Wake Tower Question

otisdawhino · Newbie Joined: 21 Jul 2008 Posts: 11 City: Mobile

I have settled in on the wakeboard tower I am going to get......its an H20 from BigAirPylons. I have a 2000 Yamaha LS2000 boat and I have seen one mounted and it looks like it mounts up very nicely. My question is....they offer two models....the stainless version and aluminum version.....which should I get ?? The aluminum is 200 bucks cheaper so do you think the aluminum would hold up ??? But wont the stainless be very heavy ??? Also, I guess I should have asked this first but is the H20 a good tower ???

Thanks for any help you offer,

JM

brotherbrown831 · Outlaw Joined: 26 May 2008 Posts: 154 City: Oklahoma City

I think you are confusing the H20 with the ICE tower, they look very similar, the H20 is stainless and has a horizontal brace, the ICE is aluminum and $200 cheaper then the H20.
You can also go to a website DIYwake.com and look up the swoop tower, I dont know for sure but I SWEAR it is the same tower. Anyways its a little cheaper if you buy from them and get a rack too.
BIGAIRPYLON
H20 $895
ICE $690
DIYWAKE
Swoop $799 (comes with free wake rack $165)
If you get one of these let me know becuase im looking at the same towers for an over the winter project.

otisdawhino · Newbie Joined: 21 Jul 2008 Posts: 11 City: Mobile

Daaannnnnggggggg Im glad you told me about that site.....It is the same as the Ice....it looks it anyway and I LOVE how its fully collapsible....course when I hook my speakers and racks up I guess you wouldnt collapse it. I think Im gonna go with that one and get the free rack or get the two racks and just add a nice mirror.....Ive already gotten my speakers.

Do you think the Aluminum will hold up as good as the stainless for average use wakeboarding ???

Thanks again,

JM

brotherbrown831 · Outlaw Joined: 26 May 2008 Posts: 154 City: Oklahoma City

I wish I had the answer for that question, Its not uncommon to see towers made from aluminum so I would assume it is plenty strong. I will be buying the same tower later this year so we will see. I intended to mount my speaker cans on the forward hoop so I can hopefully still collapse the tower and put it in the garage during the Oklahoma Ice storm season. Be sure to let us no what the tower is like when you get it mounted. Hope it works out for you. Dont forget to measure your hull thickness and re-enforce if needed. Good luck...

otisdawhino · Newbie Joined: 21 Jul 2008 Posts: 11 City: Mobile

Think you can still collapse it with the wiring and everything in there ??? If its possible, Id like to collapse mine when towing and storing....that would be awesome. Soon as I get it which will be shortly hopefully....I will post pics of it and everything.....I had already planned on reinforcing the mounts just in case.

Very Happy

get_sum · Soul Rider Joined: 04 Aug 2008 Posts: 395 City: Edmond

I just bought and installed the DIY wake tower last weekend. It was okay. Once we had everything laid out. It was a pain in the arse to figure out which side went where. Once installed, it worked like a champ. I breaks down easily and still have the rack installed. I would definitely recommend the DIY tower. The only bad thing was that one of the machined mounts would not fit. I had to slightly grind it down little by little. I also had to do the same to the front tube pieces. The clearances are so tight, it made fitting them difficult, but it was no match for 10-15 minutes of dremel time. Good luck.. it was definitely a good buy.

get_sum

brotherbrown831 · Outlaw Joined: 26 May 2008 Posts: 154 City: Oklahoma City

Grats on the tower. I cant wait to get mine, Any pics of the new tower?

get_sum · Soul Rider Joined: 04 Aug 2008 Posts: 395 City: Edmond

na, I haven't taken any pics yet... Its tucked away in the garage now.. I can take some of it down.. I plan on going out on Friday, so I'll take some and post them then...

get_sum · Soul Rider Joined: 04 Aug 2008 Posts: 395 City: Edmond

got some pics today for ya of the DIY tower...

