Help with towing tube

[Cortes100]

Sorry if this isn't in the right spot but I have surfed all over and cannot find any info. I am not new to tubes but this one has me baffled.
We just purchased an Airhead Storm 2. The material quality is excellent but it pulls like an anchor.
It likes being submerged when we first start going. It doesn't like skipping sideways. And i can feel small jerking when we do get it underway.
I'm pulling from the tow eye (so probably a couple feet above the water).
Proper inflation, and I have tried different length ropes.
Am I doing something wrong or do some tubes just not work properly

 

[sidechoke67]

Re: Help with towing tube

I used to have the submarining problem at take-off...

For me, I found the key is constant increasing speed at take-off. I was trying to ease me kids into take-off - but once the tow rope is tight, you really have to "hit it" - not with a sudden jolt, necessarily, but with a slow but constant increase of the throttle until you get going.

Once we are underway, I've found that I really need to have the boat on a plane for the smoothest ride. At first, I was trying to do my wife and smallest daughter a favor by taking off slowly, and not going too fast. However, there is a speed, just below planing off for me, that is bumpier, and spray-ier than when I actually go a little faster and plane off.

Not sure about the Airhead Storm 2 - but we have an Airhead Viper 2, and that thing is almost impossible to skip sideways, or get outside of the wake. My wife and little kids love it for that reason...just a slightly bumpy ride in bucket seats. My older son and his friends go to sleep in that tube though - for them I have an Airhead Superslice. That thing skips really easily...

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Help with towing tube

Feel your pain Cortes - we've got the same issue with our towable.

If our 8 year-old is on it by himself he can't keep it from submarining when we launch. If an adult is on it with him and can hang their weight back until up on plane it's ok. Frustrating!

We're towing from a ski pylon so the rope is way up high and we have the same issue as you - so rope location is probably not it unless it's the attach point at the tube - which you can see from my pic is very low.

EDIT - just saw your advice, sidechoke - will give it a try! I, too, have been starting off real slow so as not to scare the kid. I need to get past that "submarine zone" quicker I guess.

 

[Cortes100]

Re: Help with towing tube

If I try slow starts, with kids leaning back, the tube creates it's own little surf right in the front. As soon as the leading edge falls off this surf, the front end goes under.
The best luck has been quick full throttle starts.
Depending on who is riding, also determines how I drive, so I don't go crazy with the speeds. Even to get this thing moving sideways, I need to be moving 25+ mph and that's just too fast if the wife falls off (you know what happens then).
When it was in a bit of a whip, it would catch an edge every time and stop, throwing the people off sideways. I have tubed for many years but never seen a tube do this.
I was just looking for some comments before I bring it back to the store.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Help with towing tube

Does your tube have strakes along the bottom to keep it tracking straight? It seems unusual since the point of the tube is to be able to fling it around a bit.

 

[109jb]

Re: Help with towing tube

More air will hel keep the tube from submarining. Many times newbies to tubing fill it until it looks good to them, but those things can stretch a lot.

 

[Cortes100]

Re: Help with towing tube

This model is flat on the bottom, with the sides winged up, and yes it was inflated to the max.
I purchased because it looked like it would easily skid sideways. now I don't want a tube that gets airborn, but it needs to move back and forth over the wake without turning the boat on a dime or going mach 5. It gets pretty boring just following behind. With a couple single tubes, we can get a nice rythem going without getting them in a wild whip.

 

[nuboat2me]

Re: Help with towing tube

I have found that if the "Tuber" is kneeling and pulling on the handles and leaning back when taking off, it helps alot. Once my "Monitor" see's the tube is tilted up, they tell me to "Goose" it... I do, just a little bit until I plane then the tube pops right on up and off we go!!! the fun begins...

Best of luck and have fun!!!

J

 

[kikroks]

Re: Help with towing tube

ya gotta lean back and as far as getting it outside the wake any tube will get outside the wake the timing of your s turns need to be right on and remember lean back or any tube will submarine and check the max weight capacity of the tube and you don't ever want to pull a tube from your wake tower too much stress so keep it on the back hook unless your rider isn't over 120 lbs go for the tower .and some tubes that are winged up on the side are for kids that you dont want flying off in a whip remember its a tube 2 ways to go either mello or hittin heavy g's.

