www.iFourWinns.com

I have a 2005 234 funship with a 5.7 volvo. I have had it a year and have loved it. The kids have loved riding the tube and want to try more. I was thinking of buying a knee board or a wake board. My question is can we wake board behind this boat with out a wake board tower. At slow speeds it seems to have a large wake. Any suggestions would be great. Thanks

You can wakeboard behind pretty much any boat.

The ONLY advantage of a wakeboard tower is that when you start getting air and doing tricks the rope isn't pulling you "down" like it would attached to a traditional ski tow ring on the back of a typical I/O boat.

To me, it seems, wakeboard towers have sort of become a status symbol that everyone wants even though the utility is rather limited for the 99% of wakeboarders who, due to skill level, aren't able to take advantage of having the rope mounted up high.

Go buy your kids a wakeboard. Attach a rope to your ski tow ring and tell them when they get really good and can land jumps of more than a few inches, you might consider getting a wakeboard tower.

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Current Operational Boats:
'04-Four Winns 180 Freedom 150 HP Evinrude
'72-Chris Craft Commander 31 Sedan Twin-350Qs

Anything can pull a wakeboarder, no need for tower unless you're a professional and want to get tons of air. 18mph is a good speed for starters. Use a gps to get speed correct (not boat gauge which is wrong) and use a little piece of tape to mark the tach.

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1981 Columbia 8.7
2015 Yamaha FZR - 87mph - sold
2006 Yamaha GP1300R - sold
2003 Chaparral 215 SSI - sold
2009 Stingray 195CS - sold
2000 Four Winns H180 - sold
1976 O'day Daysailer II - sold
Rick's Four Winns H180 Mods/Upgrade Thread

Yes you can wakeboard without a tower...the tower makes it easier to get on top of the water for ski, knee and wake since u r pulling upward. Plus it keeps the rope out of water during slack periods....the tower also makes the boat a suv in that you have a place to stow boards since no floor locker can hold enough gear. The tower also makes it easier to turn and get the rope back to a downed person and no more rope wrapups with the drive.

I boated for years wanting one and it hasn't dissapointed me....boarding is pretty much what we do wit some swim and water football breaks......get the board the kids will love it....I go with the old man knee board....closer to water.

Depending on size of kids the speed for them will vary....somewhere between 15 to 20 MPH for kneeboard...enough to get them on top but with a little drag for control...wakeboard is about steady MPH not rpm...that's why some 'cruise' controls with tach control only is useless for wakeboarding..steady rpm doesn't equal steady MPH....wind, turns, rope load are all changing variables.

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08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

Thank you for all the input. I think we will get a board first to see if the kids like it and a tower if they really like it and get great at it. Thanks Again