Forward sweeping tower owners please check your lock bolts

[ThatJeepGirl]

We, as many on the trip know, had the same issue with our bolts backing out and stripping. I spent the better part of an hour watching that bolt in complete terror, hoping and praying nothing happened. David is BEYOND meticulous about that boat and making sure everything is strapped down and things are tight. I, too, believe there is a serious design flaw. We have also contemplated the addition of a pin, the only hesitation is that the base on models with a pin is much more broad. David also has an idea involving a lock washer. Me, I know squat about that stuff. What I do know is that we paid an awful lot of money for that boat and I refuse to have to feel consumed with anxiety should waters get rough. I will be contacting Yamaha and the maker of the tower.

 

[swatski]

I refuse to have to feel consumed with anxiety should waters get rough

Did you and Kate compare notes? lol. I hope you don't sound like her...

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[NewBoater]

Yamaha really dropped the ball (I mean bar) on this one. They need to offer up a fix for people that have them before someone gets even more seriously injured or worse. Just a bad design with no reinforcement. Seems like a pin is a great secondary solution.

Sorry for all that are having to deal with this.

 

[EmeryZ28]

has anyone experienced this on a 17 AR195?

 

[Neutron]

It has a similar design. All 15+ ARs have same towers. Just different sizes

 

[EmeryZ28]

right but the 240's tower are heavier, so I was wondering if it still happened often with the smaller towers. I have two small kids on the boat, so this is scary to hear. luckily we never go offshore in the rough.

 

[J-RAD]

right but the 240's tower are heavier, so I was wondering if it still happened often with the smaller towers. I have two small kids on the boat, so this is scary to hear. luckily we never go offshore in the rough.

The need to worry has certainly been proven. As stated previously, that out of the members of this forum, only one tower has reported to have had complete failure and collapsed. Others have reported loosening and stripping though... and no reports of either circumstance on the AR195's.

 

[MrMoose]

right but the 240's tower are heavier, so I was wondering if it still happened often with the smaller towers. I have two small kids on the boat, so this is scary to hear. luckily we never go offshore in the rough.

I think that @4wheeldeal has a 19 footer:

Just have a locking bolt as well done no issues. Mine was cross-threaded when I first lowered it took me half an hour to put it back together. It was one of the issues that I took it back for warranty on.

 

[EmeryZ28]

I checked my bolts, one was very tight, the other took half a turn. tower felt secure...

 

[4wheeldeal]

I think that @4wheeldeal has a 19 footer:

Yes 19

The tower in the 24 limited looks almost exactly the same but that's just from standing in front on and then looking at mine. Regardless I took mine back to the dealer and that was one issue I wanted addressed. They got it screwed in "fine" apparently, I haven't checked it yet.

 

[Pbirbeck]

So just to clarify, a '15 242 LS is good to go regarding the tower?

 

[Neutron]

So just to clarify, a '15 242 LS is good to go regarding the tower?

Yes this is specific to only forward swept AR towers 2015+ that use the screw knob on the backside of the base to hold the tower in place