Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

[Sea Ray]

We have a 1999 210 Sea Ray Open Bow with a 5.0L and Bravo 3 lower unit. We are coming up on our second season with the boat. I have three young boys - 13, 11 & 8. They are pretty athletic and really into skateboarding and inline skating.

Last year we tubed, skied and wakeboarded behind the boat. They didn't wake board until later in the season but got the hang of the basics pretty quickly. They could get a little air off the wake but never came close to clearing it.

I am considering a wake tower for the boat. My concerns are:

1) Is this a good boat to put a wake tower on?

2) I still want this to be a nice family boat and not a primarily wake boarding machine. Does the wake board tower hurt the appeal or resale value?

3) I still want to be able to park the boat in our garage (8' overhead door) can I get a good fold down tower?

4) I would like a tower that we can incorporated a bimini top. Is this available on a fold down tower?

5) I would like a wake board rack for at least 2, maybe 3 boards. (can skis go on a wakeboard rack? If so, I would want even 1 or 2 more) Can this be part of a fold down tower with a bimini top?

6) Would I need water bags? Would this be a good boat for them?

7) I could PROBABLY install this myself. Any suggestions on what tower and what would I expect to pay for it?

Attached is a picture of our boat (in the garage of the person we bought it from - not our 8' OH door)

Thanks in advance!!

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

Nice boat! yes you could put a tower on it, yes they make a fold down tower. Yes they make a bimini that will incorporate into or onto the tower(when up makes it tough to access boards on racks and rope connection) Board racks,speakers, etc make folding down alot more trickey and time consuming. I have never seen skiis on a tower but you maybe could adapt something to make skiis work. Some say it adds to resale some say it takes away kind of depends on who is buying. I can't see the interior layout but the sacks take up a bit of room you could use them in that boat, I think I would start by putting as many people in back as safely possible and work with the trim as you are going to lift the bow up. Makes it a bit harder for the driver to see but you can get a pretty good wake by adding people in back and trimming out some. I know alot of people that park thier boat in the garage don't want to mess with folding down every time so they use a skylon, basically a ten foot pole that mounts into a reciever in the floor and a strap that runs to bowhook for support. You don't have the storage advantage but they work well go on and off in less than five minutes and dont cost nearly as much as a good tower. Which can go for anywhere from $700.00 and way up depending on material,mfg,accessories, etc. If you do go with a tower a lot of people like the monster tower godd product for the money, they have a very good website with lots of pictures of boats with towers on them might have one just like yours so you could get an idea on how it would look. Good luck.

 

[amynbill]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

Monster tower dot com.

I am researching this as well, and everyone points to them as the best brand, almost regardless of price. The benefit being that they ARE about the least expensive, at around $1100 and are super easy to install. Avoid the 2 lowest priced companies, pm me if you want to know who to avoid from researching this.

I am waiting for a call from my boat dealer regarding getting the OEM sea ray tower for my 08 205 sport for a close or matching price to the monster (the sea ray tower is made by xt which is part of monster tower anyway)

 

[wcsparky05]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

i'm telling everyone... www.diywake.com i just got mine in the mail yesterday. $498 and FREE SHIPPING! i haven't put it on yet but good quality product. 2" tubular steel and a black or white powder coat. all the parts included and instructions with pics. and it folds down, but you should transport your boat with it up so not to scratch the boat or the tower. i'm with you on the boarding off the back. still fun, but has its limitations. i can't wait to try this out! worth every penny and the best price i could find. i'm cheap but will pay for quality at a good price. no, i don't work for them. good luck. oh and if you want a curvy, stainless, sleek tower, this one probably isn't for you. its pretty straight and not too sexy.

 

[Sea Ray]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

Thanks for the replies. I am still trying to really decide if the tower would be a good investment.

Not sure how much difference it will make for wake boarding, if we would really get the use out of it and what it would do to the value of the boat???


