Tube scare this week

[airdvr1227]

Had my daughter and 3 of her friends out last week tubing. ALways try and give them a fun ride by doubling back through my wake or the wake of another boat. It worked a little too well. Who knew 14yo boys could fly?

Typically when a rider comes off we turn around and as we're going back we see a head above water. This time we see someone prone. Too far away to see if he's face down. I'm freakin' out at this point. As we get closer we see he's on his back. This brings some relief to myself and the first mate. Seems he got his bell rung but he's OK. Whew!

Lesson learned? Even though the kids say they want to go fast maybe it's not a good idea.

 

[Scottimus]

Re: Tube scare this week

Glad he was ok, that would be quite a scare!!!

 

[oldbuck]

Re: Tube scare this week

Thankfully he was ok!

I do the same maneuver pulling our tubers as everyone likes a little air, but when I see the wake is going to be a significant hit I'll slow to 15 - 18 mph knowing I'm going to drop them ;-)

 

[wildspeed]

Re: Tube scare this week

I know what you mean...

Last year I took my 8 years old daughter tubing with some friends, even everybody wear a life jacket, I all the time ask if they know how to swim and if there are comfortable in the water....
On that run, the tub flipped and both girls fell in the water, but could only see one girl, no sign off the life jacket that my daughter was wearing, I raced back to the spot and my spotter and I were ready to jump in to look for her when she finally popup from under water....the other girl panicked, and was litterraly walking on her and keeping her under water, fortunatly Tiffanie is a good swimmer and love snorkeling and did not panic... she was out of breath, but safe.

From now on, when I get a first timer, after the life jacket is on and they answered the swimming questions, I throw the kid in the water to see their reaction before to go for a ride.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Tube scare this week

throwing a child overboard by surprise is wrong on many levels.

skiiers who fall should raise their arms and grab their wrists as a signal they are OK and also to be more visible to other boaters and the pick-up.

 

[wildspeed]

Re: Tube scare this week

throwing a child overboard by surprise is wrong on many levels.
QUOTE]

I do not throw kids overboard (even if sometime I would love to....but not for the same reasons...),
happen on our dock before boarding the tube. and "throw" was maybe not the right term, I should have used "drop".

And you are right about the hands signals, we go thru that also.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Tube scare this week

throwing a child overboard by surprise is wrong on many levels.
QUOTE]

I do not throw kids overboard (even if sometime I would love to....but not for the same reasons...),
happen on our dock before boarding the tube. and "throw" was maybe not the right term, I should have used "drop".

And you are right about the hands signals, we go thru that also.

Yeah, I have a rule that before anyone new can ride on the tube they have to jump out of the boat first. My little niece got pretty upset with me last year over it, but her mom backed me up because she followed my logic.

 

[geeco1]

Re: Tube scare this week

My daughter used to be scared of the tube. She would only want to ride it if I went in a straight line and not very fast. She would want me to go so slow that I couldn't get the tube or boat up on plane. I also tried to tell her that I have to turn the boat sometime or we would run ashore. Finally, after falling off a few times, she realizes that it is fun. Now she will ride and wants me to do the turns. Although she doesn't like me to go quite as fast as I do with my boys.

 

[BuzzStPoint]

Re: Tube scare this week

My son and I wen tubing years ago with a friend. H made my son float in the water with the life vest to get used to it before he would let him ride.

My son used to freak out when his feat wouldn't touch the bottom. But after about 5 -10 minutes of floating and swimming in the vest we went tubing. I told him a simple rule, In trouble, dont hold on.. Wish I followed that one...

We wiped out, tube flipped. He let go I didn't.. Had that nice wave of water go over your body and into every hole into your head...