Rope drags with tube

[briguy2817]

I have a problem with the rope dragging while using our tube. Now I could drill a couple more holes in the transome and put some higher attach points but right now that's the lat option I want to do.

I can't sling shot people around because the thing drags so bad. The passengers on the tube can't even see anything because of the spray from the rope. It is a rope made specifically for tubing(the big thick ones) but I'm not sure of the length. Is there some other way to keep the rope from dragging?

Saturday I was watching another boat with almost the same set up as mine pull 3 tubes and none of the ropes were dragging. It looked like the attach point was in the same point as mine as well. Suggestions?


Brian

 

[Thad]

Re: Rope drags with tube

You say your using the "big thick rope", what is the size of the tube?
Those large diameter ropes are made for very large tubes. Like the Big Mable that are large and heavy.

If you have a one or two person tube, or in general, a light weight (I don't mean cheap, I mean the actual weight of the tube) tube. The rope is too big and when it gets wet, is too heavy. That is most likely what creates the spray and drag.

You need a smaller diameter rope that does not "soak up" water. My "big" rope is a softer, loosely braided rope that actually "holds" water making it even heavier. The smaller "tightly" braided ropes, I believe nylon, are much better for the smaller lighter weight tubes. Go to the Wallyworld and pick one up and give it a whirl.

 

[SeanT]

Re: Rope drags with tube

With some of these giant tubes these days, the spray from the rope is the only way they get wet.

Don't get a smaller rope. Use thicker ropes, as there can be quite a bit of weight on tubes. A smaller rope won't solve the problem anyway, it'll still drag and cause spray.

The answer to your prayers is the tubing booster ball. I just pulled up this random google link to give you an idea - it makes the rope float.

http://sporting-goods.pricegrabber.com/waterskiing/SportsStuff-Towable-Ski-Tube-4K/m709064413.html

 

[briguy2817]

Re: Rope drags with tube

The tube ia a two person Coleman that I picked up from Menards last year. It actuall does a nice job on the water and has a good ride. I'm going to try towing with a lighter weight rope this weekend and see what happens. I have some extra ski ropes that I can convert to a tube rope. I was alwasy under the impression that you needed the big heavy ropes for the tubes though.

As far as adding a float in line, that will be one of my experiments this weekend also. I have some closed cell foam floats that will fit on the line. I'll attach them somehow and move them to the optimum position if it works.

Brian

 

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: Rope drags with tube

A rubber boat fender/bumper might work as well. Worth a try maybe.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Rope drags with tube

My buddy has exactly the same problem. His is just too low on the back of the boat. Let us know how it works.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Rope drags with tube

Incidently, we both used the same tube and same rope on my boat and on his. On mine it does not drag in the water but on his it does. My tow hook is about 4-5 inches higher than his. Otherwise our Boats are very similar in size and propolsion.

 

[Thad]

Re: Rope drags with tube

Do not put anything on the rope except for something designed to be there. Such as the booster ball.

The smaller diameter rope will do the trick. The ropes have a tensile strength rating. The larger ropes are for the larger heavier tubes. Smaller ropes, smaller lighter tubes. Again, the larger rope you are using is designed to have a lot of weight behind it to "pull" it (the rope) out of the water. The lighter ropes do not need that much behind it to keep the slack out and stay up out of the water.

Putting a bumper or "floatie" of some kind on there will make your problems worse. When you slow or go into a turn your rope WILL grab some wake. A small floating object on the rope will grab that wake and dig in, not float over it. It would also more than likely fray on the rope as it is bounced around on it causing the line to break.

The booster ball is designed for larger tubes and to ride over the wake. It also has a bungie style rope that reduces shock and "snap" on the rope and mounting strap on the tube. Large tubes with a few people on them weigh a lot and that puts a lot of stress on the rope, tube, and mounting eye on the boat. Again, this is not really needed on smaller tubes.

I have several different styles of tubes and will pull up to three at any one time without problems. Most of my tubes are one or two person and I use the smaller ropes. My Big Mable has the large rope as the tube itself weighs apx 80# when it's wet and then go and put three or four people on it and there is why it needs the heavier rope.

Have fun

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Rope drags with tube

Do not put anything on the rope except for something designed to be there. Such as the booster ball.

The smaller diameter rope will do the trick. The ropes have a tensile strength rating. The larger ropes are for the larger heavier tubes. Smaller ropes, smaller lighter tubes. Again, the larger rope you are using is designed to have a lot of weight behind it to "pull" it (the rope) out of the water. The lighter ropes do not need that much behind it to keep the slack out and stay up out of the water.

Putting a bumper or "floatie" of some kind on there will make your problems worse. When you slow or go into a turn your rope WILL grab some wake. A small floating object on the rope will grab that wake and dig in, not float over it. It would also more than likely fray on the rope as it is bounced around on it causing the line to break.

The booster ball is designed for larger tubes and to ride over the wake. It also has a bungie style rope that reduces shock and "snap" on the rope and mounting strap on the tube. Large tubes with a few people on them weigh a lot and that puts a lot of stress on the rope, tube, and mounting eye on the boat. Again, this is not really needed on smaller tubes.

I have several different styles of tubes and will pull up to three at any one time without problems. Most of my tubes are one or two person and I use the smaller ropes. My Big Mable has the large rope as the tube itself weighs apx 80# when it's wet and then go and put three or four people on it and there is why it needs the heavier rope.