Thanks

 

[nailem]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

im in the same situation. my boat is and 1986 20' sunrunner. my boat will be used for family about 75% of the time and wakeboarding the rest. after thinking i was going to build my own tower all winter long i think im just going to buy a pylon. less modifications to the boat and way easier to take down and get out of the way. im still not 100% sold on a pylon but thats the way im leaning now. is a pylon just as good for a novice part time wakeboarder?

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

Yes a pylon would be FINE for what you are doing plus with a pylon you can go longer if riders need additional height. Not the tri pod type that mounts in the back you need a wake board pylon or Skylon as there called I have seen them from 7 to 10 feet high which is as high as any tower. Plus as you mentioned less mods to hull and take down and put up time is a few minutes. Remember that a tower is really designed for "big air" so the rider can sail higher and the pull angle isn't pulling you back down to the water rather through the air. I know the depends on whos buying comment is a bit vague but it is true. Me being more of a skier than a boarder, I wouldn't be looking for a boat with a tower even though I do board and have kids and friends that do. For me it wouldn't be worth any more or less with the tower. I believe its one of those accessories that you never get back(money wise) once you sell. If however someone who was totally into boarding came to look at buying your boat it would prob be a good selling point. Also keep in mind with a tower there can be other factors to consider. Will my bimini have to be modified to work? will my travel cover still work? does it fold down enough the still get it in the garage? do I have to take off the racks to get it to fold down? will I use it enough to justify the cost? I am not apposed to a tower by any means but I have seen some very good riders do some amazeing things on a wake board using a stern mounted rope....

 

[dcg9381]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

1) Is this a good boat to put a wake tower on?

{/quote]

You can put a tower on almost anything as long as it's braced properly and fits. There are a few places that make DIY towers.

Is it an ideal wakeboard boat, no? Will it work for recreational boarders? absolutely!

2) I still want this to be a nice family boat and not a primarily wake boarding machine. Does the wake board tower hurt the appeal or resale value?

I'd say no, unless it's not an attractive ad.. Some of the most basic towers are a bit ugly. Note - it won't add value to this boat though.

3) I still want to be able to park the boat in our garage (8' overhead door) can I get a good fold down tower?

Depends on your price range. A fairly basic tower probably starts at $1k. You'd probably need to spend more on one that breaks down.

A skylon is a much better idea..

4) I would like a tower that we can incorporated a bimini top. Is this available on a fold down tower?

Yes, but now you're talking mad money or custom fabrication on that boat.

5) I would like a wake board rack for at least 2, maybe 3 boards. (can skis go on a wakeboard rack? If so, I would want even 1 or 2 more) Can this be part of a fold down tower with a bimini top?

Depends on where they're mounted and where they fold down to.

6) Would I need water bags? Would this be a good boat for them?

You need weight when you want a bigger wake. Inboard ski boats have a massive advantage over I/O boats. Drive one and you'll understand.
The prop vector actually pushes the boat up at the same time it pushes the boat forward, so these boats just "jump" on plane super easy.

Weight will impact your plane time, but you'll displace more water (bigger wake). It's impossible for me to tell you how well they'll work with your boat - but I can say to experiment with speed, rope length, boat trim and weight.

I've owned comp ski boats that were designed for skiing. Most of them have to take on some weight to get a big enough wake for "advanced" wakeboarders.

I have an I/O boat now, 454, that weighs 4200 lbs or so. This boat is heavy and with a combination of trimming the motor up (forces the stern down) and trim tabs, I can produce a nice wake for a wakeboarder. It's no ski boat, and it's certainly not one of the newer wakeboarding boats, but it gets the job done.

7) I could PROBABLY install this myself. Any suggestions on what tower and what would I expect to pay for it?

Search - there's a company out there that sells custom tower kits - I just don't know the reference. You're looking at a starting price of $1k.

