# Flats tower



## bodenhamerb (May 19, 2010)

Ive been thinking about getting one of these on my 18 Hpx-v for awhile now but i just wanted to hear from my fellow microskiffers what are the advantages and disadvantages of them and are they worth it....other than the fact they look freakin awsome , i was thinking of something like this 

ps. i mostly do tarpon, snook and some flats and almost will always be using a trolling motor.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

on a larger bay boat or flat boat (21-24ft) I think they look cool, but in a smaller boat they look very out of place to me. Why not just stand on the poling platform and use a remote trolling motor? Plus you will be severely raising your center of gravity, which in a smaller boat can spell disaster.


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## nate. (Nov 12, 2009)

dont. i had one on my first 17 mitzi. on a bay boat they are cool. but on a tippier poling skiff its a pain in the a.ss to walk past the tower. you'll need to hold the tower as you pass it or yer gonna fall off the boat. heres a pic of the one i had........


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## bodenhamerb (May 19, 2010)

i mostly wanted it to drive and sight fish for tarpon or to cruise the flats or bays and also on those flat ocean days i take it out for dolphin (im not bsing) and when im crusing it would be nice to have that higher point of veiw...also i could hold 1 extra person. and i dont want a very high one...just about 4ft off the deck...and to nate not saying your wrong cause i know it would be tippy but its a 18 hpxv it holds it place in the water


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## skinny_water (Jun 11, 2008)

How about a half tower like the Banshee Extreme? Maybe the best compromise...


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

The problem with flat calm days is they can quickly turn into not so flat calm days. No matter how stable you think your boat is, have you ever been in a 3 ft chop while standing on the poling platform?

Not trying to sound like a jerk here, but why not just sell it and buy a bay boat? if you always use the trolling motor then you really don't need a super skinny boat, just something that drafts less then a foot, most bay boats can do that easily.


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## bodenhamerb (May 19, 2010)

i mentioned i mostly use a trolling motor because i rarely use the poling tower, and i understand where your coming from, and for the banshee tower, i would like to keep my existing console if i got one and have the other on top. And this is exactly why i was asking you guys cause i wanted to hear what u had to say about it plus gas on a bay boat is alot more that a flats boat [smiley=2cents.gif]...thanks


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## mark_gardner (Mar 18, 2009)

i'd forget about what they look like and be more concerned with function and whether or not i'd get good use out of it and if its safe or not....looks is the last thing i'm thinking of especially at the cost of all that custom tube bending.... not say'n i wouldnt want it to look good but seems a lot of guys dump money into their boats just to "look" cool


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## bodenhamerb (May 19, 2010)

i use my boat boat a lot ....(200hours in 3 months) and i would always use the tower...


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Hull specs:

LOA......18 ft. 4 in.
BEAM......6 ft. 8 in.
DRAFT......9 in. (w/ 150 hp OB)
DEADRISE......13 deg.
WEIGHT......1,400 lb. (w/ 150 hp OB)
FUEL......30 gal.
MAX POWER......150 hp OB

You can do it, 1400 lb 7 foot wide hull....definitely want dual helms.
Wouldn't want to be up top on a choppy day.
But for summer glass in the stream and cruising the gulf beaches, why not?


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## bodenhamerb (May 19, 2010)

if i did get one it would be a small platform but a little tall.. like 4ft off the deck and only about 2ft by 2ft where i stand...justenough space to hug me so i dont fall off


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## Bissell (Feb 27, 2010)

what if you come into a situation with rough water?
looks unsafe to me.. in a anything under a bayboat anyways


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## bodenhamerb (May 19, 2010)

well if it gets rough im gonna go to my normal console...and if i got it with my specs it would be very small(not wider than my console) so it wouldnt effect me that much...key words THAT MUCH....but it should only weight 100lbs maby 140 at most right?


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## tgaud11 (Sep 30, 2008)

I think its "doable"....I would leave access to my original console so you can operate from down there when you want to...


