Towing tube

[Oscar0421]

Hey guys I have read that you never tow the tub from wakeboard tower. My sx190 had a hook right between the cushions. Where do you guys tow on a 2018 ar210? Is it the chrome handle?

 

[HangOutdoors]

I tow from the tower and a lot of others tow from the tower as well, some do not. I also tow from the lower hook. I have not had any issues.

 

[Oscar0421]

When you say the lower hook? Do you mean the chrome handle?

 

[HangOutdoors]

There is a tow hook there. See circle.

 

[Oscar0421]

Thanks!

 

[biffdotorg]

Yeah, a tow the tube from the tower thread! I knew I was missing something in my life! I didn't want to talk about 2021 boats anymore.

If I use Mobil 1 instead of yamalube, will I void my warranty.

Please take this comment lightly, I am just joking of course, as this question has to come up every month or so. And usually every week on the multiple Yamaha boating groups on facebook. They get heated quick, as folks have very strong opinions that are backed by Yamaha warning stickers. While the closet genius with 4 phd's will pipe up and admit that it is physically impossible for a tube to flip your boat.

Then someone will post the pic of a Yamaha AR towing a tube from the tower from the Yamaha literature and then it quiets down, as they all just realized that Yamaha only put those warnings in the manual and on their towers to cover their a$$.

CYA kids. Just do what "YOU" feel comfortable with and don't become a member of the "oops I sucked up a rope" club. or better yet, the "oops, I sucked up another rope" club.

 

[slickstick]

Yeah, a tow the tube from the tower thread! I knew I was missing something in my life! I didn't want to talk about 2021 boats anymore.

If I use Mobil 1 instead of yamalube, will I void my warranty.

Please take this comment lightly, I am just joking of course, as this question has to come up every month or so. And usually every week on the multiple Yamaha boating groups on facebook. They get heated quick, as folks have very strong opinions that are backed by Yamaha warning stickers. While the closet genius with 4 phd's will pipe up and admit that it is physically impossible for a tube to flip your boat.

Then someone will post the pic of a Yamaha AR towing a tube from the tower from the Yamaha literature and then it quiets down, as they all just realized that Yamaha only put those warnings in the manual and on their towers to cover their a$$.

CYA kids. Just do what "YOU" feel comfortable with and don't become a member of the "oops I sucked up a rope" club. or better yet, the "oops, I sucked up another rope" club.

View attachment 126666

I only have three PHDs (and don't even own a boat) but that skinny handle held to the boat with what looks like only two bolts doesn't look nearly as robust compared to the thick tower with a large contact surface which is probably held by four bolts on each side (guess). Has anyone ripped that handle off the back of the boat before by towing?

 

[marcham]

The fiberglass is extra thick in that area and there is a backing plate.

 

[rkluck]

I towed the tubes using the tower. I have even had multiple tubes at one time with no issues. It helps keep the nose of the tube up. Some people got stress cracks where the tower mounts but I never did.

 

[capt]

I have a super mable 3 person tube I used to pull from the tower until u noticed the tower developed a huge crack! I had to hire a welder to fix it and have decided not to pull tubes from tower anymore.

 

[2kwik4u]

I've done it both ways.

Prefer the tow hook when there are waves. Prefer the tower when there are little ones aboard the tube.

Waves make the boat pitch, and the distance from water to tower is great enough that pitching the boat fore/aft will result in large "pulses" of speed at the tube. Makes for an even more jarring ride back there, and some unexpected aerobatics from time to time. So, choppy water or heavy riders (two grown ass adults is a bit much for me), and you get the lower tow point on the stern.

Small kids, and light riders on calm days, they get the tower tow point.....Under the bimini (that's the next question you always get)......Keeps the rope out of the water, and helps keep the spray to the face of the riders down. Harder to get them outside the wake too (less pendulum effect from the tower, and lighter weight in general).

I have no PhD's, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, and can tell you that pulling a Yamaha sized boat over sideways with a tube will break the rope before it capsizes you......Unless you were already doing something stupid enough to tuck the bow under a wave, or take a wave over the side. Which, honestly, sounds about right if you can get a tube rope taut and perpendicular to the boat at the same time. That's some Darwin Award level stupid right there.

 

[Babin Farms]

I have a super mable 3 person tube I used to pull from the tower until u noticed the tower developed a huge crack! I had to hire a welder to fix it and have decided not to pull tubes from tower anymore.
View attachment 126784

What brand of tower is that??

 

[capt]

I'm not sure. It was already installed when I bought the boat. Maybe some one will recognize it.

 

[slickstick]

I have a super mable 3 person tube I used to pull from the tower until u noticed the tower developed a huge crack! I had to hire a welder to fix it and have decided not to pull tubes from tower anymore.
View attachment 126784

YIkes! That's doesn't look good at all. So definitely some have had issues using the tower.

Has anyone managed to rip off that handle when using that instead?

 

[212s]

Has anyone managed to rip off that handle when using that instead?

The steel handle is pretty solid behind thick fibreglass and hefty bolts. If you have an issue there, something is wrong with the way the boat was built.

 

[biffdotorg]

YIkes! That's doesn't look good at all. So definitely some have had issues using the tower.

Has anyone managed to rip off that handle when using that instead?

I think the point of the question was, there is a difference in stock towers vs third party. There are lots of good third party towers out there, and lots of good installers out there that back the hull properly. But there are also many times when those two things never meet, and then issues can arise.

Most folks with stock towers haven't seen anything more than spider cracking other than really odd scenarios.