View Single Post
  #2   Report Post  
Mickey
 
Posts: n/a
Default Installing a ski pylon

Hi Ethan

I put one of those on my 16ft Thunderbird openbow and it has worked great
for years now. My dad likes to have it in the boat when we go salmon fishing
out in the ocean for something to hang on to, he's 85 so no comments about
sea legs.

My kids and many of their friends have kneeboarded and wakeboarded off of
the pylon liking the higher (4') tow point for jumps but you won't get the
air that you can with the 10' towers I have yet to ski behind one of those
boats. My kids bought me a wakeboard for fathers day about 7 years ago and I
fooled them and learned how with that pylon helping a bunch. I finally got
my 260 plus pounds up on that wakeboard and have been hooked since, even
snowboard now too.

Installation isn't too hard I just centered the mounting plate that the pole
screws into on the floor of my boat using moly type screws where I didn't
have anything solid under the floor. Watch out for a under deck gas tank if
you have one so that you don't drill in it, that would eat up your savings
in a heartbeat. The back supports fit naturally on the back deck of my boat
but I was concerned with the thinness of that area so I bolstered that area
with a little more fiberglass from underneath which has worked well for
years now.

They do caution you not to tow inflatables from the tower and judging from
my wifes reactions when I swing my large ass around to attempt a jump and
the boat leans an inflatable might be able to pull a boat over.

Good luck
Mick

"Ethan" wrote in message
et...
I am considering installing a ski pylon in my 19 foot bow rider that is
outfitted with a 115HP outboard. The pylon would have a center pole and

two
supporting poles. Are these difficult to install? What do you use as a
backing to support the load? What else should I know before taking on this
project. I can save about $150 if I do this myself.

Thanks

Ethan