tower on a bayliner?

mnmike3 · Jul 6, 2010

I have been wake boarding for about 3 yrs now behind my brothers 19ft alumacraft with a 4.3 v6 I/O using just the eye on the back of the boat. It pops me right out of the water no problem and makes a decent wake i guess but I still consider myself a beginner since i don't get out too much with it not being my boat.

This spring I was given an 86 18ft bayliner capri for free. It had a bad 125hp OB motor and it needs a lot of tlc. I enjoy projects and was able to find a 115hp power head for $250 that runs great. I know this boat is not the best choice for wakeboarding and is a little underpowered but the price was right and its all I can afford at the time so I will make it work till I can afford something better. also I grew up water skiing behind a 35hp 16ft boat so I'm used to underpowered boats.

My question is how much will this boat benefit if at all by adding a tower? Since I did not spend any where near the amount I planned on the motor I have some extra money in the budget for "toys"

It currently has a ski pylon right infront of the motor. would my money be better spent elsewhere to make the best of this smaller boat/motor when it comes to wakeboarding? I guess the main thing I'm asking is what would give me the best bang for my buck when dealing with a less than ideal boat for wakeboarding? I know it won't give me the big wake for big tricks but small tricks are better than no tricks right?

Oh yeah I only weigh about 160 and will probably be the only one riding behind the boat for the most part so that should help some.

Bayliner175xt · Jul 7, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

Hi, we have a 2003 Bayliner 175 and it has a Monster Tower.
Our boat has a 135 Mercruiser and it pulls a wake boarder ok,
With your engine it would pull a wake boarder but you would have to get the right prop for your boat.
The right prop would make the biggest difference, it did on our boat.

You need to speak to someone with the same boat/engine and see what they are using.
We use a 13"-22P-4blade Piranha prop, mainly because you can swap fins untill you get the right pitch and Diameter.

http://www.piranhapropellers.com/home

Also if you have a prop strike with one of these it is cheap to replace.
It has already saved us some $$$$

Hansolo99 · Jul 7, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

I put a tower on mine as well. I have a 4.3 190HP and the tower made a huge difference.

oldjeep · Jul 7, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

My son really likes the tower that we added to my 195 (3.0L). It's going to cost you at least $600 for the cheapest sort of tower out there, so make sure that you really want to keep the boat. While the towers are universal before they are installed, they are only supposed to be mounted once since you need to drill to fit your boat and sometimes cut the tubes.

mnmike3 · Jul 7, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

I have been doing a little research on props but not too much yet. as for the tower and how long I plan to keep the boat. my original budget was $1000 for the motor and since all together the motor now runs like new for $300 I figure that leaves me $700 for a tower (?). all together i plan to spend about $2500 to fix the boat and absolutely no more than $3000. I know I could buy another boat for that price but with this one it will be pretty much brand new and built to my liking when I'm done. I have a bunch of connections so I can get supplies pretty cheap just not towers props etc.

once I get the boat done next spring (will be out with it this summer yet just not "done" with my repairs/improvements) I'm guessing I will keep it for quite a few years since my other hobby takes most of my spare money and would like to make that hobby into a business at some point. from the sounds of it a tower can only help and a good prop is a must. anybody have a similar bayliner as far as year and motor they have ridden behind?

mxfever · Jul 7, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

My brother had a 195 4.3 I/O. He tried all summer to get out of the water and couldn?t. The next winter we installed an Ariel tower and he got out of the water the very first pull. Since then he sold the boat and I purchased a 2050SS and am back to riding on the back ring. There is a HUGE difference especially in getting out of the water. My boat also has the stock prop and I just shovel a little more water to get up on plane but it?s tolerable. One thing we had to do on his boat was make re-enforcement plates to go on the back side of the hull. The tower didn?t come with anything and it started to crack the gel-coat. Just keep that in mind. I personally have never ridden behind an outboard but I?m sure you just have to find the right combination with trim and weight.

mnmike3 · Jul 7, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

the reinforcement part is one reason I'm asking about the tower cause I plan to replace the deck and re-glass it so If I'm going to put a tower on now would be the best time for me to reinforce the mounting locations when its all torn apart inside

oldjeep · Jul 7, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

mnmike3 said:
the reinforcement part is one reason I'm asking about the tower cause I plan to replace the deck and re-glass it so If I'm going to put a tower on now would be the best time for me to reinforce the mounting locations when its all torn apart inside

It's not really a big deal to do the reinforcement, you just add backing plates or pieces of plywood to spread the load. Didn't require disassembly of anything in my boat to install the tower - just reaching up into the existing cavaties.

mxfever · Jul 7, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

The backing plates that came with the tower just weren't big enough to spread the load out. We just made bigger plates out of 3/16" aluminum plate. In fact plywood was recommended in the instructions if needed. Never had a problem with it after that.

mnmike3 · Jul 7, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

I figured i would be able to reinforce it with the boat all put back together but thought it might be a little easier to do right before I put the panels back on.

RAT Attack · Jul 7, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

mnmike3 said:
I figured i would be able to reinforce it with the boat all put back together but thought it might be a little easier to do right before I put the panels back on.

I think you are on the right track there my friend!

I ended up taking out my back-to-back seats just to make it a little easier to install the reinforcement plates ( I used 1/4" steele, 4x6 ) on the back two support poles. I wish I would have installed mine befor I put all the side panels back on the boat after refinishing them. Mine has an area with cu-holders that are recessed in the panels that you have to try and reach around. It was pretty rough reaching up there. It is able to be done on some boats easier than others. My front two were as simple as could be though because I have a sport-cuddy.

sdice1 · Jul 7, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

Mike do u have a pix of yr bayliner i got a 89 bayliner looking for a ski pole i got a plate in the back for a pole ... i hope u or any one can help me out

stan dice (sf bay area) sdice1@yahoo.com

mnmike3 · Jul 7, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

I only have a couple pictures of the pole I'll see if I can figure out how to post them here.................... there we go. also you guys can see what I have to work with, not too bad for a free boat, and like I said just under $300 and the motor now runs like brand new.

