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Tower Extension??


bump78063

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One of our local SkySki riders swears by it. Not that it will get you more height on your tricks.... you still have to earn that. But it supposedly gives you a "bump" on the landings. The thing extends the length of the lever (tower) on the boat so the boat will give a little as the rider leans into it.

I'm not saying I care for it. Frankly I think it's too much of a good thing.

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I have always wondered why boats haven't started coming with taller towers. I assume they can figure out a way to make them fold up nicely. My guess always was that more tower height wouldn't equal more air, just my assumption. Anyone ever ride behind an extender? Does it help at all with getting more air? Does it make the boat more unstable pulling it off its axis when cutting hard out wide? Does it look horrendous when the boat is riding with an extender?

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I have always wondered why boats haven't started coming with taller towers. I assume they can figure out a way to make them fold up nicely. My guess always was that more tower height wouldn't equal more air, just my assumption. Anyone ever ride behind an extender? Does it help at all with getting more air? Does it make the boat more unstable pulling it off its axis when cutting hard out wide? Does it look horrendous when the boat is riding with an extender?

I think I answered all this up above. Dontknow.gif

Taller towers create a bigger lever against the boat so a rider can lean the boat over (on the sides or straight out back) by leaning against it. Boarders are even better at it.

More tower height usually means more time in the air, but you still have to get up there.

Yes, we've rode behind it. One of our local riders swears by it. He likes the bump he gets on the landings & the additional hang time.

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to answer wakeboy: i think the reason for towers with a reachable tow ball is for reachable tow balls. No climbing or folding involved.

Bill, how does your friend attach the rope? climb to the top of the tower? fold down the vert pipe?

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to answer wakeboy: i think the reason for towers with a reachable tow ball is for reachable tow balls. No climbing or folding involved.

Bill, how does your friend attach the rope? climb to the top of the tower? fold down the vert pipe?

HEhe, they put a 6' lead on the tower as it's going up. Then change ropes at that point. Would be funny to see him climbing up & down all the time.

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to answer wakeboy: i think the reason for towers with a reachable tow ball is for reachable tow balls. No climbing or folding involved.

Bill, how does your friend attach the rope? climb to the top of the tower? fold down the vert pipe?

I would be shocked if the reachable tow ball was the reason that towers aren't higher. I mean if you can build a boat that can go 50 mph, fill up its own ballast tanks, electronically move a wedge up and down, and pull a rider to within 2 tenths of a mph, then I bet you can figure out a way to make the extended tow ball easy to hook on to without having to climb the tower. Either having the extender fold down or a way for the rope to be pulled up and locked into the extender seem within R&Ds capabilities.

My quesion is more for riding purposes, like does it equate to any more air when jumping? Does it cause problems controling the boat when a rider cuts out hard?

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I would be shocked if the reachable tow ball was the reason that towers aren't higher. I mean if you can build a boat that can go 50 mph, fill up its own ballast tanks, electronically move a wedge up and down, and pull a rider to within 2 tenths of a mph, then I bet you can figure out a way to make the extended tow ball easy to hook on to without having to climb the tower. Either having the extender fold down or a way for the rope to be pulled up and locked into the extender seem within R&Ds capabilities.

My quesion is more for riding purposes, like does it equate to any more air when jumping? Does it cause problems controling the boat when a rider cuts out hard?

I think Bill all ready stated that it doesn't do much for increasing height, but I bet you'll get a better cell signal with it Thumbup.gif

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My quesion is more for riding purposes, like does it equate to any more air when jumping? Does it cause problems controling the boat when a rider cuts out hard?

Ummmm...... is this thing on? Am I speaking English? :Doh:

No more air...... more hangtime. There is a difference. You still have to earn the height. But it will drag you downward less. Same concept as any tower, just more so.

Controlling? Not so much. But the rider can lean on the rope & pull the boat over side to side much easier. This causes a constant change of the wake as the rider cuts in.

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Ummmm...... is this thing on? Am I speaking English? :Doh:

No more air...... more hangtime. There is a difference. You still have to earn the height. But it will drag you downward less. Same concept as any tower, just more so.

Controlling? Not so much. But the rider can lean on the rope & pull the boat over side to side much easier. This causes a constant change of the wake as the rider cuts in.

Oh sorry, above you were talking about someone that you knew that had it. I was looking for someone with a little more first hand experience, like someone that has it on their boat.

I understand the tower isn't what pulls you up, I think you know that I was using airtime and hangtime interchangably.

It does make sense that it would pull the boat off its axis, but I am curious how someone that uses this feels it effects the controlability of the boat.

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Sorry, I don't own one. After the experience riding with it 1st hand, I wouldn't own it for the controlability reasons explained. Way too much of a good thing.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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Too much of a good thing huh? Make sense. Just like too much ballast will sink your boat. Or too much pull on your wedge will rip off the back of your boat.

I guess the tower extender falls into that category.

Anyone else own or ride one? Opinions?

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Ummmm...... is this thing on? Am I speaking English? :Doh:

No more air...... more hangtime. There is a difference. You still have to earn the height. But it will drag you downward less. Same concept as any tower, just more so.

Controlling? Not so much. But the rider can lean on the rope & pull the boat over side to side much easier. This causes a constant change of the wake as the rider cuts in.

Bill Air,

You just gotta love the humor on this site. I take little comments like yours and use them shamelessly in my real world life. Thanks for this one.

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Bill Air,

You just gotta love the humor on this site. I take little comments like yours and use them shamelessly in my real world life. Thanks for this one.

HEhe, I'm here all week...... hey theres another one! Rockon.gif

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It gets high marks on this skyski forum -- http://www.foilforum.com/forums/index.php

Some skyskiers say it sets the new standard for towers and the rest of the world needs to catch up. It has earned the nickname "cheater tower" because it helps the rider so much.

Also some good videos of it in action on this barefoot site: http://www.barefootcentral.com/

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