getting started with Skiing and Tubing

[Taxus812]

Well the winter is drawing to a close and Im starting to think about spring and summer with my new boat.

Last season I spent a lot of time getting my certifications, learning how to trailer, maintain and drive the boat. That was plenty and a hell of a lot of fun.

I have a little cash to spend and I wanted to start getting the basic gear to ski and tube. (Guess what the kids want to do ). So I started here on Iboats but there are soo many options. What can you recommend to get started.


I have a 2002 Horizon 180 Fish & Ski with a Johnson 150 OB. I wanted to start with tow ropes and towing equipment

Terry

 

[agallant80]

Re: getting started with Skiing and Tubing

I remember once we bought a tube at walmart. Thought it was such a good idea until it lasted one trip. $50 down the drain. Lesson learned. It was like tacking $50 on to the $150 tube we should have bought in the first place.

 

[Ryan50]

Re: getting started with Skiing and Tubing

Let's start with a few questions. How old are your children? My younger kids prefer large, stable tubes, but the older kids want to ride the smaller, faster deck tubes that require a little more rider involvement. Where on the boat will you attach the tow rope? You will probably need a bridle that attaches to the stern cleats on each side of the outboard. The kids will have a blast on whatever you buy. Make sure the tow rope is rated for the size towable that you get and a good air pump saves a lot of time.

 

[Taxus812]

Re: getting started with Skiing and Tubing

Great thanks for the tip (buy it once)

My kids are 10 and 11 so slow and stable will probably be fun for them. We are river rats so durable is good as well.

By fish and ski has a heavy pole that mounts in a pre made hole in the boat. The pole is on the centerline and extends above the motor. It has an indent at the tip I assume for fastening the rope but I have no idea how it would hold it up there

 

[Chris1956]

Re: getting started with Skiing and Tubing

The "Hot Dog" shaped tubes are a lot of fun for the kids. I just clip them onto one transom eye, and tow away. Keep the speed under 25MPH, for the bigger kids and slower for the small ones. Let the real small ones ride with their moms, and tow them at idle speed, or plow water speed. Donut-shaped tubes are fun as well.

The difference between tying them to one stern eye or the tow bridle on a tube is very small. Tow bridles for skiing makes a big difference, so be sure and use them whenever skiing.

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: getting started with Skiing and Tubing

It has an indent at the tip I assume for fastening the rope but I have no idea how it would hold it up there

The tube and ski lines have a loop on the end. Reach through the loop and pull the line through the loop, put the line around the indent and pull tight. It'll stay.

For the tubes, my kids prefer a fairly large (6' diameter will hold them both) flat tube. It can be as easy or as challenging as you (the driver) makes it.

 

[Taxus812]

Re: getting started with Skiing and Tubing

The difference between tying them to one stern eye or the tow bridle on a tube is very small. Tow bridles for skiing makes a big difference, so be sure and use them whenever skiing.

We have an outboard with a ski Pylon. I don't have tow eyes on my boat? Are you saying I should use a bridal for towing skiers and tubers instead ?

it looks the one in the picture in this post

http://forums.iboats.com/glastron-boats/ski-pylon-173560.html

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: getting started with Skiing and Tubing

No bridle needed for your rig. It will tow skiers and tubes with no issues.

If money is a concern, check your local craigslist for some used skis. There are some decent deals there occasionally. For recreational combo skis and kids skis, brand is really not important. Just make sure the bindings are in decent condition and not cracked and sun weathered. You can also check any used sporting goods places like Play it Again Sports.

I would not recommend buying a used tube, though. For the tube, I would stick with one of the name brands....O'brien, Connelly, HO, and Sportstuff are the ones that come to mind. I've had our O'brien Letube for at least 8 years. Agree with campy above that the flat tubes are a lot more fun, but are terrible for very small children.

Lots of good advice above from others as well.

This video tells exactly how to attach the rope at about 3 minutes...good video overall.
Wakeboarding Rope Tips - YouTube


Most importantly...HAVE FUN!

 

[Taxus812]

Re: getting started with Skiing and Tubing

This video tells exactly how to attach the rope at about 3 minutes...good video overall.
Wakeboarding Rope Tips - YouTube


Most importantly...HAVE FUN!

Great video thank you. Im gonna be watching a lot of them I think . I have about a $1000 budget for ropes and ski tubing equipment. I was thinking of putting the first chunk of money into good tow ropes to start and seeing if I can get used skis for the kids. (I'm too fat to ski @ 285 lbs )

 

[Taxus812]

Re: getting started with Skiing and Tubing

these seem interesting. Are they worth it ? 4K Booster Ball with Tow Rope - SportsStuff 53-2030

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: getting started with Skiing and Tubing

The built in ski Pole is usually NOT rated for Tubes. Tube pull HARD! If the tube Submarines at speed, the Pole may buckle.
If the rope snaps, it will come flying into the the cockpit like a 50 ft Rubber-band before you can duck.

