Tower Bent

paolad · Newbie Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Posts: 38 City: San Diego

Anyone ever gotten their tower bent? This boat ran over my rope which pulled it and now my tower is leaning to the right. Do you think it's fixable or do i need to get another tower?
Crying or Very sad

Nor*Cal · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9479 City: Sac

hope you got the guys insurance info because this will cost some money.

Post a pic so we can see the extent of the damage. With our knowing how bad it is I couldn't tell you if a metal shop might be able to correct the problem.

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

Can't imagine a tower being bent without some fiberglass/structural damage also.

paolad · Newbie Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Posts: 38 City: San Diego

no insurance didn't realize the tower got bent until we got home. will take a pic tomorrow for you guys to check out.
Crying or Very sad

hope it isn't bad, this is my brand new 05 centurion cyclone. don't think there was any damage to the boat only the tower from what i see.

Bowen · Posted: Sep 27, 2004 8:21 pm Post subject:

paolad, Oh man...I'm sorry thats no fun. Did this happen this weekend? I'm sorry about your boat, I hope you get it all worked out.

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

savage3221 · Posted: Sep 27, 2004 8:58 pm Post subject:

dude..who was driving by so close to your boat at any speed higher than like 5 mph???

Nor*Cal · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9479 City: Sac

WakeBoarder44 · Wakeboarder.Commie Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Posts: 1107

yeah, wanna see a pic: how can it be that your tower being bent with no other damages... Shocked

Is it that bent that much?
did you run over your own rope?

never seen or heart a tower being bent by a rope Sad

hope you get it fixed

wesgardner · Posted: Sep 28, 2004 4:07 am Post subject:

Hey paolad,

Without seeing it's difficult to say...but how 'bout this - if it's kinked in any way like the metal has a sharp dent or ripple in it, then that area has lost structural integrity, if it's just bent (smooth to the touch) then you are prolly OK other than it looks weird. If it is kinked you can have a GOOD metal shop chop out a section and weld a new piece back in...you'll see the welds but if they're good, it won't be objectionable....you'll need to remove the tower from the boat as alotta shops have issues with welding around gasoline tanks Rolling Eyes

As others have suggested, check the boat over to see where else you may have stressed things - like at the tower to hull connection..

Sorry to here that, next time when someone gets that close SHOOT FIRST then ask questions...

Wes

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

A buddy of mine rides with a bent tower all the time. It only affects how the boat looks, not the perfomance.

bmartin · Addict Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 794

I'm still trying to figure out if the rope was run over at idling speeds or at planing speeds, if they were going fast it is illegal to be within 100' of another craft.

Fishmaster · Posted: Sep 28, 2004 5:44 pm Post subject:

Can you post a picture of how bad it is bent?

paolad · Newbie Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Posts: 38 City: San Diego

Here is a pic. Thanks for all your responses and concerns. I do hope that it may not be that bad. Just Crying or Very sad

since she's only 1 month old. From the look of my handle the boat ran over right where there is a plastic piece between the V of the handle. These guys were definitely assholes. Any thoughts now that you can see the tower.

paolad · Newbie Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Posts: 38 City: San Diego

lcap, i have insurance but we didn't realize the tower was affected until we got home.

Bruky · Guest

paolad, no offense, but how could you NOT have noticed that until you got home?

That must have given your boat a good yankin'

138DNAparks · Outlaw Joined: 29 Aug 2004 Posts: 188 City: Moses Lake

ohhhh that just makes me wanna cry... Sad

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

onthewater · Posted: Sep 28, 2004 8:39 pm Post subject:

Nor*Cal · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9479 City: Sac

paolad · Newbie Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Posts: 38 City: San Diego

lcap, I will give my insurance a call to see what the deductible maybe for it. I'm sure it'll be better than paying for a new tower. I thought it was bad and just needed to share and confirm how f**cked up it is. Thanks All.

Bruky · Guest

paolad, show us some pics of where the tower mounts. I really want to see how your glass job held up. Looks like the bottom/mounted bar of the tower is closer to your windshield on the left, so it had to have tampered with your deck.

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

paolad

I'd report the accident to the authorities as Nor*Cal suggested and to my insurance company.

Afterwards, take the boat to your dealer and have them inspect it. We don't see and most of the time do not know what to look for. The boat is brand new don't take a chance.

