Wakeboard installation

[Reinell197]

I have a 1999 Reinell 197 that I’m trying to install a Aerial Airbourne 2.0 wakeboard tower on. A lot of people say it’s not too hard to do. I’m mechanically good with my hands mainly on cars. Trying to find mounting points to the boat isn’t that easy in my opinion. I can see after I complete this pat it all seems easy. Anyone have this style boat that can assist me with. Thanks in advance

Jim

 

[Scott Danforth]

you will need to have access to the back side of where you are mounting to add backing plates

 

[Reinell197]

I have access to front and back just not sure on the mounting part. I know I need reinforcement and I do have 1/4 marine grade plywood, just need to see how someone may have install theirs and if they have any pictures they’re willing to share.

 

[Scott06]

I have access to front and back just not sure on the mounting part. I know I need reinforcement and I do have 1/4 marine grade plywood, just need to see how someone may have install theirs and if they have any pictures they’re willing to share.

I don’t have any pictures but i used 1/2” plywood for reinforcement.
when i got into it there were really only two options fir where to place the tower on my boat due to mounting space availability.
i cut the plywood approx 4 x 10, basically the biggest that would fit. The hull had a curvature to it so i used fiberglass reinforced body filler to back butter the plywood and fill the void. Just had to be quick to mix the filler put on the plywood and tighten the fastener.

been on three years with no cracking

 

[Grub54891]

1/4" is pretty flimsy.

 

[Reinell197]

I see you guys say use 1/2 inch plywood, the kit I received from aerial waketowers has the 1/2 inch, my mistake on the 1/4 inch. The play wood is 5x8 and in the places I think I can mount them I would probably have to trim down to may 4x8 to 3.5x8. That’s why I was hoping someone had pictures of this so I had a better ideal. Was hoping for a boat similar to mine. As for now it’s looks like my front mount foot will be up top near the windshield/corner and rear mount approx 3/4 inches above rubrail

 

[Scott06]

I see you guys say use 1/2 inch plywood, the kit I received from aerial waketowers has the 1/2 inch, my mistake on the 1/4 inch. The play wood is 5x8 and in the places I think I can mount them I would probably have to trim down to may 4x8 to 3.5x8. That’s why I was hoping someone had pictures of this so I had a better ideal. Was hoping for a boat similar to mine. As for now it’s looks like my front mount foot will be up top near the windshield/corner and rear mount approx 3/4 inches above rubrail

Your mounting positions are fine assuming for the rear you meant 3 or 4 inches above the rub rail. These are standard locations. Only thing i can tell you is to look through vendors website photo galleries for your boat. What i found is the same tower is sold under several different brands. I think the tower you are installing is the same as the krypt Xmobe i installed. Only thing i wish i had been more careful setting up the width, the two top horizontal beams slide into the two elbows to adjust the width for any boats beam. They can scratch easily during fit up.
i can say this after three years this tower is quiet and hasn't loosened up.

attached is also a sketch of the backer plate. The screws were not long enough to use the inner rubber washer that came with my kit So i left it off. as mentioned i used fiber glass reinforced body filler to take up the void space between flat plywood and curved hull. Nowhere is the edge of the plywood touching the hull, just buttered the ply before install like large tiles on and uneven subfloor.
also worth watching a few videos on how to drill through gelcoat with out cracking it. I had drill in reverse until i got through gel then went fwd, then chamfer the hole to keep gel from cracking.

if you are worried about it just remeber the factory tow hook is one point for the stress the tower will put on four points.…and youd be surprised how little reinforcement there is around the factory tow hook…

 

[Reinell197]

Your mounting positions are fine assuming for the rear you meant 3 or 4 inches above the rub rail. These are standard locations. Only thing i can tell you is to look through vendors website photo galleries for your boat. What i found is the same tower is sold under several different brands. I think the tower you are installing is the same as the krypt Xmobe i installed. Only thing i wish i had been more careful setting up the width, the two top horizontal beams slide into the two elbows to adjust the width for any boats beam. They can scratch easily during fit up.
i can say this after three years this tower is quiet and hasn't loosened up.

attached is also a sketch of the backer plate. The screws were not long enough to use the inner rubber washer that came with my kit So i left it off. as mentioned i used fiber glass reinforced body filler to take up the void space between flat plywood and curved hull. Nowhere is the edge of the plywood touching the hull, just buttered the ply before install like large tiles on and uneven subfloor.
also worth watching a few videos on how to drill through gelcoat with out cracking it. I had drill in reverse until i got through gel then went fwd, then chamfer the hole to keep gel from cracking.

if you are worried about it just remeber the factory tow hook is one point for the stress the tower will put on four points.…and youd be surprised how little reinforcement there is around the factory tow hook…

Thank you for the info, very helpful. I notice on your sketch that it didn’t have the large nylon washer between the mounting leg and rubber gasket to the outer hull. Do you remember if your kit came with it? I agree, after I get the backing plates in, doesn’t look like a lot of room to add the rubber piece to the backing plate with the thick washer, lock washer and lock nut. The small outer nylon washer is no longer used they said. Not sure why the large nylon washer is needed between the mounting leg and rubber gasket. It shows a curved backing plate, there is no curve backing, I bought the 5x8 1/2 inch marine plywood. I did purchase the Marine Tex to butter up the plates and I will try my best to not have the backing edges touch, hopefully I will have enough filler that will come out all sides and will just let it set up.

 

[Scott06]

Thank you for the info, very helpful. I notice on your sketch that it didn’t have the large nylon washer between the mounting leg and rubber gasket to the outer hull. Do you remember if your kit came with it? I agree, after I get the backing plates in, doesn’t look like a lot of room to add the rubber piece to the backing plate with the thick washer, lock washer and lock nut. The small outer nylon washer is no longer used they said. Not sure why the large nylon washer is needed between the mounting leg and rubber gasket. It shows a curved backing plate, there is no curve backing, I bought the 5x8 1/2 inch marine plywood. I did purchase the Marine Tex to butter up the plates and I will try my best to not have the backing edges touch, hopefully I will have enough filler that will come out all sides and will just let it set up.

That was three years and many beers ago so dont recall if there was a nylon washer. If there was i used it, only eliminated the inside rubber washer as screw was too short and with plywood really doesn’t matter.
i assume the nylon was to allow mount and rubber washer to move independently of each other when adjusting. I think i had a qt of filler and was just enough.

 

[QBhoy]

Mr negative alert…I have a boat that came factory fitted with an option for a tower. But it’s not a fundamental wake board boat to start with. Despite a professional manufacturer fitting…I can tell you that it’s not a good thing. It caused slight stressing on the gel coat and was annoyingly noisy in any sort of chop. First thing I did was take it off the boat.
I strongly think that if you want to exclusively wake board…buy a wake board boat that’s meant and designed to have one on it. Given mine was factory fitted and still was in danger of damaging the boat…I’d imagine a diy fit, would be worse again.