Tow rope gets caught in wake when towing tube

skgilbert

Recruit
Joined
Apr 13, 2010
Messages
3
When towing a tube, the tow rope often gets hung in the wake and won't allow the tube to cross over the wake. What may be causing this and can anyone offer suggestions to correct the problem?

Thanks,
 

skgilbert

Recruit
Joined
Apr 13, 2010
Messages
3
Tow rope gets caught in wake when towing tube

When towing a tube, the tow rope often gets hung in the wake and won't allow the tube to cross over the wake. Not a problem when towing skier, only when towing a tube. What may be causing this and can anyone offer suggestions to correct the problem?

Thanks,
 

kenmyfam

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 10, 2006
Messages
14,385
Re: Tow rope gets caught in wake when towing tube

Riding too low most likely. Are you towing with a harness or off the stern hook ?
 

skgilbert

Recruit
Joined
Apr 13, 2010
Messages
3
Re: Tow rope gets caught in wake when towing tube

Im towng with a harness attached to the 2 stern hooks. These are the same hooks used for securing to the trailer. Could they be to low?
 

BTMCB

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
761
Re: Tow rope gets caught in wake when towing tube

Do you have a "float" on the rope closer to the boat than to the tube? I do and have never had any problem pulling a tube. And it never gets caught in the wake. Also, maybe your tow ring is too low?? Good luck.
 

DBreskin

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 20, 2009
Messages
799

TahoeQ4Pilot

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 23, 2009
Messages
242
Re: Tow rope gets caught in wake when towing tube

How about a booster ball?

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ezmobee

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
23,767
Re: Tow rope gets caught in wake when towing tube

Please do not post the same question in multple sections. I am merging the threads.
 

boat1010

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
781
Re: Tow rope gets caught in wake when towing tube

Am not sure how fast you are going but more speed sometimes is not the answer. When I have the grandkids in the tube and want to get them outside of the wake all I do is first turn fairly hard one direction, when the tube starts changing directions I turn fairly hard the other direction. With a little practice you will be able to get the tube on the outside of the wake.
 

haulnazz15

Captain
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
3,720
Re: Tow rope gets caught in wake when towing tube

I will go with the liklihood that the u-bolts he is using are probably too low to allow sufficient height above the water for the rope. The skier success is due to the taller skier creating an andle which is enough to keep it out of the water. The rope-rulley he is likely using between the tow hooks, is exasterbating the problem. The booster ball is about the only thing that will help if he doesn't want to create a new mounting point or raise his tow eyes.

What type of boat is this?
 

Moody Blue

Captain
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
3,136
Re: Tow rope gets caught in wake when towing tube

Regardless of the type of boat, the height of the stern eyes will vary very little, maybe a few inches and that won't make much difference in keeping the rope out of the water. The rope floats help a little.

Since ski pylons are not recommended for pulling tubes, the most effective solution is driver education and experience. As boat1010 pointed out, the technique is the key.

I've successively pulled tubes in a 14ft whaler style hull where the stern eyes are only about 6" above the water.
 

haulnazz15

Captain
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
3,720
Re: Tow rope gets caught in wake when towing tube

Regardless of the type of boat, the height of the stern eyes will vary very little, maybe a few inches and that won't make much difference in keeping the rope out of the water. The rope floats help a little.

Since ski pylons are not recommended for pulling tubes, the most effective solution is driver education and experience. As boat1010 pointed out, the technique is the key.

I've successively pulled tubes in a 14ft whaler style hull where the stern eyes are only about 6" above the water.

I have pulled tubes where the stern eyes are right above water level (Quantum bass boat), it really depends on the boat he's using before we can speculate that he is trimmed too far up or not moving fast enough. Some boat hulls produce a natural center wake that can catch the rope-pulley, and the only way to reduce it is to go faster, which with small kids won't be an option, and it may be too fast for anyone to be pulled safely.
 

Outsider

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
1,022
Re: Tow rope gets caught in wake when towing tube

You guys are way over-engineering this thing. It's a simple matter of shortening the rope ... :eek:
 

QC

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
22,783
Re: Tow rope gets caught in wake when towing tube

Sorry guys, I was trying to eliminate the duplicate posts numbered 1 and 2 above. Apparently if we delete the #1 post it deletes the whole thread. Sorry for the disappearance. I didn't realize it until this AM . . . :redface: Carry on :)
 
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