Best and Worst Towers

Just wondering who has the best tower? No flex, functional and easy to collapse. What are the worst towers? Flex, hard to collapse, tightening nuts and or bolts etc.

The worst from what I have heard is the Metcraft tower from the old Tige's and maybe Calabrias circa 2000. I have also heard that the carbon fiber illusion tower thing was pretty bad. As for towers I like I really like the Titan II, Samson Razor and Switchblade and I really, really like the 05-06 Mastercraft tower that was on their boats except the Xstar and X80 I believe. It was an all round tubing one with swivel board racks.

This post is worthless w/out pics. ;-)

While it may not be the prettiest, the current MB tower (mady by Skyon, I believe) has to be one of the best from the standpoint of "no flex" and "easy to collapse." I can raise and lower mine by myselt in about 45 seconds (yes, I timed myself). Super easy, and super solid. Also, it has the best bimini I've ever seen... seriously covers the entire cockpit in shade. I don't like the racks though... very average conpared to MC (no bungies) and even Malibu's new bungee racks.






Mastercraft has two towers that I love: The ZFT3 and the "mini" ZFT3. I think they look better than any other, and the rack system is simply the best. However, I hear they are hard to raise and lower, and not the most stable. (40th anniversary boats are hawt, btw!)






Mastercraft also wins my award for the ugliest tower of all time... the power tower. I don't know why anybody would pay $10K for this. The ones at the Portland boat show went up and down so slowly it was painful. Then they all broke. Nice.




I'm a big fan of Malibu's new tower. I think it might be the easiest to raise and lower, it's cable assisted so it won't just fall down. And I like how it doesn't sit on the lockers when down (like many do, including my MB tower). I think it looks great too... especially in white!





Finally, I love the Samson Razor on my buddies Calabria (he ordered the boat w/out tower, then had Samsun custom fit this one). It makes the boat look so much hotter than other Calabrias, and it's super functional and rock solid. I've even considering putting one on my next MB just cuz I like how it looks so much.

My vote goes for the new G3 tower, built in house by Malibu. I was doing pullups on it and it did not budge, not a single squeek on the water. Its collapses super easy with gas assisted shocks. I have also heard great things about the new Tige Alpha Z towers.

The rad-a-cage from Supra was a great solid tower, but collapsing it was a pain in the *ss.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAK9_DhSHpc

"Mastercraft has two towers that I love: The ZFT3 and the "mini" ZFT3. I think they look better than any other, and the rack system is simply the best. However, I hear they are hard to raise and lower, and not the most stable. (40th anniversary boats are hawt, btw!)"

Maybe I am a bit partisan, but the racks can't be beat. I have never lowered it, so I can't comment on that, and I think it is pretty solid, probably not the most sturdy of all the towers out there.

The power tower is slowly starting to grow on me.

The Power Tower just won "Innovation of the Year" so it's not going anywhere.

I actually like the power tower, it does take a bit getting used to but now when i se it i like it. on the new for 2011 thread there is a black x-25 with it and that boat is dope! My vote is for that and the new Tige Alpha z tower.

All around for every category I think the G3 takes the prize.

ProFlight Chubby does not squeek, rattle, or flex. It's easy to take down but does not fold really low.

Plenty of 'bests'
- The original 3-4 variants of the Illusion
- The 2nd gen Correct Craft Flight Control Tower
- The FCT - 1 Anodized, as seen first on the 236 and 230
- A bunch more - Supra seems to have never messed their towers up now that I think of it
- MasterCraft for the most part makes a great tower depending on what you like aesthetically - some reports of rattles... but I've also hear reports of rattles in recent Nautique FCT3's.

WORST
The thing they put on the first few Tige V-Drives (Rider's Editions). Rattles, shakes, and even better - cracks the fiberglass under the mounts.

My favorites are the Titan III, Skylon towers on MB, G3 Tower, and like Erik said the FCT-1 on the 230/236.

Worst I'd say are just some of the first gen towers - The very first FCT, that Tige tower, the first Zero Flex tower with the handles. But I think I'd again have to agree with Erik, that Tige tower that was like a triangle with pads on it was just awful.

Titan series one and two towers were awsome. Had it on my 02 vlx and it was solid as they come. One bolt, and done. The g3 is grea too, but I still think the titan was easier, how do you beat one bolt set up? Plus no rattle, or movement of any kind

I am a fan of the Titan towers as well. I had one on my '07 vlx and it was great.

I liked the flight control tower on my old xstar, but the welds broke several times.

I had a 230 with the fct1 on it. It was big, but creaked like crazy, saved only like a foot when folded, and swayed like a mofo when I had 485's on it.

The fct3's I had on my 230's were rock solid and didn't make a sound even with 485's and a z5 on them.

