Pulling a tube problems

[kac215]

Has anyone ever tried to pull an inflatable and had the inflatable keep nose diving underwater. It is a very large (3 or 4 person) flat inflatable. It would nose dive repeatedly no matter what I tried, one child, two children, one adult, or without any riders at all. I have pulled the tube with another boat without problems but with my boat no luck. Boat is a 19 foot VIP Vindicator with a Merc. 5.7. I cannot figure this out, please help.

 

[Black as]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

Has anyone ever tried to pull an inflatable and had the inflatable keep nose diving underwater. It is a very large (3 or 4 person) flat inflatable. It would nose dive repeatedly no matter what I tried, one child, two children, one adult, or without any riders at all. I have pulled the tube with another boat without problems but with my boat no luck. Boat is a 19 foot VIP Vindicator with a Merc. 5.7. I cannot figure this out, please help.

You have to make sure the tow rope is pulling from center or bottom of the inflatable if it pulls from the top it will try and pull the inflatable under

Secondly have the person on the inflatable sit at the back holding the nose up until you have the tube up and out of the water.

Then have some fun, feel sorry for the guy on the tube

 

[BaileysBoat]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

Mount the tow rope as high as possible. Might need a ski pylon.

 

[JimMH]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

I agree it could be the tow point or your location of the tow rope on your boat. Do you pull from a ski eye located at the top of the transom? Also what kind of tube is it?

 

[kac215]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

I mount it high on the transom. I cannot remember what kind of tube it is I have been trying to find it on the internet but cant recognize it anywhere yet. I am not at home tonight but will check it out tomorrow. I was thinking since I have towed it behind another boat that it is something to do with my whole shot or something. The boat that has successfully pulled it was an aluminum 20 footer with a 115 4 stroke mercury outboard and the rope was tied off at both rear eyelets (about the same transom height as mine) My boat has a poor whole shot buy a lot of top end. When pulling the tube it seems like the prop wash is pushing the tube underwater. Anyone heard of this. I will go home tomorrow and check the prop type, pitch etc. and maybe get some better ideas to what the problem may be.

 

[BaileysBoat]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

How long is the tow rope? Need 50-60feet.

 

[Black as]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

I mount it high on the transom. I cannot remember what kind of tube it is I have been trying to find it on the internet but cant recognize it anywhere yet. I am not at home tonight but will check it out tomorrow. I was thinking since I have towed it behind another boat that it is something to do with my whole shot or something. The boat that has successfully pulled it was an aluminum 20 footer with a 115 4 stroke mercury outboard and the rope was tied off at both rear eyelets (about the same transom height as mine) My boat has a poor whole shot buy a lot of top end. When pulling the tube it seems like the prop wash is pushing the tube underwater. Anyone heard of this. I will go home tomorrow and check the prop type, pitch etc. and maybe get some better ideas to what the problem may be.

Is your tow rope as long as a ski rope and also make sure the tube is pumped up nice and firm, your 5.7 litre should pull that no problem

 

[MRS]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

I hook the rope on the tow ring and it works great start slow and then pick up speed works great no problems. You might be starting to fast plus if you are not proped right that could also be adding to your problem.

 

[BTMCB]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

Agree with above posts. Make sure rider sits back, make sure tube is properly inflated, make sure you have proper tow rope length, rope is attached at proper place on tube and on transom. With tube you do NOT need pylon or tower. In fact, the higher up the rope is on the boat end, the more likely it will nose dive. Also, make sure rope has a float nearer the boat end to keep it above water. Get out of hole and on plane smoothly not quickly. Pull all sorts of tubes, with all sizes of riders and have not had any problems. Hope this helps and good luck

 

[Black as]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

Totally agree with BTMCB

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

get a 4 blade pprop with less pitch for towing...... you are plowing...... also make sure you have a proper floating tow rope

 

[mpod]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

Agree with the recommendations to shift weight to back of tube when starting. Also need to do the same when slowing down to pick up a fallen tuber. The later is the one the kids always forget until they start to submarine.

 

[204 Escape]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

Our rope that we use on our 2 man tube, has a built in "bungee" in it. I've used the straight rope, and like the "spring" that the rope creates when you take off. (We got the rope at Bass Pro.)

 

[sebber83]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

Sounds to me like your rope might be too short. I use a no stretch wakeboard rope for my tubes, it's 73 feet long and I have neverhad any problems. Scratch what the first person said, a ski pylon or wake woer should never and I mean NEVER be used for tubes!

 

[livin4real]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

Sounds to me like your rope might be too short. I use a no stretch wakeboard rope for my tubes, it's 73 feet long and I have neverhad any problems. Scratch what the first person said, a ski pylon or wake woer should never and I mean NEVER be used for tubes!

There are towers made to handle pulling tubes, you just have to be selective when shopping and wakeboard ropes aren't meant to pull tubes either. There's a reason tubing ropes have really high tensile ratings and stretch.

 

[sebber83]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

The proline rope I use is rated for more than 4000lbs, which is much much more than the recommended tensile strength for pulling towables. I agree that some tower companies advertise their product as tube safe, but I have seen what can happen when a tower fails and I would never take that chance, the tubing experience wont differ much from a tower or transom mounted eyelet. There is a reason why they call it a wakeboard tower and ski pylon. I have yet to see a tubetower or tubepylon.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

OK so proper tube tow rope required. 60ft long. Loading the tube is as important as loading the boat. You need to experiment with the amount of people and how they are situated on it. Personally I have never used a pylon to tow a tube and I don't think I ever would.
Does it immediately nose dive when you set off before the boat is on plane ?? or does it nose dive during the run ??? when turning ?? or what ??
I would not be spending any money on different props or other equipment quite yet.

 

[livin4real]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

What is the name of the tube?

 

[smclear]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

We had a 3 person tube and experienced similar characteristics. (see attached photo). I think speed is the primary culprit. It seemed that it would only "nose dive" in rougher (or at least not smooth) water, and moving at a slower speed than usual.

 

[kac215]

Re: Pulling a tube problems

What is the name of the tube?

Coleman Lateral 3 person

http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=5990-530&categoryid=10067

Ok everyone. Thanks for all replies. I'm trying to get this right so the kids can tube a little this weekend (our first trip out this year).

I have more information today for everyone like the name of the tube and my prop info. But first, some history: I am not sure how long the rope was but it did seem short so I added a link from my ski rope and the tube still submarined. I thought that maybe the kids were leaning forward or not leaning back so I got on the tube and manipulated it every which way possible and it still submarined. I tried slow starts, very slow starts, fast starts, and very fast starts and the tube always submarined. I tried with an empty tube and it still submarined.

The only reason I am even thinking that it may be the boat or prop is because I towed it with another boat with no problems.

The boat is a 2000 VIP Vindicator 1900. It is 19' some odd", has a Merc 5.7, and the prop is a Mercury Marine Vengeance 3 blade 21P. Other markings on the prop say 48 16318.

I do tow everything from the ski eye center transom like the one in the picture above. Maybe I'll try an even longer rope? Anymore thoughts?