 

[scagwildcat]

Re: Help with towing tube

i just bought the same thing, and have the same problems, i found that you need to lean back when your taking off. now, on mine it came with pockets on the bottom of the tube, i was wondering what they are for? we cant get it to move it follows the boat all the time, i was thinking of using ductape to close them and see what it would be like without them before i cut them off.
as i write this.i remeber a friend had a shute for the back of his bass boat to slow him down?

 

[DBreskin]

Re: Help with towing tube

i just bought the same thing, and have the same problems, i found that you need to lean back when your taking off. now, on mine it came with pockets on the bottom of the tube, i was wondering what they are for? we cant get it to move it follows the boat all the time, i was thinking of using ductape to close them and see what it would be like without them before i cut them off.
as i write this.i remeber a friend had a shute for the back of his bass boat to slow him down?

Typically the "pockets" are really flaps that let any water inside the tube drain out the bottom. They should only open towards the rear of the tube. Don't seal them or you end up adding the weight of accumulated water.

 

[wingmastr23]

Re: Help with towing tube

We have the same problem.....like someone mentioned earlier, quick take offs - and keeping your weight back is the key....

The Booster Ball seemed to help too.....here is the link.

http://www.towabletubesdirect.com/price/1340-or-less/sportsstuff-4k-booster-ball-towable-tube-532030/

 

[geeco1]

Re: Help with towing tube

Are they sitting or laying on it? I believe that this model of towable is primarily designed for sitting. That would put the majority of the weight towards the back. If the rider pulls their legs up underneath them, then that will put even more weight on the back until you get it going.

BTW, in my opinion, the tubes that you primarily sit on are designed to just be pulled behind the boat, not whipped from side to side. Sure, it will probably go outside the wake on a sharp turn, but the center of gravity is higher on a "sitting" tube and the thing usually flips. Obviously, there are many different designs, that do different things, but that is my take.

 

[four winns 214]

Re: Help with towing tube

I'll go with the poster who suggested inflating the tube to the max. What do you use to inflate it? A large tube requires some serious air moving horsepower to properly inflate it. I use a portable shop vac as a blower. The tube needs to be really, really taut when you put it on the water. When the water cools the tube a bit, it will lose some of the tautness.

My large tube is a lay-on vs. your sit-on, but like others have suggested, when taking off, the riders lean back just a little until the tube is on plane. I'm not sure how to make that happen on your particular style. I have zero experience with them.

Have you contacted the manufacturer for guidance?

 

[scagwildcat]

Re: Help with towing tube

Typically the "pockets" are really flaps that let any water inside the tube drain out the bottom. They should only open towards the rear of the tube. Don't seal them or you end up adding the weight of accumulated water.

thanks for the info..

 

[Cortes100]

Re: Help with towing tube

OK, I messed up on this one. I guess I don't know everything...
After talking with the manufacturer, they told me that inflation was the biggest problem with these tubes. They told me to fill it till it was rock hard. So what I thought was good enough for air, wasn't even close.
Well, we tried it again yesterday and it was a totally different ride. Never submerged once, it didn't even try to. The boat barely feels that the tube is behind. Taking it easy with the younger kids, it's very stable and crosses the wake smoothly. With the "bigger" kids (25 years) we had it in some good whips and it never flipped once.
Anyways all is good, thanks for all the replys.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Help with towing tube

Just thought I'd check back in on my submarining problem and agree that hitting the gas for a quick tug up on to plane has done the trick when my kid is riding by himself and there's not enough weight out back. Tried that instead of easing him up slowly and it worked perfectly.

So thanks for that info guys! Our last time out on the lake tubing was the best ever.

 

[jmarty10]

Re: Help with towing tube

I have the same tube as scoutabout. Interesting about the inflation becasue I have submerging problems sometime too. I fill mine up at the gas station. Works Ok. But next time, I'm going to fill it until it almost pops. If it does, i'm not worried because Mom wants the double one where you can sit up on it.

 

[Yukon Craig]

Re: Help with towing tube

I had th same problem. Check that your rope is attached to the tube properly. Once I realized I had the rope attached wrong and changed it the submarining went away.

YC