While you are waiting for the news, look at your insurance policy. If it has uninsured/underinsured coverage look at claiming it on that. It will help on your loss runs on your other vehicles and may eliminate raised premiums on those. (I assume the guy took off after the accident)

jgates · Outlaw Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 158 City: Rome, NY

Is it me or is something not adding up here?

Ladythump · Posted: Sep 29, 2004 4:48 am Post subject:

Something's not adding up here!

Ladythump · Posted: Sep 29, 2004 4:50 am Post subject:

Something's not adding up here!

DrewT · Newbie Joined: 07 Sep 2004 Posts: 26 City: Columbia

THat kind of stress to the tower had to cause some major stress the the fiberglass. Your insurance may not cover the tower, if it is aftermarket and you did not tell them you added it. They would cover the fiberglass, but that will not be that expensive. I am not sure the other persons liability coverage would pay for your boat because the other persons adjuster is probably going to say that you contributed by having your rope in the water in a congested area, unless there is a law in your state that says that you cannot go within a certain area of another boat.

Fishmaster · Posted: Sep 29, 2004 5:59 am Post subject:

That's pretty badly damaged and at the top left corner it looks like it has a wierd bend in it. Since it is a new boat get with the dealer to see if there is an affordable way to get a new tower. It is a three piece so MAYBE the two mounting sections are OK and you can replace the main center section but if the mounting sections are bent also then forcing a new center section into place would not be a good idea.

Definately inspect the mounting areas very close for damage, both above and below the deck. Wakeboats are reinforced really well where the tower attaches so hopefully the boat is fine.

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

I smell photoshoped.

Brit Rider · Posted: Sep 29, 2004 7:21 am Post subject:

miked, huh? why would anyone bother to do that?

paolad, sorry to hear about this, you must be really annoyed Sad

Where did this happen? are you reguarly at the lake? I would try and track the guy down.. I'm not familiar with how the US boat registration works but so long as you know what boat it is, it can' tbe that difficult can it?

Then atleast you can claim agains this insurance rather than your own.

paolad · Newbie Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Posts: 38 City: San Diego

miked, swear not photoshop, i WISH it only looked like that in a photo and not in REAL life. the reason i initially asked is because this is my first boat and don't know the typical coverage that the insurance gives.
DrewT, Good thing is that the tower came with the initial purchase of the boat so if that helps the insurance will take care of it all.
Oddly, I know but I don't see any visible cracks or distress around the mounts of the tower. I do see that the rubber cushion(between the tower mounts and the boat) compared to the other side is more squished.

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

sorry,i should have added one of these Laughing

Brit Rider · Posted: Sep 29, 2004 7:32 am Post subject:

paolad, Thats great news if it hasn't cracked Laughing

, however i wonder whether its worth removing the tower incase its still putting pressure on the boat from being twisted... maybe try slackening it off at the bases.. wouldn't want it cracking now!

paolad · Newbie Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Posts: 38 City: San Diego

Brit Rider, I know in my mind I keep replaying how it all happened and what my tower looks like now. It definitely is a distinguishable looking boat so I am going to hunt for them.
I also agree that I don't want to add the wrong pressure to later cause damage so hopefully I can get it replace without costing me too much.

burt reynolds · Criminal Joined: 07 Jun 2004 Posts: 66 City: cashville

Dude that sucks. Not that its any help to you, Paolad, but to give my response to some of the other replies about the tower getting bent I don't think its as unbelievable as it seems. From simple physics we know that the force on the tower due to a rider is no greater than what the rider is exerting on the handle, which isn't a whole lot or else we wouldn't be able to hold on so easily. Obviously a tower is designed to withstand much more force than it takes to pull a rider, but that doesn't mean its designed to handle that much force from side to side (the tower never experiences large forces in that direction). Then taking into consideration what Nor*Cal said earlier about how much torque even an idling boat's prop creates and the fact that wakeboard ropes are comparable to steel in tensile strength and assuming that it happened in one fast jerk, it's not surprising to me that the tower bent. Imagine if the same thing happened but instead of the rope being connected to the tower, you were holding onto the handle at the other end. It would either yank it out of you hands or yank your arms out of socket. So obviously the tower was subject to a much greater force than normal in one instance in the direction its not designed to withstand a large force in. Sorry for rambling.