The power tower looks cool and is functional, but have you guys seen the videos of people shaking the power tower and the deck flex that it caused? That's with no boards, heavy speakers, etc. I'm curious what would happen if you loaded one down with heavy speakers, boards, etc. and hit some serious chop. Maybe nothing, but those vids are crazy. I'll see if I can find them.

http://www.woofiles.com/dl-225771-ApXVvA4O-powertower

http://www.woofiles.com/dl-225772-KMffyWTw-powertower2

As for the illusion towers, functionally, they are great, but I do not like how low they are, I don't like the tower speaker restrictions, and I don't like not being able to put a z5 on them. The new g3 tower loses some of its folding functionality because you have to remove that rear hoop to get in a garage.

Sounds like Titan and Samson are the best aftermarket towers. As for new boats the MC power tower has some issues. Thanks for your help crew.

Originally Posted by chattwake

http://www.woofiles.com/dl-225771-ApXVvA4O-powertower

http://www.woofiles.com/dl-225772-KMffyWTw-powertower2

As for the illusion towers, functionally, they are great, but I do not like how low they are, I don't like the tower speaker restrictions, and I don't like not being able to put a z5 on them. The new g3 tower loses some of its folding functionality because you have to remove that rear hoop to get in a garage.

The G3 sits a hell of alot lower when folded than the illusion XS it replaced. The G3 is supposed to be as low or lower than the illusion x. Shouldn't have to take that rear hoop off at all.

Originally Posted by 05mobiuslsv

The G3 sits a hell of alot lower when folded than the illusion XS it replaced. The G3 is supposed to be as low or lower than the illusion x. Shouldn't have to take that rear hoop off at all.

You are correct, the G3 will fit into most garages without removing rear hoop. The board racks actually sit higher than the hoop when collapsed but they are easily removeable. The dealer measured the tower height for me and said anything 7' and under will clear the tower but the board racks might have to come off.

I believe most standard garages are over 7' but there might be some that are lower and this would be a problem and require the hoop to be removed.

Originally Posted by fman

You are correct, the G3 will fit into most garages without removing rear hoop. The board racks actually sit higher than the hoop when collapsed but they are easily removeable. The dealer measured the tower height for me and said anything 7' and under will clear the tower but the board racks might have to come off.

I believe most standard garages are over 7' but there might be some that are lower and this would be a problem and require the hoop to be removed.

All that info you just provided is highly dependent on which boat the G3 is on, as well as which trailer that boat sits on.

Just a heads up for those that love the Titan towers, they are now built by Star One Wake/ Menace Water Sports. Here's the contact info.


Star One Wake
Brett Burrows
PH: (916) 858-1178
FAX: (916) 858-1179
Brett@staronewake.com
staronewake.com
menacewatersports.com
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Ixfe, I love MB's towers, they probably have some of my favorites, however, i have to disagree on their bimini's, while large they look very cheaply done and tend to wrinkle and bunch up and never seem to look taught.

I love MB's current tower. Definitely the easiest to put up and take down. And i love the bimini. It might not look the fanciest but it is so easy to put up and take down and provides tons of shade.

I agree, my MB tower is easy to raise and lower and the bimini works great.

My favorite tower is the Titan III tower it is solid, it is tall, strong and pretty easy to take down and lays down good. I like the thick tubing and the fact that I can put big speakers on it without hitting my head and still have the bimini top fit under the speakers that are the tower. This keeps the noise reflected from overwhelming the people in the boat when blasting music to the rider.

The worst tower is the old fiberglass tower with the built in 6x9 speaker box. The batwing tower that Malibu used back in 2005/2006. It swayed right to left badly and fractured or cracked easy. Those are my opinions.

I love the Titan FCT-2 on my 210. My favorite tower ever. I also like the MasterCraft tower than been on their boats since 2007.

Folding down the tower isn't important to me, and I've never seen "Flex" be a problem, unless your tower is causing gel coat cracks. People say the MC towers flex a lot, but I've never once seen it cause any problems after 3 Xstars.

The Malibu Tower is my current favorite. I also love the new powered Mastercraft tower, but I think they have to much money into it, and suspect that it is driving up their boat prices. Billet and machining alone looks like about 10K or more.

The MC Power Tower may look ugly but as a boater I have to put my boat in a garage every weekend and lowering my tower is heavy and a p.i.a.

The power tower would be really handy i think,

The tower on my 06 Mastercraft X2 was pretty much flawless. Solid as a rock. The only downside was folding it with a set of Pro 80s on it! Luckily I only had to once.

On the tower note... anyone know the company who is building the 'illusion' towers for Moomba now? I saw the boat show they had a nice t-handle pin that holds the tower up. Would be much better than the little keyring/pin system on my Illusion tower if I could make it work..