New boat owner here with a 1999 1750 Capri 3.0 ltr. I want to pull skiers and tubes but I am worried that the aft cleat isn't strong enought. I've seen other 1750's online with the s/s ski rings but they appear to be bolted into the same holes. Is it possible that the ski rings are bolted in with some support behind the bolts to dispurse the force. From what I can see my aft cleat is not reinforced. Here are a couple of links to show what I am looking at. Any help is appreciated.thanx,jeffAFT SHOTINSIDE SHOT
I have the same cleat type for the ski tow, on a '97 Capri CL. It has the stainless washers on the back too. I don't remeber how my transom was laid up in that area, but yours looks to have additional thickness of plywood plus the angled pieces for support. I have pulled single tubers, single knee boarders, and single skiers, with it. There has not been any cracking at all near the cleat. I bought a two-person tube this year, and may add an additional plate or larger washers, to distribute the forces, further. Many people use the tow tie downs with a ski harness. It distributes the forces across two rings. On my bayliner, those tie down rings are backed by stainless washers, too. One draw back of using the tie downs is that the ski rope will be in the water more.
Silly Bayliner, give us a freakin pole or something, I too use the "Y" harness and the trailer tie downs. I have the cleat in the middle but don't trust it. Yours looks much stronger. Use it and keep a close eye on it. If you start to see any small spider cracks in gel, then you'll have your answer. A 1999 is pretty new, I'd call Bayliner and ask, or replace the cleat with a bigger cleat and put a big 4" x 6" SS plate behind it. That should distribute the pressure and unless you pulling Shamo you should be okay!
By the way, is that a swim tube with a cut down the seam on your windshield? What a great freakin idea. Keeps the pressure off the cover and the glass, you think of that or was it like that? Can't wait to get out the knife!
Just got back from a whole weekend of boating, tubing and skiing.
Let me say with as much seriousness as I can possibly convey - get a tow ring AND reinforce it.
Last weekend was the first time I have ever pulled someone with our boat and the amount of strain on that tiny piece of hardware was so much more than I ever imagined.
Here's an example... I have a regular, run-of-the-mill 125 cm tube. The bottom of the tube is surrounded by a piece of nylon which presumably allows the tube to glide across the water easier. Well, if the person falls off the tub incorrectly, and it flips over, the tube creates a huge suction as it glides across the water - to the point that it seems like I deployed a parachute behind my boat.
I can guarantee that if I didn't reinforce that towring with a 3/4" piece of wood with 1.5" diameter washers that spanned the width of the stern of my boat, that tow ring would have been yanked out of the back of my boat. Not only that, with the stretchyness of the tow rop - that would have made a nice dent in the head of whoever was riding on the tube.
Better safe than sorry - reinforce that ring - don't rely on the cleat.
I have an '88 1950 and use a tow harness with float (buy 'em all day long at Wal-Mart for $18) attached to the tie down points. Never had an issue with the tow rope being lower in the water.
I had the same boat but mine came with a ski tow ring. I recommend you chnge it and if possible get some steel platesto use as backing support. Something at least 1/4" thick.
Good Luck
99' 1750, pull skier with aft cleat?
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