Where to attach a tube rope...

[KTC]

Lifting or strapping to the trailer from the transom hooks are both shear loads. Pulling from the rear is a tension load. The strain/stress calculations should include anticipated loads for X, Y, and Z. KC

[Birm]

We've had 5 tubes on our pylon at once. We've had 6 slalom skiers on our pylon at once. Last year at the Malibu open, I saw a Response with the Hammerhead 383 completely bog down and stop completely at WOT trying to pull a pyramid dock start. They were all being pulled from the pylon.

The pylon is stronger than any motor Malibu puts in their boats... Just tow from there and you'll be fine...

Sold! Towing tubes from the pylon.

[UWSkier]

I can't believe anyone is talking about pulling tubes from the transom eyes. That's the biggest wallyism I've ever read on this site from people who claim to be serious inboard owners...

Towing from the transom grab handle would be fine for 2-3 tubes as well. They reinforce that area with layers of this particular foam-like fibrous substance that when glassed is much stronger than wood laminate. They reinforce all their towers like this now too.

[chathamsolutions]

...

Towing from the transom grab handle would be fine for 2-3 tubes as well. They reinforce that area with layers of this particular foam-like fibrous substance that when glassed is much stronger than wood laminate. They reinforce all their towers like this now too.

It's true. I was there when he saw it. Could barely hear Jorge tell us all how it works.

[Muffintop]

Is there a reason to not pull tubers from the tower?

[GoldschlagerVT]

I dont get it. Why not just use the pylon?

I can't believe anyone is talking about pulling tubes from the transom eyes. That's the biggest wallyism I've ever read on this site from people who claim to be serious inboard owners...

Towing from the transom grab handle would be fine for 2-3 tubes as well. They reinforce that area with layers of this particular foam-like fibrous substance that when glassed is much stronger than wood laminate. They reinforce all their towers like this now too.

To answer both of you. If you have an DD, and you tow from the pylon, you can't have people in the back of your boat. That's the biggest reason not to tow from that point. Plus, if you want to swing the raft, towing from the pylong is harder. If you tow from the back, you toss the raft around a lot more.

Edited June 26, 2006 by GoldschlagerVT

[poski]

Old thread...this might be a dumb question but how are you hooking up the tubes to the grab rail? Mine (and most that Bu' one I've seen) have the small hook that you'd think would be for the rope but to me it seems like it's upside down. A rope under tension might hold, but as soon as it's loose the rope falls off (I wouldn't feel like one under tension would be safe though).

I could just feed the rope all the way through and loop through itself to lock it which is I guess how it has to be done. It's bit of an inconvenience but not a big deal I suppose, but then I wonder what's the point of the small hook?

The wife went out and bought a tube to use for her neices, and is all proud of it so I can't just not do it It will just be a couple light kids who won't want to go very fast so not concerned about using the rail to keep the back seat open, just wasn't sure if I am missing something in terms of attaching to it.

[CumminsBu]

Take the end loop lay it over the top of the tow bar, push the loop down pass the point where you hook the loop between the tow bar and the boat. Pull the end of the loop through it's self back over the top and to the tow bars hook point. This is a round turn. It will not fall off when the line is slacked.

[Nitrousbird]

Ski Pylon.

Yesterday (it was a work outing), I pulled two tubes, with a 320lb guy on each. We made sure they came off in a comical fashion - no issues at all.

[Scott N]

By the way, I think tubes are great. I have seen some incredible smiles on young kids faces who are being towed on a tube with an adult. I think it is a really fun thing to do for those who aren't quite ready for boarding or skiing. Its also fun every now and then for us grown ups.

Agreed!

Lots of great memories of my bro and our friends going crazy with tube. Was always fun to get a willing participant into a massive whip to see how long they held on before the tube got loft and inverted the rider.

When our 18mo old son gets a little older, wife and I are also planing to take him on the tube with us at low speeds as a nice way to introduce him to the idea of being pulled behind a boat.

Everything has a time and place...

Edited June 14, 2012 by Scott N

[jwl019]

Here's you some pics of how to wrap it, you can start over or under the grab bar but it is still the same method.

Step 1 - lay rope over or under grab bar with plenty extra to wrap around again

Step 2 - make 2nd wrap and loop around hoop

Step 3 - pull tight

Pic from top

Pic from bottom:

And there you go!

[SmoothWaterMan]

Old thread.

And not to crank it up again, but use the pylon. The rear grab handle is more handle than it is a tow point. I'm tired of repairing stress cracks from grab handles. Use the pylon.

pb

[MalibuNation]

I always thought you where suppose to use the transom hooks/eyes.

Isn't there a sticker on the pylon saying it's for one skier or one bare footer. Also there's been some previous post where towing tubes from the pylon has caused damage.

Something like this should help:

http://www.airhead.com/airhead/ahth8hd.php

[Soon2BV]

When our 18mo old son gets a little older, wife and I are also planing to take him on the tube with us at low speeds as a nice way to introduce him to the idea of being pulled behind a boat.