 

[oops!]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

ive been looking for the right tower to put on my barge.....69 ray.....

a lot of the towers dont look quite right for my ol ray....

i was driving down the street and saw a tower......had to drive like mad around four blocks to catch up with it....i was goin a (different direction)


it was a titan tower......its not on thier website......

made me drool....

thick ....2 1/2 i think...broke down to the height of the windsheild...looked fantastic......

i think its gonna be expencive tho.....at least 15-1900 im guessing.....

 

[orion25]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

A friend of mine has a Monster on his Caravelle. It looks awesome and yes it folds down. He did have to remove his Caravelle Bimini top though (deal breaker for me). The monster towers are great towers for the price but you will have to look into custom tops for them if you really want a Bimini.

 

[amynbill]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

http://monstertower.com/

I am firm on getting the MT-2 tower. The mounting points for the tower are exactly at 85", which is what the oem tower for my boat is. Sea Ray was nice enough to already have beefed up these areas

The people at Monster are incredible, and I have only heard incredibly positive reviews about them on several wakeboarding BB's I frequent.

If you look at customer photos, there is a huge section of Sea Rays with the towers on them...including SEVERAL 1999 Sea Rays ;-)

Check it out.

 

[shorts&chanclas]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

I wouldn't bet a fiberglass repair bill on those mounting points being reinforced. it doesnt hurt to use some wood blocking to reinforce and distribute load across a wider area. I looked into a retro on my first boat (03 Sea Ray 185BR) but opted to upsize and get a tower.

I'll see if i can get under the dash and see what the mounting points look like from the bottom and post a pic from my boat.

 

[id30066]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

Last year I put a Monster Tower on my Larson 208Lxi. I spent several months deciding what tower to put on my boat. I dont regret it one bit. I am now pissed though because I like the MT2 they just came out with. Oh well.

The install took me around 12 hours. I spent 6 hours figuring out where i wanted to put it. I wanted to use my factory bimini. And I am just realy picky. When I thought I wouldnt be able to us the bimini I contacted Roswell (OEM for Larson) and I wouldnt be able to use the factory bimini with the factory tower either, so oh well. I ended up being able to use the factory bimini by removing a bow. I love the MT. It is quiet and nice looking. I have never had to tighten any of the hardware (I check before every outing). Its pretty easy to use some flat metal when installing to spread the load out over a larger area. Thats all factory reinforcment is.

I feel that it adds some value to the boat. It makes the boat appeal to more people when you decide to sell it. A tower is so much nicer then a pole. Poles either have guy wires or hard supports that get in the way. I have been around wakeboard boats for over 10 years. A tower is the only way to go. You can also save room in the boat by storing your boards on the tower.

Monstertower.com and dont look back!

Austin

 

[amynbill]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

I wouldn't bet a fiberglass repair bill on those mounting points being reinforced. it doesnt hurt to use some wood blocking to reinforce and distribute load across a wider area. I looked into a retro on my first boat (03 Sea Ray 185BR) but opted to upsize and get a tower.

I'll see if i can get under the dash and see what the mounting points look like from the bottom and post a pic from my boat.

Here is the pic. All newer Sea Ray sport boats come with reinforced areas specifically for wakeboard tower attachment. It is a full 1/4" thicker on top of the already almost 1/2" thick area. Tower mounting requires only 3/8" thick.

Monster tower is also the manufacturer of OEM Sea Ray towers (under xt name)

 

[hal2814]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

I talked to the guys at Monster and I like them but they're far from the cheapest option these days. I ended up with a tower almost (if not completely) identical to the $498 one off of DIY Wake. I got it from some company off of eBay for $410 shipped. They called it a Boss Slider Tower. I think these companies like DIY Wake are getting their towers in bulk from the same place and branding them as their own but I could be wrong.

It was pretty easy to install with me and two friends. It ended up being about a 3 hours process but I did some preliminary measurements and a part check the day before. I will say the Monster tower looks a lot nicer but there's no way I'm spending $1100 on my $4000 boat. It all depends on your budget.

 

[brwalkersk8]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

Check out Joystickpylons.com. Ron sells killer Towers at a great price. I like them more than the Monster towers and the Pro-series is like $935 shipped to your door. Tell him Brian In Albuquerque sent you

 

[Four Winns]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

Thanks for the replies. I am still trying to really decide if the tower would be a good investment.

