New tube is boring

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monster1

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Feb 28, 2014
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I "upgraded" to an HO 4 person tube that i bought from Costco a few years ago. We are just now getting into using the boat again (rough last couple years) and took the family out to the lake for the day. Long story short is that this big tube is heavy and I'm assuming because of the drag in the water can't get it to swing. It wanted to track straight behind the boat between the wakes and not fall off of either side. Even if I give moderately sharp turns it still just stays in place. I had a sportsstuff rampage that would get a little squirrelly so my wife made me sell it and get this for the stability. Now my kids are getting older and want more thrill. I tow the tube with a two point harness (non pulley type) and a 50ft bungie rope. I thought the bungie rope would sling shot the tube around but it doesn't. Suggestions?
 

rallyart

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Using a bob on the line lifts the tow rope out of the prop wash and can help with that. There are a few different brands.
With or without that there are some techniques that can help It is a heavy tube with a lot of surface area and that makes it harder to get over the wake. I don't know if a bungee rope will help or hurt. With a big tube, if the nose goes down you have a huge load so make sure everyone is back in the tube when you start.
First thing to try is getting up on plane and then starting a fairly tight turn and letting your speed drop so you come off plane while turning. Hold the turn through 90? then tighten the turn and add throttle. This will whip the tube out over the wake. Once it is out there slow so you are off plane and the wake will keep the tube outside. Now you can run a figure 8 and the tube will hit the crossing wakes and can launch a four man tube 8' in the air, if you choose and hit it just right. Cut the throttle before the tube launches or you might have some unhappy customers. Head collisions on multi-person tubes are a risk.

Basically play with techniques and you will find one that works for your boat. The load in the boat and on the tube makes a big difference in how it behaves. Good luck.
 

Drb007

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Jun 17, 2012
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I'm personally not a fan of the figure 8 idea. I agree, you can get air, but this is, in my professional opinion, the riskiest way to use the tube. I work in neurosurgery, and we get 6-8 people a year in from this type of activity. The force is completely uncontrollable. While it is spectacular to watch, it is just asking for a spinal injury.

There are more variables here that we need to know. What kind of boat/motor are you using? The tube is likely boring because you are under powered for the size tube you are using.
I used my old Sea King with a 55hp motor and could pull our WOW Eagle 4 man tube, but it took some practice to get it to whip, and I would never get anyone to fall off. We used my friends Astro with a 90hp on it and we could get some turns and occasionally get someone off. Now I pull with my Volvo/Penta IO and who stays on is entirely up to me:)
 

monster1

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Feb 28, 2014
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Thanks for the reply. I have a 21' cuddy cabin with 4.3 Volvo. It's a deep v hull. Obviously I want to let my kids have fun but don't want them injuried. What is considered unsafe?

Thanks
 

Drb007

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Lol, tubing would be considered unsafe:)
Slinging the tube side to side behind the boat, in my opinion, is the least likely to get a serious injury. When you bring the tube across large waves/wakes and get airborn, that's when you are most likely to get a serious injury.
The joy of tubing seems to be the challenge of hanging on. None of it looks like fun to me. That's why I drive:)
 

Mopie

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Sep 22, 2014
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Tubing is certainly just about the thrill. In order to increase the thrill, speed is increased and thus the risk of injury. Multiple riders on toys always has increased the risk of injury.
There is no skill involved except that of the driver.
 

jbcurt00

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For the 3rd time today @Mopie

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Avoid posting in inactive topics.
 
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