Tower management

[rli2]

I am purchasing a new air 216 TE and need advice re: managing the tower. I will store the boat on a shore station. I have 2 options:
1) raise/lower the tower every time and use a covered shore station or 2) buy a non-covered shore station and leave the tower up (i.e., place the cover over the boat after every use). Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[vortech347]

RE: Tower management

If the tower is powder coated or painted find some way to protect it from the sun. It will fade.

[Alan-S]

RE: Tower management

I would put the cover on the boat even in the shore station. I would imagine it is less expensive to keep it outside, so since you are covering it anyway i would keep it outside, just take good care of your cover. I have a white powdercoated tower, my boat has never been under a roof before, 4 years old, 850 hrs and looks like new.

[AbunDiga909]

RE: Tower management

I would cover the boat up each time and leave the tower up. Flipping the tower over isn't very easy by yourself. There is a point where it gets so high you have to kind of toss it over and pray that someone will catch it. It is very easy if you have two people, but I wouldn't rely on yourself to throw and catch it on your own. Even standing on the gunnel, all the weight from the tower speakers, lights, boards, etc... adds up and is not so easy to hold up on your own, let alone the risk of just standing on the slippery gunnel holding it. A good sunbrella cover will keep out 100% of the light and weather. This will result in the vynal lasting longer. I'd go with the cover.

[bkhallpass]

Re: Tower management

I am purchasing a new air 216 TE and need advice re: managing the tower. I will store the boat on a shore station. I have 2 options:
1) raise/lower the tower every time and use a covered shore station or 2) buy a non-covered shore station and leave the tower up (i.e., place the cover over the boat after every use). Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I dont' think we use the term shore station out here. At least
I've never heard anyone use it and I've been boating for about 40 years.

What's a shorestation look like?

Just curious. Unless it involves some kind of a rigid slip, I would think
there would be multiple ways to raise the roof so as to eliminate the
need to fold the tower down.

BKH

[billybmke]

Shorestations are very popular in the midwest on our inland lakes. I know a couple of people who purchased Malibu's with that "swoosh" tower thing that doesn't fold down. They claim they are having someone modify the canopy to fit the tower when the boat is cranked up. Haven't seen it yet, but I guess it would work? I thinks it's gonna look pretty funky. Hope it doesn't blow away on them! Anyway I've attached a couple of pics from the Shorestation web since there have been a couple people that have not seen or heard about Shorestation. I just got a 211TE and at this point I'm planning on lowering the tower when I put the boat away on the Shorestation. Good luck and let us know if you come up with an innovative solution.

[Sbt3]

I would try modify the canopy to get under it without folding it down or go with a tower that folds down easier. I put a titan on my 97 supersport for that very reason. I fold mine down each time. I peronally like the canopy on the shorestation because it gives the boat a chance to air out and not get all moldy smelling like a cover does. If I am not going to use the boat for a week or so then I will cover it up after it dries out a little. As far as modifing the canopy goes if you are interested let me know, I have a friend who had one made for his Malibu so he doesn't have to fold it down because it had a skylon tower on it which is a pain to take up and down. I could check with him to find out what it cost and what they had to do.

[bkhallpass]

Shorestations are very popular in the midwest on our inland lakes. I know a couple of people who purchased Malibu's with that "swoosh" tower thing that doesn't fold down. They claim they are having someone modify the canopy to fit the tower when the boat is cranked up. Haven't seen it yet, but I guess it would work? I thinks it's gonna look pretty funky. Hope it doesn't blow away on them! Anyway I've attached a couple of pics from the Shorestation web since there have been a couple people that have not seen or heard about Shorestation. I just got a 211TE and at this point I'm planning on lowering the tower when I put the boat away on the Shorestation. Good luck and let us know if you come up with an innovative solution.

Thanks,

Based on the photos, I see what your working with. We use floating docks
and hoists here becauseit is tidal. However, the awnings we use are
very similar to those shown in your photograph. When I bought a boat
with a tower, the only modification I made to my awning was to replace the six poles which hold it up with longer poles. In my case they needed
to be a couple of feet longer. Minimal effort, minimum cost. I don't have
photos, and it's raining outside. I'll see if I can borrow a digital
cam and post a photo for you this weekend.

As far as winds, we certainly don't get tornado winds as does the
midwest, but it can howl. My cover is very large, 10 feet by 32 feet
and the wind has never been a problem. Some of my neighbors have
covers as large as 15 by 45 and they have withstood the winds as well.

Some folks add side shades to their awning as well. These are usually
rolled up like a tent flap when you have the boat out, and rolled down
when the boat is stored. This provides added protection from the Sun
since the canopy has been raised, it also keeps the wind from blowing
rain on the boat through the sides. We use mesh rather than
solid canvas for the side shades because boats can see through them and
therefore we don't create blind spots for other boaters.

BKH

[Dr.John]

I would try modify the canopy to get under it without folding it down or go with a tower that folds down easier.

I keep mine in a covered marina, however all kinds of stuff, living or otherwise, contaminates the tower, so I just had my existing sunbrella cover modified bymaking a type of large boot that covers the entire tower, lights, speakers, bimini, etc. IN THE UP POSITION! The design is butt ugly, and you wouldn't highway trailer it, but for marina storage, it's the nuts. Also, when you cover the boat after a day out, it's a whole lot easier than trying to velcro and tie ropes.

[jeffsv211]

I have a new shorestation with 10 x 26 canopy being delivered next week.. I was also concerned about having to put the tower up/down all the time... I'd love to see some pics or more info on a canopy that has been modified for the 211 FCTs

[bkhallpass]

billybmke,

Attached is a picture of my awning setup over the boat lift.
As you can see, we just put longer support poles on the
canopy.

BKH