Not sure how much difference it will make for wake boarding, if we would really get the use out of it and what it would do to the value of the boat???


Thanks

i'm also new to this. i just purchased a like-new 95 four winns. i was going to buy a used mastercraft because i was a slalom skier, but the kids want a big wake. i then had an epiphany. the old inboard-outboards i used to hate are perfect, and 1/3 the cost of an excellent condition mastercraft (not better -- but cheaper). my boys are 8 and 12 and are also very athletic. kids these days want to wakeboard and therefore a tower is a must.

as far as boat value: i would have to speculate that a nice wakeboard tower would definitely increase a boats value (water skiing is over with).

this is a link to the tower i plan to buy:
http://www.taylortowers.com/?mod=home

 

[SurferBoy]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

as far as boat value: i would have to speculate that a nice wakeboard tower would definitely increase a boats value (water skiing is over with).



Hey man if you like to ski don't count it out. I'm a wakeboarder but my dad still gets out behind our boat and skis, even if the wake is big.

 

[Four Winns]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

Hey man if you like to ski don't count it out. I'm a wakeboarder but my dad still gets out behind our boat and skis, even if the wake is big.

i still have my EP double high wrap competition slalom ski in the basement, and you can bet your last dollar i'll be out there behind my four winns cutting through that monster wake. water skiing may not be over-with, but you young bucks now rule the lake and forced me to purchase a boat with a big wake (there goes my life-long dream of owning my own mastercraft). us dads sacrifice all for our kids -- and it's worth it! i was trying to emphasize my point that it is now all about ?wakeboarding? with the younger generation. my eight-year-old will be impressed with my slalom spray, but my twelve-year-old will be board by it.

to each his own, but owning a boat this day-in-age without a wakeboard tower would be like owing a car without air-conditioning (very un-cool).

by the way, the taylor tower (http://www.taylortowers.com/?mod=home) that i mentioned in my last post which i wanted to buy is very high quality and most likely one of the best towers that you can buy, but very expensive. i called today. i should have been suspicious when they did not list a price on their website: $2495 and then you have to buy a wakeboard rack or two for $279 a piece. i only paid ten grand for my boat, i can't justify spending that much for a tower. i?m still looking, but leaning toward a big air H2O tower: $895 and $199 for a wakeboard rack. now that's reasonable.

here's a link to the big air tower: http://www.bigairpylons.com/Tower.htm?gclid=CI7214X1tZICFRW6Igodd21RtA
.

 

[Hairygary]

Re: Need Advice PLEASE - Wakeboard Tower ??

I had ton a ton of research on Wakeboard towers before settling on which one to buy. From people I know they love their monster towers, however I dont think they have a custom look. Many of the new towers fold down and I would not consider one that did not. And her are a few of my recomendations.

New Dimension Towers - Custom towers that look about the best to me, however they carry a high price tag (about $2400), which may not be the best for all boats and pocketbooks - linkhttp://www.newdimensiontowers.com

Despite that I love New dimension towers I could not justify the expense to my wife and I purchased an Aerial Wakeboard tower. Here is the link
http://www.h2osportswarehouse.com/buy-aerial-wakeboarding-boat-towers-s/5.htm

I like Aerial towers becuase it is the most custom looking universal wakeboard tower. The lines follow the windshield, it folds down, and is 2.25" construction which is big without being too big.

Though their website says it is selling for $1199, you can pick one up on e-bay for about $900.

I just installed the Aerial tower last weekend on my 2000 Four Winns Horizon 180 and it took me and a friend about 5 hours which also included running speaker wires inside the tower for tower speakers. Im going to try and and take some pictues today and post them here. Any good tower comes with backing plates which reinforce the tower.

I believe a wakeboard tower will only increase the value of the boat, however I dont always believe it will increase it the total amount paid for the tower.