour or two of mid-week escape. But weekends? That's when the real fun begins.

"On weekends, all the kids and their parents come out for hours of fun," Kevin says. "We're addicted, needless to say!"

More Than a Single Moment

When asked about his favorite memory on his Tigé, Kevin doesn't point to a single moment - instead, it's an experience that repeats itself constantly. "Two years later, our Ultré gets compliment after compliment," he shares. "Guests always tell us they've never experienced a nicer wake boat interior." And once they get behind the boat wakesurfing or wakeboarding, they understand why Tigé wins so many comparisons - the wave quality is consistently phenomenal.

The praise doesn't stop at the dock, either. Whether they're surfing, cruising through the marina, or towing it on the trailer, the Ultré ZX turns heads everywhere.

"Proud papa? 1000%!" Kevin laughs. "I've never loved a boat this much, and that says a lot for a guy who likes to get new 'toys' often!"

Advice for New Boaters

For those considering taking the plunge into boat ownership, Kevin offers practical wisdom earned through experience:

"Don't expect your new boat to be perfect in all ways. There really is no perfect boat, so just try to find the one that checks as many boxes as possible for how you and your crew plan on using it."

For his family, storage and guest space became top priorities for enjoyable lake days. Even small things like tower headroom and speaker placement matter. The Ultré ZX checked all those boxes - and then some.

Why the Switch from His Previous Wake Boat Brand Made Sense

Looking back, Kevin realizes what was missing from his previous wake boat ownership experience wasn't just about the boat itself - it was about finding a manufacturer that genuinely cares about the ownership experience from day one.

#TigeLove

Two years into Tigé ownership, Kevin Rhodes has discovered something that goes beyond the boat itself.

"I couldn't be happier with making the switch to Tigé," he says. "Tigé markets a hashtag called #TigéLove, and I will tell you this - it is something real!"

He compares his current experience with previous ownership: "I always enjoyed the boats I owned before, but I never felt connected to the factory in any form or fashion. "Between the onboarding process, the communication, and how Tigé and their dealers take care of you - they just make you feel like you are appreciated, you are seen, you are heard, and that you matter more than just a boat sale transaction." Whether you're buying your first wake boat or switching from another premium brand like Malibu, Nautique, or MasterCraft, that difference in ownership experience is impossible to ignore.

Kevin's final message to anyone considering the switch? "Just do it! And Tigé - keep doing what you're doing. #TigéLove".