Whether you bought your boat used or just didn’t order a tower when it was new, it’s never too late to turn your boat into the ultimate watersports machine with the addition of a Monster Tower. There are many aftermarket wakeboard tower companies out there and the more you know about what you’re getting will help you be confident in your purchase and we’re positive when you get all the facts you’ll agree there’s really only one choice.
What Separates Monster Tower From the Rest
The engineering that goes into a wakeboard tower is perhaps the most important yet overlooked factor when deciding which brand to buy. Just looking at the specs and price doesn’t tell the whole story and if the price is really low that should be a cause for concern. The reason most tower manufacturers gloss over how a tower is engineered is it’s their weakest link. No one in the industry can top the experience, resources, and expertise that go into a Monster Tower. We’re part of the Marine Accessories Corporation (MAC) that also owns Xtreme Tower Products (XTP). If that name sounds familiar, it’s not surprising since they are the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for some of the biggest names in boating like Malibu, MasterCraft, Nautique, Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Supra, Moomba, Bayliner, Tracker, and Heyday, just to name a few.
Marine Accessories Corporation’s engineering and industrial design team is led by Chris Hill, our director of engineering, who has worked with many of the aforementioned boat builders’ design teams — sometimes years in advance of a new model’s rollout — to help design a unique tower that’s both functional and enhances the look of each boat. Describing the collaborative experience, Hill said, “We take what we learn from working with each boat builder and turn that into information we can use for our other products. All that ‘tribal knowledge’ helps us design and engineer the best possible products for Monster Tower and its sister company, Fishmaster.” All our towers can be folded down for storage to make it possible for garage storage and can also save you money if you store your boat at a marina, according to Hill.
"A lot of people don’t know that boat rack storage fees are often determined by a boat’s cubic dimensions, so a protruding tower could raise your monthly storage costs significantly.”
Put to the Extreme Test
Wakeboard towers undergo tremendous stress not only when a wakeboarder digs hard before popping a Heelside 180 but also when your boat is being towed and your trailer runs over railroad tracks or when your boat slams into a cruiser wake. Different stresses require unique qualities and the only way to find out whether your tower is built to take this abuse is to do physical testing. Some companies exclusively rely on CAD modeling, which we use in our process as well, but it is insufficient by itself. Being part of MAC, we not only have the resources to test our product’s brute strength but also its ability to withstand tower-killers like extreme harmonic vibration. We use an independent national lab, which has some unique testing devices such as the “earthquake machine” that literally tries to shake a tower to pieces. Only by subjecting a tower to such torture can you find out if a product will hold up to harsh marine environments. All our towers are backed with a five-year warranty for peace of mind.
Materials Matter
All towers, from the top-of-the-line MTK model to the entry-level MTE, are made using stout 2-1/2" diameter aerospace-grade 6061/63 aluminum tubing, which has a high strength-to-weight ratio. This alloy gives it a quality surface finish that offers superior corrosion resistance. The tubes are cold-formed, which is a more expensive process but holds its tolerance better, so it’s well worth the expense. Our Monster Foot - the base of our towers - is milled from a solid block of 6061/63 billet to ensure a solid base. A Monster Paw which is formed from a calendar-rolled sheet of NBR rubber mates to the Monster Foot to accommodate slight contours in the boat’s hull and provide the tightest possible fitment.
All our towers can be purchased with a standard polished and anodized finish, which is smooth, making it easier to maintain highly resistant to corrosion. With the exception of our MTE tower, all Monster Towers can be upgraded to include a thicker-than-standard, environmentally friendly, premium Sherwin-Williams powder-coated finish for extra-protection that also gives it a custom look.
There’s a lot of misinformation on the internet regarding things like the difference between 304 and 316 stainless steel fasteners. We use 304 not because it’s cheaper, like many other companies’ websites say, but because it’s stronger, allowing it to carry more load and resist shearing better, which makes for a stronger tower assembly. Some point out 304 is more susceptible to corrosion and this could be true if a company uses the less expensive method of cutting the threads instead of rolling them as we do. Cutting a thread can leave a rough finish, which leaves space for the entrapment of dust particles, like the metallic dust that’s created when you cut a thread. Any imperfection destroys the chromium-oxide finish and is an open invitation for corrosion to form. Rolling the threads compresses the alloy, which does several things: the pressure makes the alloy denser which adds strength and makes the threads smoother and more precise. We then polish the surface to ensure the smoothest possible finish, which makes it more resistant to corrosion.
All our bimini top canvas is made with Sunbrella fabric, Sunbrella fabrics are treated with fluorocarbon-based chemicals during manufacturing, making them water-repellent, yet still breathable. Its acrylic fibers are UV resistant and are dyed before the fabric is woven giving it superior colorfast properties because the color permeates the entire thread, not just the surface. Sunbrella has an industry-leading 10-year limited warranty for peace of mind that your investment will last.
Do It Yourself or Have it Dealer-Installed
If you’ve ever tried to install or assemble an item using the manufacturer’s instructions, you know how frustrating that experience can be, especially if it was written by someone whose primary language isn’t English. All our universal-fit towers come with clearly-written and illustrated instructions with critical steps highlighted in red to make sure the installation process goes smoothly. In addition, we offer video tutorials that will help you whether you are installing a tower, speakers, board racks or other accessories, as well as a world-class customer service team that can help walk you through the process and answer any questions you might have during installation.
Accessorize It
Not only do we have universal-fit wakeboard towers that are compatible with most boats, but we also offer a wide range of tower accessories for your boat’s customization. We offer Wet Sounds, Rockford Fosgate, and Kicker speakers along with Wet Sounds HTX amps to create the ultimate party vibe. Monster Tower also has a wide variety of top-quality board racks, mirrors, and lights along with replacement parts.
A Time-Tested Customer Favorite
Our customers love their Monster Towers and are proud to show them off! With the thousands of customer reviews and owner photos showing Monster Towers installed on a variety of different boat brands, you’ll likely find a similar boat to your own so you’ll probably get to see a preview of how your baby will look once the project is finished.
We’re a Knoxville, Tennessee-based company that was the first to offer aftermarket wakeboard towers and we have sold more than 50,000. And if you’re not 100% satisfied with your tower, we’ll gladly take it back and return your money.
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