Malibu needs to step up its game...bigger ballast ..new boat !

[sdk]

In my experience the lake bug splatter doesn't compare to the mess after a good tow. In fact, unless boating at dusk or night, there seem to be virtually no bugs at one of the lakes I frequent.

[sdk]

Also not saying a folding/towable tower solves all things, but sometimes even little improvements can make life much more enjoyable. What do they say - it's the little things in life??

[nyryan2001]

^^^ ridiculous example of that video.

No speakers, no racks, mirror, no Bimini!! Clown show. You prove yourself wrong.

Why don't you do a full video... Start With Bimini open, speakers and racks attached, and show what that looks like and how long it takes. 15-20 mins? Lol.

THAT is the point these guys are trying to make.

Edited September 22, 2013 by nyryan2001

[sdk]

^^^ ridiculous example of that video.

No speakers, no racks, mirror, no Bimini!! Clown show. You prove yourself wrong.

Why don't you do a full video... Start With Bimini open, speakers and racks attached, and show what that looks like and how long it takes. 15-20 mins? Lol.

THAT is the point these guys are trying to make.

Thanks. From now on nyryan will make all arguments on my behalf...

Admittedly didn't even bother watching the video.

[wakesetter8796]

The video I posted had 4 speakers and 4 racks.

[Fman]

I understand the knobs suck because they're always requiring tightening and I've also been told it's better (obviously not absolutely necessary given the video) to lower and raise with 2 people. And still doesn't solve the travelling issue as a good wipe down of the tower takes me more than 3 minutes - but she shines after. I guess this horse is good and beaten.

I totally agree with you, here is what I have to do in order to fully collapse my tower to fit in my garage.

-Wedge a 2x4 under front bar to release pressure so I can turn the quick release knobs. Which have to be tightened down with allen wrench or they will come loose.

-Remove four board racks

-Loosen bimini pole clamp and rotate upward on drivers side or it will hit the dash

-Loosen tower mirror clamp and slide over or it will hit dash

-Remove tow ball on top of tower

-Place towel on dash or tower will damage vinyl

-Take apart bimini poles to allow bimini to lay flat on tower

This takes about 10 minutes, its by no means a simple procedure to lower down. I have a 7'5" garage opening with 14" wheels. I believe there could be some improvements made to make this process much easier. I don't think Malibu realizes most standard track homes in California have a 7'-7'6" height. There is no way a new LSV would clear my garage, even a 2013 would not fit without lowering the front of the trailer.

[sdk]

You and nyryan have a hate on for each other, so what about fman's post (without attacking him personally)?

[Afun]

I will try to avoid the bug splatter on my tower by getting a slip next year. Why does Malibu sell more boats than all the others?

[wakebrdr94]

FMan, if your tower does not stay up on its own, I'd have the dealer swap out the shocks. I raise my tower from outside the boat where the video was shot from. Raise it, insert bolts, tighten. That's it. Never had one issue with the G3 not being tight or coming loose.

It will support the Bimini and racks, but my storage is not 100% covered, so I removed those items to keep in my garage to keep them looking nice.

Ryan, I honestly do not know how the tower on the G23 operates, feel to put a video up for a comparison. I would like to see if my opinion has merit or not.

Edited September 23, 2013 by wakebrdr94

[sdk]

You'll love not towing and being able to just walk down to your boat and go for a surf. My "problem" is I have 2 slips and tow between the 2 lakes - I know, it's a tough problem to have. Love my boat - thinks it's the best crossover on the water - bar none - but there's always room for improvements.

[nyryan2001]

94- not selling the G23's tower as better....just pointing out the G3 is truly a 2 man and a PiTa to lower if you have it loaded up as most folks use them... Think coming off the water, Bimini open. Your option certainly has merit,

<---- make it easier to read now BS?

[Lance B. Johnson]

I want a vacuum in my Toyota Sienna, too

Sounds like now you'll even have more of those pesky goldfish to vacuum up!

[sdk]

Don't care what OP said - the thread evolved and we're just talking about towers now. But since you asked, I couldn't care less if Malibu made or did not make a boat like the G or X. I'm not married to the brand. I have a Malibu because they make the best crossover. As soon as they don't, I'll probably be buying a different boat. Was seriously considering the nautique sport 200 until surf gates came out, and if I didn't hate the nautique interior so much, probably would've went that way (again, before malibuncame out with the SG). If I just surfed and one boat offered stock ballast that nullified the need for PNP, that would appeal to me and I'd look into that boat assuming the waves were comparable. Now back to just towers - The G3 looks slick and I use 3 racks, but would love a tower (with Bimini) that folds up easy and is towable - whether the nautique and MC towers can do all that, I'm not sure (have seen tower down being towed, but not sure how much prep that took). Regardless of whether they can or not, would be awesome if malibu's tower could. That's all I'm saying and I think that's all I said in all my posts on this thread (feel free to correct me). Oh, and I find the stereotyping of the owners of the different boat makes comical. Like Malibu has a monopoly on hardcore, knowledgeable, cool, good driving wake boarders and surfers and doesn't have any idiot rich owners, which is all that CC and MC have. Seems to me we all need to get over ourselves.

[malibu.c.c]

Check out how easy the g23 tower folds and ...there is a place for it to rest on the sides ....

