Towing a skier

[ferrariman]

I have 14.4 foot hoursten glascraft runabout with a 69 50hp merc 4cylinder. Will i be able to tow a skier very well? Also the age old question,,, how fast will it go? Just want to knwo before i buy any ski equitment.

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Towing a skier

You will be able to tow a skier, very well, I don't know about that. Probably will have a little trouble getting out of the hole. My suggestion would be to add a set of Smart Tabs. This will help push the boat "over the hill" of water the stern creates as it struggles to get on plane with a skier.

 

[ferrariman]

Re: Towing a skier

What about a doel fin to help it get up on a plane?

 

[paulie0735]

Re: Towing a skier

The smart tabs will work much better than the fin; I know I just changed over on my boat. As for your boats ability to tow a skier, well that really depends on what type of skiing you want to do. Towing the kids around on 2 skies or toys will be a breeze, but pulling an adult male on a slalom ski from a deep water start......... for get it!! How fast will your boat be? I’ll let the prop experts tackle that one. Have fun, enjoy your boat.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Towing a skier

The 50 should tow your skiier (2 skis) between 20 and 25 mph with 1-2 light folks in the boat and not too much cooler chest stuff and all.<br /><br />You aren't going to do any high performance tricks here as if you "could" get your slalom up on top, the first time you broke out of the wake for a run you would bog down the boat.<br /><br />The tabs will work and you also might try ventilating your prop. (holes in the side).<br /><br />I only skiied behine one boat with a ventilated prop; it was a deep V and didn't have a lot of things to produce lift.....to get the skiier out of the hole and on top. I found that the vent really helped the engine to develop it's hp and get up.<br /><br />I had a 45 hp Chrysler on a 16' very light Chrysler tryhull which had a nice flat a$$ which helped in getting up and it was marginal at best. Traded it for an 85 (same boat) and things improved significantly.<br /><br />Mark

 

[ferrariman]

Re: Towing a skier

I have heard of ventilating props, will this affect performance in the top end, will it always be ventalating somwhat? Also will that stop me from doinf full throttle starts becuse it will ventalate to much? I am also asumming if i did that i would have to install a tach to keep the revs from getting to high.