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## skinny_water (Jun 11, 2008)

Ok, short tower. Where the top of the cosole would double as your foot rest. Kinda like Nate's but with a console under it. I have seen this set up locally on a couple 18ft MA, and AC1720's. It worked good for them.


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## bodenhamerb (May 19, 2010)

thats exactly what i was going for....the picture i put up wasnt exactly what i was trying to show you...it would be my console on the bottom then my foot rest would be about 1 ft above so i could see from the bottom and i would still have my lower console to steer when i wanter...sry for the confusion


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## skinny_water (Jun 11, 2008)

What motor are you running? Is it fly by wire? Hydo Steering?


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## mark_gardner (Mar 18, 2009)

> i use my boat boat a lot ....(200hours in 3 months) and i would always use the tower...


 i thought i used my boats alot  you got me beat for sure


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## bodenhamerb (May 19, 2010)

i know its hydaulic steering but i dont know what my throttle is....i believe its fly by wire....2009 yammi 115 4 stroke


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Are you down in lighthouse point in Broward county? if so where do you fish shallow water? I've been on a friends boat where he had a tower that was about 6.5ft above the deck, just enough head room to stand under it and drive from the lower console. It was a 24ft proline I believe, in 3-4ft seas it would nearly launch you and make you sick fast!

I still say just get a bay boat. The amount of money you will spend on the custom fab and second controls can easily pay for a year or 2 of gas.


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## Lappy_16 (Nov 5, 2007)

I would'n do it, not on that small of a boat. Have you seen the setups with the raised console and you lean agianst or sit on the poling platform?


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## bodenhamerb (May 19, 2010)

yes i am in lhp but im in the keys almost once or twice a month and i go to miami and jupiter on it...theres some flats around there and i cant find a picture of exactly what it looks like but u dont sit under it, it lieterly goes right above my existing console and is only about 4ft off the deck but after what ive herd im leaning towards not getting one...thanks for the replies


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## jared_simonetti (Jan 11, 2007)

I think for the way your using the boat it would be perfect, just keep it short.


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## bodenhamerb (May 19, 2010)

thanks jared...and here i finally found a picture of what i was talking about, i wanted one just like that one in the picture only a smaller deck so that it'll "hug" my body more so i dont fall or slip


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## fastglass (Sep 26, 2010)

If you keep lower station your good ta go! I have built skiffs, flats and bay boats my whole life, including tower boats. It will work fine on your boat. If you keep your lower station, get into a chop and your @ the lower helm the tower will barely change the center of gravity affect. If you want it cause your gonna use it? your good ta go! if its your vannity cause it looks sexy! screw it. lol serious, no problems w/tower on that boat. Hope this helps?


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## bodenhamerb (May 19, 2010)

it does....i mean obviously it looks bad a## but i would also like to be higher up to drive first off i can see farther and around objects and second off i like being higher up and its easier to spot fish. thanks..and how much would a tower like the last pic i posted weigh and cost...and is it hard to make a single helm a dual helm?


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## fastglass (Sep 26, 2010)

Joining helms is not a problem nor a big expense. I will pm you and answer all your questions and advise you to whom i would rcomend to build tower. Where are you located?


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## bodenhamerb (May 19, 2010)

LHP.....but i dont mind going far for good service


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## Bissell (Feb 27, 2010)

that consol looks like the one CG uses on the raptor :


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## eric_f (Aug 14, 2011)

Heres One bad lookin Gheenoe Mini tower i guess you would say? Anyway its realy nice in my opinion. Its welded to the poling platform , like the ranger banshee .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvd5AopdcH0&feature=fvw


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## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

What does the gheenoe banshee platform have anythng to do with his request?

Flyby give birdsall marine a call, they are up in west palm beach and do great work.


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## eric_f (Aug 14, 2011)

Its an Option other than a Full out flats tower....So yea it does have plenty to do with the post...


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