Pulling tube with pontoon

[Toyelectroman]

I have been getting conflicting answers on where to attack tow rope for a tube on my pontoon. I originally planned on using my tow bar but the sticker on the bar said to tow only non attached skiers up to 500lbs. So i thought about getting a bridle to attach to the port and starboard tow eyes. I heard not to do that either. So how do people pull tubes with their pontoon?

 

[Starcraft5834]

Ive got a new Starcraft toon with 115 merc... have the manf ski tower bar installed. it's a double 2 inch OD stainless tower that installed to the frame under the deck... goes over the engine about 2 feet... some aftermarket tow bars are ok, some are junk. contact your manf...

 

[HotTommy]

I have a very old 24' two log pontoon that I use to pull as many as three on a tube. The only things available to me were the tow eyes on the back. I confirmed that they were attached securely to a stout piece of the basic aluminum structure of the boat. I prefer the pulley type harness so both eyes are carrying some of the load even during hard turns. The non-pulley harnesses tend to pull from one eye at a time during turns.

 

[ahicks]

The concern about over stressing hard points used for towing is regarding the potential for whatever you're pulling to submerge and head for the bottom of the pond, causing a huge strain on everything involved.

So that in mind, a few thoughts.

1st, ever seen a tube go under water? Me neither...
Years ago before there were tubes like we have today, we pulled something like a wooden or plastic toboggan and "saucers" around. Those, if tied to a ski rope, I can see heading for the bottom under the right conditions.

2nd, a ski pylon with a 500 lb max rating doesn't sound like a real sturdy option. Depending on how it's built, and what it's mounted to, that rating may be lawyer speak (purposely conservative) - OR - it really is mickey mouse, and fastened to just the ply flooring, made from thin wall tubing, too small OD tubing, or similar.

I could go on, but I'll make this one last. Seems to this old feeble mind, that before any amount of strain got too crazy, the point where the rope fastens on the tube would let go, the rope would break, a fitting would let go, etc.

Bottom line, I don't think pulling a tube is that big a deal - under most circumstances anyway. That's me though. -Al

 

[Scott Danforth]

I have submarined a few tubes and luckily I was towing with a bridle to the stern eyes - it basically straightened and stopped the boat almost instantly and we all flew forward. once it even broke the bridle (older cable bridle). it happens in S-turns if you hit a wake just right. Had I been towing from the ski tow eye, It would most likely have ripped it from the stern. (this is also why they do not recommend towing tubes from ski pylons or towers)

sewn nylon is amazingly strong, and since it gives, stretches and conforms to the load at hand, its usually the hard mount on the boat that tears out as that joint does not give or deform, if the load is large enough it usually just breaks loose

the most force you can put on a ski pylon or transom ski hook is about 400# of force, then the ski rope is pulled from the skier's hands. hence the reason most are rated about 400 or 500#. As as side note, that force alone is enough to flip some smaller boats if your pulling a slalom skier that may be a bit on the hefty side. At least it will pull a 3000# 19 foot boat up on the gunwales in a turn

the most force you can put on a transom with a tube is the breaking strength of the rope (which is about 3-4 times the listed working limit)

I would recommend to use a bridle to the tie-down lugs if you are pulling a tube and trying to flick the riders. the tie-down lugs are designed to withstand a minimum of 2x the weight of the vessel (most are 4x)

That being stated, most pontoons never get over 20mph, and if you have littles on the tube you wont be doing crazy S-turns or other adrenaline fueled antics, a ski hook would suffice.

 

[suneshop]

I pull a tube with the factory ski tower.So far with no problem or any hint of a problem.

 

[5150abf]

Just remember the "tow eyes" are welded to .080 aluminum, the eyes themselves may be really thick but what they are welded to isn't and they super don't like side loads.

The intended use for stern eyes is to tie the boat to the dock.

Towing a skier is a pretty constant load, a tube on the other hand will go from no pull to hundreds or thousands of pounds over and over so you want to make sure whatever it is tied to is very sturdy.

I would get some nice stainless U bolts and bolt into the structure of the boat and attach your brindle to that