Never done it! Recently bought an Airhead 3 person tube! Any advise, I need to be aware of:question: Don’t want to get anyone hurt!
I’ll shoot the video. This gonna be great
“I don’t want to be accused of not being helpful so, I’d start by keeping my mouth closed when outside. Hope this helps.” -DFreedom Aug 28 2017
Pee, my Grand Daughter and Wife are going to be on that tube! We were talking about it this weekend and the GD says if the Wife is riding it won’t be fun! The GD yells Faster, Faster, the Wife yells Slow Down, Slow Down! The GD said once, that the next trip would be a lot more fun, because we were leaving Grand Ma home! 
Later Grand Ma says, I’ll show that little Bi**h
There are common sense rules about pulling people behind a boat:
It is illegal for vessels to tow persons on water skis, a surfboard, or any other device between sunset and sunrise.
Vessels towing water-skiers or participating in a similar activity must operate in a careful and prudent manner. A reasonable distance from other boats, people, and property must be maintained so as not to endanger life or property. Buzzing or spraying another boat or a swimmer is illegal.
Those being towed must wear a U.S. Coast Guard–approved Type I, II, III, or V PFD.
Every vessel towing a person(s) on water skis, a surfboard, or a similar device must have on board:
A person, in addition to the boat operator, observing the towed person(s) or…
A wide-angle rearview mirror mounted such that the operator can observe the towed person(s) at all times.
If an observer is used when towing a person behind a PWC, the PWC must be rated for three people—the operator, the observer, and the retrieved skier.
“Another poon dream splintered on the rocks of reality.” --Peepod 07-25-2017
Thanks 23! Didn’t think about an observer, or a rear view!
it’s a good idea to have a mirror even with an observer, the observer will say “they fell off” (and they need to say it quickly) but you’ll want to watch other things and driving and constantly turning around is difficult
my experience with observers is they are to busy laughing and forget what they need to do, softly saying “oh they fell off” 10 seconds after it happens is not useful
make sure the tube doesn’t go underwater, it can wreck the tube and significantly strain the tow system, this can happen when you first start or if it turns upside down
get the boat and the tube up on a plane, for me that’s 18 mph or higher, 20 - 25 is a normal tow speed for beginners, experienced tubers will want 30-35, they are shifting weight to manage the tube and doing tricks
when you turn sharply the tube will get outside of the wake, it may take a couple turns in succession, that generates high tube speeds, if the water is smooth AND the rider doesn’t lean outward it’s fun, if it’s choppy or they lean outward the tube will bounce and can roll over, at 35+ mph bad stuff can happen
with enough speed if the girl has on a bikini and the lower half goes off the back of the tube she will be nekkid, guys can loose suits
if there are boat wakes or waves, crossing them with speed bounces the tube or throws it in the air, all kinds of bad stuff can happen, with two riders they can slam together - head to head is bad, chin to head is really bad
if you are in a creek or narrow water way and are following the channel you’ll be thinking about not hitting land, at slower speeds the tube will follow the boat unless there are two or more quick turns, once the tube is outside the wake the next turn will send it wide and fast, that’s OK except for the above stuff and slinging it up on land, into a dock or boat, or into an oyster bank
so - observer, mirror, tight fitting life jacket, get up on a plane, don’t submarine the tube, don’t cross wakes or waves at high speeds, don’t sling the tube to fast into something, have fu
$%##@, I thought he’s wanting to get his head right when he said pulling a tube.
Now Polly, Easy doesn’t need one of those before towing a tube. How ever that might be why he didn’t care about the chirping detector.
16’ Bonito 65 Johnson
Don’t pull behind you pickup, the asphalt could be dangerous!
quote:You think he saw chrome gnats?
Originally posted by carolinacootNow Polly, Easy doesn’t need one of those before towing a tube. How ever that might be why he didn’t care about the chirping detector.
16’ Bonito 65 Johnson
Poly is that a picture of your collection? Which one do you like best?
quote:Negative. Quit with those years ago , good memories, we had one in college tied to a cord from the ceiling and would swing it over to the next man up.......prevented bong lock .
Originally posted by boatpoorPoly is that a picture of your collection? Which one do you like best?