Tow inflatable tube from Tower?

[surroundsound64]

I have a hard time seeing how a tube puts too much stress on a tower. It has 4 attach points and the pole is just a pole. Second, I really don't see how a tube puts more strain on any point than a wakeboarder. Tubes don't take hard cuts, wakeboarders get slack in the rope that gets snatched back, etc...

And I really don't see tubing as more dangerous than boarding, skiing, hydrofoiling, etc... Take a slalom skier out of the hole, if they fail to get up and the rope pops you all know how that can smack someone in the face. That wouldn't be any stretch to say it could smash someone's eye. I had a guy I went to college with who's femer went through his tibula or fibula one when he was just getting up on the board.

I think it all boils down to any type of activity where you are attached to a high performance vehicle with a rope is a great formula for a big rut-ro. I don't see a tube being any more dangerous really.

[DanielC]

You are welcome to believe what you want. I have over 2360 hours on my 1997 Ski Nautique, many of those hours at summer camps, with boating activities. By far, the camp nurses and doctors most common reason for having to treat injuries of all types are from those caused or related to riding on inflatables. This is not hearsay, I was there.
I worked at a Nautique dealership from 2001 to 2003. Again, I personally had to redo the lower pylon mount in a Ski Nautique, that was damaged pulling tubes.
I also work on a 1998 Ski Nautique that my church owns. (it was donated) The boat has some minor cracks in the gelcoat around the rear tower mount, starboard side. These cracks showed up after it boat was used at summer camp. pulling tubes. Since the boat has not pulled any tubes the cracks are not getting worse.
I have had my mirror on my boat broken when a tube rope broke.

You can believe that tubing is no more dangerous than other towed watersports activity, if you want, but my personal experience makes me think otherwise.

[SkiTower]

Tubing is the activity people do when they know nothing else. Also, ignorant people feel it's safe. Ignorance and inexperience lead people to a false sense of security getting hurt (kinda like jetskiing). Everybody talks about how dangerous motorcycles are. Anybody who rides knows how vulnerable you are and the result is you are more aware of your surroundings (except for idiots)...

As for the stress on a tower, I pulled a four man tube (with 4 small kids on it) once and will never do it again. It scared the $#!& out of me what it did to my boat. As for getting up on wakeboard or skis, that is by design to the rear. The side loads are what breaks things...

[swc5150]

Nice assumption on the "Wally" thing. We were going in a straight line, saw big boat waves coming and throttled right down. Probably weren't doing 5 mph when the waves hit us. She bounced straight in the air but held on with her hands. This caused her to flip forward. If I'd been 15 mph she would probably have bounced off backwards and would have been fine. Don't think I haven't second guessed my decision a thousand times. Still think I did the right thing, just a fluke outcome.
She deals just fine with the scar. Worst day of my life. Needless to say I would never have anything to do with tubes again.

Although I wasn't injured, I had the same thing happen to me while being on a tube. We hit the wake of an IO at about 10 mph, but I was still launched into orbit. I was sore, but that was about it. There's no doubt this stuff can be dangerous regardless of how careful one is. The story of your daughter is a sad one, and I can't imagine what all of you went through.

[shonuff]

I have a hard time seeing how a tube puts too much stress on a tower. It has 4 attach points and the pole is just a pole. Second, I really don't see how a tube puts more strain on any point than a wakeboarder. Tubes don't take hard cuts, wakeboarders get slack in the rope that gets snatched back, etc...

Its about surface area. A tube has way more surface area dragging through the water compared to a wakeboard. Once a wakeboarder is on plane, only part of the board is dragging through the water.

Think about this, when you make a hard cut on a wakeboard you're building line tension that travels through your hands and arms. You can't put the line in more tension than you can hold in your hands. Now get on a tube with a friend or two and instead of attaching the rope to the tube use your handle and see how long you can hold on. There will be so much tension on that rope during the initial acceleration you'll probably be pulled off the tube if you don't let go.

[AirTool]

Now get on a tube with a friend or two and instead of attaching the rope to the tube use your handle and see how long you can hold on. There will be so much tension on that rope during the initial acceleration you'll probably be pulled off the tube if you don't let go.

Yeah or have the person in the boat hold the handle. They wont be able to do it. Four man tube ropes have a breaking strength of 2000 lb for a reason.

On the injuries, one of the reasons that tubing is more dangerious is that the rider has no contorl. His/her life is in the hands of the driver and Lady Luck. When things go wrong on a knee board or wake board, the rider drops the handle at their own limit.

[wake_fun]

To answer your question, no I would not stop wakeboarding, or downhill skiing or playing hockey or whatever else I did as a kid and my kid does or will do now. But it sure does make you worry.

I was thinking about this exact thing this weekend. My little guy is 4.5 and loves the water and is a good swimmer with a life jacket on, he takes lots of lessons, and loves speed. I've had him up on an EZ Ski Trainer (http://www.ezski.net/) since last summer. He likes it, tries to make it jump and wants to keep going faster, but he's getting bored and has jumped off it just for fun. What he really likes is riding in the middle of my Connelly Mega Wing tube and getting whipped around. I hate wasting time and good water with the tube and I do see it as dangerous and potentially scary for him if he spilled out, which he hasn't yet.

