Towing tubes with extra rope

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

just by feel I tap on the tube with my open hand and when it bounces back and feels firm it's good after some experience with what works and what doesn't you can see it when you tow if the tuber is too soft for example the lower portion of super Mable in the previous picture is still too soft .

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

If you go back and look at the jet ski video I have an 80 foot rope on that one and you can see the tubes sliding across the water if the tubes get low you will see the front buckling and the weight shifting like in the super Mable pic

 

[swatski]

For the record - I hate tubes. I think of tubing as super unsafe and generally unskilled activity. I do it, reluctantly.

Okay, that said, I do not have a PSI target as it varies between compartments, I simply pump those until hard and very bouncy, kind of what @rkim808 said.

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[Sbrown]

I think of tubing as super unsafe and generally unskilled

Done the way I see most people do it, drivers and riders included, I agree 100%. That being said, done properly it is as safe as any other water sport and does require a large amount of skill and finesse by the driver on both the wheel and the throttles, but still only requires the rider(s) to hold on for the most part; some tubes are more steerable than others, but even these don't need the complex balance skills required by the other tow behind water sports. It is mostly a beginner's sport, from a rider standpoint. It takes a good driver who is experienced and knowledgeable to give a fun, thrilling, yet safe ride. When your riders, no matter how testosterone filled, have an absolute blast and you never even had to sweep them outside your wake, you're starting to build some actual driving skills.

I think the pendulum move is one of the most dangerous things you can do to a person on a tube. I generally avoid it.

 

[swatski]

Done the way I see most people do it, drivers and riders included, I agree 100%. That being said, done properly it is as safe as any other water sport and does require a large amount of skill and finesse by the driver on both the wheel and the throttles, but still only requires the rider(s) to hold on for the most part; some tubes are more steerable than others, but even these don't need the complex balance skills required by the other tow behind water sports. It is mostly a beginner's sport, from a rider standpoint. It takes a good driver who is experienced and knowledgeable to give a fun, thrilling, yet safe ride. When your riders, no matter how testosterone filled, have an absolute blast and you never even had to sweep them outside your wake, you're starting to build some actual driving skills.

I think the pendulum move is one of the most dangerous things you can do to a person on a tube. I generally avoid it.

I agree, I was kind of venting...
But... I do I find towing tubers more exhausting (as a driver) than anything else, and I'm never comfortable doing it, things seems to vacillate between "boring" and "oh s**t" for me. I think I could use some (re)training, if I could find someone who can show me what to do.
Some of the (potential) injuries like head butts are difficult to avoid with kids.
Most (all) of the time I end up just taking it easy. Oh well. My kids roll their eyes no matter, so I'm used to it, lol.

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[Sbrown]

I agree, I was kind of venting...
But... I do I find towing tubers more exhausting (as a driver) than anything else, and I'm never comfortable doing it, things seems to vacillate between "boring" and "oh s**t" for me. I think I could use some (re)training, if I could find someone who can show me what to do.
Some of the (potential) injuries like head butts are difficult to avoid with kids.
Most (all) of the time I end up just taking it easy. Oh well. My kids roll their eyes no matter, so I'm used to it, lol.

--

Sorry, I went on a bit of a rant there.

 

[swatski]

I found my favorite post here about tubes, from my tubing Guru, @Russ C lol, this one was about storage but it made me laugh for weeks.

Let me start by saying I hate inflatables and everything about them, unfortunately the kids love them.

The method I have settled on is to leave it inflated use about a 8 inch piece of rope and hook it from the tow-point (tube) to the tow-hook (boat) and let it sit on the swim platform. It will hang off a little but stays in place at top speed no problem.

I have also anchored it in a cove and just left it until I needed it. So far it hasn't come up missing.

Preferred storage would be a 12 inch cut and large rock at bottom of lake.

 

[Jgorm]

It's harder to get them to swing it with a long rope but you can if you punch it at the right time. I gave my tube away as soon as my 6 and 8yo could kneeboard. I can knock anybody off a tube, guaranteed. It's not how well you can ride it, but how well you can fly it.

