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Author Topic:   Attachment Point For Towing Line For Tubing

73whaler posted 08-10-2009 10:47 AM ET (US)
[On--please capitalize the initial letter of the initial word of each sentence--jimh] my [1973--please use four digits for the year] [OUTRAGE] 19 I have been using the two eyes in the transom to attach a rope bridle. [When] I start to go, the kids have to lean way back to keep the tube from going under water. [Are] the rear cleats rated to pull a tube [with] kids? [Is] there an easier way to mount the rope without buying an expensive ski post?
Plotman posted 08-10-2009 06:52 PM ET (US)
The rear cleats are not rated for tubes. I have had the same problem. None of the ready made ski pylons are rated for towing tubes, so an upcoming project is to fabricate one.
73whaler posted 08-10-2009 07:17 PM ET (US)
[Maybe--again, please capitalize the initial letter of the initial word of each sentence] [I--please capitalize the personal pronoun "I"] can hook the bridle inside the transom, and let it go over the edge to gain a little height.
ConB posted 08-10-2009 08:33 PM ET (US)
We need an engineer to tell us how heavy duty our tow bits need to be.
I have a swivel ez pro ski pylon on my Outrage 18 that is very well mounted.
I feel that the label not to tow tubes was installed by the lawyers.
Con
deepwater posted 08-11-2009 01:02 PM ET (US)
I have towed tubes and the reason they are so hard to tow is they wobble strech and bounce,,they cup and jump and dive and this puts a lot of snap strech/torque on the whole boat/line so if and when something lets go it either gets the boat driver in the head or a tuber in the face
Tohsgib posted 08-11-2009 01:07 PM ET (US)
I used a single eye on my 1974 19' Revenge to tow everything for years. I do not like bridles. How long is your line to the tube? Try 40' next time and see.
Lars Simonsen posted 08-12-2009 09:32 AM ET (US)
Definitely do not use a ski pylon to tow a tube. The loads associated with a tube are completely different than the loads from a skier or two. There was a post by someone on this site a couple of years ago about their horrendous experience towing a tube using the ski pylon. I want to say the boat was an 18' Dauntless, but I'm not sure. They had some passengers sitting in the stern seats, and the whole rear cap of the boat tore out, and injured the passengers as it came out.
On my Dauntless, I tow a tube with the towing eyes in the transom. If I start fairly quickly, the tube does not nose dive. If you tow slowly, the tube does have a propensity to nose dive.
Before I realized what a bad idea it was to tow a tube with a ski pylon, I did it a couple of times on my boat. I stopped doing it, not initially because of a safety concern, but because the leverage of the ski pylon caused the boat to ride very bow high. I had to lower the tow point (i.e. stern eyes) in order to get the boat to plane properly.
Mambo Minnow posted 08-12-2009 07:30 PM ET (US)
Concur with Lars. I just took the kids tubing this weekend. We shift to the ski pylon only for skis and wakeboards. You need a lower center of gravity for tubing to minimize lift on the tube and propensity to flip.
Joninnj posted 08-15-2009 07:27 AM ET (US)
This is an interesting topic... I have used my SS limited 17 FT for tubing. It has a factory mounted ski pylon which appears to be very sturdy and mounted through the rear deck behind the seat to the floor. Now I am having second thoughts...
Tom W Clark posted 08-15-2009 07:31 AM ET (US)
Do NOT use the factory ski pylon for towing a tube. That is a big no-no.
towboater posted 08-15-2009 11:54 AM ET (US)
OEM aluminum towpost on my 18 ft Guardian project is fastened to a fitted deck and splash dam doubler. Pipe gussets angle from the towpost back to the stern quarters.
I havent towed a skier or tube yet, but logically, the pipe gussets will allow to use the stern cleats, eyes or towpost.
ConB posted 08-15-2009 03:52 PM ET (US)
towboater, if you have a chance take a picture of your Guardian tow bit for me please.
Con
towboater posted 08-17-2009 06:39 PM ET (US)
Im glad you asked for a photo, for some reason I cant find my Guardian photo file and the boat is upside down getting worked on right now.
