Tubing - a neccessary evil -towpoint?

[mmmoomba]

Ok, I'm not such a newbie that I don't know what I'm doing but I really want SC's recommendation on exactly where (what point) they think a tube should be towed from.
I've read my manual cover-to-cover and see nothing regarding tubing toys.
Skiing/Boarding is obviously what you should be doing when you're on the water, but sometimes the heat, wind, boat chop and kids desires win out. That's when the tubes hit the water.
I was going to pose the question directly to SC, but thought that more readership would get a chance to respond.
Has anyone asked this question before?
The choices would be:
#1 - lifting eyelets
#2 - rear towpoint
#3 - ski pylon
#4 - tower (really shouldn't even think about this one but I've seen "people" do it)

Oh yeah, sorry forgot to include: '05 DD outback and lovin' it!

[aerophoto]

Depends on the ride... I like to use the Lift points if I want to keep the tube on the water. If I am tubing I place the rope on the tower I have seen this done in Vids and it is a blast but you need a great driver or you can get hurt. Otherwise I use the Ski pole for a balance. I also ask the rider what kind of ride they want and I only drive for the conditions. I never drive to toss the rider but I do drive for fun. Some days it is the only thing you can do because of all the other tubers. We Ski dusk and dawn for the glass.

[mmmoomba]

I totally agree with the mutually agreed upon style of ride beforehand AND the safety side of "unloading" passengers. With the right style of tube and a good driver, dunking gung-ho riders can be done without excessive speed.
I'm trying to get to what Moomba would would suggest since the tower has clear warnings and I think that I've seen one about the rear cleats also.
The rear towpoint looks strong enough for at least one tube, so #2 and 3 could go at the lifting lugs.
Problem is that I can't find anywhere that says the rear towpoint is the first choice.

[jkendall79]

I always use the rear towpoint for tubes and have never had any problems. I would advise against the tower as I have read several posts about stress cracks in the fiberglass around the tower feet from towing tubes. Apparently the tube puts quite a bit more pressure on the tower than wakeboarding. Page 10 of my manual (2007) has warning labels, and it says the tow eye is rated for 800lbs, so I would think that would be the best point for towing a tube.

[deafgoose]

I use the ski pylon.

[ian ashton]

It depends for us on who is on the tube. If its one of my cousins (ages 5-7) I tow from the tower; it keeps the tube from submarining and tossing them out, plus they are light enough that I know it won't do any damage to the boat.

If its anyone older I tow from the eyelet on the rear. We've only used my boat to tube like 6 times.

[SEARK]

I will only use the rear towpoint for the tube. Scared to use the tower with the chance of stress cracks. I suppose I could use the ski pole but usually several people in the boat if a tube is being used so hook it to the rear so we can all sit comfortably without worrying about the rope.

[jmvotto]

with the v drive i use the pylon mostly and then the tower for light riders to avoid the submarine ( usually under 10).

[kaneboats]

You get a higher tow point from the ski pylon, but you sacrifice the back seat, at least in the Outback. When there's only a couple people in the boat I use the pylon. If the boat's full I use the rear towpoint too. I wouldn't use the tower b/c that's not what it's designed to do.

[Razzman]

Just for the record never use the tower for tube towing! SC will not warranty any stress cracks or such if they even suspect you've done so! It also seriously stresses the tower pivot/hinge points as well. Not to mention that with the higher tow point it's way to easy to launch a tube airborne.

[ian ashton]

to clarify; with my 5-7 year old cousins in the tube being towed from the tower we go about 7-10 miles per hour, don't want to toss the babies across the lake, lol.

[ABUCKOTOMAMBO]

When I am using my boat I tow tubers from the ski pylon.

Last weekend I was at my sisters cabin she has a Glastron I/O runabout. The only tow point is similar to our rear tow point.

My brother-in-law discovered what he call's the "off-button" while pulling me and my brother tubing. He was have a very difficult time dumping my brother and I from a double tube. He really wanted to dump us and just could not do it. After a while, he trimmed his engine and threw a huge rooster tail at us. The force of the water coming at us was like being pulled under water. After we could not hold our breath any longer my brother and I let go.

