Eric submitted his tower project on June 29th, 2005

I took a look at some of the universal towers, and some of the custom ones as well. They just did not seem to fit or look quite right. I started to put together a working budget , I knew I could do it for alot less , and I could sell the idea to my wife. I made a mockup using 1/2 " EMT , duct tape and some rope. I had a few design criteria...... the rack had to work seamlessly with the bimini top and the rear deck. Folding the rack down was not an really an option , I did not want it resting on the upholstery. The was not room for it stored folded down as my garage is really tight. It was made to be removed as one piece , it stands up it the corner on it's own. I decide to use 2" diameter , .120 wall , stainless steel tubing. I considered regular steel and powder coat , but if I scratched it or wanted to add something later I'd screw up the finish. The mill finish S.S. polishes out nicely , it stays shiny , and does not get hot in the sun. My costs are : $ 267.00 for (2) 20 foot sticks of stainless steel , $ 60.00 for (4) mandrel bends at a local shop , $75.00 for s.s. plate and supplies,$150.00 for professional welding services. A buck -fifty for some sweet welds was totally worth it. A Miller weIding set up costs way too much. I got the racks from e-bay... $89.00