Odd question: Can I tip my boat over when turning?

cheburashka

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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May 28, 2005
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I have a 14-year-old son and he and his friends like to be pulled around in inflatable tubes. Sometimes we get our Maxum 1900 up pretty far on one side when trying to make the tube shoot out to the side. At times it feels like we're at a 45 degree angle or more. Sometimes I find myself wondering what the limits are when turning under power. Would it be possible to get the boat so far up on one side that the deck submerges? It seems unlikely, but I'd prefer not to find this out the hard way.
 

JASinIL2006

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Feb 10, 2012
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How fast are you going into the turns? Generally, you don't want to get the tube going more than 25 mph or so. If the boat is moving that fast, the riders going into a turn could be moving considerably faster, which could be risky if they take a spill... hitting the water when the tube is moving 40-50 mph could be seriously dangerous.

As for swamping the boat, I suppose you could do so, but I would think your prop would start cavitating before you could get the boat leaning that much...
 

cheburashka

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May 28, 2005
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We never go more than 25 when we're pulling tubes. The biggest problems come when we hit someone else's wake and the boat shifts position quickly.
 

roffey

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Nov 22, 2012
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I suspect you could flip or tip the boat opposite direction your turning if you stalled the boat or cut the throttle and the wake hit you broad side? I have done just about every stupid thing you can do in a boat while in my youth but I was never able to tip it going into a turn.
 

aspeck

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May 29, 2003
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And that is the scenario where you could flip it. Go into a hard turn a get a wave to bounce you. Or, it could throw you and/or your passengers overboard. As the captain you need to maintain control of your vessel and know your surroundings. If large waves are coming your way, avoid sharp turn maneuvers that would put you at the apex of your turn and the top or side of the wave.
 

gm280

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Jun 26, 2011
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There are so many factors that can be "what if" situations. Water conditions, weather (wind), other boats, the speed your are turning, the shape and type hull design, and on and on. The best thing to do is keep it safe and simple. If you are presently thinking about such a flipping situation, then you are having doubts about it presently. So maybe, take things a little easier or slower, especially in turns...
 

Chris1956

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Mar 25, 2004
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I believe it is possible for a skier to flip the boat. It would take an unusual circumstance to do so, but it could happen. The boat would need to be in a hard turn, and the far side of the transom would need to be high, and the drag of the skier's body pulls the transom over. It probably takes a small boat, a strong skier, and the right circumstances.

A skier has more height than the usual tube, so it would take more unusual circumstances to flip the boat, but I believe it is possible.
 

H20Rat

Vice Admiral
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Mar 8, 2009
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If you do flip, it won't be because of a pylon or skier/tuber. In that case, once you hit an extreme enough example, the prop will suck air and it will just fall back down to a level attitude. What COULD flip it is what people mentioned above. A large wave at the wrong time. In other words, something that provides more energy than just the engine itself.
 

JimS123

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Jul 27, 2007
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7,952
Any boat can be flipped / swamped. Just takes a dumb maneuver. I've seen it happen. The one that comes to mind most often was a short, squatty jet boat with 4 passengers, that hit a wave so fast the boat literally went straight up. When it came down square on the transom it rolled backwards and ended up upside down.

4 People, no PFD's. Luckily no one hit their head and all could swim.
 

Chad Flaugher

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Jan 2, 2015
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392
Look up "7 person boat crash" on You Tube. Read up on the following stories about the accident. Serious injuries can result without even getting wet. Turning under power is less dangerous than turning at high speeds in choppy water. Also need to consider the weight on board. Yer boat is going to handle differently with 7 passengers than it will with 2. Be safe out there, and have fun!
 

roffey

Commander
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Nov 22, 2012
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Absolutely, my boat goes over 55 mph (not the fastest but it 's screaming for me). At that speed things can go wrong and go wrong fast. Just think 55 MPH, hard turn with people standing up or hit a large wave...
 

thumpar

Admiral
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Jun 21, 2007
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6,138
I hit a submerged log (about 3' long, 4" diameter) in my old boat it is got lodged between the platform and the drive cylinder. It acted as a rudder and instantly started the throw the boat over. My wife went overboard and and I would have too but I have a habit of holding on the the window supports. The boat went over enough to take on water over the side. It righted itself though.
 

hostage

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May 4, 2010
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I hit a submerged log (about 3' long, 4" diameter) in my old boat it is got lodged between the platform and the drive cylinder. It acted as a rudder and instantly started the throw the boat over. My wife went overboard and and I would have too but I have a habit of holding on the the window supports. The boat went over enough to take on water over the side. It righted itself though.

Your wife must have been pissed at you.

OP: Avoid hard turns at high speeds. I made the mistake of doing a sharp turn at high speed with more people than is normally on my boat, boat turned quick instead of sliding across the water. At the same time a seat mount broke on one of the seats, they fell onto someone, who fell onto me and separated my clavicle. I found out later that one of the previous owners removed all screws from one side of the seat mount and didn't replace them. Speed, sharp turn, weight, and the perfect storm of improper reinstalled seat, created a trip to the ED. Take anyone of those variables away, it would have been another day on the lake. Luckily I was the only one who was hurt.
 
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