How many hp do i need to wakeboard tube or ski?

matt9923 · #1 March 15th, 2009, 09:46 PM

I have a 14ft fiberglass with 40hp mariner. Can i pull a tube or wake boarder or maybe a skier?
Would you recommend a ski poll over the outboard or just the 2 hooks and rope.
Matt

FlatsFisher12 · #2 March 15th, 2009, 10:00 PM

you have more than enough hp and ya a pole is better if you can afford it

boat1010 · #3 March 15th, 2009, 11:14 PM

You should be able to pull up most skiers. If the skier is very heavy or skiing with one ski it is harder to get up. An experienced skier can get up faster than a beginner.

MrPhotographer06 · #4 March 15th, 2009, 11:40 PM

yay this answers my question too..

i've got a 14ft runabout with a 1959 evinrude 35.. so its probally around a newer 40-45 or something [horsepower rating difference]

so i should be alright with a wakeboard or tube

smitty1258 · #5 March 16th, 2009, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boat1010

You should be able to pull up most skiers. If the skier is very heavy or skiing with one ski it is harder to get up. An experienced skier can get up faster than a beginner.

ditto

FLWakeRider · #6 March 16th, 2009, 09:28 AM

Note....
Do not pull a Tube from an Outboard Pylon (Same as a tower)
Only use strongly reinforced transom eyes.

Titanium48 · #7 March 16th, 2009, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrPhotographer06

yay this answers my question too..

i've got a 14ft runabout with a 1959 evinrude 35.. so its probally around a newer 40-45 or something [horsepower rating difference]

so i should be alright with a wakeboard or tube

It works the other way. Outboards made before the mid-1980s were rated by crankshaft power, later models were rated by propshaft power, accounting for losses in the lower unit. The 1959 35 would be rated closer to 30 hp today.

As for tubing and wakeboarding, it should be fine for light people but you'll probably have some difficulty with anyone over 150 lb or so.

NFA · #8 March 17th, 2009, 09:22 PM

My second boat was a 14' aluminum with a 35hp Johnny on it. I tried getting skiers up and it was impossible. The boat was too light, too small, and not enough power to compensate. Towing a tuber was no problem, however I did notice that on turns, and when turning, the tube/r would begin dictating the turn, essentially taking over and therefore keeping the boat in the middle of a turn while the tube/r takes control of the turn.

With your boat being fiberglass, I don't see skiing happening, but you never know. The hardest thing is getting that person out of the water. If you've got a solid holeshot and flat, calm water, you may pull it off.

Good luck and be safe!

SSS

MrPhotographer06 · #9 March 19th, 2009, 05:09 PM

well the carbs being fixed sunday.. and i'll be totally water ready after checking/changing the foot oil/ seals maybe..

xxturbowesxx · #10 March 19th, 2009, 05:51 PM

You have to pay to play.... your boat just isn't designed for this.. Ive seen people ski behind 20hp before but we are talking about very experienced skiers.. im 200lbs and I have done it before behind a 75hp and wouldn't be in a hurry to do it again.. depends on skill and prop as well.. I personally think 90hp on a smaller boat would be the lowest for teaching anyone how to ski or for beginners..

matt9923 · #11 March 19th, 2009, 06:05 PM

I not realy looking to ski or pull them. Mostly tubing, easy and you dont need much skill. Maby a kneeboard.
Thanks for the help
Matt

skibrain · #12 March 20th, 2009, 09:14 PM

Success depends a lot on how heavy the boat is. 500 lb - no problem. 750 lb -borderline - 1,000 lb unlikely. Weight being the enemy of performance - if you boat on a lake that does not require a spotter, having the driver-only helps. If the skier is a light weight then it could be fine.

Definitely do NOT use a ski pole. The higher tow point will cause the front of the boat to rise and keep it from getting up on plane. Pull from the eyes low on the transom for the best hole shot.

Growing up our ski boats were a 14' alum w/ tiller steer 20hp. then a 40 hp on a 13 1/2' Boston Whaler. That was a great little ski boat.

wipper15 · #13 April 27th, 2009, 07:01 PM

I have a similar question. I'm looking at a 17' fiberglass Dorel with a 115 Johnson. The only thing I want this for is wakeboarding and I need it to be able to tow a full grown person and pull them up really quickly. I'm worried that we're going to have made a huge mistake.
Thanks

matt9923 · #14 April 27th, 2009, 09:49 PM

Im sure you will be fine with a 115. Iv seen wakeboarding on a 25hp john boat.
Matt

bigpoppakdog · #15 April 28th, 2009, 12:15 AM

Oh god a 115 will pull out a horse on a wakeboard. You should have no problem doing anything you want with a 115 hp. I ski'd behind a 50 hp before. Granted it was on a 14 foot boat.

bigpoppakdog · #16 April 28th, 2009, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skibrain

Success depends a lot on how heavy the boat is. 500 lb - no problem. 750 lb -borderline - 1,000 lb unlikely. Weight being the enemy of performance - if you boat on a lake that does not require a spotter, having the driver-only helps. If the skier is a light weight then it could be fine.

