Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

[cobra1476]

I am assuming that a smaller boat would be more nimble when pulling a tube. Right now I own an 18' and am looking to replace with a 20' to 23'. I always have a ton of people who want to go out with us.


My question is how much "lag" would I notice when pulling a tube? I am sure I would be able to turn as quickly, right?

What would be a good size all around boat that would seat 8 comfortably and still bull a tube or skier?

I was thinking a 23' jet (Yamaha SX230) would be a great boat since it planes faster and has a great seating configuration. After reading all the horror stories of stuff getting sucked in the drive, I kinda talked my self out of it. Should I still consider this?

Thanks!

 

[Philster]

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

I tow tubers with a 27' boat. All good.

The Yamaha is fine, but it's up to you which advantages/disadvantages work for you and where you boat. Around here, they are everywhere. 20-23' is absolutely fine.

 

[convergent]

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

Tubing is not really something that requires much precision, and there is also a wide variation in how people do it. Some pull at below planing speed straight... others try zig zag... others do figure 8's or go really, really fast. I personally do the zig zag thing but really watch the tube to see how its moving and give them a good whip, followed by a recovery period after each one. I've found that most people enjoy this a lot more than just keeping the throttle down until people fall off.

So basically any boat can probably do some form of tubing. I do like to be able to make quick turns and to be able to go up and down with the boat speed quickly so that I can avoid slack in the rope and also control the movement of the tube. That is harder on a bigger boat, obviously. I'm using a 200HP outboard on a 20' boat at present and it does OK, but it is also really hard to turn the wheel sometimes so power steering would be a nice plus for this.

You may also find that its a bigger issue on the design of the hull, the way the wake forms, and how the rope rides through it... more important than just the length of the boat.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

I towed a tuber off the back of my 29'er the other day. Other than the line being too short, and the tuber getting stuck outside of the wake (getting a new line shortly) he enjoyed himself. In the river I am on, I can't throw a tuber around across the wake at all though. Just not enough room and not a nimble enough boat.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

I think the best boat for tubing is between 16 and 19 feet.
Larger boats use too much fuel, don't manuever or respond as well, and take longer for both starting (hole shot) and recovering downed tubers. Meanwhile they make too much wake for the other boaters.
Now since tubing is pretty much idiot proof (for the tuber) it works OK but the dumbest thing is watching someone trying to learn to ski behind a 25.

so keep the 18 and get a 23 for the passengers, and take them both out.

A nuke carrier can go 50 mph and can pull all of the 5000 man crew waterskiing behind it. Problem is, it takes 2 miles to turn around. So it is not the best boat for tubers and skiiers even though it could work.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

We have a 23' and it works fine but I will say our old 18' maneuvered quicker as Home Cookin said.

With the tilt trim on the 23' we are able to plane off quickly which helps when we pull a skier, for tubing it doesn't matter at all.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

A nuke carrier can go 50 mph and can pull all of the 5000 man crew waterskiing behind it. Problem is, it takes 2 miles to turn around. So it is not the best boat for tubers and skiiers even though it could work.

I would so jump at the chance to do it though!!! (although no carrier can hit 50 mph that I know of. Nimitz class are 35 mph or so, but their max displacement speed is a little under 50 mph. Any smaller of a hull and your max displacement hull speed goes down)



To the OP... Don't worry about sucking things into a jet. If you run over a rope with ANY boat you will have issues, and its just something you need to learn. Two easy rules. The engine is only running if the tube is 1 rope length away from the boat, or the rope is coiled on board.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

I think the best boat for tubing is between 16 and 19 feet.
Larger boats use too much fuel, don't manuever or respond as well, and take longer for both starting (hole shot) and recovering downed tubers. Meanwhile they make too much wake for the other boaters.
Now since tubing is pretty much idiot proof (for the tuber) it works OK but the dumbest thing is watching someone trying to learn to ski behind a 25.

so keep the 18 and get a 23 for the passengers, and take them both out.

A nuke carrier can go 50 mph and can pull all of the 5000 man crew waterskiing behind it. Problem is, it takes 2 miles to turn around. So it is not the best boat for tubers and skiiers even though it could work.

