Phat Budde Tower Install 94’ 2002 FSLM

[discgolfndude]

IMG_6924.jpegHey guys, this my first post. I’ve been a member for several years and have received a lot great information from this forum. I have a 1994 2002 FSLM with the magnum ski motor.

This boat has never had a tower on it. I’ve always loved the designs of the Phat Budde towers and I think it compliments these older boats very well. I’ve been slowly bringing this boat up to modern times and this summer I’ll be installing a tower and ACME 525 prop.

I’ve been searching for a Phat Budde tower locally and one finally popped up that was formerly installed on a bay liner. The measurements appear to fit so I’ll be picking this bad boy up this weekend.

I’ve never installed a tower but it doesn’t seem too hard for a helicopter mechanic to accomplish. I’ve been using google AI to help answers basic questions on tower installs but i don’t always trust the information it provides. I want to hear from people with experience.

How thick does the hull need to be reinforced for these model years?

I can’t seem to find a straight answer on the forum or online for this specific hull design. I do have an extensive background in composites repair so vacuum bagging isn’t an issue.

[AussieJohn]

Great looking boat you have there

Looks like you really are keeping in I. Tip top
Condition
Feel
Free to direct message me with more photos

I have a 21i 2000 year model over here in Australia and my family loves it


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[h2o-ski]

With the tower, you are going to want to something to distribute the load across an area. The pads of the tower are going to act like point loads. I have seen some fiberglass in some stainless steel bar, HDPE or even wood will work. I don't think you have to use vacuum bagging, but fiberglassing upside down is not easy especially if you are fiberglassing in a heavier support.

[MaxJohnson]

Great project – adding a Phat Budde tower to your 94' MasterCraft will really modernize it. With your composites background, reinforcing the hull will be straightforward. The hull is usually 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick, so use aluminum backing plates and add extra glass layers for peace of mind. Double-check measurements and get a helper for alignment. If you need a break, check out https://corgi-bets.com/ .

[discgolfndude]

Update, the tower is a few inches further back than I wanted, and it took a bit to get centered. I found some other tower manufacturer guidelines online for thickness requirements in older fiberglass hulls, which mine exceeded. After drilling my holes out, the hull thickness was varied from 3/8"-7/16" thick, which according to those guidelines was definitely thick enough to not use backer plates. I was fully prepared to thicken the fiberglass hull but I ended up cutting some 3/4" Okoume marine grade plywood and using 3M 5200 marine grade sealant as that was the least labor intensive option and one of the recommended options for strengthening the hull. Red loctite all hardware and and let the adhesive cure for 5 days before taking it out on the water.

I also replaced the prop with an ACME 543 13x11.5 prop with a 1'' prop shaft, the ACME 525 was for an 1-1/8" prop shaft. I installed a dual battery perko switch and added a Nilight LED light bar and tower nav light for night fishing (not pictured) which worked out pretty well. I just need to make a deflector plate to keep the light off the bow so I can see better at night. Also my Bimini fits, though I had to reverse it. I'm pretty happy with the end result. This winter I plan on removing the tower and having it re-powder coated to match the aqua color. I took the family out for 4 days on the lake during July 4th week and had a blast on the water. There was a big improvement wakeboarding and kneeboarding between using a tower and changing the prop out.

Thanks for the suggestions.

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