Custom wakeboard Tower vs Universal Tower

[familyman1]

I have a 97 Reinell 203 in excellent condition (looks new) and I want to get a wakeboard tower. I have looked at so many towers until I'm blue and am reaching out for advice from those who own both. I almost settled on getting a universal Bigair H2O or the Vapor tower. The cost for the base in about $900 w/shipping and $1,350 combo that includes 2 racks and 2 speakers. Obviously much more affordable. My dilemna is this I have an offer from a well known custom wakeboard tower builder in the US to put on one of those custom really nice swoop style towers that is all welded together, anodized finish, completely installed for $2K out the door within 2 days. Obviously more $$$ that I'm sort of cringing about BUT I want to ask those of you who own a universal tower if you could go back would you purchase a custome tower if it cost $800-$1K more? For those who purchased custom towers would you have rather purhcased a universal tower rather than the custom because once I buy and install...that is it!

The pros for the Custom: better construction, custom installation, stronger,durable, no need to tighten or adjust bolts,
custom to my boat, looks very nice, easily folds down, Lasts very long looking new, professional mounting

Cons $$$$

the pros for the universal obviously $$$ which is big, still seems to look nice. Cons I have heard fades or looks bad after a short time. Sqeaking bolts/screws, strength

Any advice from you wake tower owners would be great! FYI - I do plan to keep my boat for a long time. It has a lot of life in it. I attached some images online to what the custom would look like and the h2O tower.

Thanks!!

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Custom wakeboard Tower vs Universal Tower

Gosh I would be inclined for the custom tower with the install (given you have seen his prior tower work and installs and they are top notch). I have thought about unbolting my universal tower and paying someone to weld it solid.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Custom wakeboard Tower vs Universal Tower

If you are planning on keeping the boat for a long time, then I would spend the extra $$$ and get the custom one. The only real hassle that I have with the universal mount on my boat is the 4 set screws per connector (8 of them) and the need to check them every few trips out. Even locktite is not enough to get them to stay put permanently. 2K is pretty cheap - are they including board holders for that too?

Since the custom includes install you can also save yourself about 6 hours of measuring and installing, as well as the fun of drilling a bunch of holes in your boat

 

[familyman1]

Re: Custom wakeboard Tower vs Universal Tower

If you are planning on keeping the boat for a long time, then I would spend the extra $$$ and get the custom one. The only real hassle that I have with the universal mount on my boat is the 4 set screws per connector (8 of them) and the need to check them every few trips out. Even locktite is not enough to get them to stay put permanently. 2K is pretty cheap - are they including board holders for that too?

Since the custom includes install you can also save yourself about 6 hours of measuring and installing, as well as the fun of drilling a bunch of holes in your boat

I do plan on keeping it. It does not come with racks unfortunately but was hoping to find something cheap out there to put on as holders. I just need one to hold 1 wake board and knee board.

I thought about all the installing and measuring and my limited time it would take me probably until the end of August to get it installed and I would miss out on 2 lake trips. With the custom tower option I can drop off tomorrow and pickup on Friday (same week). Again for less then the custom I can have a universal with Racks, speakers, etc but again it isn't custom.

One thing I did think would a tower like that look to over-kill for a nice 20ft family boat that is an I/O???

Thanks for the above responses. More are welcomed.

My boat

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Custom wakeboard Tower vs Universal Tower

One thing I did think would a tower like that look to over-kill for a nice 20ft family boat that is an I/O???

I think it'll look fine. If you look at the current year FourWinns H190's and 200s, they come with a reverse arch tower and doesn't look out of place on the boat.

 

[skydiveD30571]

Re: Custom wakeboard Tower vs Universal Tower

I love my universal tower and couldn't ask for more from it. I personally wouldn't pay more for a custom tower because mine does everything I hoped for. Having said that, if I was presented your options from the get-go, I probably would have gone with the custom tower because of uncertainty in a universal tower.

Keep in mind though, racks are several hundred dollars a piece and so are speakers and pods. So for comparable packages you are actually looking at closer to $3000.

It won't look out of place, it'll fit in quite nicely I think.

 

[familyman1]

Re: Custom wakeboard Tower vs Universal Tower

what universal tower do you have? any pics?

 

[skydiveD30571]

Re: Custom wakeboard Tower vs Universal Tower

Aerial Airborne. I had several I was interested in, but went with it because of a deal Aerial was running at the time.