Just say NO to inflatables on your tower

A question we hear literally every single day, "is this tower okay to pull a tube with?" As a fellow water enthusiast I could say yes, but the truthful answer is no. Now, let me be a little more specific on that. We carry a lot of different towers and the towers are capable of pulling a tube, but it's not good for them. Let me tell you why.

Did you know that each rope has a breaking strength?

These strengths differ from rope to rope, but one thing that doesn't change: a tube rope is a lot stronger than a ski or wake rope. A couple examples are that a 2 person tube rope is a little over 2,000 pounds and this 4 person tube rope is over 4,000 pounds! That is a lot of weight to be transferring to the tower AND the hull of the boat!

A couple things we have noticed on some of the boats we have installed on is that even the ski eye on the back of the boat has a pull rating. Most are generally about 2,000 pounds. This area is to be used for all towables, including inflatables. 



In some cases the you have a tower that is strong enough to pull inflatables. At this point the question becomes is the hull of you boat strong enough to take the excessive amount of force. If it is not you could see some spider cracking in the gel coat, hull or worse. Most manufacturers tell you not to pull a tube from the tower. There are so many factors in pulling a tube its hard to ensure you are not going to run into issues. I know its the boring thing to do but we recommend playing it safe and continue pulling inflatables from the back of the boat. 

How to Choose a Wakeboard

Looking for a board? Don't know what to buy or how to pick? First you need to decide what style, shape, and length is right for you.

Below is a rough chart. However, each manufacturer has their own length recommendations. Please go by the manufacturer recommendations. 

   Rider Weight (lbs)             Wakeboard Length (cm)

 Under 100                            130 or Under

90 - 150                                 130 - 134

130 - 180                               135 - 139

170 - 250                               140 - 144

       200 - 275+                           144 or Greater

Construction: Some high end boards are made of wood covered in fiberglass. However, most boards are made of high density foam covered with fiberglass. The amount of fiberglass determines the amount of the flex a board has. Thus, the less thick the fiberglass is on a board the more flexible a board is. Flex in a board is good for beginners, especially in choppy water. The flex of the board helps adapt to the rough choppy water. More advanced boards are more stiff. This allow them to get more "pop" off the wake. 

A flex board is compression molded. This allows the board to be stiff in the middle and flex at the ends. Some manufacturers of these board recommend this type of board for sliders and rails.  

Shape: There are a ton of different styles and combinations of styles. Choosing a style has a lot to do with what kind of rider you are. A wide board allow you to get more "pop" off the wake but not carve well. More Narrow boards allow you to carve better but you won't get the same "pop". The tip and tail of a board have a lot to do with the way the board releases off of the water. A board with a more rounded tail and tip will release off the water slower. While a square one is more snappy. 

Rocker: 
Continuous: A Continuous Rocker has a smooth arch. This is normally found on beginner boards. You also get a smooth and consistent release off the wake and when cutting into the wake. Due to the curvature of the board it has more contact with the water. This allow smoother transition and a softer landing. 
3 Stage: A 3 Stage Rocker has 3 areas, a flat center and (2) curved edges. This board style normally for more advanced riders. This shape allows your board to stay on top of the water a little more, which in turn provides less drag and a more explosive "pop" off the wake as well allow you to keep speed. 
Hybrid: A Hybrid Rocker combines the best of both worlds. You get a fast and consistent board. 

Fins: There are different types of fins, such as deep or shallow,fat or thin, removable or molded. Deeper fins are generally for beginners.

The above explanations of each feature should help you decide what you want out of a board. 














  

Skylon X3 Rack: Product Review

Skylon has been around for about 30 years. WOW! That is a long time. They strive to make a very high quality product. They also strive to keep their customer service top of the line as well. Skylon not only makes universal wakeboard towers and accessories they also make factory towers for a few boat manufacturer.

Skylon X3 Wake/Surf Rubber Dipped

Skylon recently introduced a new style rack, the X3 series. Skylon generally sticks with a classic and sleek style. They did not vary from this when designing their new X3 series. Their are multiple racks offered below in this series, listed below.

