What creative ways do you fold down your wakeboard tower alone?

Shawn

New Member
Sep 15, 2011
7
Oregon
Boat Info
185 Sport, Wakeboard package
Engines
4.3L
Just bought a new (yes 0.5 hours) 2010 185 sport w/wakeboard package and also my first post here too. Hi everyone...

So, I don't know about you, but mine barely fits in the garage as it is length wise (garage door touches trailer on the way down lol but it works), but getting that Wakeboard Tower folded down by myself is literally impossible (it's HEAVY!). Granted I have not done it too much yet, but I have already learned a couple of do's and don'ts, some more painful than others :smt021

I am thinking of a few things:

#1. Craft up some type of stable cradle base using PVC pipe or Aluminum square 1" TUBE that I can put in the bow to hold it while I unscrew the bolts and then walk to the bow to lower it down. (it goes lower folded toward the bow)

#2. Same cradle with a gas shock down inside it (think PVC). I think this is wishful fancy craftsmanship here lol

#3. Mounting Gas shock/strut type of thing but this involves drilling and mounts, not big on drilling holes in my baby though :)

#4. Some type of kludgy pully system using the transom eyes (new idea this morning) with me holding a rope so I can lower it slowly. Of course using reductions to make it easy.

I am wondering what any other people have done to solve this? Anything worked great or so-so? have you slammed it down on your boat? or fingers? :)

I am single, so I do not always have a 2nd person there to call on which is a pain to always have a friend with me just to put it in the garage. Storing it outside is not an option for my new baby, at least for a few years if ever :)
 
Ask your neighbor to come over and have a beer while he gives you a hand?
 
pics of your tower would help. I have the 230 select with tower and I do it alone but it is a pain. I take the bolts out or the back supports and walk it over through the walk through windshield. Your tower may be different.
 
I suppose a picture could be helpful :) In the pic you can see the black knobs on the rear bar that then swings free and eats fingers if you are not careful, not that my bruised fingernail is evidence of that on day 1 :). The neighbor idea is OK but if you are coming back late at night from all an day excursion at 10:30pm you are usually not greeted with a coke and a smile when they answer the door lol

The whole thing pivots from the points by the front of the windhsield. The issue is while you are unscrewing the knobs, it becomes free pivoting and you HAVE to hold it up straight at that point and you are doing it from the side which gives you NO leverage to hold it if it starts to go forward (this is where the 2nd person comes in). I am 6'1" and getting around the seat you are next too at the time with your arms stretching to reach it and then walking it through the front windshield is precarious at best and if it starts to go before you are solidly under it or you trip, it's not going to be a pretty event. I am guessing it weighs around 75-100lbs. Laying it back to the stern doesn't give me the clearance for the garage height, laying it down to the bow gives me an extra 5-6" of clearance.

IMG_0534_Copy.JPG
 
Until I built my new detached garage (with tall doors) I used to have to fold my tower down to get it into the house garage. I always folded my tower backwards so my method may be of no help to you. I put a big mirror on my tower that will hit the windsheild if I fold it forward. Here's my method:

1) Place towels on the gunnel's where the tower will make contack when folded (do this with or without the cockpit cover on

2) Take both black knobs out of one side of the tower. Swing the rear support forward pivioting at the top and use a bungee cord around the tube where the rack is to hold up the support.

3) Take both black knobs out of the other side of the tower. While supporting the weight of the tower swing the rear support forward as you did in the previous step and lower the tower until it is resting on the towels.

note: a good step stool will really make this alot easier.
 
Thanks for the replies guys! 1 nice thing is the Bimini top when folded forward actually acts like the towels mentioned protecting the Gunnel's , the whole thing rests on the rolled up Bimini & it's cover :) If I folded mine to the rear I could probably do it because I am unobstructed in leaning it back and probably could start going backward and walk myself under it pretty quickly because nothing is in the way. BUT I need to go forward to get it to lay down flatter for the garage height.

Took the boat to the lake yesterday so I got a chance to spend a few minutes visualizing how it may be done when I had to raise it (with help). The tower when up and I stand directly under it, is about 6-8" out of my reach. So I have no choice but to be at 1 side or the other, have to anyway to release knobs. I am really leaning toward the pulley idea because I think can push it forward with rope attached to tower bar, other end to transom mounted pulley (with rope extender to get Pulley inside boat) and from there run it all the way to a bow cleat tied off so when the weight hits it a little off top dead center it will hold it and allow me to get under it, reach over and untie the cleat and lower it slowly until I can get a grip on it while under it. At least it sounds good :)

So after the 1st I will probably go get the things I need to try for the pulley idea. At this point after buying everything that comes with pleasure boating (when you have not owned a boat in 20 years), this month has wreaked havoc on the credit card and savings. I am just trying to get it to 20 hours broke-in before I have to winterize. I figure I have about another $300 to go this month in gas lol Add to that I left the stupid fenders on when I left the doc and had 1 of those moments about 10 minutes after leaving dock of hmmm?, look over the side where they were...uh-oh, look at my guest, "uhhh did you pull the fenders in?". I get this blank look that says it all :) Spend an hour back-tracking, and yep they're gone. So can't go to lake this morning until marine store opens so I can get 2 more (many colorful words inserted here!)

Thanks for the replies, it's nice to have others so helpful!
 
Thanks

At this point after buying everything that comes with pleasure boating (when you have not owned a boat in 20 years), this month has wreaked havoc on the credit card and savings.


Welcome back to boating, and welcome to CSR. And thanks for doing your part to jump start the economy. We boater's are a patriotic bunch in that regard!
 
Welcome back to boating, and welcome to CSR. And thanks for doing your part to jump start the economy. We boater's are a patriotic bunch in that regard!

I appreciate the welcome, thank you! Now eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the rest of the month, but soooo worth it ;)
 

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