What age to start tubing?

[Murf'n'surf]

At what age would you/did you start putting your kiddos in a tube and towing them around?

 

[ToddW850]

The younger they are, the slower I go. Only going into 3rd season with my boat and my kids are in their teens (13 and 15 when I got the boat). But I've taken my nieces out and they were 8 and 10.

 

[Julian]

Caitlin might have been 2 when we first took her tubing (with an adult).....definately by the time she was 3. In a sit down/sit in style tube that is very stable.

 

[octavio3311]

My kids were 5.

 

[GiddYupJoe]

Bennett was two when we put him in the tube with my wife this past summer. Oliver was 5 and he went by himself.

 

[RiverRat]

My daughter was about 3 and a half when she got on the tube for the first time.

 

[scubarick314]

Our youngest was 2 when he went tubing the first time. He was with his 12 year old brother. We went very slow on a calm day.

 

[Big Shasta]

My youngest was 5 when we got the boat. But I probably would have started about 2 with an adult or her older sister. Good lifevest and very slow speeds of course.

 

[Ronnie]

My wife, son and I rode together in a four person tube when my son was just over one year old. It wasn't planned, we were visiting my cousin in Seattle and one of the days there happened to be a boating day. As soon as we got back we bought a four person tube of our own. My only regret is I don't have a pic of my son tubing for the first time in his life.

 

[scokill]

I think we had my youngest daughter in sit down tube at 4. She was skiing at 5 and wakeboarding at 6.

 

[d_coyne1984]

I think the "safe" age is very relative to the water conditions, speed, and whether or not they are being held by an adult or not. I am taking my 3 year old niece out this summer with her father holding her. He is not worried about it at all and she LOVES the boat. I will only put-put around at 5-10mph though. My wife's family are boat people too and they don't agree with me taking her out yet no matter what.

 

[4x15mph]

I think it comes down to their familiarity (i.e. swimming) and comfort with water (i.e. fear of water monsters).

 

[kthrash]

Mine were 6, started skiing at 8, wake boarding at 10, they still love to tube..

 

[Glassman]

Considering one of my daughters was just weeks old (can't remember zactly how many) her first time on a boat and it was an 8 hour sail over to Catalina with just my wife and I, I guess I start 'em young. She was probably around one I suppose maybe two, but no older. Same goes for her younger sister. She's a hard charger though - if I had it to do all over again I'd do it all over again.

I was lucky that they just love the water and learned to swim very early.

My grandson is two and he's a veteran on the tube, this year we try skiis and maybe he'll hitch a ride on a surfboard!

 

[DonWon]

My kids were both started at 3. My daughter started snow skiig at 2, so I figured...why not? They are 4 and 7 now.

 

[Westbeach Bum]

My 8 year old daughter started riding by herself at 4, although she is fearless. My 3 year old son who can't stand to get his head wet may not ride until he is 20.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Thanks for all of your answers and stories. This gives me an idea of when I can try getting my little guy on the tube.

 

[jcyamaharider]

My oldest was 8 when we put her on the tube, her smaller sister is fearless and got on the tube at 5. Both have now progressed to kneeboarding. Hopefully I can get the oldest to try surfing this year!

 

[robbo3]

We bought a Rave Hydro race car style tube for small kids. It's extremely stable and can also hold an adult with a small child.

 

[JJ-B-Boatin]

My daughters were 2 and 2 .5 years old - with an adult, in a very stable 3 person tube (sit in style) at slow speeds. They loved it!