Towable Tube - Pull from the ski pylon or tower (G3)?

[rcoman]

New to boating and need some advice on whether to pull a 3 person towable from the ski pylon or from the tower. What would you recommend?

Thank you.

[Lance B. Johnson]

Ski pylon is the correct answer. To much strain on the tower and can cause gel cracking or possible failure.

[jaciche]

We always tow it from the transom handle. I believe that is the best place for the tube. Whatever you do, do not attach it to the tower or it will be flexing. I have seen 2 ski pylons bent from tubes but that was from pulling 3 tubes from it.

[wakesetter8796]

We do the tower, keeps spray out of our faces.

[absken]

Never the tower. Our last boat tower caused major gel and tower issues. That was pulling max 2 people. Will never do it again.

[wakesetter8796]

Haha wow well I have a gel crack but... It's below the windshield.

[Bill_AirJunky]

Theres a big warning decal on the tower to never tow a tube from the tower (or there used to be). And if you have a Metcraft tower, then there are TONS of documented issues online all about it.

I tow from the pylon. On the v-drives, it's directly tied into the frame around the engine & stringers. I've towed a 60' barge loaded with fireworks from there & the thing Is not going anywhere.

[rennis]

I've towed a 60' barge loaded with fireworks from there & the thing Is not going anywhere.

Now you're talking! I hope you have pictures of that.

[Bradley Thornton]

New to boating and need some advice on whether to pull a 3 person towable from the ski pylon or from the tower. What would you recommend?

Thank you.

When I pull little kids I use the tower like total weight 150 just because it keeps the rope out of the water anything other than that is ski pylon.

[WakingMeHappy]

Only tow from the tower if you're trying to get spider cracks on the gel coal where the tower mounts. In other words never tow from the tower

[Bill_AirJunky]

Now you're talking! I hope you have pictures of that.

You know, now that I think about it, there were pics of that. But terrible quality.

There was a bit of a story to it though. I had volunteered to help the crew who does our local 4th of July fireworks show. I went over a bit early just so they knew who I was & we could make arrangements before it got busy on the lake. No problem. Later I come buy & another boat was hooked up to the barge & making an attempt to do the job. Couple of issues though, it was a pontoon boat with a 125 hp outboard on it, and there was a pretty good breeze going on that day. So I stay back & just wave, making sure they know I'm there. The guy with the pontoon pulls the barge away from the shore, and sure enough, the wind kicks up & blows the whole thing sideways into the shore. I get on the WS420 mic & say, "Captain, I'm here if you need a hand". Not 2 minutes later the guy flags me over & throws us a line. I hook their line on the pylon & then slowly pull away till the line is taught, and then I gave it some grunt...... not enough to pull any water over the leading edge of the barge, but enough to pull them out from the shore & into the middle of the lake..........and to pull the pontoon boat along with it. By this time the pontoon is being pulled by his back end & he can't get it spun around to face forward. It was a riot. After we got 50' or 60' out from the shore, I let up a little to let him spin it around (and save face). The guy was pretty pissed off. We all thought it was funny as heII. I wish there were pics of that moment.

[rcoman]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I've only pulled the tube from the ski pylon and will continue to do so.

[Lance B. Johnson]

ya theres no way the pylon on a vdrive is going anywhere.

That said according to the owners manual towing other boats etc is supposed to be done from the lifting eyes. I looked it up after I had to tow a boat off the beach next to our cabin late on the 4th of july if that helps you understand how/ why he put it there

[longbeard]

I think the correct answer is to always tow tubes with someone elses boat. As in, unload all the kids that want to tube onto a different vessel and then tow wakeboarders from your tower.

[LS-One]

Two things I have always thought were a bad idea.

1. Tubes towed from the tower.

2. Boards still in the rack while doing 70 mph in the fast lane towing the boat.

Actually a third.

3. Loading the boat and trailer on a flat bed tow truck backwards. That's a lot of strain on the wind shield.

[Afun]

If you read this entire thread, you will still have no idea where to tow the tubes from. When first researched this issue the overwhelming response was not to use the ski pylon. I thought the tower would be Ok. Why could you pull a wakeboarder and not a tuber. Transom grab handle in the back should do fine. People are against that too. Any official response from Malibu? Maybe someone should call.

I have the Swoop tower.