• X3 Combo Wake/Surf Rubber Dipped 
• X3 Combo Wake/Surf Anodized 
• X3 Double Surf Anodized 
• X3 Double Surf Rubber Dipped 
• X3 Triple Shocker Wake/Surf Wake Anodized 
• X3 Waterski Rack Rubber Dipped 
• X3 Pro Series Surf 3x3 Rubber Dipped 
• X3 Pro Series Surf 3x4 Rubber Dipped

All of these racks are a brushed anodized finish. You may have noticed that some racks are anodized and others are rubber dipper, these racks are similar the only difference is the forks as shown in the photos.

 Skylon also offers adapters as well as clamps. All of these are listed below. This is one thing that Skylon offers that few manufacturers do. This is really nice if you have a OEM tower and are looking for a nice rack. 

Skyon X3 Wake/Surf Anodized 

• Round Tube Clamp 1 7/8" and 2"
• Round Tube Clamp 2 1/4" and 2 3/8"
• Axis Tower Adapter 
• Gladiator Tower Lower Mount Kit 
• Illusion X and Evolution Adapter 
• Moomba OZ Tower Adapter 
• Sanger Tower Adapter 

Overall, you are getting what you pay for with these racks. Not very many manufacturers offer OEM tower  Definitely good racks but not a recommendation for the frugal buyer.

How To Reinforce Your Hull With Fiberglass

Is the hull of you boat less than 3/8" thick? If so you will need to reinforce the hull of your boat before installing your tower. This is a very important step.If your hull is not thick enough, the stress from a tower can cause damage to your fiberglass over time.  In the video below, Shane from Wake Essentials shows you how to reinforce your hull using fiberglass.

 

Skylon Pro XT: Product Review

Skylon Black Powder Coat Tower 

Skylon has been around for about 30 years. WOW! That is a long time. They strive to make a very high quality product. They also strive to keep their customer service top of the line as well. Skylon not only makes universal wakeboard towers and accessories they also make factory towers for a few boat manufacturer.

Today our topic of discussion is the Skylon Pro XT Tower. This tower a universal tower, that fits all boats 79"-105". This tower has 2 3/8" tubing. Did I mention it is very strong and has a rigid- guaranteed silent design? Need to collapse this tower on the water but don't have any tools? No worries, you don't need tools to collapse this tower. It has a heim joint and turn knob design at the mounts. It also comes with a navigation light inlcuded. The best part of this tower is it is made right here in the USA!!! The Pro XT is available in 2 finishes listed below. 

• Black Powder Coat
• Anodized Brushed Aluminium

Overall: The Skylon Pro XT Tower is a great choice It is a strong tower. If you need to collapse the tower often you do not need tools, you may find this is very nice to have. If you have any questions feel free to contact us or Skylon.

Skylon Pro XT Tower	January 20, 2009
Reviewer: Anonumous I'm happy with the purchase of my Skylon pro XT tower. Putting the tower up and down is pretty easy with help from my wife and 14 year old daughter. My boat is garaged so it's done every time I take it out. The factory bimini still fit with the new tower which probably saved about $800.00.

Skylon X2 Rack: Product Review

Skylon is a US based company that has been around for 30 years. They have great customer service and most of their products are made in the US. However, their products are a little on the pricey side but you pay for quality. All Skylon products have a 1 year manufacturers warranty. We have yet to have a customer need to use the warranty.

Skylon Wakeboard Tower Racks

Skylon X2 Triple Wake/Surf/Wake Rack

Skylon has one line of wakeboard racks, the X2 line. Lets talk about them.

• Skylon X2 Combo Rack (holds 1 wakeboard and 1 wakesurf)
• Skylon X2 Combo Rack with rubber dipped forks (holds 1 wakeboard and 1 wakesurf)
• Skylon X2 Double Surf Rack (holds 2 wakesurfs)
• Skylon X2 Triple Wake/Surf/Wake Rack (holds 2 wakeboards and 1 wakesurf)

All of the above racks come in a brushed and polished finish, which means they come in a brushed finish with polished edges. This is a very different finish than you see with other manufacturers and it looks great. These racks have liners to protect your highend boards. Skylon is one of the only manufacturers we carry that offer adapters for some of the OEM Towers. Listed below are the clamps and adapters they offer. 

