Waketower for tubing

[vprgtsr001]

89' bayliner capri 1500 50hp force outboard (soon to be 2008 50 hp etec)
My boat doesn't have the balls to pull a skier or wake boarder so im pretty much stuck with tubing. In the past i've been using the harness that clips to the back of the boat but it snags on the outboard while making turns pretty badly. I was considering making a tower at work which i can do for about 300 dollars. Are there any downsides to tubing with a tower? Feedback please.

 

[guy74]

Re: Waketower for tubing

The biggest problem I see with pulling a tube from a tower is when the tube catches on a wake while you are turning and pulls your boat over sideways. This isn't an exageration, I almost swamped my boat pulling a tube from a 3ft tall pylon. I wouldn't do it.

 

[vandy21]

Re: Waketower for tubing

youre not supposed to pull tubes from towers. the amount of surface friction caused by the tube is much higher than that of a wakeboarder or skier. you may still be able to pull a tuber, but it will strain you engine/hull. also, you wont find much in the way of wakeboard towers for $300. the cheapest i've seen is from diy wake. http://www.diywake.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=552

 

[Liquid_force]

Re: Waketower for tubing

FWIW - If you can get a tube on plane you shouldn't have a problem pulling a wakeboarder.

I don't think a tower is the answer though.
You might try a short ski pylon just tall enough to clear the OB.
http://www.iboats.com/Water_Ski_Pyl...ategory--**********.566963208--view_id.217689

I rode behind a little 16 footer for several years, and the addition of one of those made a world of difference with every towable.

 

[canoeist]

Re: Waketower for tubing

Don't do it. A friend did not take our advice on another forum and has cracks in his gelcoat.

 

[olseaspirit]

Re: Waketower for tubing

you can buy a splitter to attach to each side of the transom, this will lead to a barrel swivel where you tube rope will attach. it works pretty good, i used it before I built a ski pilon

here is an example
http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1450314#1

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: Waketower for tubing

Olseaspirit was bang on.

We've had another thread going on yesterday on the same topic which may be useful

I've used this self centering harness that Olseaspirit mentioned and it will prevent it getting caught in your outboard.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=270820