Comment - Why wait? I think my kids were all 18 - 24 months when they first rode in a tube. It was a large OBrien where they coud sit down inside and have another person on with them.

Comment - the best reason to NOT use the tow eyes is that they keep the rope in the water most of the time and you don't get as much tube movement because of that extra drag. The boat makes a pretty big wake at these speeds, and the rope is right in it.

We use the pylon (V-drive) and it keeps the ropes up and helps always keep the from of the tube from wanting to dive.

[Bill_AirJunky]

Old thread.

And not to crank it up again, but use the pylon. The rear grab handle is more handle than it is a tow point. I'm tired of repairing stress cracks from grab handles. Use the pylon.

pb

Just looking at the structure backing up the grab handle or the pylon on my Vride would give me 1/2 a clue. The grab handle has nothing by 1/2" of fiberglass backing it up. The pylon has a big aluminum frame tied into the glass hull.... it has to be WAY stronger.

I towed a 60' barge from the pylon for the 4th of July last year...... I sure HOPE it's the right way to do it.

Comment - Why wait? I think my kids were all 18 - 24 months when they first rode in a tube. It was a large OBrien where they coud sit down inside and have another person on with them.

Agreed. Youngest SkySki rider was 2 yrs old. Youngest skier wasn't much older.

I've had 4 yr olds sitting in my lap, They loved it.

Edited June 16, 2012 by Bill_AirJunky

[SmoothWaterMan]

Yes, the pylon has been tested over the years at upwards of 2000 lbs. And that was the direct drive, where the receiver was fiberglass wrapped around the pylon. By far the strongest tow point in the boat.

The transom eyes are strong, particularly in vertical, but the rear grab handle is....well, a grab handle. Towers are stronger than most think due to the load dispersion.

Peter

[ffdawg]

It would be nice if we could get clarification on this from Malibu, themselves, instead of everyone's speculation. I have a direct drive and have always towed tubes from the rear grab handle. Last year I bought one of those HO Sports models that holds four people mainly for some extra lounge-space when we're anchored. There were a couple times, though, that I had four adult men on the tube at the same time and towed them pretty good, including flipping the tube several times. All done from the rear grab handle, and never gave it a second thought. Zero stress cracks. Now I'm nervous.

[apwrx]

I figured the rear ring on the grab handle was good as well. Ive towed 3 tubes with 5 adult males from it and no harm done.Now iam nervous about towing from it.

[JoeMama]

I never even thought about it. I always use rear transom ring. Mainly cause I think the rope on pylon may touch sunpad during tubing and cause wear. Now I guess I should think about it !!!

[CumminsBu]

Malibu engineer just called and said "Stop useing your boats to pull tubers!!!"

Lol!

[AxisA22]

do you think I can pull a skier from the transform bar hook????

[MalibuTime]

do you think I can pull a skier from the transform bar hook????

That must just be an Axis thing.

[scott_fx]

So I removed my sky pylon last year when i reupholstered my boat (after people hitting there heads on it, accidentally sitting on it, kicking it, etc...) i didnt think twice about it. I do have a tube but leave it at home most of the time as we use my buddy's stern drive and his tube when we're goofing off.

That being said. i did fashion a coated steel cable with two stainless hooks that i planned on hooking up to each transom ring in case i ever did tow. Is this a bad idea? I dont want to tow from the tower and thought that distributing the weight and centering the tow point would be an added bonus of using the transom hooks and the cable....

sort of like this:

http://www.shopatron.com/products/productdetail/part_number=2099056/1001.2?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=googleshopping&os=googleshopping

[Michigan boarder]

Comment - Why wait? I think my kids were all 18 - 24 months when they first rode in a tube. It was a large OBrien where they coud sit down inside and have another person on with them.

Comment - the best reason to NOT use the tow eyes is that they keep the rope in the water most of the time and you don't get as much tube movement because of that extra drag. The boat makes a pretty big wake at these speeds, and the rope is right in it.

We use the pylon (V-drive) and it keeps the ropes up and helps always keep the from of the tube from wanting to dive.

Exactly. On my Echelon, big people (age 7 and up) get towed by the pylon. Little kids (age 6 and under) get towed by the tower. With either tow point, I can put that tube (two person flat HO tube) within 6 inches of where I want it on the water. I can deliver a perfect ride, fast, slow, bumpy, whatever that person wants. If I hook to the tow eye or even the grab bar, the rope gets into the wake and the 1) people get a faceful of water and 2) I lose a lot of control of the tube, unless we are at high speeds. Haven't attached to any of that stuff back there in years.

[Lance B. Johnson]

According to our owners manual bill the correct place to tow the barge would have been from the transom eyes.

I need some quick tips on freeing up the pylon. Mine is seized and it's going to be kid city at the cabin tomorrow. I was going to use a cherry picker but never got around to it.