Have fun

This all makes sense, however, as I mentioned, sometimes the tow hook is just too low. Like I said, we have used both boats with the exact same tube and rope, and on mine it is fine, on my buddy's it drags in the water. His hook is lower than mine. Both boats are a little over 21ft, both V8s, both bowriders. Main differance is the height of the towhook.

Aside from putting a wake board tower on there or some other radical solution, what can my buddy do?

 

[Thad]

Re: Rope drags with tube

This all makes sense, however, as I mentioned, sometimes the tow hook is just too low. Like I said, we have used both boats with the exact same tube and rope, and on mine it is fine, on my buddy's it drags in the water. His hook is lower than mine. Both boats are a little over 21ft, both V8s, both bowriders. Main differance is the height of the towhook.

Aside from putting a wake board tower on there or some other radical solution, what can my buddy do?

At this point it is all about the angle, or lack of angle, the rope has as compared to the water.

How high is his wake? A large wake will grab a rope. He can try and adjust where his boat rides in the water. Play with the trim to get the boat up on the water instead on being down in. Put the spotter and if any, another passenger in the bow to raise the transom. The riders on the tube may need to "lean" back to the center rear of the tube to raise the point at where the rope is attached.

Another thing is to look at the tube. Where does the rope attach? Some straps are at the bottom front of the tube, others are midway up. These change the characteristic of the rope as well.

As far as the height of the mounting spot on the boat, think of this. My first boat was an OB. I used a harness hooked to each transom tie down to attach my rope. Talk about as low as you can go to hook a rope. My next boat was an IO, it was a small 18' not real high out of the water. My boat now is a bit larger and sits out of the water pretty high. I have at times, with all three boats, had my ropes drag. It comes down to the riders being too far forward, not enough air in the tube, or just plain ol' me not paying attention to what my boat was doing.

Experiment with different things on the boat and on the tube. And keep in mind, it could be as simple as the tube and the boat are not compatable.

 

[brhodes]

Re: Rope drags with tube

I had the same problem with a new to me boat all week when towing kids of all sizes. The back of my boat just sits too low, no matter what I do with trim/speed/radius of turn. It just happened occasionally. I can't easily change mounting location, so the ball may be the only way out if I want to fix the issue. Good luck.

 

[bigpoppakdog]

Re: Rope drags with tube

This all makes sense, however, as I mentioned, sometimes the tow hook is just too low. Like I said, we have used both boats with the exact same tube and rope, and on mine it is fine, on my buddy's it drags in the water. His hook is lower than mine. Both boats are a little over 21ft, both V8s, both bowriders. Main differance is the height of the towhook.

Aside from putting a wake board tower on there or some other radical solution, what can my buddy do?

check out my videos. This is what I do. Not sure if its the solution to your buddy's problem.

www.youtube.com/bigpoppakdog

 

[PapaGriz]

Re: Rope drags with tube

We've been pulling our Connelly Voyager 3 person tube for the last couple years with this Airhead tow rope. We've had no problems with it dragging in the wake behind our Bayliner 185BR. With 3 teenagers on the tube I pull pretty hard, with heavier adults I limit it to 2 riders just so I feel better about the load on it. We've not broken the rope yet.

When we first got the tube we used a heavier rope and it drug in the wake, it was annoying for the riders but with this rope we've had no problems. I attached a couple pics from our trip to Lake Mcconaughy this weekend.
Good luck.

 

[convergent]

Re: Rope drags with tube

Gea Sportsstuff booster ball. Will solve the problem.

 

[briguy2817]

Re: Rope drags with tube

I bought a smaller line today and will have a chance to try it out on Sunday. I'll let everyone know how that works. Thank you for all the responses, they were all helpful.

Brian

 

[briguy2817]

Re: Rope drags with tube

It works! I went out yesterday and was able to actually pull people and not drag them in the water. Nobody was blinded by the spray of the tow line dragging and they could slingshot from side to side. Pnlt bad thing that happened is the zipper on the tube split about 30 minutes into the ride. Repaired it when I got home and it's good as new.

Brian

 

[Thad]

Re: Rope drags with tube

I'm glad it worked out for you. Bet the kids were sad when the zipper let go.

At least it sounds like it was a quick fix. Has fun.

Thad

 

[sethjon]

Re: Rope drags with tube

If the rope is taut how can it be dragging?

 

[Thad]

Re: Rope drags with tube

If the rope is taut how can it be dragging?

It never really gets taut. There is not enough weight being pulled to offset the weight of the rope. So, essentially, the rope never gets fully out of the water.

A light tube will ride on the water, a heavier tube will want to ride in the water. With the light tube, a heavy rope will pull the tube as it tries to sag (even though it is being pulled). It need resistance at both ends. The lighter one and two person tubes cannot do this.

 

[convergent]

Re: Rope drags with tube

If the rope is taut how can it be dragging?

It digs into the wake because the wake's higher than the rope. Once it digs in, then the trouble begins.

Here is a picture of how the booster ball works. It keeps the rope up over the wake so it can't dig in. It also cuts down on the spray. In this particular picture I didn't have it inflated enough so it wasn't as round as it should be, but you get the idea.