Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

[craigman]

Fellas,
how are you outboard motor boat guru's pulling a skier or tuber? Do you have to have a ski pole or can i just hook up to the cleats on the back of my boat?
Here's a pic of my boat if it helps.
Any info is appreciated!

http://public.fotki.com/craigvwdude/angiesboat/000-1862.html

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

ski tripods are nice because they keep the rope out of the water, but you can certainly hook it to the tie down eyes on the back with a harness.

I wouldn't advocate doing it if you question the strength of the boat, but on every single trihull i've owned, I've hooked the harness to the rear cleats up on the gunwall. (check for strength first) They are high enough to keep the rope out of the water, and if they aren't strong enough for tubing/skiing, they should be fixed anyway, they aren't strong enough to hold the boat to a dock in a storm.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

hook the harness to the stern eyes.
after-market ski poles high enough to work on an outboard are seldom satisfactory due to all the bracing required: they end up taking up too much room. So unless you are a pro, skip it.

 

[blifsey]

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

As mentioned, tow bridle connected stern eyes. Here is link to a Airhead tow bridle similar to ours.

And, here's a pic of one...

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

as mentioned that is what you are suposed to do, however wiht my last try hull 17 foot arrow glass looks almsot exactly like your boat there, i had a problem with the tube rope going below the water so when my dad or i would turn the boat the front of the tube would face the wrong direction untill the rope pulled out of the water then sling shoting me backwards only to get a HUGE jerk needless to say i tried differnt rope tubes ect same problem.

your best bet is the cleats on your gunwall look under the gunwall and see if there is a metel or wooden plate that will help with stress if it is just fiber glass make a wood back brace going to each of the 2 bolts and extended it maybe another 3-4 inches. the last thing you want is one of those ripping apart the gunwall because you never looked.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

A float added to the tube rope is a simple and cheap way to address that issue.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

A float added to the tube rope is a simple and cheap way to address that issue.

also better control of the boat--time your turns and slowing down/speeding up, and not turning to the side where the tube is.

 

[craigman]

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

Thanks for all the answers guys!
Pretty new to the boating world and this will be my second summer with the boat. Never skied or tubed before, and would like to pull the niece and nephew around on a tube. Think they would have a blast!
But of course, i want to make sure i can do it in a safe manner.
Thanks again!
Craig

 

[seedlings]

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

I have a 14' Tri-Hull with a 70 Evinrude. Since the boat pulls right anyway, I just tie the tube rope to the left tie-down. Pulls great with the correct prop. I like doing tight donuts with the boat so the tube is going round fast. Much faster than the 29mph the boat will go.

CHAD

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

A float added to the tube rope is a simple and cheap way to address that issue.

99% of the time doing that will make it worse!

The problem isn't that the rope sinks, almost all modern watersports rope float. The problem is that the rope touches the waters surface. Adding a float adds weight where you least need it and pulls the rope down, it also kicks up spray.

 

[tboltmike]

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

as mentioned that is what you are suposed to do, however wiht my last try hull 17 foot arrow glass looks almsot exactly like your boat there, i had a problem with the tube rope going below the water so when my dad or i would turn the boat the front of the tube would face the wrong direction untill the rope pulled out of the water then sling shoting me backwards only to get a HUGE jerk needless to say i tried differnt rope tubes ect same problem.

your best bet is the cleats on your gunwall look under the gunwall and see if there is a metel or wooden plate that will help with stress if it is just fiber glass make a wood back brace going to each of the 2 bolts and extended it maybe another 3-4 inches. the last thing you want is one of those ripping apart the gunwall because you never looked.

SW, Tell me about your Arrow Glass, is it yeller?

I have pulled with the stern eyes, tubes and skiers. Never noticed the rope going under as a problem.

 

[craigman]

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

Ok, someone mentioned tying to one of the cletes, should i tie off to each clete on both sides, or just one side?

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

Ok, someone mentioned tying to one of the cletes, should i tie off to each clete on both sides, or just one side?

tie to both using the harness pictured above.

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

SW, Tell me about your Arrow Glass, is it yeller?

speed wise i think i was slow nearly 30 mph wot with a 90hp v-4 1984? cant remember for sure, no tach. i would tube at 30 mph and i think the rope was to heavy i started with a 4 person rope obviously to heavy moved to a 1 person rope and the problem didnt happen as often but never the less happend i was useing about 60 foot of line i could probably have shortend it a bit. by the way 30 mph on a tube is kind of fast when you fall off i rolled my sister in a turn she did a like a 720 or whatever head over feet was awsome to watch but she was done for the day.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

I'll suggest against the cleats and say use the stern eyes. My last boat was a '72 tri-hull with a 65HP Evinrude - skied like crazy behind that boat for many years. I would think the stress on those cleats could damage your gunwales over time. The stern eyes are tied into the transom and used for heavier load tasks like tying to trailers.

Someone mentioned the floats: we didn't use them. They sprayed us in the eyes on the kneeboard and sometimes on skis. We never tubed behind that boat, but I would think it would spray there to. We didn't ever have a problem with the rope sinking or going into the prop. You have to pay attention a little bit, but you're supposed to be doing that any way

Your boat looks like it should run about like ours did - we could pull two skiers without too much trouble at around 25mph. They couldn't get up on one ski together, but they could drop a ski and slalom together. One skier could do nearly anything they wanted to - single ski starts were no problem.

Have a good time!

 

[craigman]

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

Thanks for all the info guys!
I think i'll try hooking onto the cleats. I'll make sure theirs plenty of meat underneath first. If not, then i'll try the stern eyes.
Thanks again!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

Please don't use the cleats. They aren't designed at all to handle that kind of weight. When they break they could fling back and seriously injure the rider. Bad, bad idea.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

Much faster than the 29mph the boat will go.

1979 AMF Crestliner Muskie 550 14'
1978 Evinrude 70Hp

You should be seeing a much better top speed with that rig.....

 

[lncoop]

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

99% of the time doing that will make it worse!

The problem isn't that the rope sinks, almost all modern watersports rope float. The problem is that the rope touches the waters surface. Adding a float adds weight where you least need it and pulls the rope down, it also kicks up spray.

It does kick up spray, but I never experienced the other issue. Of course I quickly discovered I didn't need one anyway, so that could be why.

 

[seedlings]

Re: Pulling a skier or tube with a outboard motor boat

You should be seeing a much better top speed with that rig.....

Perhaps. With 2 people and the 17P prop I can get in the 35 range. I've been trying to improve performance for the 2.5 years I've had the boat. 29mph GPS, 3 passengers, no tube, manual trim and 15P prop set for tubing.

Back on topic, though, could Criag (or I) mount a couple of rings on top of the transom, which would get the rope higher out of the water than the trailer strap stern tie downs?

CHAD