pylons

derek33 · Newbie Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Posts: 32

Hi guys, im new to this forum, but not to wakeboarding. Ive been wakeboarding for 3 or 4 years, and for the past 2 years ive gotten into tricks and jumps and stuff. my boat is a 1989 ski nautique, and im using the stock pylon, which is about 2 feet high. I wanted to buy a longer one, but in most magazines they are selling for like 300 bucks.

a few questions i have are,
can i make my own, or is it better to buy one.
do i replace my stock pylon, or does it slide over it.
what brand do you recomend.
my brother is a skiier, and it would be rough to make him have to usse the taller pylon... are they easy to put on and take off so he can use the shorter pole.

thanks for your time.

noneya · Addict Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 796 City: Roxboro, NC

It slides over it, there is usually a lower tow eye for skiers.

I like Fly high and Skylon.

joedirt00 · Posted: Aug 09, 2004 8:17 am Post subject:

Make him wakeboard like the rest of us Very Happy

Iman · Outlaw Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 116

Watch Ebay. Tons of these are up for sale as people upgrade to towers. You should be able to get one for about what it would cost to build a good one. Any brand should be fine, I own a Skylon.

savage3221 · Posted: Aug 09, 2004 7:00 pm Post subject:

with the pylon on there are still places to attach a rope at a place for a skiier

Fishmaster · Posted: Aug 10, 2004 10:40 am Post subject:

Check out www.diytower.com to see how to make your own. At the bottom is a link to the "Grand Daddy of Wakeboard Links" which includes every pylon maker.

Definately watch eBay for a great deal on a used one.

Powaman · Outlaw Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 170 City: escanaba

I woudl suggest making your own. All it is basically is a big peice of steel piping and you'd hafta get it so it slides tightly over your existing pylon, then just run cable fromt he pylon to the bow eye. I wouldn't pay 300 bucks for a big pipe with cable

89 skier · Addict Joined: 30 Jun 2004 Posts: 729 City: Dallas

My boat has a homemade pylon and it works great. We take it down and put it up every time we take the boat out.
It's made out of steel tubing (same diameter as my short ski pylon) and is about 7' tall. At the top is a trailer ball (same one that you have on the back of your truck) with a bolt going through the pylon to hold it on. The bolt that is used to hold the ball on, has an eyelet which is used to attach the plastic-coated cable that runs to the front of the boat. I use a turnbuckle to tighten the cable to another cable looped around the bow of the boat.
I usually pull skiers from the tow eye on the transom but you can buy an attachment for the pylon from several companies and add it to your setup.

See attached picture for reference. Or PM for questions or other pictures.

molypod · Criminal Joined: 05 Jun 2004 Posts: 85 City: Chilliwack

Pylon looks great!

colefooter · Posted: Aug 11, 2004 10:58 am Post subject:

If your gonna dish out the time to make something your own, i would make a tower. Just a idea Rolling Eyes

79nawteak · Addict Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 691 City: Kannapolis

89 skier thanks for the post i am going to build one this weekend already have the taller pylon not quite as tall as yours as my boat is a 79 natique and is narrow i just could never fiqure out how to get the cable tight "turnbuckle" I will post Monday to let you guys know how it turned out

miked · Soul Rider Joined: 26 May 2004 Posts: 282 City: nor cal

colefooter, do you have a cole boat?.

89 skier · Addict Joined: 30 Jun 2004 Posts: 729 City: Dallas

79nawteak - No problem. Glad I could help. Make sure you make your cable lengths just right to where you can tighten the turnbuckle and make everything pretty tight. With mine, my turnbuckle is all the way open (or extended) when I put the pylon up and hook everything together, and after tightening, it's all the way closed. It gets a little tough to turn near the end but it makes sure your pylon is very tight and secure. The pylon actually leans forward a bit when it's tightened down all the way.

I'm going out tonight so I'll take some pictures and post them for reference. It will be one of the last couple of days I use the pylon because I'm putting up a Monster Tower as soon as mine arrives (Thanks to Bill at MT!!!!).

HYPERLITE_103 · Criminal Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 90 City: Windsor

i have a skylon one and it seems to work good. sways the boat a bit but i think it would be better off if you were to just buy one for like 300$.

Chad H · Posted: Aug 12, 2004 7:11 pm Post subject:

Are there any tall pylons that can be used that don't go over an existing pylon? Cause the ones they sell at overtons are too small for existing pylons. So i think it would be just as good to get a monkey bar instead

89 skier · Addict Joined: 30 Jun 2004 Posts: 729 City: Dallas

Here is a closeup picture of the top of my pylon. My friend that made it used a threaded T-fitting inside the pipe (upside down). So you put a big washer that is larger than the pipe diameter on to the ball, then thread the T-fitting onto the ball, then insert it into the end of the pipe, then insert the eyebolt into the pipe (where you've drilled a hole) and through the end of the T-fitting, and out the other side where it is secured with a nut.

Let me know if you have any questions.

89 skier · Addict Joined: 30 Jun 2004 Posts: 729 City: Dallas

here are a few more pics for reference

Sledneck · Outlaw Joined: 10 Jul 2003 Posts: 162 City: Shitby

I made a pole today.. here it is, less than $50 bones.. Looks as good if not better than the skylon I used for a template too..

89 skier · Addict Joined: 30 Jun 2004 Posts: 729 City: Dallas

Sled, That's awesome. You could make those and sell them for $150. Puts my trailer ball tow eye to shame.

molypod · Criminal Joined: 05 Jun 2004 Posts: 85 City: Chilliwack

sled, great job!
I guess you have access to some good machinery

molypod · Criminal Joined: 05 Jun 2004 Posts: 85 City: Chilliwack

89 skier,