Pulling with a pontoon

[mytee_hercules]

Greetings to all !

I have recently acquired a 96 Sun Tracker Party Barge 24 with a 120 hp outboard. I am looking forward to enjoying this craft on the water, to include pulling my kids on tubes, kneeboards, and skiis. The problem I seem to have is that there is no tow eye installed on the craft. I've seen these tow harnesses advertised in Overton's, one steel with a floating unit and one rope.

Anyone use these products on their boat ? Any preference between the two ? Is there a preferred method of attaching it to the boat ? Can you just wrap it around the rear supports or do you need to install cleats or rings onto the deck ?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Pictures woud be outstanding !! Thanks in advance for your help.

Hanging out in Little Rock, AR . . . .

 

[lncoop]

Re: Pulling with a pontoon

Greetings Herc. Responding to you from good ol' LR. Last year I ended up rigging a harness with rope and spring loaded quick connects. I cut a length of rope sufficient to safely clear the outboard and attached a quick connect to each end, then I clipped the ends to the eyelets on the back of the toons so it formed a V. I then simply attached the tow rope to my "harness" using another quick connect placed in the center of the V. It worked great for tubing, not sure how well it would serve you for pulling a skier. What's your favorite lake? We have so many outstanding ones to choose from here. We're spoiled.

 

[GaryO]

Re: Pulling with a pontoon

Hi Herc;

I bought a used one a few years back that had a post mounted just forward of the engine that works REALLY good. It's bolted to the frame and keeps the tow rope or ski rope up and clear of everything.

 

[mytee_hercules]

Re: Pulling with a pontoon

Are these "eyelets" a good place to attach the tow rope? Could this be to low or close to the water, making the tube want to "dive" instead of working properly?

Any comments / suggestions ?

 

[JWhit]

Re: Pulling with a pontoon

Mine has a welded frame a little taller than the motor to attach the rope. Eyelets would seem to be low but not much risk/effort testing that at low speeds.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Pulling with a pontoon

That's exactly where I hooked up the rope. I learned that the tube wouldn't dive if I started out really slow then opened her up. The initial tension on the rope seemed to be enough to pull the front of the tube up and keep it out of the water. Two things to consider though: I was only pulling two six year old girls, and my motor was only a 50hp. I've upgraded to a larger rig with a 90hp, so I may be back on here this summer saying my southern engineered harness no longer works. I don't think so though.

 

[curtiscapk]

Re: Pulling with a pontoon

I have the same toon. I don't have the pics on me for my tow bar, here is thread from another forum most of the guys are on here too.

http://www.pontoonforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1530&hilit=bar

 

[mytee_hercules]

Re: Pulling with a pontoon

How about this question . . .

 

[Kitchen363]

Re: Pulling with a pontoon

How about this question . . .

As far as the eye bolt goes, you would have to use an "eye bolt with a shoulder"
Normal eyebolt as you have pictured are designed to lift/pull straight up.
I think the U-bolt with good bracing under would work best. Just make sure the u-bolt is mounted lenght wise with the boat for added strenght

 

[ecru028]

Re: Pulling with a pontoon

I've got a simple harness that attaches to the two u-bolts on the back corners of the deck. They are facing the back o the boat. Then we attach the tow rope to the harness where it meets. The only problem you will have is that without a bouy or something to keep the rope elevated you get tons of spray when you turn, the rope dives, but who doesn't like gettn pulled and sprayed at the same time. LOL

 

[hckplyers]

Re: Pulling with a pontoon

Have the tubers wear googles, WM has them cheap, hahaha

Actually the eyes on our toon would not let us snap the harness on, too thick, so we had to get some chain repair links that first and foremost, would go over the widest part of the toon eye so that we could then secure them by tightening the threaded part. Now we can just snap the harness on easily. Something to check out if you use the toon eyes.