 

[2kwik4u]

I somewhat echo the thoughts of others on Tubes. I dislike them pretty much all the time. They are a pain to inflate, store, use, and pose a plethora of safety issues. Some you can control (speed, aggressiveness of ride, and other can't control (head butts, people trying to stand on them, etc). Overall my 8yr old doesn't like them, and I'm completely OK with that.

When the cousins or nieces/nephews are around I end up blowing it up and towing it around anyway. We use a 60' rope, and attach it to the ski eye on the stern MOST times. Sometimes we complaints of spray from the tower. This isn't a great tow point because as the boat pitches fore and after over other wakes/waves, the pull force varies and leads to sudden jerks on the line. The stern has a much more consistent pull force associated with it.

Jet boat has required a bit of adjustment of technique to make the "swing out of the wake" maneuver happen. Run at speed (20-22ish), turn, accelerate straight back to speed, turn back to original course, accelerate back to speed. Lather, Rinse, Repeat.

I wonder what kind of surface speed can be generated with a "pendulum" swing. I need to go do some math.

 

[Jgorm]

I wonder what kind of surface speed can be generated with a "pendulum" swing. I need to go do some math.

70+, probably 90+. I've pulled tubes straight at 60 and they don't fly. Users cartwheel 2-4 times when they crash on a big whip. This was with a 350 io 20' boat. Go about 50mph, gentle turn until they get outside the wake, then pin it and decrease the turn radius. The boat will nearly stop from the force but the tube will be whipping!

 

[Stacey in SC]

I just pump till it’s HARD, super firm.

Walk away......LOL

 

[Stacey in SC]

hmm I boats lists the standard rope length for towing tubes at 75 feet everywhere

Where did you see that? I've been shopping around and all I'm seeing is 50' and 60' at several different sites.

 

[Stacey in SC]

Where did you buy that length of rope and do you have twin engine or single engine?

Hi Chris - I know this was last year, but were you ever able to purchase a 70 or 75' rope? I am striking out. Everything I can find is 60' or less.

 

[JDFester]

Hi Chris - I know this was last year, but were you ever able to purchase a 70 or 75' rope? I am striking out. Everything I can find is 60' or less.

The 60' of rope that comes with this ball are in sections; I think 40, 10, 6, and 4. I use the ball with some tubes, but the flexible rope sections are very handy...

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[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Where did you see that? I've been shopping around and all I'm seeing is 50' and 60' at several different sites.

Thar was a couple years ago I just did a search on google and I boats showed a 75 foot rope if you can't find one make it that is what I do I add a bungee tow rope to it also to reduce shock to the passengers and always pump the tube solid with a big hand pump at the end, all previously posted several times.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

And we can't forget my favorite way to tow people on tubes,

 

[JDFester]

... always pump the tube solid with a big hand pump at the end, all previously posted several times.

Can't overemphasize the importance of this, surprisingly enough, even more important with light weight riders. The airhead 110V pump that comes with a check valve is the only high volume pump that I have found that will get them tight enough on their own, and that's without the check valve. Most portable 12V or battery powered pumps are limited to 1-2PSI, you need 4-6, which in most cases will require a large hand pump to achieve. Tube should be TIGHT within the cover; if it moves, its not full. Also, when you throw the tube into the water, the water cools it, which also lowers the air pressure, so recheck it and top it off after the first ride, once the cover is good and soaked.

 

[Stacey in SC]

Thar was a couple years ago I just did a search on google and I boats showed a 75 foot rope if you can't find one make it that is what I do I add a bungee tow rope to it also to reduce shock to the passengers and always pump the tube solid with a big hand pump at the end, all previously posted several times.

I read the other posts. I was trying to find one to buy, but ultimately got a 60 and two bungee extenders....thanks.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

cool

 

[grywlfbg]

One other thing I've noticed, I need to reinflate after the first run. I think the tube and air are usually warmer than the water (especially from an electric pump) and so when the tube hits the water the air cools down and loses a little pressure.