The Deck style classic tube require a lot of upper body strength 13 to 30 Year old males like them.
Most everyone else will get too tired in under 5 minutes and be done with it.

Look at Cockpit Style Tubes where you sit IN them.
Younger kids and moms can ride double at slow speeds even in a Single.
Older kids and seniors can manage to survive for well over 10 minutes without becoming exhausted.

They are all much bigger than they appear in the videos.
Be prepared to inflate them on the water.
The Air Pumps rated "High Pressure" (2.5psi) are needed to inflate properly.

No mater what tube you get, the rider has almost no control except in a few specialized tubes.
The person driving the boat determines the terror level of the ride. Over 25 MPH is getting into the danger zone.
Don't expect to pull a 4 man tube with a 150 OB. They pull hard and burn gas.

Skiing is just the opposite. The pull is no harder than the skier can hang on.
And the skier can decide where to ride behind the boat or let go if needed.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: getting started with Skiing and Tubing

these seem interesting. Are they worth it ? 4K Booster Ball with Tow Rope - SportsStuff 53-2030

Recommended!

The booster ball is great if you like to "Crack the Whip" with the tube.
Otherwise the rope gets caught in the wake when the tube first swings out.
We use it all the time. It includes a very heavy, 4 man, 60 foot tow rope.

 

[Taxus812]

Re: getting started with Skiing and Tubing

The built in ski Pole is usually NOT rated for Tubes. Tube pull HARD! If the tube Submarines at speed, the Pole may buckle.

Well that would ruin the whole day . My Ski pylon is made from a 2" or 3" solid aluminum dowel (thing weighs like 30 lbs ). It slides through a hole in the upper deck behind the outboard and into a clamp in the bilge area where it is pinned.

Where can you find out if is rated for tubing (what would that rating look like ?)

We are river rats and I live on the river (it only took me 15 years to get a boat go figure). The river opens into a 240 acre reservoir where we can tube about a mile down stream. I have an advantage of leaving the towable at the dock

I don't plan on towing any more than two and not at high speeds. When the kids get older well I may be in another boat by then and should have a good idea of what I need I suppose.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: getting started with Skiing and Tubing

We have an outboard with a ski Pylon. I don't have tow eyes on my boat? Are you saying I should use a bridal for towing skiers and tubers instead? ...

You don't have Eyes on the transom to tie down the Boat to the trailer?

The Tow Bridle attaches to the Trailer Eyes and straddles the motor.
The pulley allows the tow point to swing Left and Right. The Rope Floats when Stopped.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: getting started with Skiing and Tubing

Well that would ruin the whole day . My Ski pylon is made from a 2" or 3" solid aluminum dowel (thing weighs like 30 lbs ). It slides through a hole in the upper deck behind the outboard and into a clamp in the bilge area where it is pinned....

If it is truly solid, it will likely pull out before it bends.
The lawyers will tell you not to do it. Many people pull tubes with them and have no issues.

I had to mention it, so now you know! :joyous:

 

[eavega]

Re: getting started with Skiing and Tubing

If money is a concern, check your local craigslist for some used skis. There are some decent deals there occasionally. For recreational combo skis and kids skis, brand is really not important. Just make sure the bindings are in decent condition and not cracked and sun weathered. You can also check any used sporting goods places like Play it Again Sports.

CL is a great source for water toys around here. Also, thrift stores around our big lake will sometimes carry water toys. Someone sells the lake house for whatever reason, and finds a bunch of stuff tucked away in the boat house or storage shed. I picked up a pair of practically new O'Brien combo skis for $20, and a pair of trainer skis for my kids for $15.

I would not recommend buying a used tube, though. For the tube, I would stick with one of the name brands....O'brien, Connelly, HO, and Sportstuff are the ones that come to mind.

I'll disagree here. Used is fine, especially if you are not sure what you want. Its a matter of inspecting and finding something that suits you. We started with a cockpit tube, which we purchased on CL for $20. My girls (now aged 8 and 9) grew tired of the cockpit tube two seasons ago. During the off season we acquired a deck tube AND a two-person hot dog for a total of $80, purchased on CL. Both these tubes were in wonderful shape. The owner upgraded to a "Big Bertha" and didn't have need for the two smaller ones. Just like anything else on CL, its a matter of using your judgement and knowing what something is worth. I bring a hand pump and pump up the tube and wait 10 min or so to see if it is losing air. Either one of the two tubes I bought retail new for over $100, so I definitely saved a bundle, plus I sold my old cockpit tube on CL for $30, so all around it was a good deal.

The best bit of advice I can give you is to avoid the tubes that don't have a nylon cover. The PU ones that have no cover and attach the inflatable part of the tube directly to the rope will not last you a season. They will invariably tear from the stress and there is no way to repair them. as sangerwalker recommends; O'brien, Connelly, HO, also Air Head.

Rgds

Eric