These are the reasons tubing behind my boat was just to see how good it can be. Slow to start, 35 mph is all shes got, no tight turns and turning to get the tuber takes more time and effort.

Tubing behind a small boat in an open area is the best scenario.

 

[F_R]

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

15 ft maximum. What ever happened to good old common sense? Have we all gone nutz?

 

[AllAboard]

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

So basically any boat can probably do some form of tubing.

Awesome !!!! Next time I'll take my jon boat. It uses WAY less gas.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

growing up, we pulled skiiers behind jon boats, 13' whalers, bass boats, and flat racers. Tubes weren't invented, except tractor tires that stretched out like a double hot dog and wore your skin off. And we used less gas, even at 35 cents a gallon it mattered.

 

[Philster]

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

I always have a ton of people who want to go out with us.

Thanks!

This comment alone eliminates many smaller boats.

YouTube has boat tests of the Yamaha line up.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

I had an 18' bowrider, 120 HP, rated for 7 people. We always had a least 5 or 6 that wanted to go out. The boat was crowded and cramped. WOT was mid 30's. All we do is watersports, no fishing.

My next boat was a 22' bowrider, 425 HP, rated for 12 people. It's MUCH more enjoyable, everyone has plenty of room, lots of room for coolers, tables mounted to the floor to eat on, etc.

I can't tell any difference in maneuverability between the 18' and 22'. Both will turn in their own length at low speed, the 22' is actually better in the direction opposite prop rotation since it has a B3 outdrive. At planing speeds the only limit on turn radius with either boat is your stupidity factor.

The 22' is MUCH more enjoyable to tube with, you can't even tell the tube is back there. Biggest concern is being careful to keep the speed down. The excess power available makes the tube much more controllable. A slight turn and a blip of acceleration will easily swing the tube from one side of the wake to the other. A slightly tighter turn and a little bigger blip of the throttle will launch the tube off the wake as high in the air as you desire. One of the most enjoyable and funniest things I know of is the first time some 15 or 16 year old who has never tubed behind a powerful boat tells me "Nobody can throw me off a tube". Everyone else on the boat that's tubed with us before just smiles .....

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

You solved your "crowded and cramped" issue by getting a bigger boat. It can also be solved by changing hull designs.
I'm not criticizing your decision; it's a viable option if you can afford and operate/store a larger boat. But for readers considering choices, another option is to get a different style.
Also that's good information that a bowrider rated for 7 is crowded and cramped with 5-6. A lot of new boat shoppers assume the rating = comfortable. I say, knock of a couple if you're just sitting and riding in smooth water, and more if you are active (fishing, camping, eating, out in the weather, etc.)

 

[45Auto]

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

You solved your "crowded and cramped" issue by getting a bigger boat. It can also be solved by changing hull designs.

In 38 years of boating I've NEVER been on any type of boat (flat boat, center console, bowrider, deckboat, pontoon, cruiser, whatever) that was comfortable near it's rated capacity. What hull design would you advise?

 

[wca_tim]

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

In my experience, not showering can also cut down on the crowded and cramped thing...

I really enoy our 17 1/2 because it is easy to tow and put in and out by myself, manuvers well, etc... that being said, I'm thinkin I will get a 21-23 for the river here at some point. I would stress getting something with enough power - you will never have an issue with too much power, but it sucks to have marginal power and a boat load of people... imho.. Good luck with whatever you wind up with!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

45--as I said, all boats are crowded at capacity, but center consoles have way more open space and less padded and single seating. That opens up space to move around. Also being able to ride comfortably standing up makes it less crowded.

I have a 17' dual console rated for 4. I have a 19' skiff rated for 10. But I don't put those extra six people in the last 2 feet of the hull! And the motor on the 19 is 20 hp smaller than the 17.
Anyone looking to carry a crowd owes it to himself and his family to look at Carolina Skiffs and similar hulls. They have models that are fitted out very comfortably inside for seating, hold a ton more people than other hull designs of same length, cost less and require a smaller motor. Win win win win. And if any of your troll friends complain that it's not as cushy as a bigger boat that costs twice as much to buy and run, screw them.
Good point above about a smaller boat being easier to handle off the water (towing, storing, launch/retrieve, mooring) which is why a good objective is to get the smallest boat that will meet your needs.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

but center consoles have way more open space and less padded and single seating.