So how did you guys deal with this and at what age did you get your kids up on a wakeboard or a set of real water skis? Remember he isn't 5 yet and on the EZ SKi you don't actually hold a rope attached to the boat.

I went on a 5 day camping/lake trip a few weeks ago. A friend gave me a Hydroslide and my brother brought a set of trainer skis like THESE. My daughters are 10 and 7. My 10 year old wakeboards already and the 7 year old is still trying. They both learned the kneeboard and trainer skis very quickly! I was VERY surprised on how they instantly got up on the kneeboard, I guess because they are so light. It was an older one so they had to hold the rope and get up onto their knees. We never got the tube out during the entire vacation!!!!

[HS]

Wake_Fun and Daniel and others here make good points and I agree with getting the young ones into the sport early, they learn so fast and develop skills quickly. Yeah, we have a tube and it is deflated on a rack in the garage and the kids have forgotten about it. In 2008 we started them on the HO Trainer skiis on a boom then they moved to behind the boat; and later we repeated the process with a 109 cm wakeboard. It didn't happen overnight and it required a lot of patience, but now, the 9 year old is very confident crossing the wakes and the 11 year old is (on a 119 cm) jumping, doing surface 180s, Olly's and can ride switch. The kneeboard was a great way for them to build confidence behoind the boat as well.

[LR3w8kbrdr]

Yeah or have the person in the boat hold the handle. They wont be able to do it. Four man tube ropes have a breaking strength of 2000 lb for a reason.

On the injuries, one of the reasons that tubing is more dangerious is that the rider has no contorl. His/her life is in the hands of the driver and Lady Luck. When things go wrong on a knee board or wake board, the rider drops the handle at their own limit.

Ive been launched off a tube and into a dock when my idiot friend was towing double tubes, went skidding across the water like a rock after going airborn. Exact same reason why i dont ride on the back of someone jetski/waverunner...u never know the stupid crap theyll pull. Ive been knocked out twice and broken ankle letting someone drive our waverunner with me on the back. No more

[EntiatSkier]

Jetskis are one of the most dangerous things on the water. Not because of the machine, but because of the water. On the fourth of july this year, this jetski was going along, not paying attention of course. They were looking behind them and turned with in 5 feet of a boat going about 30mph. The sad part is, they didnt even know what just happened. the jet skier just kept oing like nothing happened. They are just asking for trouble.

The thing i REALLY hate is how jet skis think they own the water. When pulling skiers and what not on our huge river, we go along the side of the river for the perfect water, but of course... a jetski has to be coming straight at us and make us move. No matter where you go now, there are always jet skis with stupid people driving them. They are the ones that are suppose to follow the rules too. But apparently they dont have too. They can just what ever they want now.

[Kmayotte]

Suffice to say tubing & jet skiing suck as compared to higher skill watersports.

People will always get hurt doing dumb stuff. Even you and me from time to time...

[surroundsound64]

Yeah or have the person in the boat hold the handle. They wont be able to do it. Four man tube ropes have a breaking strength of 2000 lb for a reason.

On the injuries, one of the reasons that tubing is more dangerious is that the rider has no contorl. His/her life is in the hands of the driver and Lady Luck. When things go wrong on a knee board or wake board, the rider drops the handle at their own limit.

I had assumed we were talking about a 1 man tube. I definitely see your point with a 4 or more man tube as has been mentioned elsewhere on the thread.

However, with a 1 man tube the rider still has to hang on. If the force gets too much and they let go, the stress is immediately greatly reduced as it is the weight of the rider pinning the tube down. In fact, usually when a rider falls the tube takes flight. So I still fail to see THAT much difference with a single rider.


Now, don't get me wrong, a hate pulling tubes as much as the rest of you and I definitely hate trying to board or ski when some guy with a bayliner is doing donughts with one. I just think maybe sometimes they are overly criticized. Also, I am all for teaching people at a young age a real water talent.

[dreed]

Wow, alright... I guess I stirred up the pot. I got 5 pages of posts on this thread and only a few on my maintenance thread! ;-) I am convinced about the tubes, never liked it anyways.... seems to be very hard on the boat/rudder for the type of driving you have to do in order for it to be fun anyways. The 8 year old almost has the wakeboard down and the 6 year is getting on the kneeboard this weekend!

Thanks!

[NCH2oSki]

I second the remark about the Obrien Fun board. Its cheap, and easy to ride, and can be used for a body board in the ocean if you like. My girl loves hers, and I'm sure it has helped her ski skills. She rides it holding onto the rope like a kneeboard, and can run the mini course with it at 32' off 15 mph. (I think it is teaching her handle control and stacked position, or at least in my mind it is)

[brananders]

Its seems the Obrien Fun Board is no longer in production. Its out of stock everywhere and not listed on their website. Any other kneeboard recommendations for young children?