Anyone have a tower on a 196?

[mopowpow]

We have a friend who put a Monster Tower on his 2003 SN 196. It looks pretty good. They don't seem to engulf the boat like some towers do.

[cat1168]

I put a flight control tower on a 05 196. I talked to a tech at CC and asked them about the wake difference, he told me that the 196 has a much better wake than the 206 and by putting a tower would not change the wake. I use the tower for holding slalom skis, bare footing, and it is great to tech people to get out of the water for the first time (upward pull is easier). I just put a tower bimini on it and we all love it.
I don’t have any digital picture of it and it is getting the carpet fixed, when it comes back I will post a picture of it.

[darrel409]

A roof rack on a Porsche? thats just plain crazy!

[Hollywood]

That thing looks like the Devil.

I would definitely go with a FCT or NDT if you HAD to have one.

[DynaMike]

I have a camp on a small Adirondack lake. I wanted a 196 but the kids are into the boards. The tower is fantastic. It adds tons of functionality to the small 196. I put a Tower bimini on it and it looks fantastic. The tower in my opinion does not change the slolam wake at all. My next boat will be the same configuration.

[igkya]

I'd have to agree with OTW, get an extended pylon. especially if it's just for the kids. The extended pylon can easily/quickly be setup and taken down, whereas the tower is there to stay.

[mjg100]

tower

It only makes sense to install a tower on a 196 if you need more room in your boat at times and you or the people that go with you wakeboard or ski on two skis. If I take my family there are four in the boat. Kind of crowded if we use the pylon. When we use the tower we gain the back seat and that gives us a lot more room. If we are going for serious slalom skiing then we probably do not have very many people in the boat. For those that suggest an extended pole, the pole sucks when it comes to a side pull compared to a good tower. Buying a tower is a lot cheaper than buying a new boat if you only need an extra seat or two part of the time. I do not want a boat that seats 11. I am no longer interested in taking 10 other people boating. Been there and done that.

[Onthewater]

Re: tower

Buying a tower is a lot cheaper than buying a new boat if you only need an extra seat or two part of the time.

What sucks about the side pull?

Buying an extended pylon is even cheaper than buying a tower.

[igkya]

RE: Re: tower

Wasn't the initial Q about kids/friends wakeboading?

An extended pylon can handle the pull for most wakeboarders and also do very well for foot'n. However, I wouldn't tow any skier (above beginner level) from any tower or extended pylon, it's way too much stress.

[Quinner]

RE: Re: tower

OTW,

I had an extended pylon on my 80', if you pulled hard from the side it rocked the boat bad, my tower boats do/did not seem as effected by a side pull, may be because of wider hulls or perhaps because the legs are further apart thus spreading out the lever effect.

I really like having the tower on my 206, great for any pull except slalom or trick, holds the bimini and carries the ski's and boards. IMO the only negative about a tower is it can make putting on your cover a bit more time consuming and may need to be folded to get under your canopy on a boat lift.

[darrel409]

RE: Re: tower

Tower negatives: ie. hidden costs
Like Quinner said, putting cover on and lowering tower for storage.
Also, if you installed the tower after the fact...
1. Need to modify your cover to fit around tower legs or buy a new "tower friendly cover".
2. Need a new bimini top.
3. Need speakers on your tower.
4. Need a new amp to power your new speakers.
5.Need board racks, ski racks, surf racks...
6. Need to learn you cant back your trailer under the things you could pre-tower.

[TRBenj]

RE: Re: tower

Quinner, the ability to rock the boat was solely due to the narrow '80 hull. Assuming the tow points are the same height, the force from a skier would rock a boat with a tower just as much as an extended pylon- simple physics. The tower would probably spread out the force more evenly, making it a little easier on the deck/hull.

[SMLskinautique]

What brand of tower is this??

Can you tell me the manufacturer of this tower?

[CHassmann]

RE: What brand of tower is this??

Chalk another vote for extended pylon. We use ours often.

[Mikeski]

RE: What brand of tower is this??

Putting a tower on my 196 made the interior much more useful.