Aerial freeride on my 05 Crownline LPX....

BakerFX4 · Newbie Joined: 26 Jul 2011 Posts: 15

I have just got into wakeboarding and Im ready for some more air and to get the rope up a lil higher. What do you guys think of the black Aerial Freeride tower on my 05 Yellow Crownline LPX.

Looks? Good tower?

Indyxc · Newbie Joined: 14 Jun 2010 Posts: 10

Most people here have dedicated wakeboats, so aftermarket towers on i/o boats not many people know about.

Is there is a crownline boat forum? I'd imagine someone there did the same mod?

mseller · Outlaw Joined: 05 May 2010 Posts: 220 City: Charleston

i've upgraded to an x45 but i put an aerial airborne tower on my old four winns...was decently pleased with the product...very substantial...however the tower shook a good bit. maybe they've improved that witht the freeride tower

TAMELESSTGR · Newbie Joined: 20 Jul 2011 Posts: 41

Ever think about just a pylon instead of the tower? I had to have something removeable, so I went with a DIY plyon that is 7' tall, I've got less than $150 in it and am pretty happy with it.

BakerFX4 · Newbie Joined: 26 Jul 2011 Posts: 15

how did you make it?

erikneufeld · Criminal Joined: 27 Aug 2010 Posts: 72

There are several companies that sell ready to go pylon kits for 160$-ish that include a 6-7 ft pylon, the base and all the ratcheting straps you need to put it on. Thats what we did in my I/O because we needed something removable. but 6-7ft doesnt look like much of a lift when you mount in on the floor of the boat so we have ours above the engine compartment/hood to get a total of 10ft of lift ;P its makes a WORLD of difference over the stock waterski tow hook.
i think my pylon was made by "sky high pylons"? but im not certian

TAMELESSTGR · Newbie Joined: 20 Jul 2011 Posts: 41

I used a 10' section of schedule 40 conduit pipe and cut that down to 7'. I placed 3 eye bolts through the top, 1 to secure my front strap, 1 to secure the back straps, 1 for my rope.

I had a friend make me a 1/2" thick steel plate with a male end that the pylon slips over, I bolted that to a 6' piece of 2x8 lumber.

Pipe - $30 Menards
Straps - $30 Menards
Stainless Hardware - $20 Menards
Paint - $10 Menards
Lumber - $6 Menards
Base - Free

I'm 6'2" and 225 lbs, it's pretty solid, it will lean slightly when
I cut hard, but I have ridden behind it 5-6 times, so far no issues. Can break it down in 5 minutes now and store it in the boat.

If I would change 1 think to make it stronger, I would use rigid pipe to triangulate the back to the gunnel of the boat, but that would sacrafice seating. It's working for me now, I jsut need a board rack now.

Gibster786 · Newbie Joined: 03 Aug 2011 Posts: 30 City: Virginia Beach

I was pleased with the factory tower on my bayliner 205xt. It did shake quite a bit though as mseller said. Right before I sold it we had tightened it up and it eliminated some on the shake.

Riding behind the boat was fun with people in it. I had to usually keep 2 people in the bow. We did this to adjust the trim up some and not plow through the water. I/O's can put out decent wake.