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skylon swoop


Sonny

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I have a 1998 vlx and had my dealer install a skylon swoop (folding low profile) with Skylon bat racks in 2003. It has been solid and rattle free carrying a wake board on each side until now. This summer I mounted Skylon Defcon IV's to the top of the tower (not hanging under), because my bimini will not pass under the speakers if they are mounted hanging down. Yesterday in semirough water I noticed a very annoying creaking sound coming form the starboard side of the tower (nothing from port side). The sound seem to be originating from the cross member that holds the bat rack. The tower also wobbles from side to side more, which is probably due to the weight of the Defcon IV's.

Does anyone have a fix for the annoying creaking sound ?

Is it possible for the metal in the tower to loose its rigidity ?

Is there a problem with mounting the Defcon IV's on top of the tower instead of underneath ?

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I'd check the mounting bolts through the hull first. If those have come loose (even a little) you could experience some noise reverberating through the tower. WakeGirl did a nice mod with a reinforced backing plate under the hull where the tower is bolted through on her old boat. If you ask reeeaaal nice, I'm sure she'd be happy to post a pic for you. Your speakers will cause a slight bit of flex in the tower but I don't think the mounting location would produce more or less. Regardless, the backing plate would most likely help your situation.

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I knew that one would come back to bite me in the butt, I never took pics of that particular mod. :Doh: I can describe it in detail if you really like, but that doesn't sound like your problem in this particular case.

The squeaking sounds like the Batracks are coming loose - we had that problem now & again. The mounting bolts for the racks would start to back out & it doesn't take much for them to start squeaking a bit. Also, periodically check the heim joints on each side to make sure they're tight as those will want to loosen up over time as well. You won't be able to do much for the wobble of the tower, the Swoops just do that with weight on them unfortunately.

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I thought it might be the batrack too, so I took off the wake board and tighted the hand screws, unfortuatley the creaking was still there. I have tighted the tower lower bracket mounting bolts that attach to the hull, but there seems to be some play when I move the lower bracket back and forth with my hand, between the bracket, pad, and hull. It appears that the pad between the bracket and hull compresses with the movement. Do they wear out ? I keep my boat in the garage year round, so the is minimal exposure to the elements.

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I've never heard of them wearing out, but that doesn't mean it isn't possible. Be careful of overtightening the mounting bolts at the hull - on at least some models the foot of the tower doesn't match the contour of the hull, so if you tighten too much then you will crack the gel coat.

Are there any mounting or reinforcement plates/pads on the backside of the hull at the mounting points?

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I am sure you are probably way past this, but we have a swoop on our boat and get the most horrific groaning noise periodically from the tower. At first it scared me to death, thinking that something bad was imminent.... Come to find out that when a boarder or skier is in the water if they squeeze the rope to much as I pull the handle to them it transmits a terrible sound through the tower down into the hull.

Other than that our swoop is silent.

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  • 7 years later...

How did you get the bimini to clear the speakers? I cant deploy mine..

You brought back an 8 year old thread.

For mine, I just remove the thumb screw from one leg to swing it down when opening or closing the bimini, otherwise I have to mount the bimini too low. Doesn't take but 15 more seconds to do it that way. Here is mine deployed:

dsc03939y.jpg

dsc03933a.jpg

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How did you get the bimini to clear the speakers? I cant deploy mine...

I take the bimini completely off, unfold it and re mount it on the quick release pins. you can't unfold it mounted with speakers.

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The front poles should both have thumb push button things to take the corner piece apart from the leg, take it off, fit it under the speakers and the middle section may not clear but mine i can kinda just force under the speakers (not a lot of force, it doesn't clear by about an inch so i just push it down and then bring it in front of the speakers and then I'm set. The first time i took the entire bimini off and then i figure out this way. I can now have my bimini deployed in <30 seconds

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Gotta take one side off to open on ours as well. Just be careful, we broke the small ear off the attached side where to bolt goes through this last weekend. Cheap to fix but still a pain.

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The front poles should both have thumb push button things to take the corner piece apart from the leg, take it off, fit it under the speakers and the middle section may not clear but mine i can kinda just force under the speakers (not a lot of force, it doesn't clear by about an inch so i just push it down and then bring it in front of the speakers and then I'm set. The first time i took the entire bimini off and then i figure out this way. I can now have my bimini deployed in <30 seconds

I don't see the thumb things you speak of. I have the two hand screws at the base of the tower. I was going to check it out last night but it wouldnt stop raining so I only got so far.

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I don't know how to describe them exactly, the only other thing I know they are on are EZ-Up Canopy Tents and they adjust the leg height, they are spring loaded little buttons. they should detach the leg from the 90 degree turn and the crossmember.

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I don't know how to describe them exactly, the only other thing I know they are on are EZ-Up Canopy Tents and they adjust the leg height, they are spring loaded little buttons. they should detach the leg from the 90 degree turn and the crossmember.

Thanks, I will give it a look tonight, the mrs is all over my a** to figure it out cause she burned last weekend

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Mine doesn't have that adjustment either. But for $275 shipped for the bimini new I'm not complaining.

Mine doesn't have that adjustment either. But for $275 shipped for the bimini new I'm not complaining.

Where did you find that deal? I buy that!

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Where did you find that deal? I buy that!

eBay. Brand new shipped, 2 years ago. Everything else I was seeing was $600+ so I took a chance on this one and it works out really well. Didn't have to drill any holes in the boat to mount it either.

It's not made of Sunbrella - and I can't figure out why anyone would care about that for a bimini. They are for shade, not for protecting the boat from adverse weather.

Edited by Nitrousbird
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eBay. Brand new shipped, 2 years ago. Everything else I was seeing was $600+ so I took a chance on this one and it works out really well. Didn't have to drill any holes in the boat to mount it either.

Off to e-bay...

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