Dont Judge: Is this where I attach a tube rope?

[bkearney]

Judgement free zone.... Is this what I attach my tube rope to?

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/NBi7teFXihnyoGALA

[DAI]

7 minutes ago, bkearney said:

Judgement free zone.... Is this what I attach my tube rope to?

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/NBi7teFXihnyoGALA

I use the pop up ski pylon. 

[wdr]

Your upholstery will thank you if go below the camera.

 

Edited August 25, 2019 by wdr

[chrisnorem]

I was never comfortable with any of those tow points for a four person tube so I use an old fashion rope harness with a float on it attached to the two stainless eyelets where the trailer straps go.  Seems like strongest attachment point.  Works great.  No issues.   I would not use the ski pylon.  

[bkearney]

49 minutes ago, DAI said:

I use the pop up ski pylon. 

I dont have one of those.. just the tower and the thing on the back.

[DAI]

6 hours ago, bkearney said:

I dont have one of those.. just the tower and the thing on the back.

IMO I would use the transom eyes then.

[bkearney]

3 hours ago, DAI said:

IMO I would use the transom eyes then.

We tried light stuff from the tower, young kids. How do you have the transom eyes hooked up?

[DAI]

If I did not have the ability to use the ski pylon, I would have one of these:  Tube Rope Harness

I had one for our family deck boat, and it worked fine.  Though the rope would get caught in the wake at times.

Edited August 26, 2019 by DAI

[MalibuNation]

IIRC the pylon is "supposed" to be used for skiing and footing only.

I also connect a tube like @DAI does and use the same harness.  Hooking to the transom eye does cause more spray for the riders and less air for them.

[bkearney]

6 hours ago, MalibuNation said:

IIRC the pylon is "supposed" to be used for skiing and footing only.

I also connect a tube like @DAI does and use the same harness.  Hooking to the transom eye does cause more spray for the riders and less air for them.

I guess my main question is how much torque can the grab handle take? It looks like it is set up for lots of torque, but hte owners manual does not say anything about it.

 

[Molarbu]

I have always used the grab handle and have always used a 3-4 person tube.   Going on 13 years now.  Granted, it has primarily been my kids, but they are growing up!

 

[Steve B.]

Use that harness DAI posted.

Steve B.

[MalibuNation]

1 hour ago, bkearney said:

I guess my main question is how much torque can the grab handle take? It looks like it is set up for lots of torque, but hte owners manual does not say anything about it.

 

Just to be clear I use the transom eyes not the grab handle.

[95echelon]

Ah jeez. I have probably pulled 60 hours of quadruple tubes on my tower. They spin better that way. If a 14 year old titan III tower can do it with no ill effects, the new fancy ones should have no problem at all.

[bkearney]

5 hours ago, 95echelon said:

Ah jeez. I have probably pulled 60 hours of quadruple tubes on my tower. They spin better that way. If a 14 year old titan III tower can do it with no ill effects, the new fancy ones should have no problem at all.

Good to hear...thanks!

[604wakesurf]

I used that rear tow point and it shredded my rope

[ORMailbuboater]

Answered a similar question on a different thread about tubing off the tower. 

You can use the the grap handle or the tower.  There are weight restrictions noted in the manual on my 2016 and on the warning label.   A note about the pylon says NOT to use the pylon except for wakeboarding and skiing. No mention of towables.  

• Tower - 1 person or 500 lbs weight on the tower. 
• Grab Handle on Transom - Max 375 Lbs.  

Referenced below from the 2016 Malibu 23LSV Manual:  Applies to all Wakesetter models.

The wakeboard tower is intended for towing only as noted. It is designed to pull a limited number of individual(s), and in some cases only one (1) individual. Please consult the remainder of this manual and warning labels on tower for details. The wakeboard tower approved for use on your boat should be used only for water skis, wakeboards or recreational towables, and not for parasailing, kite flying or towing other boats. 

 

[bkearney]

On 8/29/2019 at 8:10 PM, ORMailbuboater said:

Answered a similar question on a different thread about tubing off the tower. 