NKCrider · Posted: Aug 06, 2008 5:08 pm Post subject:

we just bought the H20 for our 1980 SN, havent gotten it yet. just bought 2 aerial dual speaker cans and speakers on ebay fer $322 and an aerial rack fer $150 im not sure those are good deals but could someone tell me if they were?

http://www.h2osportswarehouse.com/PhotoDetails.asp?ShowDESC=N&ProductCode=BT-TWBLTSPPD225-PA

http://www.h2osportswarehouse.com/PhotoDetails.asp?ShowDESC=N&ProductCode=BT-OVLRCK225-PA

SilverMustang35 · Posted: Aug 07, 2008 5:50 am Post subject:

Nice Q4, what year is it? The tower looks good and pretty close to the factory

Congrats again on the new tower

get_sum · Soul Rider Joined: 04 Aug 2008 Posts: 395 City: Edmond

it's an 06' that I got in 07' as a leftover... I see all of these REALLY NICE boats on here.. and can't help but think that I am doing something wrong... I wonder what most of the MC, MB, Moomba, Nautique, and other owners do for a living... Those are some nice boats... what engine did you get in yours? I have the standard 4.3L.. The MPI did look nice though...

SilverMustang35 · Posted: Aug 07, 2008 7:21 am Post subject:

Haha..Trust me I am in the same wondering as you as to what people do for a living...Most of the people up here are doctors or their parents are doctors. Mine's an 08 Q6, bought last year. The local dealer didn't want to work with me because they didn't think I could afford it, even though I was approved...so I scouted this one out and went to Arkansas for it, dealer met me halfway (boat is from Ok) and its been a real good boat. I've got the 4.3L as well. Its a pretty good engine, good power and it lets me board and tube and everything else we want to do. The MPI did look good, but not for the extra 2 or 3K...at points I wonder if I should have got that...but overall, I like mine, good engine, good boat, very solid, very stable, and with 700lbs in fat sacs one heck of a wake. One of the 350lb sacs fits perfectly in the locker, just had some screw ends that went into the locker that we grinded down, can close the locker and you would never know its there....How has yours been for riding behind?
BTW, if you're looking for a Mirror, I got mine off of Boss Wake for like 80 I think, and the racks were 120 a piece, but I see you already got DIY racks....

get_sum · Soul Rider Joined: 04 Aug 2008 Posts: 395 City: Edmond

It's been okay. But, yesterday, with just me and the wife (with a mirror), I decided to put 2 50lb bags of sand in the bow (under the cushions). I also put 3 50 lbs bags in the ront part of the locker and put a 50 lb bag in each corner of the rear (under the seat). All and all, it was 350 lbs of sand evenly spread through the boat. The wake was as big as a full boat of people! It was pretty calm at the lake I went to.

I wish they had a class for wakeboard boat driving. My wife can't drive for nothing. Needless to say, I get very aggravated at her. Speeding up, slowing down, constantly turning, can't get me the rope sometimes. Oh well..

SilverMustang35 · Posted: Aug 07, 2008 8:34 am Post subject:

We started off that same way to see if additional weight would make a difference too...I went to lowes and bought 300 lbs in sand and was pleased with the results, so I took em back for full refund hehe and got (2) 350lb fat sacs and now it is usually only me my gf and my best friend and the wake rocks...are you trimming up at all, that will clean up the wake as well. im still working on teaching my Gf to drive, I get aggravated too with her, mine doesnt constantly turn but the speed thing took some training, thats where havin somebody in the boat that has done it can help show her how to drive you. That and perfect pass is looking like a good solution for me too so anybody can pull me Very Happy

get_sum · Soul Rider Joined: 04 Aug 2008 Posts: 395 City: Edmond

dude... looks like we're in the same boat... lol pun intended! anyway.. it's funny you mentioned taking the sand back. I told my wife the same thing!

Okie Boarder · Ladies Man Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 10056 City: Edmond

Recommendation on the driving thing...get the 1st "The Book" DVD. It goes through several key points about driving that will help a lot. My wife actually drives very well and it was mostly from what we learned from the DVD, plus time out on the water.

idoru99 · Newbie Joined: 23 Aug 2008 Posts: 5

Good afternoon,
I've got a few questions, directed at getsum and SilverMustang35, if you'd be so kind...

I just picked up a 2007 Q4, 4.3L.

I asked the shop if they would install a tower for me. they flat out told me 'no.' They mentioned that it was too hard to access the space to bolt in the tower, they wouldn't even talk to me about putting on a Tahoe tower. So...I'm thinking of getting the DIY Swoop tower and installing it myself. However, this thread brought up a few questions.