Skylon X2 Combo Rack with
rubber dipped forks

• Axis Wake Research Tower
• Centurion Gladiator Lower Adapter 
• Moomba OZ Tower 
• Illusion X &  Evolution Adapter 
• 2.25" & 2.375" Rack Clamp
• 1.875" & 2.0" Rack Clamp

Overall you are getting what you pay for with these racks. Definitely good racks but not a recommendation for the frugal buyer.

If you have any questions please contact Wake Essentials or Skylon

Skylon Vector 8 HLCD Speaker: Product Review

Skylon has been around for 30 years and offers a great line of high quality products. The Vector 8 HLCD Tower Speakers are no exception!

HLCD stand for horn loaded compression driver. These speakers have a 8" mid-base driver with a 1" compression loaded horn, this is what makes these speakers so loud with a clear, crisp sound. You can hear them whether you are in the boat or in the wakes. Let's not forget their style... just look at how trendy they are!

Skylon offers these speakers in Black or White. Skylon is one of the only manufacturers we carry that offer adapters for some of the OEM Towers. Listed below are the clamps and adapters they offer.

Black Skylon Vector 8 Speaker

White Skylon Vector 8 Speaker

• Malibu G3 Double Adaptor Black 

• Malibu G3 Single Adaptor Black 

• Mastercraft Tower Adaptor 

• Universal Clamp (1.75" - 2.875")

• Evolution Tower 

• Gladiator Tower  

Overall these speakers have a great design with a great sound. Not to mention they will fit most towers. They retail for $1,099.00, but guess what?! Wake Essentials has them discounted! If you have any questions contact us.

Black Skylon Vector 8 Speakers 

How to care for your polished aluminium wakeboard tower

Keeping up with your tower can be an hour or so of your time. You will probably really appreciate it in the long run. Over time aluminium can loose it shine or begin to oxidize.

Never Dull Aluminium Polish

Around here the bugs are HUGE and travel in groups! So what happens when we go to the lake? Our tower, boat and windshield get a nice coat of bug guts.

We normally hit the car wash closest to home to rinse everything off and wash the tower. We just use a mild detergent to wash the dirt and bugs off the tower, dry it off (because nothing drives me crazy like water spots), and shine it up with an aluminium polish, if needed. There are many different brand of aluminium polish. Use which ever aluminium polish you prefer, we use "Never Dull".

 The way we do it is also the way that Big Air recommends to clean their polished aluminium towers.

3M Machine Glaze 

Our Roswell Representative recommends cleaning their polished aluminium products with soap and water to remove dirt and bugs. Then use a 3M Machine Glaze to keep their polished finished looking bright.

Of course everyone has their own way of doing things. I have heard of people wiping the tower down with pledge before travel to make bug removal easier. Some just wax their tower for the same ease of removal and keep the shine. I have even heard of people using a magic eraser. In the end, what you choose to do is up to you.

As always if you have any questions please contact us.

Why Anodize?

So I am online again, searching for a wakeboarding tower for my boat.

I have 3 kids who always attack the "lake snacks" right after we launch the boat

. They put their grubby fingers all over the place.

I have gear for 5 plus guest in my boat. We all love music. And we spend every July 4th on the lake, it's the BEST seat in the house to view the local fireworks display.

With these things in mind, I hit the soothing quite that is online shopping & check out towers. I am not much for matching my tower to my gel coat or interior vinyl. I want wither a chrome finish or well, wait, what's this anodized finish i see?

 Anodized Skylon FST Tower 

What is "anodize" and why should i consider it?


A formal definition, according to the Aluminium Anodizer's Coucil is as follows:

An electrochemical process that converts the metal surface into a decorative, durable, corrosion-resistant, anodic oxide finish.

This is accomplished by immersing the aluminium (best suited material) into an acid electrolyte bath and passing an electric current through the medium.