Because Moomba's are direct drive water craft we don't have off button's. I guess we have to rely on driving skill to dump tubers!

[moombadaze]

why are people so down on tubes? my daughter just loves riding her's. i was off tuesday--she made me take the boat out and pull her around the lake on the tube she won at the atlanta reunion. i find them fun also.-there i said it. its fun. but i think surfin is the most fun ive had in 20+ years of boating.

[MOOMBA_97]

Back in the day we did "extreme" tubing and I have to admit that was fun, but quite painful. Even now we'll put a couple back there sit backwards in them and just ride up and down the river. Heck you can sip on your favorite beverage in the process. I know Stacy and myself are not alone, you guys can admit it without embarassment, the're fun.


Monty

[Ian Brantford]

Pylon! I recall that my 2005 XLV's manual was quite adamant was for wakeboarding and trick skiing, and any other towing should be from the pylon. Towing from the tower, where human grip wasn't a failure point, would void the warranty.

I understand about avoiding the submarine effect while towing the wee ones. If you a pulling at low speed in a mostly straight line with no waves involved, your risk would have to be pretty low. However, if the tube were to get behind a roller, the load would suddenly go way up, regardless of the weight of the rider.

That said, wakeboarding boats are fantastic for pulling a tube! It's the big wake, assuming that your rider is an adult who wants to get bounced out eventually. Having little sense of pride (a positive side effect of premature hair loss), I shamelessly pull a rider anytime it is requested. We don't do it much since the hydrofoil arrived three years ago, but my alternate driver and I got pretty good at sending adults flying in a good way. I have been knocked around 10 feet in the air a few times. The secret is to pre-formulate some insults with which to taunt the driver just before you get in the tube.

[ian ashton]

I think what pisses me off about most "tubers" is that they do it erratically in the same area that we try to wakeboard and ski.

Tubing doesn't really require glass; in fact its more fun in rough water, but (much like Jet-Ski-ers) there are always tubers cutting across our routes and messing up the rotation.

[jmvotto]

I have been pretty good at creating "the Texas Death Spiral" with the moomba's own wake and getting double ups and triples win which to lauch tube riders 10 to 15ft in the air. only deserving teens and adults

On saturday with a bunch of guys( bachelor party) myself and a freind were lauch 10+ feet in the air( crash and burn) saved the Beer though, can was a bit wrinkled though and slightly watery. LOL

[SEARK]

The secret is to pre-formulate some insults with which to taunt the driver just before you get in the tube.


As the driver, my favorite taunt was for the soon to be swimmer...er rider to tell me "you can't throw me off". Nothing like a challenge LOL.

[Sled491]

We have a DD outback and always use the pylon. My 5 yr old daughter and 6 yr old son have no problem on a tube at 15 - 20 mph from the pylon, never even heard of this submarine effect. Maybe has something to do with the size of the tube. We have a big Maambo and heck my 8 yr old will stand up on the thing, turn around and start smacking his butt taunting myself or his mother who ever is driving to try and shake him off. I think he gets that from his mother to be honest.

[jkendall79]

Seark, I had a friend tell me the same thing once; it took about 60 seconds to through him off.

[jester]

What is up with these kids and tubes. Well I guess most of my friends love to tube and I pull them from the ski pylon. I will never pull then unless it is bad wind so it has been about 6 times this year. My problem i am having is almost every time a person falls off the tube i end up filling my boat with water. It is kind of fun to watch the person in the bow screams when it happens but i do not do it on purpose ;).

[dtlaine]

I try to get people to try wakeboarding or skiing before tubing. My experience is that once I learned to ski as a youngster, I had almost no interest in tubing again. If I end up pulling someone on a tube, I go off the ski pylon.

[aerophoto]

My problem i am having is almost every time a person falls off the tube i end up filling my boat with water. It is kind of fun to watch the person in the bow screams when it happens but i do not do it on purpose ;).


I do it on purpose because most of the time they are trying to get me as a driver to throw the tuber so Hey I get them good If you want to prevent the water over the bow just push the throttle forward before you hit the big wake you made Pushes the nose up no water on board.