SilverMustang35, please correct me if I'm wrong, but yours looks to be a factory installed tower. If so, did Tahoe(Tracker) put support backplates on the underside of the hull where the tower is mounted on? Since you've had yours for a year or so, have you noticed any stress cracks? The shop went on and on about stress cracks in the hull due to the tower. Obviously, I don't want to destroy my boat, but I think with some good backing support it should be ok.

getsum, do you have a bimini top with your boat? If so, can you still use it under the tower? Was it hard to access the underside of the hull to support / bolt on the tower? It really doesn't look too hard, but I've only stuck my head up there to take a quick look, didn't try to work with any tools or anything. I see that DIY sells back support plates, did the tower come with them?

Thanks in advance for any help / ideas you can give me. I'm looking forward to getting off the tube ring on the transom.

get_sum · Soul Rider Joined: 04 Aug 2008 Posts: 395 City: Edmond

yeah the DIY kit came with backing plates... But, I think I'm gonna cut some MDF (medium density fiberboard) along with some longer bolts for some extra reinforcement. I'll do that this winter though. It works just fine for now. No, the stock bimini top doesn't fit. I'm gonna drill out the tabs that hold the "feet" on the aluminum pole and shorten the pole then re-drill the pole and use some aluminum pop rivets to put it back together. It looks like it will fit if I lowered the whole assembly of the top by about 4-7 inches.

get_sum · Soul Rider Joined: 04 Aug 2008 Posts: 395 City: Edmond

no the underside wasn't too hard to get to. Just make sure you on't try to place the tower too far forward.

idoru99 · Newbie Joined: 23 Aug 2008 Posts: 5

SilverMustang35 · Posted: Aug 28, 2008 6:27 am Post subject:

For some reason I didnt get a notification that convos were still going on in this thread. Sorry Idoru, I just checked today and saw the question. Tracker put on my tower from the factory. Yes, it says Tahoe on the side and is a pretty good tower. I talked with a local dealership and they had a red one but refused to put a tower on, claiming the same thing, stress cracks, blah blah blah..I picked this boat up from OK, (im from NE Tn) and we have pulled 3 tubers behind it, skiers, boarders, havent seen a sign of stress cracks (knock on wood) the tower has been very strong and I have an intergrated bimini in it. The tower is able to be dropped...not easily but it can be done... We drilled a small hole in the tower for the tower speakers wires and it works great. As far as the backing plates...they are monsterous and the bolts are approx 6 inch screws; 4 screws to each plate...they are dual locking...the outside is a phillips screw head and the inside has a locking nut...Its pretty beefy, but extremely expensive if you order it after the fact from Tahoe...I tried to get 2 "Tahoe" racks...then settled on Boss racks as they wanted $500 a rack...lol
I'll try to get some pics this weekend of the rack inside and out...

idoru99 · Newbie Joined: 23 Aug 2008 Posts: 5

Thanks! I'm still undecided for mine. I'm thinking of the DIYWake.com and bigairpylons.com H2O tower. I just got my boat back from the shop and I'll poke my head around tomorrow. I'd really like to be able to open the bimini under the tower (I did see one open under the H2O on the customer pics on the website.

HHI Dave · Posted: Aug 29, 2008 1:01 pm Post subject:

Hey, is this the Tahoe boat thread? Laughing

Here's mine.

wakeskater17 · Newbie Joined: 19 Aug 2008 Posts: 20 City: Beaverton

good luck everyone with your towers. just remember not to pull a tube with the tower. it puts way too much pressure on it. a friend of mine lost 2 towers from pulling tubes from his tower (mastercraft x30 tower).

SilverMustang35 · Posted: Aug 29, 2008 2:27 pm Post subject:

Might have to keep that in mind if we pull tubers anymore...All last year we pulled 3 tubes constant and it never even flexed...I think ima start a post for Tahoe owners HHIDave...lol..granted they arent full inboards but they get you out on the lake and havin fun...

SilverMustang35 · Posted: Aug 30, 2008 7:24 am Post subject:

Hey HHI dave check out under share your boat section...I did start a tahoe Boat owners thread lol

HHI Dave · Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:10 am Post subject:

SilverMustang35, I posted in your thread. Cool

idoru99 · Newbie Joined: 23 Aug 2008 Posts: 5

Well, after much deliberation, research and pondering, I decided on the Monster MT1. I went back and forth quite a bit, but finally decided and ordered this afternoon. The tower should be here on thursday and I'm taking the day off on friday for installation. Smile

I'll post a pic once it's complete. Thanks for everyone's help. Very Happy