You can use the the grap handle or the tower.  There are weight restrictions noted in the manual on my 2016 and on the warning label.   A note about the pylon says NOT to use the pylon except for wakeboarding and skiing. No mention of towables.  

• Tower - 1 person or 500 lbs weight on the tower. 
• Grab Handle on Transom - Max 375 Lbs.  

Referenced below from the 2016 Malibu 23LSV Manual:  Applies to all Wakesetter models.

The wakeboard tower is intended for towing only as noted. It is designed to pull a limited number of individual(s), and in some cases only one (1) individual. Please consult the remainder of this manual and warning labels on tower for details. The wakeboard tower approved for use on your boat should be used only for water skis, wakeboards or recreational towables, and not for parasailing, kite flying or towing other boats. 

 

i looked in the later manual, and could not find anything about weights,

[kylesullens]

Early in my boating career, I was told a horror story of a tower breaking when towing a multi-person tube.  Not sure if the tower failed or the fiberglass gave way, but regardless the tower collapsed while under load.  According to the source, if anyone had been seated in the rear bench seat, they would have been crushed by the tower.

Based on that story and some other sources i've read, I will *never* pull a tube from the tower.  This is a short read but it provides some numbers:

http://blog.bigairwaketowers.com/2017/02/07/pulling-an-inflatable-with-a-tower/

To each their own, but I always cringe when I see big tubes (or multiple tubes) being pulled from the tower.  Can you get more air on the tube?  Probably.  Do you have better control over the tube?  Not sure, never tried it.  Even the slightest chance of the tower collapsing is not an acceptable risk, IMHO.

[95echelon]

35 minutes ago, kylesullens said:

Early in my boating career, I was told a horror story of a tower breaking when towing a multi-person tube.  Not sure if the tower failed or the fiberglass gave way, but regardless the tower collapsed while under load.  According to the source, if anyone had been seated in the rear bench seat, they would have been crushed by the tower.

Based on that story and some other sources i've read, I will *never* pull a tube from the tower.  This is a short read but it provides some numbers:

http://blog.bigairwaketowers.com/2017/02/07/pulling-an-inflatable-with-a-tower/

To each their own, but I always cringe when I see big tubes (or multiple tubes) being pulled from the tower.  Can you get more air on the tube?  Probably.  Do you have better control over the tube?  Not sure, never tried it.  Even the slightest chance of the tower collapsing is not an acceptable risk, IMHO.

What i read from this is to pull a tube with a wakeboard rope so it breaks earlier

[kylesullens]

5 minutes ago, 95echelon said:

What i read from this is to pull a tube with a wakeboard rope so it breaks earlier

True that introducing a failure point that will give way prior to excessive load being placed on the tower will reduce the risk of failure.  Of course, breaking a rope under load has it's own consequences...

[pauley71]

The grab handle is wide in the middle because it’s designed for a rope. I tow from there or the pop up pylon. 

I mean ...I would if I allowed tubing  

[95echelon]

1 minute ago, pauley71 said:

The grab handle is wide in the middle because it’s designed for a rope. I tow from there or the pop up pylon. 

I mean ...I would if I allowed tubing  

At the end of the day that Pylon has two attachment points to the hull, in my case the tower has 4. However I have a 4 point stainless steel tower with 2.5 inch tubing. It's likely stronger than a G4.

[moski]

I have a TXI.   Last year few times and once this year I pulled from my fly high pole.  Few other times this year I switched it up-  I used the center pylon only   

s*** now I’m thinking pull from the 2 rear lower tow eyelets with a tow harness and one of those floaty balls to keep rope out of the water. 

Any input is great. Thank you in advance 

[Michigan boarder]

13 minutes ago, moski said:

I have a TXI.   Last year few times and once this year I pulled from my fly high pole.  Few other times this year I switched it up-  I used the center pylon only   

s*** now I’m thinking pull from the 2 rear lower tow eyelets with a tow harness and one of those floaty balls to keep rope out of the water. 

Any input is great. Thank you in advance 

You could do all of that, but it will be far less rewarding.  When towing from my center pylon I have perfect control over our tube and can put it anywhere I want to, instantly.  From behind the boat I'm just like every other runabout on the lake.