hp needed to pull a tube?

7

7lazy77

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
226
What is the hp required to pull a tube with one adult & one child?
 
lncoop

lncoop

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Apr 18, 2010
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Re: hp needed to pull a tube?

Depends on the following:
What kind of boat?
What size boat?
Will that be one adult & one child on the tube, or one adult in the boat & one child on the tube, or one child in the boat & one adult in the tube, or one adult & one child in the boat and no one on the tube, or......
How fast does the tube need to be pulled?

Don't take offense at my smart*** response. I'm being silly 'cause that's what I do.:rolleyes: However, joking aside you will need to answer those questions before we answer yours because it really does depend. Welcome aboard.
 
ezmobee

ezmobee

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
23,767
Re: hp needed to pull a tube?

You can pull a tube with anything. Now in order to pull the tube and plane the boat and be able to whip around some for a fun ride....we'd need to know what boat you have.

EDIT: posted same time as lncoop. I went and looked at your post history to see what you have. Your 70 on that tri-hull should be more than adequate. You could even pull a skier.
 
eavega

eavega

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Re: hp needed to pull a tube?

I have a 15 foot tri-hull, and it used to give even the bigger kids a thrill on the tube. That was when it had a 50 HP on the back. Now I have a 70 HP and I can't wait until the water gets warm enough to try the tube! You'll be fine.
 
LippCJ7

LippCJ7

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Re: hp needed to pull a tube?

Not to disagree with previous posters but who exactly are you trying to pull on a tube? I have 4 teenagers and use every bit of my 330 Horsepower.......but I am getting revenge:D:D
 
H

Home Cookin'

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May 26, 2009
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9,715
Re: hp needed to pull a tube?

once an average tube gets on a plane, anything can pull it--but getting up can be an issue, and sometimes on an underpowered rig they submarine.
 
2

2ndtry

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
239
Re: hp needed to pull a tube?

I've pulled a tube behind a 12' tinny with a 15 hp outboard. Not ideal, by any means, but it worked. I am not recommending this by any means, just saying that there is pretty much no "minimum".
 
W

wingmastr23

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 26, 2009
Messages
211
Re: hp needed to pull a tube?

I have a 3.0l ( 135hp) and I pulled 3 kids (probably 300-320lbs total weight) with 2 adults in the boat. Didn't have trouble at all...
 
RotaryRacer

RotaryRacer

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1,361
Re: hp needed to pull a tube?

LippCJ7 said:
Not to disagree with previous posters but who exactly are you trying to pull on a tube? I have 4 teenagers and use every bit of my 330 Horsepower.......but I am getting revenge:D:D
Click to expand...

Power is a good thing when getting revenge.

Keep in mind though, that the actual amount of power required is relative.

That 330 HP you have is also working to get that 4500-5000 lbs of boat, fuel and gear moving in addition to any people you are "dragging" around or have in the boat watching the carnage.

With a 1000 lbs boat, such as the POs may be, the power requirements will be significantly less.
 
lncoop

lncoop

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Re: hp needed to pull a tube?

Home Cookin' said:
once an average tube gets on a plane, anything can pull it--but getting up can be an issue, and sometimes on an underpowered rig they submarine.
Click to expand...

Submarining could constitute revenge.:p
 
zagger

zagger

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 8, 2010
Messages
191
Re: hp needed to pull a tube?

Giant tube with 4kids + 2 more in the boat. 17' maxum 135HP and SS 21" pitch prop - no problem. There are tricks to geting the tube on plane like start off by turning, this gets the boat speed up, then straighten your course to catapult the tube on plane. Now with bigger boat and much more HP the kids fear me - respect LoL.
IMG_0227.jpg

IMG_0224.jpg
 
eavega

eavega

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Apr 29, 2008
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1,377
Re: hp needed to pull a tube?

LippCJ7 said:
Not to disagree with previous posters but who exactly are you trying to pull on a tube? I have 4 teenagers and use every bit of my 330 Horsepower.......but I am getting revenge:D:D
Click to expand...

Actually, I have been the passenger in the tube. I'm about 200 Lbs. Ride was a lot of fun!
 
cribber

cribber

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May 29, 2008
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Re: hp needed to pull a tube?

LippCJ7 said:
Not to disagree with previous posters but who exactly are you trying to pull on a tube? I have 4 teenagers and use every bit of my 330 Horsepower.......but I am getting revenge:D:D
Click to expand...

At 330 hp you could pull all of the Cypress Gardens Skiers!!!:D:D:D Sounds like a fun time. To the OP... 70 on a tube y'all will have some fun!!!
 
Joshua Nichols

Joshua Nichols

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1,431
Re: hp needed to pull a tube?

Pulled with a 1972 65hp Johnson... It would get it done..You couldn't seem to dump off the teenagers... Nothing like the 4.3l on the Four Winns.. Throw it all the way down.. Make a turn... Toast... Kids can fly
 
LippCJ7

LippCJ7

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Joined
Sep 20, 2010
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5,431
Re: hp needed to pull a tube?

cribber said:
At 330 hp you could pull all of the Cypress Gardens Skiers!!!:D:D:D Sounds like a fun time. To the OP... 70 on a tube y'all will have some fun!!!
Click to expand...

Just you wait till I up power to a 502 MAG! Should make it a pretty fast Bow Rider and a Tube tossing beast!!
 
F14CRAZY

F14CRAZY

Ensign
Joined
Aug 12, 2008
Messages
945
Re: hp needed to pull a tube?

I'd say 40 hp. My brother's 1990 Kawasaki Jet Ski 650 TS, with him and my girlfriend on it, towed me on a tube just fine. Also my girlfriend's uncle has a 16' aluminum Tracker with a 40 hp outboard, and with him and someone else on board it towed me fine.

Haven't been able to use my boat yet...I figure an extra 100 hp ought to make it more fun
 
J

jamiemac74

Seaman
Joined
Feb 13, 2011
Messages
61
Re: hp needed to pull a tube?

I pull my kids on a large tube behind my 93 22' Regal w/ a 230hp v-6 with no issues. I have pulled 2 of the smaller tubes at once with 2 of my dare devil friends. That was a blast to watch as I slung them. It's awesome to watch them jump eachother. Prolly not the safest idea but well...........
 
W

WN2712NJ

Seaman
Joined
Jul 17, 2010
Messages
65
Re: hp needed to pull a tube?

We do it with 20hp on a 14 foot tinny - one teen-ager at a time. Takes a little time to get up on a plane, but once planning they have a pretty fun ride. Once the tube is planning it puts very little drag on the boat.

What kind of prop you have is maybe more important than HP. You could have a ton of HP but if you are using an extreme speed prop, you might never get them on a plane. When my son was a pre-teen, we even managed to get him planning behind the tinny with a 10HP - but it had a 4 bladed "thrust" prop. With that prop on the tinny, it topped out at 14mph with one person in it, or with 3 plus the tube!

-dm
 
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