towing a tube question

[tfbrown1270]

Hi; I have a 16 ft Princecraft (1989) aluminum closed bow boat, with a hinged windshield. It has a shallow V and seats 4. It is powered by a 1992 Johnson 90 hp VRO and has a top speed of 38 mph (GPS) with a 17" p prop at 5000 rpm (there is no more).
My question is about boat though, I want to tow an inflatable tube (seats 3 in a V shape (Costco)). Since there is no ski pole I was planning on hooking up a towing bridal to the two "eyes" on the stern but am not sure it won't tear the back off the boat!!!!!
Is that the way to do it?...I have never towed with this boat before...any other ideas....we are planning on going this weekend so I need a plan...thanks.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: towing a tube question

Take a length of rope 10-15 feet long. Tie each end to the stern eyes. Tie the pull rope in the middle of the eye rope and put a float on the pull rope. You wind up with a V-rope coming out from the stern to the pull rope...the float keeps the ropes out of your prop and prop wash. Have also seen folks just tie off to one of the stern eyes...also use a float on the rope if you do this.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: towing a tube question

Take a length of rope 10-15 feet long. Tie each end to the stern eyes. Tie the pull rope in the middle of the eye rope and put a float on the pull rope. You wind up with a V-rope coming out from the stern to the pull rope...the float keeps the ropes out of your prop and prop wash. Have also seen folks just tie off to one of the stern eyes...also use a float on the rope if you do this. Either should work okay as long as your transom ISN'T rotten or made of balsa wood.

 

[BF]

Re: towing a tube question

you'll be fine with the tow bridle you have (the kind with a wheel in the float, right?) There are ones that have rope, and others that have thin cable. Either should do, maybe the cable ones would be stronger (?). I've used a rope kind for pulling tubes several times. Using a bridle is a bit of a pain cause it catches water making it harder to swing the tube thingy over the wake. Anyway those 2 eyelets on the rear should be mucho strong and are where you should hook up to (like the bow eye).

BTW, go check out Sportsman Enterprises on Madison (off Ness, just W of Polo Park). Small shop of nice helpful folks with all kinds of stuff in there. They rent wake boards and such too if you're interested.

Good luck.

 

[John_S]

Re: towing a tube question

A three person tube will put allot of stress on the boat, especially during the spin outs. You should be OK with bridle and tie-down loops. I'd check to make sure they have backing and are thorugh the meat of the transom. Have fun.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: towing a tube question

...no problem. Thats what they were designed for. I pulled two inner tubers with a similar vintage boat...and that endeavor puts 3x the amount of stress that a newer tow tube with a bottom sheet puts on a boat.
If you want to do it right...check out your transom first (ref. tmcalavy's comment) make sure its good and sounds...no rot or major cracks.
If you are really, really, really concerned you can always dismantle the two transom eyes and reinstall them with two internal 'spreader' plates (11Ga. Stainless steel- fabricated...maybe 8x8", 8" x 12" or something like that) on the inside of the boat. That will serve to dissipate the localized stress to a bigger transom area than the factory bolt through one. This is way overkill...in my opinion...but its up to you.
If you want to try out your original arrangement cautiously then take a single person out on the tube and see how the boat put pulls them up. After that...throw on the remaining people.
I don't think you will have any problems at all.
Good luck

 

[Scout Sport Fish]

Re: towing a tube question

No worries there, those Eye hooks are designed to lift the boat out of the water.

 

[rndn]

Re: towing a tube question

No worries, that's what they were made for as well as lifting the entire boat out of the water.