pylon question...

SC_boarder · Criminal Joined: 29 May 2003 Posts: 73 City: Greenville

I have a prostar 205, with ski pole....

I am considering getting an extended pylon. $300 dollars vs. $1000+
for a tower....

I have heard a lot of people say get a tower, over a pylon...

is this because of preference, room, look, etc... or does a tower work that much better....

I cant see where a tower would have that much more advantages in performance, than a pylon...

but I can see maybe where a pylon might get in the way, with the strap and all

comments... please....
for the money, I will probably start with the pylon, until my skills improve...

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

SC_boarder, pylon gets the job done.

SC_boarder · Criminal Joined: 29 May 2003 Posts: 73 City: Greenville

Thanks...thats what I thought, but am just asking....

Bowen · Posted: May 18, 2004 9:35 pm Post subject:

Pylon works great and gets the job done, but after about a year with the pylon you'll wanna get the tower, neither is better than the other thats just the way it works. I know about four people who started out with pylons and w/in a year got a tower...they progress, they like it, and the tower looks better (not that that matters). But once again to answer your question Pylon does the same thing...tower just ads a little more weight (i guess).

lcap · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 10973 City: Homeless

A tower does not have any performance advantages over an extended pylon.

wesgardner · Posted: May 19, 2004 6:16 am Post subject:

Hey SC_boarder,

The physics of the two are identical as others have posted, it's the storage that will drive me to a tower, four + boards on the floor is just TOO much! Oh yeah, towers look cool too

Wes

wpcustoms · Criminal Joined: 17 Mar 2003 Posts: 94 City: Austin

I have a pylon for sale with a four board board rack for 300 bones if you want it. It needs a new cable cover for it but thats its. The old one says Nautiques so you probably wouldnt want it anyway.

razor · Criminal Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 58

SC boarder, the pylon works great but like what was mentioned before as you progress you will probably want to move to a tower. I started with a pylon and went to a tower. A tower keeps the boat more stable and from what I understand reduces the stress to the boat (I worry about weird stuff like that). It doesn't sound like a big deal, but it is kind of like the arguement of using a non-stretch rope vs a regular ski rope. There is a difference, but they both work. I was worried about drilling into the fiberglass and the cost difference. Like I said I ended up with a tower and love it. I still have my Skylon 2-piece Fat Pole that I will part with for a mere $10,000.00 and I'll even through in a nice carrying case and an 89' SN 2001 with only 400 hours. Just a thought. For the initial money the pylon is a good deal. Good Luck!

Option · Posted: May 19, 2004 11:34 am Post subject: Pylon

My pylon has a little play in it. Maybe cause the thingy in the front was loose. Anybody else have this happen? I had a tower on my last boat and liked it a lot better.

lcap · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 10973 City: Homeless

Option

You have to tighten the turnbuckle after the first few pulls.

MrBlean · Posted: May 20, 2004 1:15 am Post subject: Pylon v tower on MC205

As a fellow owner of an MC 205 I can verify everything that has been said on this topic. I currently have an extended pylon and it works fine. I modified it to use a stainless steel stay cable at the front and an over-centre lever rather than webbing ratchet that is commonplace. This combo keeps it rock steady front to rear. However, like all pylons, there is some sideways movement due to the lack of side mounted stays.

I am in the process of upgrading to a tower. Why?

Three reasons:

1) Because we ski also, and the rope attach on the pylon gets pulled from side to side by the skier and rotates the extension on the base pylon. Hence we take the pylon down to ski and I simply get fed up with doing so.

2) Moreover, 3 boards, 2 skis and 2 fat sacs on the floor does leave a whole lotta room for peeps! Racks on towers work much better than racks on pylons (if these work at all???)

3) Finally, there is the issue of the stay cable blocking easy access to the bow seats. Again, not a big deal but is does get irritating after a while.

You can live will all these things, and I have for 2 seasons, but now it's tower time. Given the cost of these in the US compared to the UK, if I was living in the States I would have bought one last year.

If you go for a pylon, buy used otherwise the cost differential between a new pylon and a low cost aftermarket tower is relatively small and it makes an extended pylon an expensive option in comparison. However, on an MC 205 you may want top fit a more swoop-oriented tower than some of the budget towers available.

Out of interest, what type of tower are you considering?

SC_boarder · Criminal Joined: 29 May 2003 Posts: 73 City: Greenville

I just want something to get us started, like you said, low cost used tower, to increase height of jumps, and to progress a little bit more in my riding, then when ready, maybe upgrade to a tower...

I wakeboard for a hobby, and don't want to drop a bunch of cash for a tower right now.....

thanks for all the imput it has been great....

MrBlean · Posted: May 20, 2004 6:16 am Post subject: Just a hobby?

Isn't it just a hobby for most of us?

Anyway, get a used pylon for a couple of hundred bucks - will do you fine.

Enjoy and good luck.

Bowen · Posted: May 20, 2004 7:24 am Post subject:

MrBlean, No, its a lifestyle.

Option · Posted: May 20, 2004 10:55 am Post subject:

I have the webbing ratchet. I have thought of upgrading to a cable with a turnbuckle. Can you buy these or did you make your own?

lcap · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 10973 City: Homeless

I had a Ten Foot Pole, it came with the ratchet and a turnbuckle. You can make your own though. Just need a couple of caribeaners and a turnbuckle with the eyes from Home Depot.

wesgardner · Posted: May 21, 2004 7:48 am Post subject:

Hey Option,

I made my pylon and cable system - if you look in my gallery... my forward cable is long (15') and my ratchet/webbing system is short resulting in virtually no stretch - oh yeah, my two aft cables are well, cables...not webbing

Wes

MrBlean · Posted: May 21, 2004 8:06 am Post subject: Get a life

lcap · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 10973 City: Homeless

MrBlean

Very eloquent! Nothing like the gapers in their $1,000 North Face suites who refuse to ski off piste, or on a $3,200 bike who can't navigate a single track, a guy with a $450 aluminum bat kept on dry ice that can't hit, or the dudes in the $60k wakeboard boat who can't do a wake to wake.

Nothing wrong with those people in and of themselves, but they are always the first to spout off about things they nothing about.

wesgardner · Posted: May 21, 2004 9:34 am Post subject:

Hey MrBlean,

I was able to windsurf Aruba while there... only about hlaf-day lay over then on to Panama, it was very cool, you could reach along the beach for miles...actually, truth be known, YOU could reach along the beach for miles, I could reach along the beach for 100 meters, but hey, it's all good!

Wes