Rigging question for kneeboarding

[kenny26]

I have a bayliner 1700 with and outboard motor. Can I use a tow harness clipped to the two eyes on either side of the outboard just above waterline to pull a kneeboard? Do i need a ski pylon to get the pull of the rope higher?

Also is 50 hp enough to pull a kneeboard just for fun and easily get up.

 

[rrkyle]

Re: Rigging question for kneeboarding

Yes to the tow eyes. Just buy one of those little tow harnesses with a pulley to keep it centered and you should be fine.

That 50 hp should have no problem pulling a kneeboarder depending on the size of the rider and weight you have on board.

If anything maybe a prop for more torque but the only way you'll know is to take it out and try.

We kneeboard all the time behind my bass boat with the tow eyes.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Rigging question for kneeboarding

The rope-pulley system will be just fine. 50HP should be enough to get up on a kneeboard for most people. I don't know why anyone likes kneeboarding, I've tried it twice and found it to be extremely boring and hard on my back, especially in non-glassy water.

 

[kenny26]

Re: Rigging question for kneeboarding

The rope-pulley system will be just fine. 50HP should be enough to get up on a kneeboard for most people. I don't know why anyone likes kneeboarding, I've tried it twice and found it to be extremely boring and hard on my back, especially in non-glassy water.

Well we are pretty new to the watersports and none of my family has any experience skiing, plus i didn't think the 50hp was ideal for skiing behind. So i thought we'd give kneeboarding a try as an alternative to the tube.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[rrkyle]

Re: Rigging question for kneeboarding

In defense of kneeboarding i have no idea why it gets a bad rap.

The great thing about kneeboarding is almost anybody can enjoy it. Especially since the cheat hook was invented, but that you can become as good as you want at it. Everybody that comes out with us usually enjoys kneeboarding, hell even my better half has been jumping the wake and doing spins!

Take a look at the youtube videos of kneeboarding. You can do some sick stuff with practice, but dont do what everyone else does try stuff for yourself, I for one enjoy kneeboarding alot especially because at 6'3 260 it takes one hell of a boat for me to do any other watersports.

Good luck with the all the watersports, I think that as long as your on the water havin fun you cant go wrong.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Rigging question for kneeboarding

I suppose that having learned to ski/slolam and wakeboard before I tried the kneeboard spoiled me. It just doesn't allow as much speed/agility as skiing/wakeboarding but I suppose if you only have the 50HP to play with it may be a factor. If your children are smaller (like 150lbs or less) then you can definitely get them up on skis or a wakeboard. I learned behind a 90HP boat as a kid and never took more than 1 second to pop out of the water. Many people learned as children by as little as 25HP outboards.

Have fun either way!

 

[rrkyle]

Re: Rigging question for kneeboarding

Good luck out there. We'll be on lake belton tomorrow kneeboarding until our arms are sore!!

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Rigging question for kneeboarding

I have a fish-n-ski which my son both skis and knee-boards with. We started out with just the harness between the two tow eyes, and it worked ok. Then we tried the ski-pylon that we got with the boat, and my son likes that much better as it allows him to get more air when jumping the wake. And I'd guess that 50 HP with your boat would be fine for knee boarding, you'll only be towing between 15 and 20 mph.

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: Rigging question for kneeboarding

You should be fine with the 50 and the transom hooks will work fine as well. I have enjoyed kneeboarding since about 1980 still do it everytime out. My 4 year old son got up last year on his own without an aquahook, now I can't keep him off the dang thing. I guess it is what you make of it, if you just stay behind the boat and get drug around it probably would get boring but if you challange yourself to go bigger and better it gets pretty fun to see just what you can accomplish on one. I can throw up a wall of water comprable to a lot of "slalom skiers" I see on the lake. I have also heard alot of folks say slalom skiing gets boring after awhile. I used to compete when I was a kid and into my teens and have NEVER got bored with it. As long as your out having fun thats the main thing.