Another wakeboard tower question - mounting a Monster MTk on a 185-gctid381463

[Guest]

Got a new tower delivered yesterday, and I am ready to tackle the installation this weekend. However, I am still undecided about where to mount it. I ended up getting a Monster MTk, same unit that Bayliner is installing on the 2012 Flight Series, so both feet on each side are only 16" apart and in the back behind the windshield.Here's my dilemma. I only took one mechanical engineering class back in school, so I can't remember enough about it to figure out which is the stronger place to mount the feet, on the top or the side of the boat? Attached is a pic below of the cross reference. The feet fit in either place just fine.Any mechanical engineers out there? Which placement will be stronger? Which will place less stress over time on the fiberglass and gelcoat? I'll use ample backing plates in either location.Thoughts? opinions?

[img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/684965=27643-tower-foot-placement.jpg[/img]

[Guest]

I have yet to install my MTK. i am installing it on the side so my tonneau cover can still be buttoned up.

[Guest]

Comes down to personal preference really, but I mounted on top of the gunwale.

I liked the way it looked a little better when mounted on top and I also noticed that the fiberglass was thickened in two areas under each gunwale. The glass was a hair over 1" thick in those areas and they were roughly the same distance apart as the tower mounts. This made for really solid mounting location. I even had enough wiggle room to move the tower in a perfect position for my tower mounted mirror.

I did have to have my cover modified to wrap around the tower legs but that only cost $200 at a sailing shop in KC. Fits like a glove.

One other thing to think about, if you plan to install the monster mtk bimini, I wouldn't mount the tower very low on the sides. I'm 5'10 and I can just barely walk under the front of the bimini without ducking. If the tower was mounted a few inches lower, it would be a bit of a pain.

Just some stuff to think about. Either way you go, you're gonna love that tower. They look great on Bay's!!

Oh, one last thing. If you are going with the black powder coat, be really careful when installing racks. Machined clamps are super sharp and can peel away the finish if you nick it. Lesson Learned...

Enjoy!!!

[Guest]

Just finished my installed on my Mtk. Everything went great until I drilled the lock bolts. I should have centered it better. Oh well it's to late. You can only notice it when you are standing way back. Other wise it looks great.

[Guest]

Well I mounted it over the weekend. Guess it was tower mounting weekend :-)

Went with the top mounts, and had not real problems but some interesting observations. I plan to post an install thread with pics later in the week.

Thanks for the comments and advice.

[Guest]

here is how mine ended up looking like.

[scrutchfield]

jhenkel wrote:
Well I mounted it over the weekend. Guess it was tower mounting weekend :-)

Went with the top mounts, and had not real problems but some interesting observations. I plan to post an install thread with pics later in the week.

Thanks for the comments and advice.

I installed my MTK on a 2005 Bayliner 175 - I would have preferred to have mounted on the top rather than the sides, but there was not enough room to get the metal plates up there. Instead I used marine ply and glassed over the top to make the mounts as strong as possible. I guess there is more room on a 185. The other advantage of installing on the top rather than the side is that you win some more headroom. I'm just under 6ft and I suffer from a slight 'duck' when I get up - but it really isn't an issue.

Instead of buying the wakeboard holders from Monster - I went direct to a Chinese seller via ebay for about 35% cost - was nervous, but they arrived in 4 days - thats good! The product was great but you can't swivel them.

I'd like to get some fishing rod holders but its seems quite hard with a 2.5" diameter.

It took me 2 days and 3 adults to do the work - I reckon that 2/3rds of that was getting the placement right - which I still got wrong (can't fold it forwards to where I want)....but instead I put 2 sets of easy release bolts on the tower instead - takes 5 minutes to remove the tower to put it in the garage which I do only for winter.

Despite all of the above - it has not been used yet! I plan to let my 9yr old start; then my wife, and then myself....I have nightmares of ripping the boat apart but my marina says that it will be fine!!

Good luck!

S

[Guest]

Bcbayliner wrote:
here is how mine ended up looking like.

Looks Great! Would you believe that over the entire weekend working on it, the one thing I forgot to do was take a picture of the finished project? Gotta pull it out of the garage this evening to get a shot then I will post. You've got a heck of a nice tow boat there with that tower and the V-6 engine.

[Guest]

Congratulations to you both on getting the towers installed!!! The picture looks great. I just ordered my tower this weekend (I went with the H20 tower instead). Scrutchfield, I have a question. I plan on doing exactly what you did (I think) -- marine plywood glassed over as backing. How exactly did you do that? I plan on putting the plywood backing on with 3M 5200, then fiberglass over that after the 5200 has had time to set. I can't quite figure out how to apply pressure while the 5200 sets up -- did you install the bolts, tighten to get pressure, then take the bolts out, glass over, then redrill the holes in the glass? Just trying to figure out the right sequence....

Kent

[Marty31]

I just spent Saturday installing this MTK to my 2009 Bayliner 175 GT. I was planning on siting it on top of the deck but the boat was 3inches too narrow. However it's ok I can walk under it without banging my head and I'm just under 6 foot.

Plenty of 1/2 inch marine ply and fibre glass bogging behind it (p40).

Nice and quite no creaking and withheld me wakeboarding and mono skiing no problem plus I can fold it forward or backward .Result !

I would post pictures but for some reason it says the "file upload failed".