TOWER, CANVAS & ACCESSORIES
Malibu towers are available for every model of Malibu boats,
and they provide several benefits to boat users. The elevated tow
points make the tower an impressive addition for most watersports.
When accessorized with available Malibu-approved options, towers
provide many other enhancements to the boating experience such
as protection against sun or rain, additional storage space, stereo
output, and lighting. For these reasons, many boat owners consider
towers a necessity.
Malibu offers three different towers: the G5, the GX and the Ski
Tower. The G5 is the most versatile tower for Malibu models and
meets the needs of most users. The GX Tower is powered, can be
trailered in the down position, and has more options. The Ski Tower
is a lighter-weight version that folds down lower than the G5 and
mounts farther forward to avoid interference with the tow rope when
the boat is equipped with a center pylon in use. Depending on the
boat model, not all towers may be available.
Adding any tower to a Malibu boat other
than a Malibu-built tower will void the
warranty. Due to the complexity of adding
102—How It Works
a tower, the stresses on the deck and the potential for injury if the
tower fails, Malibu strongly discourages the addition of any aftermarket
tower. If the owner upgrades a boat for the addition of a tower, such
work must be done only by an authorized Malibu dealer, utilizing Mali
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bu-built components and tower.
Inflatables should NOT be towed from the
tower. The impact forces exerted by towed
inflatables may damage the tower or the
hull of the boat.
No components should be added to the
Malibu tower beyond what is specified by
Malibu. Other aftermarket items may not
be acceptable due to electrical, electronic, or other wiring and pow
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er-related issues. The tower weight limit may also be exceeded by add
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ing aftermarket items. Such weight limits can also cause the tower to
fail, which could result in damage that is not covered under warranty,
as well as serious injury or death to persons on-board. Never suspend
any additional items from the tower. No one should ever be allowed
to sit or stand on or hang from the tower. The design will not support
such activity and may result in serious injury or death.
The G5 Tower
The G5 Tower is available on all models of Malibu, except the TXi.
The G5 enhances the boating experience by providing a better tow
for most watersports, mounting locations for board racks, Bimini
cover, tower speakers and additional tow points. It can be lowered
effortlessly for storage or passage under low bridges.
Lowering the G5 Tower
A second person to assist in raising or low
-
ering the tower is strongly recommended.
Due to the weight and angle of the tower,
a lone individual could lose control, resulting in damage to the boat,
which is not covered under warranty, and/or injury to people in the
tower’s range of movement.
Prior to lowering or raising the tower en
-
sure nobody is beneath it, and that no body
parts are in the area where such could be
injured by the moving components of the tower.
• Prior to lowering the tower, fold the board racks inward and stow
the tower mirror.
• Stow the Bimini accordingly:
• With the Bimini wrapped and the boot installed, pull the re-
lease pins on both port and starboard Bimini mounting points
(rotate 90 degrees to prevent them from re-engaging).
• From the center of the Bimini, push upward until it reaches
the upright position (where the release pins align with the
upright position holes on the Bimini mounts).
• Rotate the release pins another 90 degrees to secure the Bi-
mini in the upright position.
• With the Bimini in the upright position, ensure it has moved
as far inward as possible and the boot buckles are securely
fastened around tower hoop. Slide the Bimini aft as much as
possible.
• Rotate the handles on the bases of the tower toward the stern of
the boat. Make sure to rotate the handles all the way to the stops.
There is a cam mechanism inside the latch that will not reset if
the handle is not rotated all the way when opening it.
• Lower the tower until it stops.
Raising the G5 Tower
• Raise the tower until it physically stops.
• Rotate the port and starboard handles toward the bow of the boat
until the handles stop.
• The board racks and Bimini can now be deployed.
If Malibu tower accessories are added to the
G5 Tower after the build process, it may be
necessary to upgrade the internal tower gas
struts to accept the additional weight and to perform as designed. This
kind of upgrade should be done only by an authorized Malibu dealer.
