wakeboarding tower

myprixxx

Hi all, just bought a 2006 Rinker 226 Captiva and am wanting to install a wake tower. I am questioning the fiberglass thickness and what methods of reinforcement everyone has used. Any pictures of installs on this or similar boats? Anything preferential for reinforcement? (wood vs adding glass vs??) and how big of pieces did you use vs where you attached (gunwale vs the sides)

Thanks for any help I can get, its almost the season

randy56

I'm not to familiar with those wake tower's but you would think the manufacturer of the tower would have good instructions, or video, on how to install.  Rinker has thick fiberglass.   

212rowboat

i attached mine near the outside edge in front of the windows and behind bow seat.  the glass there is surprisingly thick.  the back 'feet' i attached into the side of the boat maybe two linear feet behind the 'dash'.  the glass there is surprisingly thick, too.  when i say thick, it was likely 3/4"... the back feet are pushed against, the front feet are pulled on... 

the one i purchased is brushed aluminum, and has some really nice cnc'd junctions- really solid- and allen keyed substantial bolts.  it came with red loctite, but i preferred to use blue.  mine came with round plates likely 1/4" thick aluminum stock, and likely 3 1/2" in diameter... 

to mount the back 'feet' i removed the speakers just behind the pedestal chairs which allowed me easier access.. we're talking a 5/8" drill tap.  use one that is SHARP, tap a pilot small diameter, then the big one- with a FAST drill and very light pressure.. let the bit do the work.  a bit with a countersink on the end works best, as you want to slightly bevel the hole to help the glass keep from spidering. 

i wish there was a better way to do the front 'feet', but there isn't that i could discover.  i had to remove the seat backs of the bow seats, and pop a 4" hole behind it so i could reach in and secure the plates.  the 'holes' remain, even though i intended to keep the blanks and paste them back on/in- which is still an option (i still have them), but the seat backs hide them well enough.  there is no sandwich of wood- it is all glass, else i would have.

the site i bought it from after searching a long time is: http://www.boardoutlets.com/... i think i have somewhere in the neighborhood of $600 in it- which i spent figuring i could sell it locally if i didn't like it... it is surprisingly very well made. 
  

myprixxx

that actually looks really good, and is exactly what I was hoping for. did you add any additional wood aside from the back plate they sent? Is it just one large bolt from the mount through the hull? how long have you had it and has there been any issues with the fiberglass? I have a few buddies (and I am) about 220-250lbs and want to make sure we can all use it without fear of messing up the glass or spidering out the gel coat. I've heard using single bolts and countersinking where you drilled helps mitigate that just wondering from someone with real experience. Especially regarding the wood. Again, your setup looks great, thanks for the feedback

212rowboat

Nothing used that wasnt in kit sent with it .. except blue loctite instead of red sent .

They had rubber disks that go between glass and plates.. Cant be compressed type material.  Also have rubber boots that slip between pipe connections such as where they telescope. 

Nothing wood in it... And yes  its one bolt per foot... It may be 3/4 inch instead of 5/8 I said earlier.  Stout stuff... 

Two years, no issues, I've only pulled children, though .

Lake_Bum

The strength isn't really dependant on thickness of your fiberglass per say.....it gets it's strength from the large plates that you bolt it to on the inside. It distributes the load rather well. My fiberglass was probably 1/2" thick I would guess. I installed mine myself in one day, in the driveway drinking beer.....not a simple install, but not rocket science either 

Lake_Bum

Oh.....and I have wakeboarded myself quite a bit, and also pulled tubes with it, both kids and adults! 

myprixxx

Thanks to both of you, and thanks Bum, if itll pull an adult on the tube it should handle me on the board. 

I only asked about adding the wood to the inside as some have said that the interior plates arent big enough or didnt spread the load enough. I didnt know if that was due to thinner glass having a bit more give and take or if that was the standard. 

Thanks again!

Lake_Bum

With the plates that came with it, you can just tell by looking at it, how much it spreads out the load.  Technically, you're never supposed to use a tower for tubing, but I tried it out with 1 kid, then 2 kids, then gained confidence in it for whatever I could throw at it.   
A side note:    These towers are only designed for REAR pull.....never a side to side action!  At the dock, I had a friend that was trying to help me in the wind, grab ahold of the tower and yank on it.......I heard a creaking sound, and thought it was toast.  It wasn't, but it was a great lesson......they're not designed for anything side to side 

bdubz23

Which towers did you guys install?  Also, does your factory bimini still fit under?