Just got my new "universal pole"

Ok, so I ordered a universal pylon/pole from Big Air Pylons and it came in the mail yesterday. I'm going to be installing it tonight and using tomarrow. My question is...I've never been pulled by anything other than the regular low tow from an I/O, what should I expect..should my height improve should other things improve? Thanks guys...

The very first thing you will notice is how insanely easy it is to do a deep water start now. You'll also notice some increase in the air you get but it probably won't wow you. The only other thing I've ever noticed on low tow vs high tow on the same boat is that it's a little easier to save a fall because you're not being pulled into the water.

Hey Dennis, I'm also considering getting the Big Air Universal Pylon. Tell me how it looks/feels/functions so far in your boat, and include some pictures if you can. Do you think it is a good buy? My student budget would have problems affording a tower, but that seems reasonable! How was the install?? Let me know, I'd really appreciate it!

choppy water is somehow more difficult to ride in on low tow.

Kade, Like Dante said deep water starts are really easy and I noticed a minor improvment in air time, but wasn't a huge difference. One thing I really noticed was just a general tow doesn't seem to pull as hard...it seems like just hanging onto the rope isn't as strenuous as it was. I might be able to get up some pictures sometime but prolly be a little while. As far as the installation goes it was fairly straight forward, it took me and my buddy about 2 hours to install it and the majority of that was spend on getting the back to cables adjusted to the correct lenght. Don't rush this step it may take several times to get it rite. But overall wasn't hard, just make sure you check on the bottom side of the fiberglass to make sure their is no obstructions before you make your holes. As far as function it worked greater than I expected and I had a few guys on it that were pushing 225. Now don't get me wrong none of us are really any good but the pole didn't move at all and seemed very very very strong, when you get it installed you'll be able to see how strong it feels. Also if you carefully plan your your putting it you can avoid loss of seating....on my 18' I/O I put very close to the rear seat and the cables don't block any seating in back(and you can stand up in back with out hitting your head on the cables)....and the front isn't as good as the back but but I still didn't lose any seating. Overall a great buy and I think it was and is a great if you cann't afford a tower..Just make sure to plan everything out before you start to drill anything! I hope this helped let me know what you decide.

Hey Dennis, that sounds great! Glad you are giving it a positive report. My options were (1) get a tower, and that's it, or (2) Replace my crappy AM/FM radio w/ 1 speaker with a decent CD Player/Speaker set-up & maybe still afford a Pylon. This positive report is making me veer towards choice #2!

I've got another question. You say you mounted the pole very close to the rear seat of your I/O. By that, do you mean right in front of the engine cover? If that is the case, where did you end up mounting the rear cables? Seems like you would only be able to mount them kind of horizontally instead of going rearward? Maybe I'm visualizing it wrong?

That sounds cool though, if I got one, I'd like to mount it just in front of our engine cover if possible, just to get the pylon out of the way, and interfer with the rear seating as little as possible! I was also wishing I could just mount the rear cable on my pre-existing mooring plates that are on the boat's sides in the rear, it would avoid drilling any holes at all in the boat's hull.

Let me know how that is set up for you! How long did shipping take on the pylon? Were the instructions good?

Ok, yea I mounted the base plate right in front of the engine cover and back seat basically as far back as possible, and no the cables didn't end up having to be horizontal I think they were about 3'6" back from the pole...The directions say to mount the cables between 2' and 4' back from the pole so where I mounted mine it doesnt' look strange from the mounts being really far back or anything like that. So another words you have to mount your plates between 2foor and 4foot back from the center of the pole. As far as mounting with a existing mooring...I don't see why that wouldn't work, my boat that wasn't an option cause my rear mooring is not in a spot that would make that possible. As far as shipping goes I ordered it Monday afternoon I think around 1:30 and it arrived Thursday afternoon, I live in Illinois...really fast shipping! The instructions were very good they included pictures and about 3 pages work of text, although some of the pictures are faded they were still good.