Is a Wakeboard Tower Worth It? The Pros, Cons, and Expenses

In every sport, there are extra equipment and accessories that you can get for yourself to help take your game to the next level. In water sports, especially wakeboarding, a wakeboard tower attachment to your boat can change your wakeboarding experience and open up new exciting opportunities to take your skill to the next level.

Is a wakeboard tower worth it? A wakeboard tower is worth every penny. It can be pretty expensive to buy a special wake boat with a tower attachment, and even though getting one for your existing boat can be a bit cheaper, it’s still a proper investment that is worth your money.

So what will a wakeboard tower add to your wakeboarding experience? Will it make it sweeter and pay you back all the money you will spend to get it installed? Keep reading for a deep dive into wakeboard towers, their pros and cons, and how much you should expect to pay.

Is a Wakeboard Tower Worth It?

Buying a boat with a special wakeboard tower or even attaching one to your existing boat can be a bothersome experience, from the cost of buying the tower to installing it. But trust us when we tell you that once you try wakeboarding with a tower, you will never go back.

A wakeboard tower has many uses, but the main one is its high towing point which will allow you much more time in the air to do all your favorite tricks. The time, money, and effort you will spend on your wakeboard tower will be paid back to you in a special and real wakeboarding experience.

If you still do not believe us, then let’s dive into the number of benefits you can get from having a wakeboard tower.

The Benefits of Using a Wakeboard Tower

First off, a wakeboard tower will make your boat look a hundred times cooler. But we get it; this is not really a viable reason to buy something that expensive, especially for reasonable people.

So we have a list of all the ways a wakeboard tower will benefit not just the rider but also everyone else on the boat. Let’s go!

Gives you more time in the air

The main benefit of the wakeboard tower is that its high tow point will align better with your rope when you are in mid-air.

That means that when you jump while wakeboarding, having your rope tied to a high point will help you stay in the air longer, unlike when it’s tied down to ski tow. A ski tow will naturally pull you down to its base point, shortening your air time.

The wakeboard high tow point will align with your high jump and allow you more time in the air to do longer tricks.

Helps beginners get up quicker

Standing up on your wakeboard at the beginning is one of the hardest skills for beginners to master.

One of the reasons is that the tow point is usually low, and if the rider tilts a little bit forward, the rope will pull them down, and they will have a hard time standing on their board.

The wakeboard tower’s high point will help the beginner rider stand up by pulling them upward toward its towing point.

Keeps the rope out of everyone’s path

As for your friends on the boat, a tower can help clear up more space for them. The low tow point usually makes the rope low on the surface of the boat, which can cause a lot of incontinence to the boat riders.

Sometimes people would lose their footing and step on the rope or get tangled in it, which can be dangerous for both a person and the rider attached to the rope.

Having the rope tied up and away from the boat’s surface will keep everyone safe and help clear up some space to move around the boat freely.

Provides extra space for accessories

The wakeboard tower is essentially a solid frame on the top of your boat. The rope is not the only thing you can attach to it.

Nowadays, many tower accessories are quite helpful to boat riders, like extra racks, speakers, lights, and even more shade with a bimini top.

Of course, the more accessories that the wakeboard tower comes with, the more expensive it’s going to be, but still, some of those accessories are really helpful and worth the extra cost.

Are There Cons to Using a Wakeboard Tower?

Despite all its awesome benefits, wakeboard towers do have some cons that you need to consider before buying one. These cons should not stop you from getting one anyway, because we still believe that even with them, they are worth it, but it’s definitely something you should know before buying.

More expensive than a regular bimini top

If you are not a wakeboarder and are just considering the wakeboard tower for its awesome in-boat features like adding speakers, lights, or shades, then the price can be a bit too much. A wakeboard tower can cost you up to 3 times the price of a regular bimini top, which can fit your basic needs.

Does not fit every boat

Wakeboard towers are not built for all boat models. Even though there are several different sizes and even adjustable universal towers, some boats are just not built for towers.

If you push your boat’s limits and install a tower regardless, it can damage your boat and add unnecessary pressure to the frame. Nothing good ever comes from trying to force things to work out when they clearly can’t.

Hard to maneuver with overhead obstacles

Wakeboard towers add an extra height to your boat. If you regularly drive your boat under bridges or take in and out of a boat house, then the tower might be an obstacle. You need to consider the total length of the boat with the tower attached before you install one.

How Much Does It Cost to add a Wakeboard Tower?

Speaking of cons, having to pay more money is always considered one, right? Well, wakeboard towers are an investment. So you might have to pay up a bit at the beginning, but it will last you forever, and you will get the most out of it.

A decent wakeboard tower can cost you from $1000 to $3000 depending on the material, the installation, the accessories, and where you buy it from. On average, a wakeboard tower should cost you around $1500 with basic accessories like racks and speakers.

This price does not include the installation fees or the shipping fees. Installation can cost you another $1000 and take from 3 to 5 hours to be done properly. If you have some handy experience, you may be able to do it yourself, but it’s likely going to take you more time, but it also can be quite fun.

Shipping can also cost around $200 because of the size, weight, and various parts of the tower that will have to be shipped.

You should avoid buying cheap towers or anything less than $1000. These towers might look the same in the picture, but they are made of cheap material that can easily break and put the rider and the boat crew in danger.

Conclusion

After careful consideration, a wakeboard tower is worth your money. If you plan to become a professional wakeboarder, there is no running away from getting yourself a tower. Because your skills will not get where you want them to be without one to help lift you.

The tower will make the time you spend in the water not just better for you as a rider but also for the people who cheer you up from the boat’s surface.