pulling a tube with the pylon vs rear hook,

[dshaff24]

I don't know if the newer style boats do this but my 86 sunsport pulling a tube behind the boat from the rear hook creats the tube to be pulled nose down in to the water and snaps the line so last year we been pulling the tube from the pylon with out any issues and it makes tubing a blast compared to being pulled behind my speedboat, Now is the pylon rated to be pulling a tube? How about a wakeboard tower? Reason I ask is because when we have friends and fam down the tube is the #1 water sport and I want to actaully remove the pylon for more room and maybe use the tower, The tube is a small 1 person really, but 2 can fit with limited room!

Just looking for some input, My tower is a fat bar2.25 side bars and 2.38 top bars

[Fman]

I don't know if the newer style boats do this but my 86 sunsport pulling a tube behind the boat from the rear hook creats the tube to be pulled nose down in to the water and snaps the line so last year we been pulling the tube from the pylon with out any issues and it makes tubing a blast compared to being pulled behind my speedboat, Now is the pylon rated to be pulling a tube? How about a wakeboard tower? Reason I ask is because when we have friends and fam down the tube is the #1 water sport and I want to actaully remove the pylon for more room and maybe use the tower, The tube is a small 1 person really, but 2 can fit with limited room!

Just looking for some input, My tower is a fat bar2.25 side bars and 2.38 top bars

How is your pylon mounted? On the newer V-drive boats it is no problems with towing a tube on the pylon. If it is the old style with a longer pole and not too much support I would probably not recommend it. Definitely a "no" on towing tubes with your tower --- wakeboards only on the tower.

Do you have some pics on how your pylon is mounted?

Just my .02

[docdrs]

The problem are the lateral forces that can be applied by the tube due to the weight in the tube but also the tube drag that is amplified by more weight and the tube hitting waves. Sure a small kid in a small tube will be ok but with 3 person tubes and the fact that we are usually pushing the limits to get those 3 out of the tube,and some of the jerking that can occur with inexperienced drivers , there is no way i would use anything other than the lifting hooks. Unless you have some sort of safety release for your tower (not sure at what lbs it should be set at, have a wake boarder do a power cut ) . If your staying in the wake then thats a diff story. Plus its fun to see the looks on their faces when the nose of the tube start submerging.

:) its all good

[klewis]

Do not pull a tube with the tower ever! Not only because of the forces the tower wasn't designed for, but the potential for a tube to get farther into the air than it should. If a tube gets too much air it will flip and not be a good experience for the riders.

I pull our tube from the pylon only because the rear hook drags the rope in the wake too much and makes it impossible to get a good whip. I wish I could though as getting a good whip is easier to initiate the farther back on the boat the tube is attached.

[csuggs]

Think of it this way - the pylon on your boat was originally used by skiing professionals for slalom pulls, which is a much greater load on the pylon than you will ever have with a wakeboard. Skiing a slalom course at 36mph with a grown man running the course at 15-off results in hard-pulling slalom turns that are felt inside the boat. If you've ever driven the course with such a skier you know that it's a hand-full to keep the boat straight through the narrow bouys that the driver must navigate - all the while keeping the speed on 36. That being said, the pylon is made to take such a load. Now consider ski show professionals that pull multiple skiers forming pyramids, or even multiple barefoot skiers from a deep-water start. All of these are pulled from the pylon that was designed for this load. Last year, I pulled five large tubes with five grown teenagers in them, all from my pylon. I could see the pylon flex as we pulled them, but that is what it was designed to do. I would not however pull such a load from a tower - not because the tower can't handle it, but because the stress on the fiberglass where the tower is mounted would be too great. Unless of course you have one of the newer boats with integrated tower that is anchored into the frame of the boat. Even still, I like what klewis said about the tube flipping if mounted on the tower - that could be bad for the riders. Bottom line, the pylon is your best bet for heavier loads.

[iwakeboard]

You should never tow a tube with a tower, period. I don't know why you couldn't use the pylon, if I ever used a tube I'd use it...but I'll never use a tube, so...

[Fman]

You should never tow a tube with a tower, period. I don't know why you couldn't use the pylon, if I ever used a tube I'd use it...but I'll never use a tube, so...

Consider yourself lucky, my kids love that thing, its a three person ride. I always dread when they want to take it out, but they sure have a great time on it. Its good to use when the water is choppy and the wind kicks up.

[csuggs]

Consider yourself lucky, my kids love that thing, its a three person ride. I always dread when they want to take it out, but they sure have a great time on it. Its good to use when the water is choppy and the wind kicks up.

Dittos here Fman. I don't like to take it either, but the kids like it and, well when the wife says we take it, I usually take it. But . . . the kids are getting better about wanting to take it less frequently. Yay !!!!

[docdrs]

Yep, i'm with you guys, i hate the things,but the kids love em.....so i have a 1:1 policy. You get 10 mins of tubing for every 10 mins of wakeboard, ski, wake surf, kneeboard. tubes are the couch potatoe of the water world

[iwakeboard]

I have no problem with anyone else using them, as long as they're not screwing up the water too bad, but I just surf when the water is crap. To reiterate though, never tow a tube with a tower! A friendly message from your friendly neighborhood tower-guy!

