Date: 8/1/00
Reviewed by: David Williams

Titan Tower from front (top) and rear

I have to admit that I was a bit wary upon delivery of our new Malibu Wakesetter Escape. I knew that the new Titan tower would be installed on the boat, but I still wasn't sure if I was going to like it. I had only seen pictures of this tower, but that's all it takes to see that it's not like other towers. I even considered switching it out for another brand at one time prior to delivery. I'm so glad I didn't.

The unique look of the Titan tower is really based on the approach that they took when they designed the tower. They started with a blank sheet of paper and came up with a design that they felt would solve many of the problems found in conventional towers. They set out to make a strong, easily collapsible, uncomplicated tower that will not harm the surface of the boat. This is what they came up with.

Titan Tower folding sequence

The 2.25" stainless steel tubing used in its construction and its two piece/one joint design serve to answer the question of strength. We've been using the tower for about three months and I'm constantly amazed at how many people have walked up to me and asked if they could shake my tower. Each one of them walks away disappointed that they weren't able to get any movement, rattles or even squeaks out of the sturdy structure.

The tower's design also addresses the question of side to side strength that many of today's towers leave unanswered. The front portion of the Titan tower is a wishbone shaped structure that provides direct resistance when the rider is pulling on the boat from outside of the wake as well as from directly behind the boat.

Titan Tower hand grip fastener

The mounts for the Titan tower ensure that any flex that does make it through the structure does not end up twisting the fiberglass on which it's been mounted. The mounts utilize a Heim joint, which will swivel in several directions and keep any small amounts of tower flex from making their way to your boat's deck.

The real beauty and convenience of the Titan tower is not evident on the water however. You'll appreciate this feature when you're putting it away. If it's been a long day on the water and I'm feeling tired, it can take me as long as 12 seconds to collapse the tower and have it ready for storage. That's about how long it takes to remove the one fastener that holds the structure together. It's got a hand grip on it so I don't need any tools. I then lean the rear piece back to rest on my rear seats and lay the front piece down to rest on the windshield.

Titan Tower folded with cover (bottom) and without

In the collapsed position on a Malibu Wakesetter Escape, the highest part of the tower ends up being approximately 53" from the floor of the boat. It comes down low enough that the stock shipping cover that came with the Malibu still covers the boat adequately. The actual height in any given boat will depend on the height of the windshield and the proximity of the front tower mounts to the windshield.

The bimini top that is designed for this tower is also a simple, yet functional design. Although it's slightly narrower (about four inches) than some biminis you may find on traditional towers, it provides excellent coverage. Since the front is mounted directly to the tower and the only straps are about 12 inches long and used for securing the rear of the bimini, it's a very solid piece of equipment.

After several months of use, I'd have to give Titan Wakeboarding Accessories some seriously high marks on their tower design. I've yet to have an issue with the tower and find that the only possible drawback is the fact that the tower does not fold beneath the windshield height, although in most applications, its low profile is sufficient. When the tower is in use out on the water, it provides a rock solid pull from all angles, minimal stress on the hull of the boat, and, now that it's starting to grow on me, it looks great.

Find out more about Titan Wakeboarding Accessories at http://www.cmfusa.com

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