So How Do I Tow A Tube On My Boat?

[BoatNoobie]

got a Lowe FM165 with a Merc 60HP.

How do I set it up?

 

[75TowerOfPower]

Re: So How Do I Tow A Tube On My Boat?

Pictures speak a thousand words since I have no clue as to what that boat looks like and I don't feel like searching.

More than likely you will need a tow harness that goes from transom eye to the other transom eye and then the rope to the tube rides along a pulley always pulling on both transom eyes.

 

[Taylormadedrive]

Re: So How Do I Tow A Tube On My Boat?

Short answer don't do it. Too much stress.

 

[tgell001]

Re: So How Do I Tow A Tube On My Boat?

The easy answer is just hook it up and sling 'em around.

But the way I have it set up works pretty well. I have a rope that has a "V" in it that hooks to both of my rear cleats or tow strap attachment and that allows me to have really good control over which side i can pull the tude to. I can pretty much with a jerk on the steering wheel put them through the middle of the wake and to the other side, then right back across.

But its super simple, I know this sounds stupid but we tube after we have a few too many beers to wakeboard almost every time we go out and have a blast.

 

[BoatNoobie]

Re: So How Do I Tow A Tube On My Boat?

Short answer don't do it. Too much stress.

stress on the boat? Or stress for the people in the boat?

Is this what's recommended to hook up the line too? Where my transom strap is hooked into.

 

[oceansbreeze]

Re: So How Do I Tow A Tube On My Boat?

look in the marine store, what you'll find (I think they still make them... is a rope with 2 clamps, the rope is a floating rope, you clip each end of the rope onto that transom tie down hook on each side of the stern.... and on the "loop" of the rope, is a floating pulley.... and the pulley can slide around the "loop" .... and the tow rope is connected to the pulley...

the set I have, was given to me by my dad, and it's gotta be 30-40 years old, and I still use it. Never got caught in the prop, as it all floats, just gotta take up the slack till the rope is tight before popping out of the hole.

This works great for tubes, but if you get into skiing, you will wish you had a pole or tower i am sure. We ski with the rope setup I have, but it tends to "pull down" whereas a pole or tower would pull up...

sorry don't have a pic, or I'd post it - but can take one if you need to see it

 

[75TowerOfPower]

Re: So How Do I Tow A Tube On My Boat?

Yes use the eyes that you tie the boat dow with. Those are plenty strong. If it can hold you 2k-3k lb boat I sure hope it can hold a 200 pound man on a tube. Now some tubes tend to nose dive in the water ater someone has fallen off, depends on the tube and water conditions. This can add a lot more stress, so watch/have a spotter watch to make sure you slow 'er down when someone falls off.

 

[Bass_boy7]

Re: So How Do I Tow A Tube On My Boat?

if you rip one of those out of your boat you have bigger issues then you think they are in there solidly you will have no problem at all.

 

[BoatNoobie]

Re: So How Do I Tow A Tube On My Boat?

look in the marine store, what you'll find (I think they still make them... is a rope with 2 clamps, the rope is a floating rope, you clip each end of the rope onto that transom tie down hook on each side of the stern.... and on the "loop" of the rope, is a floating pulley.... and the pulley can slide around the "loop" .... and the tow rope is connected to the pulley...

the set I have, was given to me by my dad, and it's gotta be 30-40 years old, and I still use it. Never got caught in the prop, as it all floats, just gotta take up the slack till the rope is tight before popping out of the hole.

This works great for tubes, but if you get into skiing, you will wish you had a pole or tower i am sure. We ski with the rope setup I have, but it tends to "pull down" whereas a pole or tower would pull up...

sorry don't have a pic, or I'd post it - but can take one if you need to see it

I've been looking for the pulley versions around.
http://www.amazon.com/Kwik-Tek-Harness-Centering-Pulley/dp/B000FECD2Y

Is that the correct type?
I think that's going to be my only option. The GF has been whining a lot lately because summer is getting closer to the end.....

 

[cobra99]

Re: So How Do I Tow A Tube On My Boat?

That set up will work fine. I have a basstracker with a 40 hp johnson with a similar set up. I have pulled tubes, kneeboarders and today I rode my wakeboard behind my boat. The rope will be low to the ground so when directly behind the boat a tuber will get spray from the wake.

 

[kellmike626]

Re: So How Do I Tow A Tube On My Boat?

On my old boat we had the same set up with our 40 hp Merc engine.
We had the rope with the 2 clamps that hook onto the transom tie downs of the boat. Worked fine, but we couldn't tow anyone larger than 100 lbs because of lack of power, which is why we upgraded to an I/O.
You should most definitely be fine though. The only time I could actually see stress happening is if you were towing a tube with loads of people on board.

 

[lonesouth]

Re: So How Do I Tow A Tube On My Boat?

I've got a thru-deck pylon that ancors in the bilge and is supported where it contacts the deck. The pylon is solid stainless and heavy. The deck seems more than beefy. Would it be ok to tube from the pylon or should I still pull from the anchor points?

 

[arty007]

Re: So How Do I Tow A Tube On My Boat?

The only time I could actually see stress happening is if you were towing a tube with loads of people on board.

where or how would you see this stress?