The ski pole runs through a hole in the fiberglass between the back seats then mounts to the floor, also has braces that bolt through the transom, I have no idea what kind it is or anything it was on the boat when I got it.

SeanT · Jul 7, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

Nice boat!!

Those monster towers posted above are pretty sweet, and I was looking for one for my old boat.

Lots of people here have used http://www.diywake.com/ maybe give them a look as well.

I have a Roswell Wake Air tower myself which I really really love and it goes nicely with my boat. (My Moomba is a 1998 - soon after that model year Roswell started doing OEM towers for them).

mnmike3 · Jul 7, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

SeanT said:
Nice boat!!

Those monster towers posted above are pretty sweet, and I was looking for one for my old boat.

Lots of people here have used http://www.diywake.com/ maybe give them a look as well.

I have a Roswell Wake Air tower myself which I really really love and it goes nicely with my boat. (My Moomba is a 1998 - soon after that model year Roswell started doing OEM towers for them).

Thanks its not much to look at (yet anyways) but it doesn't need much to just get it on the water, going to worry about the looks department this winter. And again it was free which I still can't believe myself, got it form a family friend cause she figured I would do something with it instead of let it continue to rot away. only catch is I have to take her for a ride once its fixed up next year.

I'm going to go check out diywake right now.

BaylinerNN · Jul 10, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

mnmike3 said:
I have been wake boarding for about 3 yrs now behind my brothers 19ft alumacraft with a 4.3 v6 I/O using just the eye on the back of the boat. It pops me right out of the water no problem and makes a decent wake i guess but I still consider myself a beginner since i don't get out too much with it not being my boat.

This spring I was given an 86 18ft bayliner capri for free. It had a bad 125hp OB motor and it needs a lot of tlc. I enjoy projects and was able to find a 115hp power head for $250 that runs great. I know this boat is not the best choice for wakeboarding and is a little underpowered but the price was right and its all I can afford at the time so I will make it work till I can afford something better. also I grew up water skiing behind a 35hp 16ft boat so I'm used to underpowered boats.

My question is how much will this boat benefit if at all by adding a tower? Since I did not spend any where near the amount I planned on the motor I have some extra money in the budget for "toys" It currently has a ski pylon right infront of the motor. would my money be better spent elsewhere to make the best of this smaller boat/motor when it comes to wakeboarding? I guess the main thing I'm asking is what would give me the best bang for my buck when dealing with a less than ideal boat for wakeboarding? I know it won't give me the big wake for big tricks but small tricks are better than no tricks right?

Oh yeah I only weigh about 160 and will probably be the only one riding behind the boat for the most part so that should help some.

I have the same boat I beleive. 2.3lt Capri. Put a tower on my boat. Here are some pics. I am 185lbs and it pops me up great.

mnmike3 · Jul 11, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

BaylinerNN said:
I have the same boat I beleive. 2.3lt Capri. Put a tower on my boat. Here are some pics. I am 185lbs and it pops me up great.

The tower looks pretty good on there. what brand is yours? I know I want a folding one so I can put it in a regular garage door should I get a house that actually has a garage someday.

I went out with a friend in his dads boat the other night, not tower and it just has the 4cyl I/O not sure what size exactly but I think its right around 120hp so my 115 should be similar and it was able to pull me up ok, not as well as the 4.3 in my brothers boat but I got up and was able to jump wake to wake so I think the bayliner will do just fine for the time being once I get the tower on.

BaylinerNN · Jul 12, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

It's a home built one. I bought the tower from a guy in Regina. It had different mounts for the boat.Removed them and built my own. As well I had the crossbar tigged and changed the mount for the top. Then sanded it down and power ploished it.

I have the 4 cyl 2.3lt. It seems ok for what I am doing. Pull the kids on the tube and my wife waterskiing.

wan2live · Jul 13, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

mnmike3 said:
I only have a couple pictures of the pole I'll see if I can figure out how to post them here.................... there we go. also you guys can see what I have to work with, not too bad for a free boat, and like I said just under $300 and the motor now runs like brand new.

The ski pole runs through a hole in the fiberglass between the back seats then mounts to the floor, also has braces that bolt through the transom, I have no idea what kind it is or anything it was on the boat when I got it.

I am going to do the same as you. I sent you a PM to see if I can get some photos of how you braced the pole. I have a pylon but the arms are alot longer for a wider ski boat so I cant really use them.

mnmike3 · Jul 14, 2010

Re: tower on a bayliner?

wan2live said:
I am going to do the same as you. I sent you a PM to see if I can get some photos of how you braced the pole. I have a pylon but the arms are alot longer for a wider ski boat so I cant really use them.

I am on vacation for the week and will be home sunday night, I will take some pictures and post them on here probably monday. The pole just has a plate screwed to the floor that the pole sits in, then there is a hole drilled in the fiberglass part that riuns between the back seats. It the has a piece of what looks like 3/8" steel bent into a bracket that bolts through the transom on either side of the motor with a U bolt holding the pole and brace together. its pretty darn solid even with it being mounted into rotten plywood at the moment. Like I said it was this way when i got it so I have no idea what brand it is but I am guessing it was purchased back when the boat was pretty new.

tower on a bayliner?

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