A cathode is mounted to the inside of the anodizing tank; the aluminium acts as an anode, so that oxygen ions are released from the electrolyte to combine with the aluminium atoms at the surface of the part being anodized.

Anodizing is, therefore a matter of highly controlled oxidation.


Layman's Terms

Its a strong, durable product out there that will not only amp up the aesthetic of your lake ride, but will look great, season after season.

It is a clear finish that typically matches the trim on most boat windshields.

It is a patine that you don't have to wait years to get. Anodized finish towers are durable, look great, & do not require a more than once over when you wash your boat.

Anodized finishes resist abrasion of the softer aluminium of the tower as well as keeping it from corroding.

Anodizing turns the surface of the aluminium tubing into a barrier that keeps your tower looking great, wit a finish that is easy to maintain.

If you wakeboard in brackish lakes or coastal waters, this finish is a must.

The difference between Clear Anodized Aluminium
and Polished Aluminium (Clear Anodized Aluminium is
on the left, Polished Aluminium is on the right.)

Man! I have found my tower finish! Not more cheeto-dust-sunscreen-watermarks-lake grime on my new tower. I won't need to polish my tower. My family can play out brain out (responsibly, of course). The cool-geeky part of my brain is at ease with the fact that the lake water won't dull my towers finish & I'll just wipe it down when i spray off the boar at our local car wash! not to mention, I can get all my gear & tunes up & out of the way with a tower!

So who's getting an anodized tower? THIS GUY!!!!!

With so many bimini choices... Where do you start?

There are many different biminis our there for sale. With so many choices, you have to ask yourself some questions. We're here to guide you through these questions.

Roswell Shadow Top

Does the manufacturer make one specific to your tower?

Some manufactures make a certain bimini for a specific tower, such as Roswell. For example, they make the Shadow Top specifically for the Aviator tower. Others make "universal" biminis such as Big Air. They state that their biminis generally fit most towers 2.5"-1.5" tubing, additional measurements may be required.

What looks best to you? What do you think will look best on your boat?

A lot of your bimini choice is about ascetics.
Look around to see if  your tower manufacturer makes a bimini specifically for your tower. If they do it may be something you love. If so, keep it in mind. If you are not that fond of it move on, don't waste your time.

The little things may be (or become) a big deal to you. Will things like removing a canvas or loosing head room drive you insane? All biminis have different features. Some mount over the tower, some mount under, some have a removable canvas. While others are stationary, some are collapsible. So lets look into these a little more.

Big Air Super Shadow Bimini

Do you want a bimini that mounts over the tower?

Choosing a bimini that mounts over the tower allows you to keep your head room. This can be very beneficial if you are tall. For instance, the Big Air Super Shadow Bimini. This bimini is a large 76"x76" square, that's over 6 feet on all sides. Imagine the shade that provides! With this simple but intricate design there is no need to worry about your tow rope interfering with the canvas while pulling a rider.

Big Air Bimini

Would you prefer a bimini that mounts under the tower?

The Big Air Bimini, Big Air Collapsible Bimini, and the Roswell Sun Top mount under the tower. The Big Air Bimini is a semi-custom bimini made to the interior measurements of your tower (that you provide).

Do you mind removing the canvas when you are off the water?

The Super Shadow Bimini canvas is very simple to remove, you just undo some buckle clips (like those on most life jackets) and store the canvas away. The Big Air Bimini is also very easy to remove. You still undo the buckle clips but the canvas will furl onto the front bar and you have a boot to store the canvas in for travel.

Big Air Collapsible Bimini

Would you prefer to not worry about installing the canvas?

 If you don't want to worry about removing and installing the canvas for your bimini. the Big Air Collapsible Bimini may be for you. With this bimini you just fold it up and secure it to the tower!! How easy?
Barewest also offers one.
The Roswell Shadow Top even collapses WITH the tower!

What do the reviews say?

Last but definitely not least...Reviews can save you from buying a bad product or sell you on a good one. Reviews may even tell you the small things that people like or dislike.


After you consider all of these things you should have a pretty good idea of what you want. If you are still having issue deciding please contact us, we are always happy to help.