Universal Wakeboard Tower Insider Secrets
If you have ever wanted to add a universal wakeboard tower to your boat, then you will definitely want to get some of the facts straight, and arm yourself with the insider information that the tower industry is hoping you never find out. Here are some facts that I hope you find useful.
Tower materials can vary greatly from one manufacturer to the next, but it is important to learn the difference. After using almost every tower out there, I believe that stainless steel is the best choice. While some people are drawn to a color, it must be remembered that those towers will be made of aluminum, but a stainless steel tower has the advantage of never rusting or chipping on the surface.
Buying a universal wakeboard tower for your boat means making sure it will fit your boat. Any tower that can be fitted to a wide variety of boats is commonly referred to as a “universal wakeboard tower.” Most towers are designed to fit many different types of boats, but there are other factors that you should be aware of before your investment.
The first thing to know about towers is that the tower mounts are the initial contact with the boat and are the foundation for the whole tower. You need to make sure that the tower mounts are capable of attaching to any angle on the boats surface. You may need to put these mounts on a flat surface of the deck of the boat, the side, or some angled surface. Look for a tower mount that is constructed from high quality aircraft aluminum.
Since price is always a concern, look for a tower that comes standard with features such as a built in racking system. Almost everyone that buys a tower find themselves in need of additional storage for their boards or skis. If you have to buy a board rack, it will add an additional $260-$600 to the cost of your tower. In addition, make sure that you choose a tower that folds completely flat so you do not have to fork out an additional $650 for a custom cover for your boat.
I am not aware of any towers that do not fold down. This is an absolute must have, but the real question is does the tower fold down flat enough to allow your existing boat cover to be used. Alot of towers tip back enough to get under a bridge or boat dock, but make sure you measure the total height of the tower in the folded down position to see if it will work in your situation.
Almost every tower feels rock solid when you first see it or use it, but the real whistle blowing insider secret is that there is a huge problem facing manufacturers. Most towers are not designed for the real world abuse that occurs in the lake when you are traveling over rough water or on land when the boat is being trailered. This constant shaking takes most towers from solid to extremely lose inside of a year. A huge indicator is if the manufacturer warns you to not tube or use towables on their universal wakeboard tower.
I was flabbergasted to find out that the most abusive activity you can do with a tower is to tow your family or buddies in a tube. But who wants to change the rope to down low when it could be up and out of the way of passengers.
The answer to the problem of towers loosening over time was ingenious. By adding an over-head cross bar attachment that expands, the universal wakeboard tower was so solid that it did not budge. The one manufacturer that came up with this solution, actually proved their point by encouraging boat owners to tube with their tower.
No tower company wants to talk about their tower getting lose over time, let alone guaranteeing that it will not. For this reason, make sure your tower has an expandable cross bar that is guaranteed to keep your tower as solid as the original day it was installed.
Having the insider information is a great feeling, isn’t it.
Filed under: Health & Fitness