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TaEv9Y_H57A

[malibu.c.c]

Mastercraft towers manual and power

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IgeX7gDPisQ&feature=related

[malibu.c.c]

Supra tower opening - closing

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=00sanBFM57w

[Malibuzer]

There are some merits to so e of the comments about other towers. Yes they fold easy. Yes you can do it with one hand. But I don't like the fact they only have two racks. And I think the G3 is a sexy looking tower. Yes the knobs come loose. I drop the tower every time we go out. And I leave on the mirror, four racks, four speakers, and the Bimini. I do it by myself. Is it easy? Not bad. I do have the knobs and not the bolts.

I have towed a Nautique with the tower folded down and the cover all the way over top. Covering everything. It is slick. There are pros and cons to each boat. Now give me that quick release ability with the G3 looks and we have a winner!

But according to Bobby my opinion does not count...........because I am Canadian!

(For the record the last statement was purely in fun. So let's not start a war of words!)

[Bawshogg]

The ONLY opinion that counts is the ones of the Natives .

[sdk]

There are some merits to so e of the comments about other towers. Yes they fold easy. Yes you can do it with one hand. But I don't like the fact they only have two racks. And I think the G3 is a sexy looking tower. Yes the knobs come loose. I drop the tower every time we go out. And I leave on the mirror, four racks, four speakers, and the Bimini. I do it by myself. Is it easy? Not bad. I do have the knobs and not the bolts.

I have towed a Nautique with the tower folded down and the cover all the way over top. Covering everything. It is slick. There are pros and cons to each boat. Now give me that quick release ability with the G3 looks and we have a winner!

But according to Bobby my opinion does not count...........because I am Canadian!

(For the record the last statement was purely in fun. So let's not start a war of words!)

So you tow with your G3 tower down or just drop down prior to parking in garage? How long is it taking you with the Bimini and is anyone helping you?

And nice to see some objectivity - yeah, love my G3, but nautique is pretty slick, if not quite as "sexy". Not gonna lie, concerns me a bit that you're referring to inanimate objects as sexy!

[sdk]

And it may concern u a bit that I apparently just winked at you.

[Malibuzer]

So you tow with your G3 tower down or just drop down prior to parking in garage? How long is it taking you with the Bimini and is anyone helping you?

And nice to see some objectivity - yeah, love my G3, but nautique is pretty slick, if not quite as "sexy". Not gonna lie, concerns me a bit that you're referring to inanimate objects as sexy!

never towed with it down. But I do it all by myself. Something's are easy and others not great. I do have a tower stand that came with a boat during shipping. I have rested the tower on it. It sits a bit to high to back into my garage with the racks on.

I truly love my Malibu, but I will look at and take ideas from other manufacturers.

About the only thing I do not like about ANY forward swooping towers is how loud the tower speakers can be in the boat.

Edited September 23, 2013 by Malibuzer

[teamerickson]

I truly love my Malibu, but I will look at and take ideas from manufactures.

Bingo!

[Malibuzer]

Well said.

The G3 video I watched showed the tower collapsing easily with everything but a bimini, same with the G's, same with the MC. So why, exactly, is the Malibu video a "clown show" again? Are we all watching the same videos?

Also, you're saying you collapse your tower by yourself with 4 speakers, 4 racks, bimini and mirror all left in place..........but I've been lead to believe that's not humanly possible...... And if this is true, that you can collapse the G3 with all this stuff on it,.............What the heck are we talking about? Again........very confused at this point.

Well, I am 6' 6" and 255! I was so tempted to go to the garage and out everything up and take it all back down with the video camera. Alas I had to go and sit in a stupid airport! I do this at least once or twice a week. Actually I am 6' ft tall and 225lbs. It is very doable. But as I said earlier, things can always improve.

And Brandon! don't mess with our locals! They may "idle no more". Google it!

[Fman]

FMan, if your tower does not stay up on its own, I'd have the dealer swap out the shocks. I raise my tower from outside the boat where the video was shot from. Raise it, insert bolts, tighten. That's it. Never had one issue with the G3 not being tight or coming loose.

It will support the Bimini and racks, but my storage is not 100% covered, so I removed those items to keep in my garage to keep them looking nice.

Ryan, I honestly do not know how the tower on the G23 operates, feel to put a video up for a comparison. I would like to see if my opinion has merit or not.

It will hold up the speakers only, with four board racks it will not support the weight, it slowly starts to come down. The other issue is having to remove and loosen up other accessories (board racks, tower mirror/bracket, tow ball, bimini pole mount, etc...). I do this by myself, but its not effortless and requires four different size allen wrenches. Not convenient, I believe Malibu could offer a much easier system to collapse the tower and leave all accessories on the tower.

I would like to see two quick release handles and drop the tower with all accessories. That would be easy and convenient.

Edited September 23, 2013 by Fman

[Bawshogg]

I found the G3 was very easy to fold down the times I did it. I have a mirror, bimini, 2 racks lights and six speakers. Ofcourse you have to put the Bimini away , but other than that just undo the knobs, it's stays in place and then a little nudge it goes down. I don't like that it rests on the dash. Yes that could be changed pretty easily.

Malibu has several different tension struts for the inside of the tower.(the manufacturer of the struts has even more options available) If you have a loaded up tower and the wrong struts, yes it will be a two man job because the struts can't hold all the weight in the up position. The struts are pretty easy to change also, no more than a half hour job.