Help with ski rope attach - 2005 bass tracker

[Joseph10]

Hello,
I was wondering if someone could help me with a problem. I have a 2005 bass tracker PT175 and want to try to pull my 5 year old on a tube. I would not be trying to pull skiers or adults, just my son. The boat has a 50 2 stroke. It seems to have plenty of power to do this.

I have been trying to come up with a custom made ski pole that I would build myself that would go into the back bass seat hole and brace against the transom. Everything I can come up with will require quite a bit of work.

However, there are the 2 u-bolts in the back of the transom that the tie down straps go through. I was thinking I could just tie a rope into both of these and be done with it. Because of the way the boat is built, I cannot tell if these are bolted into a solid brace (the transom looks like it has 2 1" thick aluminum braces that go all the way across that the motor bolts into). It seems the level of the u-bolts are not at the levels of these cross braces.

Can anyone tell me if these are bolted into solid metal? If they are only bolted into the 0.1" that the boat is contructed of, then I definitely do not think this would be strong enough.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Joseph

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Help with ski rope attach - 2005 bass tracker

Those u-bolts should be plenty strong for that. I used to tow tubes that way. They make a bridle for just that purpose>>> http://www.iboats.com/Airhead_Self_...39192039--**********.562782660--view_id.38991

 

[Joseph10]

Re: Help with ski rope attach - 2005 bass tracker

Thanks for the information. I will just go with those u-bolts. I will just watch for any pulling on the body - I think I should be OK. The harness link looks like exactly what I need.

Joseph

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: Help with ski rope attach - 2005 bass tracker

Also make sure he leans back in the tube when starting and stopping they like to start to submarine when the littleones are leaned forward and it can really be scary for both of you. I know when my son was about five I let him tube and if I didn't have him lean back until up on the water or till we had stopped moving it would start to dive under. I was glad when he started on the knee board that same year.