2005 Tower and Trim Tabs

[Canadian Blue]

I thought I already posted this new thread but I don't see it listed so I will try again. Just bought a 2005 X30 and love it. My tower has four speakers mounted on it. In moderately rough water I see that the towers sways left to right too much. In fact, it was so bad that one of the welds snapped. Mastercraft will warranty the tower - but I am not so sure this will permanently fix the tower. Has anyone else experienced this problem and, if so, any suggestion of what can be done to minimize the sway of the tower? I realize the four tower speakers make the tower top heavy.

Also, when I ride in the boat alone it tends to list to the right. I fill up my left ballast tank which helps a little. Has anyone else experienced this problem and, if so, has anyone installed trim tabs on an X30? Any advice regarding the installation of trim tabs?

[AirJunky]

I've noticed the tower movement on a variety of different towers including the X30 in '02 & '03. I'm not sure if your using the same tower or not. And I've not heard what MC does about the problem, if anything. I get the impression that there is an acceptable amount of movement in these things for most companies. Only a couple makes of towers don't move at all..... Titan for one, & Ichor comes close too.

[prostar205]

I have a '02 X30 with the '05 (new design) tower and 4 Clarion Tower speakers. Yes, the addition of the 4 speakers does add a significant amount of weight. I, fortunately, have not seen any weld breaks and I hope I don't. That being said, when I took the boat out for the first time in Jan. 2005, the tower swayed left and right something fierce to the point that I thought it was going to snap in half. I put it back on the trailer and found the two bolts holding the front legs to the feet had backed themselves almost completely out. After tightening the bolts, it is 100% better. It still does sway slightly left to right but nothing that would lead to welds breaking. Check all the bolts that hold the legs to the feet. I think mine came loose after trailering the boat from Portland, OR (where I bought it) to Seattle, WA (where I live).

Good luck.

[G-man]

Some boat manufactures list in the maintenace schedule to check the tower bolts. After reading this I'll be checking mine.

[Tom023]

My X30 is a 2001 so my tower is different, but I haven't noticed any sway at all, loaded up with 4 boards, but I don't have speakers either. As far as the list goes, that is normal due to the weight of the driver, battery(ies) on that side and LH prop rotation. I question it too when I first bought the boat. I weight 225 and can actually see a difference in list and wake (at wakeboard speeds) when my wife drives and I am the observer. If it bothers me I use the port ballast to offset.

[NeilM]

Canadian Blue, welcome to the board. I have a MariStar 210 (x-10), and the same list to starboard. Strikes me as kinda strange that we pay $65K- $75K+ CDN for a boat that lists... but, as my friend Andre would say: "C'est la vie". They are a lot of fun.

I've toyed with the idea of tabs too - but you'd have to redesign your swim platform to accommodate the hydraulic struts..

Make sure all your tower mounts are tight, but the bottom line is that just because you own a MasterCraft you're not exempt from the laws of physics. If you've got all that mass that high up on a tower, it's gonna sway. If it's really rough, slow down.

If you're already trying your boat out, where do you live? Your profile doesn't say..

[André]

Canadian or Blue?
Wich beer it's gonna be?
Like Neil said "Welcome"!" One more Canuck...
If you just bought it and already put in in the water,you're not near my place...

[Canadian Blue]

Hi. I live in Jacksonville, Florida. My screen name is taken from the Canadian Blue flake color of my boat.

[Canadian Blue]

I'm afraid I am not Canadian (but love their rock bands!). Glad to be a part of this board and a proud new owner of a Mastercraft.