My Grand Sport Elite's Factory ski pylon has been one of the most disappointing features of my boat. It was always almost impossible to pull out of the carrier so I long ago drilled a hole through the rope groove so I could stick a large screwdriver in and twist/pull to get it to come out. It eventually got impossible so I sent it to a friend's machine shop to be straightened/rounded and had a Type 2 Titanium insert pushed into the hollow center to strengthen it. It eventually still froze up, probably due to pulling the Parasail.
I tried to use a come-a-long to pull upward to pull it out last year before the rally and ended up lifting the boat and trailer off the ground with out it coming out. Eventually the rope groove aluminum plug tore out of the stainless tube.
I called Allison about a replacement and found out it was $780 plus having to add a centerline stringer to my hull for it to sit on. There must have been a hull stringer added to the newer GrandSports.
I went in to pull the whole carrier out to send it to a machine shop to push the pole out of the carrier and found that the bottom mounted #14 sheet metal screws were mostly missing and the rest were very loose in the thin laminate on both sides of the bottom tunnel it sits in. When I unbolted the top I found what looks like wood was rotted away.
I am going to modify the carrier and ordered a new 2" solid aluminum pylon from Dana Marine [Thanks James for the idea from long ago]. I am sure that the loose carrier was twisting under the load and allowing the hollow pylon to bend, which made it seize when it was retracted.
GrandSport owners with the Factory Pylon need to check the attachment screws at the bottom. There is no way to check for rot at the top without pulling out the entire assembly which is a real pain.
I tried to use a come-a-long to pull upward to pull it out last year before the rally and ended up lifting the boat and trailer off the ground with out it coming out. Eventually the rope groove aluminum plug tore out of the stainless tube.
I called Allison about a replacement and found out it was $780 plus having to add a centerline stringer to my hull for it to sit on. There must have been a hull stringer added to the newer GrandSports.
I went in to pull the whole carrier out to send it to a machine shop to push the pole out of the carrier and found that the bottom mounted #14 sheet metal screws were mostly missing and the rest were very loose in the thin laminate on both sides of the bottom tunnel it sits in. When I unbolted the top I found what looks like wood was rotted away.
I am going to modify the carrier and ordered a new 2" solid aluminum pylon from Dana Marine [Thanks James for the idea from long ago]. I am sure that the loose carrier was twisting under the load and allowing the hollow pylon to bend, which made it seize when it was retracted.
GrandSport owners with the Factory Pylon need to check the attachment screws at the bottom. There is no way to check for rot at the top without pulling out the entire assembly which is a real pain.