So what would be the max weight for the illusion tower?

[J.P.]

So after just reading a post about gel coat stress cracks possibly due to a overweighed tower…What would the max weight be for the tower?

[mellen_mpz]

good question. I have 4 pro60's and 2 mb 8's going up on mine this saturday.

[johnsvt]

good question. I have 4 pro60's and 2 mb 8's going up on mine this saturday.

I have had two pair of pro80's and 2 pair of full board racks with no problem, but I always travel with almost nothing on the tower.

[99response]

Cracks are from a bad installation, not from "overloading"

[WakeGirl]

Cracks are from a bad installation, not from "overloading"

[skyskier]

My theory is the cracks come from towing with weight on the tower. A big crack or pot hole in the road will telegraph a lot of energy to the tower. By the time you see the pot hole it is usually too late. I know of one boat that was sent to the glass shop for stress crack repairs around the tower and one of the cracks reappeared on the trip back to the dealership. The tower was stripped at the time.

If the tower was dropped and well secured for towing, I don't think extra weight would be a big deal. That would also save a lot of work and time if accessories could be left in place for towing. Probably save on warranty claims as well. I thought I saw a thread here that mentioned a stand that was available from Malibu. I ran a search, but could not find it. Does anyone know if there is a stand or any other device available to secure the tower while towing?

Back to the OP's question..............I don't think extra weight in the standard board rack locations matters much since the weight is not very far forward of the tower base. As weight is added higher and more toward the front it becomes a more of a problem. On the water it is all less of a problem unless slamming through double ups is part of your game plan. I would go bare tower for that. Just my opinion.

[T-Squared]

My theory is the cracks come from towing with weight on the tower. A big crack or pot hole in the road will telegraph a lot of energy to the tower. By the time you see the pot hole it is usually too late. I know of one boat that was sent to the glass shop for stress crack repairs around the tower and one of the cracks reappeared on the trip back to the dealership. The tower was stripped at the time.

If the tower was dropped and well secured for towing, I don't think extra weight would be a big deal. That would also save a lot of work and time if accessories could be left in place for towing. Probably save on warranty claims as well. I thought I saw a thread here that mentioned a stand that was available from Malibu. I ran a search, but could not find it. Does anyone know if there is a stand or any other device available to secure the tower while towing?

Back to the OP's question..............I don't think extra weight in the standard board rack locations matters much since the weight is not very far forward of the tower base. As weight is added higher and more toward the front it becomes a more of a problem. On the water it is all less of a problem unless slamming through double ups is part of your game plan. I would go bare tower for that. Just my opinion.

I would think that if it was going to crack, it would with someone boarding behind the boat too. That's probably more stress on the tower than a pot hole IMO.

I have a pair of Pro 80's, a pair of MB8's, board racks and a bimini and have never had an issue.