What is a safe speed for tubing and/or skiing?

[cigar_stub]

I'm new to this so can someone tell me the safest speed for a boat when towing a tube or skier? My 19' center console (2002 Yamaha 115 hp 2 stroke) can do about 35mph without a skier. I don't want to go too fast and risk huring the person I'm towing if (when) they wipe out.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[tommays]

Re: What is a safe speed for tubing and/or skiing?

My tube says 15 MPH for children and 20 for adults


It would really depend on water conditions as i have seen many bounce out of tubes or knock heads when there are two on a tube


As far a sking it depends on who is sking



Tommays

 

[CharlesW]

Re: What is a safe speed for tubing and/or skiing?

Based on doing it a lot of years, (Possibly all wrong), we pretty much use the following guidelines.

1. Whatever speed the skier or tuber is comfortable with. That varies from idle for the very young first time tuber to 30-35 for some of the hot dog skiers.

2. Tubing is usually in the 18 to 25 range for the experienced tubers that want to have a wild ride. Probably 90% of the time a speed of 20 to 22 mph seems to be where we run.
Keep in mind that the tube speed is much higher when the tube has been "whipped" outside of the wake.

3. Most of the skiers that are on two skis seem to be most happy in the 20 to 25 area. Heavier skiers seem to need a little more speed to keep the skis on top of the water.

4. Most of the slalom skiers we pull usually want to go about 25 to 30. It pretty much depends on the skill level.

5. I usually use about 20 for my starting point and then let the skier/tuber vary my speed with their hand signals.

6. You will quickly learn that turns, especially tighter turns, will cause the boat to slow down considerably. You will soon learn to compensate for that.
One thing I do that may be a little odd to some is to just tap the throttle control with the heel of my hand when I want to vary my speed by only a small amount. I seem to be able to move it in very small increments by doing that.

One other thing. I have no idea how accurate speedometers are, (other than on tournament ski boats), so your speeds could be much different than mine. As a point of reference our runabout falls off plane about 15 mph indicated speed.

FWIW, when you see the grins on the kids faces, keep in mind that yours is probably even wider.

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: What is a safe speed for tubing and/or skiing?

I would agree with all of the above posts, here is my own guide from the past thirty years of water sports.

ski (with two skis) = 20 to 27 mph dep. on skill level and weight
ski (with one ski) = 25 to 35 mph dep on skill level and weight
knee board = 15 to 22 mph " " " " " "
tube = 17 to 27 mph " " " " " "
air chair = 16 to 20 mph (this is prob the most speed sensitive of all toys)
wake board = 15 to 22 mph dep on skill level and weight

As with ANY water sport the person behind the boat is in control Always. Make sure all who participate know all hand signals before they get in the water. Depending on the power of your boat most things need the hammer down at the start then ease off till their desired speed. Kind of a fine line between dragging someone up and yanking the rope out of there hands. Some activities that are slower speed are tough because the boat will want to plane out and when it does you will be going too fast then you have to back down a little thus taking you back off plane. So throttle control is a full time job if that is the case. Also some tubes like to plow under the water on start up so you usually have to drop the hammer till the tube is on top then back down. Back in my younger days we would mess around (not skiing the course of course) and get pulled on a slalom at 40 to 45 it was fun till you ate it. You could put up some huge walls of water but in hind site it was kind of dumb. I am 40 now and still ski hard but usually go about 32-33mph. My wife who skiis pretty well likes 27-28mph. It really depends on the person and their activity. If I get much over 20 on an air chair it starts to get pretty nuts quickly, they are soo touchy anyway. Lastly I cant remember the last time I did anything with a standard length rope(75') lose about 10 to 20' and you will love the results. Hope any of this ramble helps I'm ready to hit the lake just from typing this.......

 

[cigar_stub]

Re: What is a safe speed for tubing and/or skiing?

Thanks to all for the comments, it was a good education. Clearly, some limits are fluid depending on the comfort level of the person being towed.

Saturday I'm heading to Lake Anna with the wife and my nieice, who's a cop, is meeting us there for tubing/skiing. If I go too fast, I'm sure she'll break out her ticket book....

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: What is a safe speed for tubing and/or skiing?

20 to 25 mph is a good ball park speed, however watch the person you are towing and have all the signals known and memorised before you set off.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: What is a safe speed for tubing and/or skiing?

OhW and CW's comments and numbers are pretty much bang on in my opinion and those are what I recall to my time teaching waterskiing. What always surprised me was that people never water skiied (successfully) as fast as they thought. 30mph on water skiis was uncommon and pretty obvious on the skiiers face. It was definitely going to be a good 'rub' if they caught a tip.
As for the kids just learning...I towed them just fast enough to get them up on skiis and moving solidly across the water. This was often not very fast at all...however all the kids remembered was going for a ski..and that was all that counted.

 

[OldMercsRule]

Re: What is a safe speed for tubing and/or skiing?

Hmmmmmm, did not read the others' speeds but I have lots of 'sperience pullin' n' skiin' (I don't do tube or wake board meself).

Wakeboards: barely on step, which varies from boat n' motor combination. (15 to low 20s MPH). This gives the wakeboarder a good wake.

Two skis: 25 to 30 MPH depending on skill level.

One ski: 28-35 again depending on skill level.

Tubes: 20-40 MPH again depending of skill level.

Most of my boats are lightweight with old inline Mercs which are real powerfull fer the weight. Old fart fairly skilled single skiiers (like me) like zero wake n' zero other boat wakes or waves, n' a big hole shot n' 34-35 MPH cuttin' speeds.

Tubes present a "special risk" when pullin' them! THEY STAY TIED TO THE BOAT AFTER SOMEONE FALLS OFF! If the tube "digs" into the water, which they will from time to time: stop the boat immeadiately!! If ya don't you could create a very dangerious situation where something has ta give. The rope, (Not Good), the pylon, (Not Good), the tube, (Not Good), be very carefull of the potential snap of the broken rope, it could take a head off. Be very carefull of the ol' tubes!! Good luck to all! JR