Question Tower/Pylon for an 18' bow rider

Hey, I am a new owner of an 18' Crownline. It has a 4.3L V6 and am looking to upgrade the Wakeboard capabilities of it. I am looking at the Big Air Pylon http://www.bigairpylons.com/Wakeboard_Pylons.htm but would also consider a tower. My thoughts are that most towers I have looked at are meant for larger boats, and they just seem to overpower (Gawdy) my 18 footer. Are there any companys that make a tower for a smaller Bowrider.

Thanks in Advance

P.S. here is a pic of my boat

My Crownline

Another Pic



(Message edited by dpierce37 on January 24, 2003)

(Message edited by dpierce37 on January 24, 2003)

I have a 180 FourWinns and If I ddi it all over again I'd go with a Rollcage. Just do a search on this board and you'll find lot's of info

Derek, nice to see another Crownie that boards. Check my profile pic. This is my 18 with the JoyStick Roll Cage.

Roll cage. Or, possibly a bare west mini.

I've an 18' Searay.

Pylon take up too much interior room.

Hey Ken, Look for my name in the owners pics section over at the Crownline website. I am there. Ya, your Joystick rollbar looks good. I have changed my mind about the pylon. Ya'll are correct about the space consumption. I dont have much to spare.

Matt, I have to do a search for this bare west mini. Never heard of it. Be back to comment on it.
Back, bare west does look nice. I will look into it thanks.



(Message edited by dpierce37 on January 24, 2003)

Here's a pic:

Derek, The Barewest tower is also nice as Matt stated, but when I was looking for my tower I felt that the 2" tube would be a bit small considering this is not a welded system like a full tower. The JoyStick uses 2 1/2" Tube & it is very stout. Also, I didn't care for the looks of their board racks. Kind of amateurish for $295.00 each.

Well, I did some photoshop editing, and added a ProZone tower to my boat to see how it looks. If you ignore the ugly guy next to the boat, I think it looks pretty good. Tell me what ya'll think.



Here is the website.http://www.barewest.com/prozone.php

(Message edited by dpierce37 on January 27, 2003)

and another profile view

I'd be concerned about weight. I went with the Joy Stick to keep the weight down.

Derek, one the big questions is can you store your boat with the tower always up? The prozone will not fold down. I store my boat in a garage so the folding tower was a must.

Currently, I am not parking it in a garage. I do have full covers for it, and I have boat parking at my complex. I would like to know how easy it is to dissesemble



I am having fun with photoshop!

Ok I just checked and this is a quote from there website.

"The PrOzone is easily removed but not collapsible. "

"Innovative quick-release front braces makes folding tower down and out-of-the- way fast and easy. "


So, if and when I get a garage, I can store it in there.

(Message edited by dpierce37 on January 27, 2003)

And I swear this is my last pic. I thank all of yall for the advice. I will now begin to save my pennies. Why would you think this Tower is too heavy. Just curious.

derek, I have a used big air pylon for dirt cheap if your interested. I have to get new anchors for the rear cables from big air, but that shouldn't be a problem. I used it on my '99 sea ray 19' cuddy cabin for two years till I sold it. It takes about an hour or two to install initially. You have to drill holes in the floor to mount the base plate and through bolt it. you have to drill holes in the gunnels to mount the clips for the rear cables. It sets up in about 5 minutes to go ride. It breaks down in less than 5. Not too shabby for 3 bills new. I rode behind a guys 17' star craft with a joystick roll cage. The roll cage ives you more interior room with nothing to walk around, but it doesn't give you as good a pull becuase it isn't as tight. A full tower is the best way to go. Although the most expensive.

Hey David, can you dissassemble a Pylon to just the Metal bracket in the floor. Not the pole, just the metal plate that is roughly 1" to 2" high. If so, I could live with that. Wakeboard all day, take it apart, put the poles under the back seat, hit the cove for a few hours of partying and you wouldnt have to worry about walking around a pole. Is that possible, or do you have to leave that 3' high pole there all the time?
Thx.

Derek....not to change your mind and all, but I am a pylon owner and wish I would have saved a bit more and bought a cage or tower now. Pylons are just a pain. You can deal with it, but go right the first time. And btw....once the pylon is up, you don't ever take it down. I thought the same thing..you know, that I could put it up, take it down, put it up, etc. but you will ALWAYS want the availablility to board, hence you will ALWAYS want it up, cuz you just don't have the time to play around with it. When there's butta, you don't want to have to loose it by putting up the pylon. Get a tower or cage IMO.

Ross

Plus, unless things have changed in the last five eyars, you'll ALWAYS have that plate for the pylno no the deck.

Great for toes!

ya buddy!!!! that's why I did this-

Have 18' I/O with pylon.

Wish I'd bought a roll cage!

BTW Does anyone know if "roll cages"really flex more than pylons?

Az, that's the way to do it! I saw that when you posted the whole thing. Very good job.

James, My cage doesn't flex. Period. It's more solid than a tuna tower that a friend has. We're able to do 'Around the Boat' very easily.

What about this
[img]http://www.fishingworks.com/Users/UserFolders/Silvtongdvl/PhotoImages/before%20extra%20tubes.jpg[/img]
~S~

I decided to go the make it myself mode. I will try to attach some pics and hopefully they will be clear. I have a 91 sea ray and wanted something that folded and also looked good and was strong. I used 2" aluminum .125 thickwall and have had 2 180 pound riders with no problem. Let me know what you guys think of my ghetto star. Also have tower speakers and such now.

looks good!

I have a 19' I/O and I installed a one piece pylon from skylon. When it is up it looks like a damn jungle gym but it works great. It is sometimes difficult to move about the boat but when we are done wakeboarding we take it down. Let me rephrase that "they" take it down. I'm the captain not a deck hand.