Definitely do NOT use a ski pole. The higher tow point will cause the front of the boat to rise and keep it from getting up on plane. Pull from the eyes low on the transom for the best hole shot.

Growing up our ski boats were a 14' alum w/ tiller steer 20hp. then a 40 hp on a 13 1/2' Boston Whaler. That was a great little ski boat.

I disagree. Using a pole makes pulling the person out of the water easier and will improve your hole shot by getting your boat on plane faster due to the pulling point NOT being in the back and below the boat level. If you have been in a boat that is not getting on plane and transfer the weight to the front the boat will then flatten out and get on plane. Transferring the pulling point farther to the front of the boat and higher will improve the hole shot and wakeboard experience.

lucky7 · #17 May 9th, 2009, 06:05 PM

my boys tubed and kneeboarded behind a 16 corson with a 35 hp 1959 johnson for 2 years before i could afford a bigger boat. pulled them no problem. some props are better than others. oh, were talking 50 lb kids, not 200.

JPBMW325 · #18 May 19th, 2009, 12:56 AM

there are many mixed responses and it is kind of confusing. some say they have boarded behind 25 hp and some say they wouldnt use less than 90. personally im looking at a 15 ft. with a 70 hp that i want to wakeboard and tube with but now am worried it wont work. everyone will be around 200 lbs. i am not sure what to do

also is there a difference between skiing and wakeboarding

MikDee · #19 May 19th, 2009, 01:29 AM

Around the late 1950's I learned to ski on my friends 14' plywood boat, and an 18hp johnson, I was 160lbs, it was just the 2 of us. As a teenager, I had a 16' Thompson lapstrake with a 30hp (then a 40hp evinrude), and all my friends had similar 16' lapstrake bay boats with 30-40hp motors, and we all could ski from them even with up to 4 people in them, by that time I was about 170lbs, and actually became pretty good on one ski, but I couldn't get up on one, I had to drop it once up, and of course we all tried to bump the skier off his ski's horsing around!

Me at 250lbs now, I would probably need at least 85hp on a 16' boat.

Hairygary · #20 May 19th, 2009, 11:09 AM

My first boat was a 16' crestliner side console with a 40hp suzuki. This boat was mainly a fishing boat, however I used it to pull skiers and tubers on several occasions. I never had problems pulling a skier. I have pulled a tuber with as many as 5 other people in the boat. I will say though when I pulled my brother in law (200 lbs) with 5 people in the boat, you felt the engine strain to get on plane and the whip factor was pretty low. I think what helped this boat pull was that i had a 4 blade prop on it. Dont have any idea what it's top speed was as it had no speedometer.

MrPhotographer06 · #21 June 5th, 2009, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPBMW325

there are many mixed responses and it is kind of confusing. some say they have boarded behind 25 hp and some say they wouldnt use less than 90. personally im looking at a 15 ft. with a 70 hp that i want to wakeboard and tube with but now am worried it wont work. everyone will be around 200 lbs. i am not sure what to do

also is there a difference between skiing and wakeboarding

skiiing, is like skating. you have two ski's or one, that the skiis point forward, and your body is facing the boat,

Wakeboarding is like skateboarding, or snowboarding. your board faces the forward, and you are turned 90*

MikDee · #22 June 5th, 2009, 06:54 PM

Well, I would say anyone who think's they're boat may struggle, maybe a hydrofoil will get you on plane faster, and help you get that skier up easier, & faster, or trim tabs, or a 4 blade prop, although the prop is more expensive

InTheRiver · #23 June 16th, 2009, 01:54 PM

Using the boat in my avatar ^^^^ I've pulled my buddy's tubing behind my 16' spectrum with a 25HP mercury OB. It took a wile to get up on plane, when we did it was pretty funny. I could run anywhere from 2-3 people in that boat pulling 175lb guy on a tube. Sometime the tuber would have to hop to get us on plane, this all ended when I was pulling a 220+lb guy and it took most of the lake to finally get him up on plane. Well I though it would be a great idea to whip him

yup. Once momentum took over the corner and most of the side of the boat went under only to pop right back up and toss me and my buddy in. be careful using small underpowered tow boats.FWIW

overload · #24 June 16th, 2009, 04:47 PM

I have a 90 hp on a 16 foot boat and it came with a ski pylon. I would say that would be minimum for half-way serious skiing/wakeboarding on a fully loaded boat and no problems. A 115 hp should be fine, a 75 hp is going to be shaky. You can tube on anything that moves.