[ngavchris]

I have used a pylon for tubes for over 20 years. Never a problem even with adults on a 3 man tube. I can control the tube much better if it is hooked to the pylon. Makes the ride better as well for those on the tube. You can see mine flex as well, however, it does not bend the pylon.

[syrupdawg]

Yep, i'm with you guys, i hate the things,but the kids love em.....so i have a 1:1 policy. You get 10 mins of tubing for every 10 mins of wakeboard, ski, wake surf, kneeboard. tubes are the couch potatoe of the water world

i resent that statement...have you ever rode a tube and had tube wars where you jump back and forth and try to knock somebody else off or even rolled a tube? its actually really fun and more tireing than wakeboarding because you steadily have to pull yourself back on the tube. here is a pic of me riding a tube last summer and rolling it

[docdrs]

Thats extreme tubeing,which i am all for. Its the take us for a ride but don't get us wet tubing i hate. Sorry dawg, i should have been more specific. And yes i have riden a tube only under the condition that the boat driver is to do anything in his power to get me off it except jerk it from a loose line....not good for the pylon imo......have been hangin on upside down thinking i should let go or its going to hurt when i hit the water.....thats alot of fun...if your not having fun behind the boat we had better be having fun in the boat.

[dshaff24]

Yeah I agree about the whole tubing thing but it is what it is, Kids + my wifes girl friends don't wakeboard or ski so you have to put them on something they can enjoy, That and at the end of the Day I don't mind getting pulled on it back to the dock since im beat from boarding all day and my wife likes to "Think" shes taking aggression out on me driving the boat while pulling me on the tube etc etc

Anyway I guess ill keep the pylon in the boat

[sybrmike]

For entertainment purposes between tournament events (slalom, trick, jump) back in college, we had "tube rodeo". Riders would take a turn trying to hold onto the tube as long as possible while the boat ran a continual figure 8 between two bouys at a set speed. You can imagine the size of the double-up wakes after a few passes. Longest time still attached to the tube wins (yes, hanging on upside down counts).

Always pulled from the pylon without ever ripping one out.

[dshaff24]

i resent that statement...have you ever rode a tube and had tube wars where you jump back and forth and try to knock somebody else off or even rolled a tube? its actually really fun and more tireing than wakeboarding because you steadily have to pull yourself back on the tube. here is a pic of me riding a tube last summer and rolling it

Tube wars! That actaully sounds like a good idea!!

[KY Steve]

I own a wakeboard boat....it doesn't pull tubes.

My old I/O pulled them fine from the Monster Tower I installed. :p

[dshaff24]

I own a wakeboard boat....it doesn't pull tubes.



That sucks I own a "ski boat" that pulls skiers wakeboarders kneeboards and tubes, you must of got ripped off haha Sometimes it even pulls boats that run out of gas ! I must of got the special edition tow package:p :cool:

[csuggs]

That sucks I own a "ski boat" that pulls skiers wakeboarders kneeboards and tubes, you must of got ripped off haha Sometimes it even pulls boats that run out of gas ! I must of got the special edition tow package:p :cool:

If this forum had a "like" button (like the one on Facebook), I'd use it here! Well said, dshaff.

[KY Steve]

That sucks I own a "ski boat" that pulls skiers wakeboarders kneeboards and tubes, you must of got ripped off haha Sometimes it even pulls boats that run out of gas ! I must of got the special edition tow package:p :cool:

Great reply! I am half joking about the tube because I do keep one on board for my dog to ride, I havn't found wakeboard boots small enough to fit her paws.
I'll post a pic of her surfing when we get back out this Spring.

In all seriousness, I hate tubes. For me if you are going to spend the time and effort to pull someone behind a boat...teach them a skill! Anybody can tube, even a dog. Plus wakeboarding, kneeboarding, surfing, skiing, ect. can be a lot more fun. I feel the exact same way about snow tubing for you avid snowboarders or skiers out there like myself.

Truthfully, everyone on this forum should be thankful we have the resources and live in a country that allows us to even spend our limited and valuable time on the water. Most of my recreational time is spent with my family on the water in some capacity.....there's nothing better.

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz327/toolsail/Launch24/IMG_3265_xsm.jpg

And look....the tube is being pulled with the tower!

[csuggs]

That's cool that your dog is out there. My choc. lab went for jet ski rides when he was a pup, and he loves the water, but I don't think he'd sit in the tube!

I hate tubes also, mostly because there's no place to put it in the boat and it's always in the way - so we usually don't take it. Or I'll throw it in the back of the truck and when we get to the ramp I mysteriously "forget" to put it in the boat before we launch! But sometimes . . . well you just have to do what you have to do.

[87SunSportMikeyD]

Hey that is a great pic! Do you really get her on a surfboard too? Awesome!

To bring this thread back I would like to refer back to the original post - who pulls tubes with the rear hook?? Is it fine to pull a couple people/tubes? Just curious in case I ever need to hehe. No more pylon for me! I love the area that was reclaimed when it was removed.

[Salty87]

In all seriousness, I hate tubes. For me if you are going to spend the time and effort to pull someone behind a boat...teach them a skill!

i agree completely with this statement.

i'm not a tube-nazi or anything but i don't own one. i'd rather spend however long it takes getting someone up on a board than driving around in circles pulling a tube. blown-out afternoons and drunk chicks are always the exception.