Adding Ski Tower

[DarrenPayne]

Hello all, Finally settled on a boat. 94 18 chaparall. I want to add a ski tower to the boat. I have looked at several web sights and found several towers that claim to be universal fit. Im going to be building my own tower in shop. But im confused on where and what to mount it to on the boat. Best I can tell is they just mount to the fiberglass ?? seems like that would bust out after time. Does anyone know how this things bolt on. Ive looked at several boats with towers and it doesnt look like they have anything added to the mounting flages before the windshield area. Any help would be a great help.. Thanks in advance

[marshmat]

Are you talking about something like the towers seen on wakeboard boats? Or just a ski pylon? A full tower is usually secured to the deck: each leg has a large flange that is then through-bolted with ~4 bolts through the deck to a large, hefty metal backing plate on the other side. Pylons typically have a fitting in the sole to spread the load around, and another fitting on the keelson, much like a sailboat's mast.

[McTwist]

I assume u are adding a tower to wakeboard. we built one out of tube steel that we powdercoated afterward. We used steel in order to make the boat sit lower to throw off a larger wake. On the towers base where it meets the hull i added a 3" by 2" flat oval piece of steel. I drilled two holes in the steel oval, through the fiberglass and bolted it to another oval from underneath. P.S. Are you wakeboarding with your chapparral? I just bought an 18fter chapparral too and would like to know how it does.

[cyclops]

If you have a 5.0 L or larger you can make ANY wake size, by adjusting trim angle and speed. At +50 mph the is no wake left due to the dominance of the planing pad on the bottom. I have a 186 SSI /5.0 L. It does 50 with 1 rider and safety observer. NOT propped for wake boarding @ 4600 rpm. Rev limit is actual 4900 indicated. Finding the mounting location will be easy and prevent deck cracking if you go to the CHAPPERAL web site and join the forum that is only used buy CHAPP boat oweners. Cracking can be a problem. So can location. Learn from those who had problems. You will need the boat # to get on the forum. Enjoy.