Edited May 5, 2013 by Afun

[Bradley Thornton]

If you read this entire thread, you will still have no idea where to tow the tubes from. When first researched this issue the overwhelming response was not to use the ski pylon. I thought the tower would be Ok. Why could you pull a wakeboarder and not a tuber. Transom grab handle in the back should do fine. People are against that too. Any official response from Malibu? Maybe someone should call.

I have the Swoop tower.

I will give my 2 cents on this. Tower I agree with you if you can pull a wakeboarder why not a tuber the fact is people let slack in the rope and when it catches it puts a real bind on the tower as I said before I only pull the kids from the tower and if slack gets in the rope I stop and start over. Ski pylon if you can pull 10 skiers up at one time I think its ok no matter what but thats just what I think. Now the transom grab handle hook is hands down the best place to pull you will get more action on the tube and it is built for pulling tubers.

[Lance B. Johnson]

Hey that ski pylon on a vdrive isn't going anywhere and it's not surrounded by gel. That's the reasoning I use.

The forces are much greater pulling a tube unless your pulling the youngest kids.

[nyryan2001]

I towed up to 3 adults going ape wild crazy off the G3 . Whipping and slinging them around.

G3 is rock solid.... Not aware of any tower/gel crack issues associated with the G3.

I even had a tub submarine down to the bottom maybe 15ft down or underwater.

Towing from these other locations tended to cause water spray in their face and sometimes submarine.

[Nitrousbird]

On the rare times a tube is behind the boat, I always connect to the ski pylon. That thing isn't going anywhere.

[Fman]

I think the correct answer is to always tow tubes with someone elses boat. As in, unload all the kids that want to tube onto a different vessel and then tow wakeboarders from your tower.

That's awesome, so hard to get away from the tubes.... kids really do like them.... they are mindless though! I always make kids try something that requires effort before we get the tubes out. And as others mentioned, never tow tubes from your tower... not a great idea. I have always used the ski pylon with no problems.

Edited May 6, 2013 by Fman

[TrickyNicky]

Tubes put a lot more stress on a tow point than any reasonable amount of skiers or footers etc. With our old outboard we would try to barefoot from many starting points. One of which was a tube. Holding onto a ski rope while on a tube is a LOT more difficult than you would think. A tube has a LOT more drag than ski's, feet or a wakeboard.

Personally if I'm towing tubes it's always from the ski pylon, aside from the transom eye's, Malibu labels it as the strongest part of the boat.

I towed up to 3 adults going ape wild crazy off the G3 . Whipping and slinging them around.

G3 is rock solid.... Not aware of any tower/gel crack issues associated with the G3.

I even had a tub submarine down to the bottom maybe 15ft down or underwater.

Towing from these other locations tended to cause water spray in their face and sometimes submarine.

On side note I call BS on this, 15ft is deep!!

[obski]

Two things I have always thought were a bad idea.

1. Tubes towed from the tower.

2. Boards still in the rack while doing 70 mph in the fast lane towing the boat.

Actually a third.

3. Loading the boat and trailer on a flat bed tow truck backwards. That's a lot of strain on the wind shield.

Man, this is one of my big pet peeves. I can't believe it when I see a boat flying down I-5 with boards in the racks. That is an accident waiting to happen.

[Lance B. Johnson]

Man, this is one of my big pet peeves. I can't believe it when I see a boat flying down I-5 with boards in the racks. That is an accident waiting to happen.

Just yesterday a boat showed up at the boat ramp with the board hanging by the bungee! They were lucky the binding snagged. Still the board was beating up the side of the boat. I hope they learned a lesson.

Edited May 6, 2013 by Ruffdog

[Lance B. Johnson]

I towed up to 3 adults going ape wild crazy off the G3 . Whipping and slinging them around.

G3 is rock solid.... Not aware of any tower/gel crack issues associated with the G3.

I even had a tub submarine down to the bottom maybe 15ft down or underwater.

Towing from these other locations tended to cause water spray in their face and sometimes submarine.

i get that it worked for you. But for someone else to follow this advice and have a problem is what I would be worried about. Tower failures aren't pretty for anyone riding in the boat. At minimum spider cracking gel can get spendy. Why risk it, thats what I say. Ski pylon or not at all. I know I have said it 3 times in this thread....I feel strongly about it.