[Limishowman3]

How do yall tube from behind the boat? The rope is always dragging in the water and throws water in the tubers eyes, then when u try throwing the tuber outside the wake, u build slack from the rope geting caught in the white wash. I have to put the rope on the ski pylon just to make it fun for the rider. I didnt know about the extra stress it puts on the tower, I just thought no towing from tower b/c of fear of the air you can get. Good to know though

[Ian Brantford]

How do yall tube from behind the boat? The rope is always dragging in the water and throws water in the tubers eyes, then when u try throwing the tuber outside the wake, u build slack from the rope geting caught in the white wash.

Keep the tube outside the wake most of the time. This way, the spray will go beside the tube instead of straight at it.

One buddy of mine uses a wakeboarding rope -- a thin one made of Spectra. It throws a lot less spray than the usual tubing ropes. Just remember to shorten it up to the usual 50' length.

It takes quite a bit of practice and experimentation to become good at pulling a tube for an exciting ride. It is much more difficult than pulling a wakeboarder, because you have to control both the boat and the tube. Just like with riding a wakeboard, you have to learn smaller, quicker movements while controlling the boat, and anticipate the conditions with split-second timing. Know when to nudge the throttle up and down, and turn slightly sharper as you slow down. These skills will alleviate the problem with getting slack all the time.

For public safety, it would be a good idea to have one person in the boat who is dedicated to observing forward, because you'll be looking back a lot while learning.

[tlatoani]

I dunno about the strength of wakeboard ropes, but I've read several threads on wakeworld where lines have snapped and recoiled into the boat. One guy said his son lost his eye that way. I bought one of the huge tube ropes after reading that. Well worth the money imo.

[Ian Brantford]

I dunno about the strength of wakeboard ropes, but I've read several threads on wakeworld where lines have snapped and recoiled into the boat. One guy said his son lost his eye that way. I bought one of the huge tube ropes after reading that. Well worth the money imo.

Were these Spectra ropes? This material has very little stretch and recoil. Of course, without the elasticity of polypropylene, the instantaneous load with hitting a wake is higher, so you would definitely want to only tow from the pylon.

The only rope that has ever snapped on me was one made specifically for towing a tube. The conclusion: any rope can snap. Inspect them regularly.

I was not able to find load ratings for Spectra at the 1/8" thickness that is typical for wakeboard ropes, but I found that it is 1950 lbs for 3/16" here: http://www.machovec.com/rope/spectra_double_braid.htm .

Most tube-towing ropes are 5/16" polypropylene, which is good for 2050 lbs according to this chart: http://www.maegroupint.com/catalogs/nerope.pdf . However, this has to start out high because polypropylene will degrade in sunlight. It won't be that strong after a summer of use!

I am not specifically advocating Spectra ropes for tubes, but I do not see objective evidence against using them. Personally, I still use polypropylene because I rarely pull a tube and I don't want to tie up an expensive Spectra rope when I still have the polypropylene ones around and in good shape. I use a 5/16" poly rope for the small/medium tubes, and a very thick 4000 lb poly rope for the bigger ones. It's overkill. I got it from Sportsstuff (http://sportsstuff.com/dyn_prodlist.php?k=68024).

[MasterMind3002]

I always pull tubes from the pylon. The pylon can take it.......thats what its made for. We move our ski jump across the lake and pull it from the pylon. We just pull it slowly and carefully. If one or two tubes yanks the pylon out of your boat........you had bigger issues.

Just for the record, because I've seen so many in here make comments about how "delicate" the towers are..........a good wakeboarder can scrub 5mph off the boats speedos when he cuts in for a roll or a flip. I had the good fortune to pull Russ Wilde a couple years ago in our ski show. I was pulling him with my brothers Supra Launch 21. When Russ cuts the force is enormous. My brother and his buddies all flip and they go all the time behind that boat...........not a single stress crack and the boats 4 years old now.. I pull "double crisscross around the boats" off of my Outbacks tower without a single issue. Not so much as a noise.

Has anyone had stress crack issues on the newer boats??????