You're right about the center console having more open space. Might be great if you're slinging sticks around trying to drown worms, but not very enjoyable for a group of people trying to enjoy a day of watersports. Problem is there's not enough places for everyone to sit. Couple on the leaning post, couple in front of the console, everyone else is on the coolers, floor, etc.

Anyone looking to carry a crowd owes it to himself and his family to look at Carolina Skiffs and similar hulls. They have models that are fitted out very comfortably inside for seating, hold a ton more people than other hull designs of same length, cost less and require a smaller motor. Win win win win.

Had a friend that had a 20' Carolina Skiff for a couple of months. It was OK on smooth water, but any kind of chop beat the heck out of it. Very uncomfortable boat for more than 4 people or so. He sold it and went with a Sea Ray. Possibly the Carolina Skiff Sea Chaser line would be better, at least it's a V-hull, but you've got to get to a 26' boat to be rated for 10 people! Don't know where you get your info on costing less and requiring smaller motors, I'm sure you can't provide any references for your crap since you never have in the past. Price-wise they're AT LEAST as much as anything else, and performance-wise they are pretty poor. Lose, lose, lose. They can't even compare to bowrider with an outboard, much less an I/O. A typical bowrider with a smaller motor will be faster, more efficient, and much more comfotable. Maybe you and your troll friends are satisfied with uncomfortable crap that costs more to run, screw you all!

After you get 2 people in the seats behind and in front of the console, where do the rest go? Can you imagine 8 people (like the OP wanted) in this? Talk about uncomfortable.

Glastron 18' 115 ETEC vs Carolina Skiff 130 ETEC - Boattest.com

If you don't bother to read or understand the purpose a boat is going to be used for, it's not surprising you're not very effective with a recommendation. From the original poster, Post #1:

I am assuming that a smaller boat would be more nimble when pulling a tube. Right now I own an 18' and am looking to replace with a 20' to 23'. I always have a ton of people who want to go out with us.

My question is how much "lag" would I notice when pulling a tube? I am sure I would be able to turn as quickly, right?

What would be a good size all around boat that would seat 8 comfortably and still bull a tube or skier?

If you're restricted on towing, storing, or mooring than obviously that will drive your selection of a boat. I've never understood the big deal about launching/retrieving. I launch and recover my 17', 22' and 30' the exact same way. To launch, back down, idle boat off the trailer. To recover, idle onto trailer, pull boat out. Where does length factor into it?

 

[AdellAdam]

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

If you're restricted on towing, storing, or mooring than obviously that will drive your selection of a boat. I've never understood the big deal about launching/retrieving. I launch and recover my 17', 22' and 30' the exact same way. To launch, back down, idle boat off the trailer. To recover, idle onto trailer, pull boat out. Where does length factor into it?

I think the difference is the size of the tow vehicle on this one. A 4 cylinder S-10 isn't going to be pulling a 30' boat out of the water. It would be fun to watch though...

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Best boat length for tubbing, skiing?

Well, 45, I have a 21' center console with seating for at least 8. I bought it so that, to use your words, it would be "enjoyable for a group of people trying to enjoy a day of watersports" and it exceeds my expectations. Many models (like mine) have built-in seating in the bow and stern, in addition to the helm (where you can have seats, not a leaning post) and in front of the console. This is also true of some models of skiffs, just not the one you chose to post (which BTW is rated for 16 people, at 21'). Also you posted the flat bottom; there are options in this and other brands.

Your reply sounds like a personal attack. I have opinions as to what I would recommend when answering the OP's question, and my opinion is an informed opinion, based on the information he provided, and my extensive experience in inshore recreational boating. I don't need to post "research" that forms the basis for my opinions, the guy shopping can start with my (or your) suggestions and draw his own conclusions. If you look around at boat information on the web, you will find what I am talking about.

My reference to "trolls" was directed at freeloaders who might complain that someone else needs to buy a bigger boat so they can ride for free, not to anyone here. MAybe that's what set you off.

Again, I am only recommending that those considering recreational boats look beyond a particular model that may be popular in some boating markets, but is found to have disadvantages by others.