Its time for me to update my photo album, if I run across a photo I will send it asap.
mk

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Author	Topic: Attachment Point For Towing Line For Tubing
73whaler	posted 08-10-2009 10:47 AM ET (US) [On--please capitalize the initial letter of the initial word of each sentence--jimh] my [1973--please use four digits for the year] [OUTRAGE] 19 I have been using the two eyes in the transom to attach a rope bridle. [When] I start to go, the kids have to lean way back to keep the tube from going under water. [Are] the rear cleats rated to pull a tube [with] kids? [Is] there an easier way to mount the rope without buying an expensive ski post?
Plotman	posted 08-10-2009 06:52 PM ET (US) The rear cleats are not rated for tubes. I have had the same problem. None of the ready made ski pylons are rated for towing tubes, so an upcoming project is to fabricate one.
73whaler	posted 08-10-2009 07:17 PM ET (US) [Maybe--again, please capitalize the initial letter of the initial word of each sentence] [I--please capitalize the personal pronoun "I"] can hook the bridle inside the transom, and let it go over the edge to gain a little height.
ConB	posted 08-10-2009 08:33 PM ET (US) We need an engineer to tell us how heavy duty our tow bits need to be. I have a swivel ez pro ski pylon on my Outrage 18 that is very well mounted. I feel that the label not to tow tubes was installed by the lawyers. Con
deepwater	posted 08-11-2009 01:02 PM ET (US) I have towed tubes and the reason they are so hard to tow is they wobble strech and bounce,,they cup and jump and dive and this puts a lot of snap strech/torque on the whole boat/line so if and when something lets go it either gets the boat driver in the head or a tuber in the face
Tohsgib	posted 08-11-2009 01:07 PM ET (US) I used a single eye on my 1974 19' Revenge to tow everything for years. I do not like bridles. How long is your line to the tube? Try 40' next time and see.
Lars Simonsen	posted 08-12-2009 09:32 AM ET (US) Definitely do not use a ski pylon to tow a tube. The loads associated with a tube are completely different than the loads from a skier or two. There was a post by someone on this site a couple of years ago about their horrendous experience towing a tube using the ski pylon. I want to say the boat was an 18' Dauntless, but I'm not sure. They had some passengers sitting in the stern seats, and the whole rear cap of the boat tore out, and injured the passengers as it came out. On my Dauntless, I tow a tube with the towing eyes in the transom. If I start fairly quickly, the tube does not nose dive. If you tow slowly, the tube does have a propensity to nose dive. Before I realized what a bad idea it was to tow a tube with a ski pylon, I did it a couple of times on my boat. I stopped doing it, not initially because of a safety concern, but because the leverage of the ski pylon caused the boat to ride very bow high. I had to lower the tow point (i.e. stern eyes) in order to get the boat to plane properly.
Mambo Minnow	posted 08-12-2009 07:30 PM ET (US) Concur with Lars. I just took the kids tubing this weekend. We shift to the ski pylon only for skis and wakeboards. You need a lower center of gravity for tubing to minimize lift on the tube and propensity to flip.
Joninnj	posted 08-15-2009 07:27 AM ET (US) This is an interesting topic... I have used my SS limited 17 FT for tubing. It has a factory mounted ski pylon which appears to be very sturdy and mounted through the rear deck behind the seat to the floor. Now I am having second thoughts...
Tom W Clark	posted 08-15-2009 07:31 AM ET (US) Do NOT use the factory ski pylon for towing a tube. That is a big no-no.
towboater	posted 08-15-2009 11:54 AM ET (US) OEM aluminum towpost on my 18 ft Guardian project is fastened to a fitted deck and splash dam doubler. Pipe gussets angle from the towpost back to the stern quarters. I havent towed a skier or tube yet, but logically, the pipe gussets will allow to use the stern cleats, eyes or towpost.
ConB	posted 08-15-2009 03:52 PM ET (US) towboater, if you have a chance take a picture of your Guardian tow bit for me please. Con
towboater	posted 08-17-2009 06:39 PM ET (US) Im glad you asked for a photo, for some reason I cant find my Guardian photo file and the boat is upside down getting worked on right now. Its time for me to update my photo album, if I run across a photo I will send it asap. mk