Towing tubers with a dinghy

[bmac2003]

I have an inflatable 11'2 dinghy. It's a brand new Walker Bay Genesis console model with a 20 hp Mercury and I would like to tow my kids (6 and 8 yrs) on a tube. I'm having a little trouble getting some good advice on how to set that up.

I tried going to Walker Bay directly to ask how they set theirs up in the advertisements they use to sell their boats but they suggested that the pictures in the ads and promotional video were basically a tricked out version of the boat and not representative of what it can actually do. They recommended I not use the dinghy for towing. There not taking my questions anymore.

Does anyone out there have one of these that they pull tubers on? How about a similar size and powered dinghy?

Thanks,


Bill

 

[bayman]

Re: Towing tubers with a dinghy

As you know, these are plastic boats (with tubes for additional flotation). You are likely concerned that should you tow from a single attachment point that it might break the plastic on that point. There could be other issues to overcome but that's the main one I see. If that is the only issue you need to come up with a way to spread the towing force evenly over a big enough section of the hull so that the hull can take the force and not break. You might be able to use a strong (not thin) piece of polymer marine lumber made by Taco and King Plastic and make something which can be attached to your boat in a good number of places. Then you drill a hole in the marine lumber to which you can attach the rope. As long as it won't bend much under towing pressures and it's carefully attached in a way that won't break the hull, it ought to work. You could use wood but then you have to treat it and it can give you slivers etc...and wood won't last nearly as long as this stuff.

If you want to reinforce the transom, that could be another idea, though more permanent.

Good luck!

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: Towing tubers with a dinghy

I know nothing about a dinghy but do a lot of tubing. With 20HP, even on a smaller craft as you mentioned, if the boat was strong enough to handle to rigging as mentioned, I'd certainly question whether a 20HP would pull the extra weight and drag on that tube. I wouldn't think it would be capable.

 

[bayman]

Re: Towing tubers with a dinghy

The Walker Bay is actually a very light boat so a 20 hp could pull a child okay. I didn't think these boats were rated for a 20 hp. The WB RID 310, for example, is rated for 6 hp max but bmac2003's boat is larger than this model so it might be rated for a 20 hp.

Some small inflatable tunnel hull's (which the Walker Bay is not) can actually tow a skier with as little as 25 hp. That's one reason I like inflatables.

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: Towing tubers with a dinghy

The Walker Bay is actually a very light boat so a 20 hp could pull a child okay. I didn't think these boats were rated for a 20 hp. The WB RID 310, for example, is rated for 6 hp max but bmac2003's boat is larger than this model so it might be rated for a 20 hp.

Some small inflatable tunnel hull's (which the Walker Bay is not) can actually tow a skier with as little as 25 hp. That's one reason I like inflatables.

Thanks bayman, that's why I love these forums. I think I learn at least one new thing a day from them

 

[bayman]

Re: Towing tubers with a dinghy

I learn plenty here as well, lots of great experience here. I especially like these forums because finding the necessary information anywhere else can be rather difficult, time consuming, and expensive.

 

[Brew2]

Re: Towing tubers with a dinghy

I know next to nothing about inflatables, but thought I would chime in with a word of caution based on an experience I had last week.

Without getting into great detail, I had to rescue a family that was using a tin rowboat with a 15hp-20hp to pull a tube with two small children on it. From what I understand, they were turning when the tube hit a wave and gave a mighty "yank" on the tow rope. It was enough to pull the the back corner of the boat down and then flip the entire thing over virtually instantaneously.

As I said, I know nothing of inflatables and how they would react under a similar circumstance, but I'd sure be extra careful.