The elusive 02 legacy ski boat on a pretty hefty hull

[Salty87]

Cool purchase. I learned to wakeboard behind a similar vintage Supra. Manual gauges and switches are the way to go.

...Do they make the boat seem more cramped? I’ve never been in a boat with a tower but I do like the feeling of being out and open on the water...

If all you do is short cruises then yes you lose some of the open feeling.

If you want to add a bimini to stay out longer or take people boarding/surfing then the tower sets you free from clutter. Tower speakers will let your stereo come alive (even if you don't break the bank and play it loud enough for the whole lake to hear).

There's a reason so many boats including i/o's have towers. They are very helpful if you use the boat in those ways.