Upgrade older Surf Select to 3.0 Module

[charlesml3]

I don't even carry the blue fob on the boat. It's in the bag that came with the boat with all of the manuals and stuff in it. We've never used it since the Garmin does so much more.

-Charles

[GMLIII]

charlesml3 Although you have had 2 boats since my purchase of my 2017 G23 ,my blue key flob has taken on water and has never worked since. It is junk to the highest degree. Still using my 3 Pebble Watches with no issues on each and every surf set. Flob is mere garage regardless of which year manufactured

[Beg4wake]

Wanted to revive this old thread with a newer question.

So this thread along with the lack of the surf remotes working prompted me to purchase the new 3.0 module and a new Garmin Fenix 7 watch. I have yet to install the 3.0 module into the boat and test it out so I may be able to answer my own question here, but I was hoping maybe somebody with experience can chime in ahead of time. Last night I opened my Garmin watch and right off the bat downloaded the Surf Select App. The app looks very easy to use and navigate. But last night I noticed when scrolling through the screens of the app it had a screen for NSS and one for NCRS adjustments which is like my 2016 G23. This morning when I looked back into the app I noticed it switched (must have updated the app) and now in place of those 2 screens it now has just a "Shape" screen which is much more in line with the newer model (2021+ I believe) model G boats. Can somebody explain to me how this is going to work? Will this revert back to NCRS/NSS once I get it installed in my boat and linked up? Or does this one screen now control both the NCRS/NSS settings in one shot? I'm a little confused and worried here now.

[GMLIII]

Beg4wake Charles charlesml3 will have the most knowledge on this topic. He should be able to answer all your questions.

[Beg4wake]

I actually reached out to the developer of the app and this is the response I received:

"Hello,

The watch will automatically switch between “NCRS/NSS” and “Shape” based on the boat it connects to / last connected to. The watch knows to match the boat and so if the boat shows “NCRS/NSS” the watch will show the same. If the boat shows “Shape”, then the watch will also show “Shape”."

So I guess that is good news and I will have to wait until I get the module installed on my 2016 G23 to test it out and make sure it works. Looking forward to trying it out!!

[hal2814]

I just installed a surf select module on my 2022 G23 and experienced the same thing with the watch. It initially showed NCRS/NSS but once it actually connected it switched correctly to shape. The install is super easy btw for anyone interested. I did not have surf select installed factory but it still had the wiring harness. Hardest part was finding the right size mounting bolts (holes were already pre-drilled in the panels). I think I’m in $500 including the watch.

[Scooter G]

Good stuff, thinking of going this direction, thanks for all the great information.
hal2814, module is @ $400, what are you using for a watch at $100 bones? I'm seeing the Felix Plus from $300 to $1000 which has me on hold trying to justify if I would love it that much...

[hal2814]

Module was $360 from nautique parts with the 10% discount and the watch was an older forerunner I got cheap off eBay. If you look up the app on Garmin you can see the list of all watches that are compatible. I just went down the list and found one for $150 used.

edit: if you search slickdeals right now it looks like there’s a refurbished forerunner 245 for $99.

[sarasetp]

All, I own a 2016 G23 with the old Surf Select and Pebble watch. I recently futzed with that watch, rendering it dead. Therefore, I went to my local dealer to purchase the Surf Select 3.0 that NautiqueJeff instructed. I installed it myself. It is an easy install. There is a YouTube video on this forum on how to do it yourself. Again, very easy.

I can confirm that this upgrade works exactly as expected. I can confirm that the Surf Select 3.0 will work with a 2016 G23 and will work with the older Garmin Fenix 5xPro and newer Garmin Epix Pro Gen2. I am very relieved.

My only small gripe is that the Garmin app does not have a skip forward, backward and pause for song tracks. I sent a note through the Garmin app download page for Surf Select. There is a place for adding comments. I asked for the track change functionality. I got a response directly from Nautique about it. My comments will be forwarded to their developer. Therefore, I ask you all to please also send a separate note to add this functionality to show that it is a needed function by more people than me.

Hope this is helpful to all.

[GMLIII]

sarasetp Question, I understand switching out the module to a 3.0 module was fairly easy but was it PITA to tie the new module into your Linc screen or was that step even required?

[Scooter G]

Thanks for the info sarasetp!
Also interested to hear a reply to GMLIII's question.

Does this look like what you ordered/installed @ $400?

https://nautiqueparts.com/surf-modul...compatibility/

[sarasetp]

GMLIII and Scooter G

To answer, First, the picture you have of the unit is exactly what I have and installed. Regarding integrating with the LINC screen, I did not one thing special. I simply unpluged the old Surf Select Unit per the YouTube video, and plug in the new unit. That's it. I already had the two Garmin watches with the Nautique app on them both before turning on my boat and connecting the watches with the boat. Once I turned on the boat, LINC picked up the watches automatically. I actually had to do nothing with LINC or the watches. The boat automatically recognized the watches, like magic. I was expecting this process to be a much more PITA but was super super easy to do.

I will add, that I had to drill new holes about an inch lower than the holes where the old Surf Select unit was mounted. This was very easy. But the reason I had to drill new holes was that the old unit did not have the antenna that the new unit does. Therefore, I had to mount the Surf Select 3.0 module just a little lower so that the antenna could mount straight up as per the instructions and clear the top of the hatch where the unit sits.

[GMLIII]

sarasetp thanks for Linc screen info. Do you fine the Bluetooth coverage of the module 3.0 has a larger range than the module 2.0 with the Pebble watch?

[charlesml3]

Good to know this works all the way back to 2016. Seems like this is about the only thing that works well for an upgrade to an older boats. Stereo headunits are pretty difficult, for example.

-Charles

[sarasetp]

GMLIII I had the Surf Select 1.0 on my 2016 G23. To compare with the 3.0, hard to say if 3.0 had better range. 1.0 had enough range for me. I can talk with the boat from the watch when I have been surfing whether the 1.0 or 3.0. When I fall and the boat has to get me, I loose connection with 1.0 and 3.0. I successfully reconnect when the boat gets closer to pick me up, whether 1.0 or 3.0. I will say that the pebble watch would randomly disconnect, seldom, but it would do that, which was annoying. Hard to say with the 3.0 and Garmin watch will do the same random disconnect, since I just installed it. But I am very hopeful that the new set-up will be far more reliable. That said, I will report back if I have any hiccups.

While the new set-up cost me $380 for 3.0 and $300 for watch, which is not cheap, the convenience of talking with the boat's stereo volume is worth it to me. You just have to justify the cost to...it's boating, and we own a G23. Boating just costs money, unfortunately. That's just how it goes sometimes...YOLO.