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Pulling Tubes with My Pontoon

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scubadad

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Hello,

New Bennington owner here.  2015 22' SSRX tri-toon (with express tube) and Mercury 115.  I've read a couple different threads on here about pulling tubers and I've seen different opinions as to where to tie off.  I have the ski-bar on the back deck but I'm not sure I can pull a tube from it.  At the boat show a few weeks ago I saw several other manufacturers with these bars and some even had labels on them stating NOT to pull tubes.  When I asked why I was told that if the tube went under it could put too much strain on the bar and bend or even break it.  Now my bar has no such warning label and I've even seen on this forum where Bennington says it's OK to pull a tube from there.  But at the same time I've seen recommendations NOT to tie off a tube there...but rather use the attached U-bolts on the rear (not even sure if mine has them but I'll check).  I would like to hear the opinions and experiences of the Bennington owners on this forum.  Where do you guys attach your tubers?  I only plan to use a 1-person towable...nothing to big.

Thanks,

Marc
 
I'd think 95% of the time with pontoons, tubes are what the tow bar is used for, labels or not. I've always used the pylon on mine, no issues. If you're really concerned about it, perhaps add one of the booster balls like THIS. 
 
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My tubing rope g

Has a bridle on the boat end with a float on it that attaches to port and Starboard aft deck cleats.

Have a large size single person tube and it works fine.
 
Wow...quick replies!  Thanks for the answers everyone.  Guess I'll be tieing off to the tow bar.  Thanks for the "booster ball" suggestion Tom S.  Do you use that?

By the way, the boats in ya'lls signatures are very nice.  Barely had mine two weeks and I'm already envious..

-Marc
 
scubadad said:
Wow...quick replies!  Thanks for the answers everyone.  Guess I'll be tieing off to the tow bar.  Thanks for the "booster ball" suggestion Tom S.  Do you use that?

By the way, the boats in ya'lls signatures are very nice.  Barely had mine two weeks and I'm already envious..

-Marc
Click to expand...
We have a name for that ,it's called P.A.D.s

Welcome 
 
scubadad said:
Wow...quick replies!  Thanks for the answers everyone.  Guess I'll be tieing off to the tow bar.  Thanks for the "booster ball" suggestion Tom S.  Do you use that?

By the way, the boats in ya'lls signatures are very nice.  Barely had mine two weeks and I'm already envious..

-Marc
Click to expand...
No, I have 250hp and ESP to work with, so it's not an issue. Several others at our lake use them with lower powered boats and 2 toons.
 
So roughing it huh Tom!
 
I've been using my ski tow bar for this.  I've pulled 2 tubes at the same time with high school aged kids on each one.  No issues at all.
 
My in laws R has literally been pulling tubes for as many hours as are on the hour meter with no issues. I plan to have the same success with mine.
 
We've towed tubes a couple of times with our boat using the ski tow bar and had no problems.  I think the safety sticker says it's not to be used to tow another boat.  Boat towing needs to be done with a bridle attached to the u-bolts on the transom on each side of the motor.

Tow bridle:

largeimage-6985.jpg


Our ski tow bar (don't have the ski pilon):

DSCN0754_zps46206ac9.jpg
 
I know that sticker says not to tow another boat, but I wonder how the U bolts could possibly be better for that, but not better for towing a tuber. Assuming the water was smooth, it seems like towing a boat at a safe speed on a steady course would be a lot less force than a big tube with a bunch of kids on it while making hard turns back and forth. Also, I haven't tried the bridle on my new boat, but with the U bolts located so close to each side of the engine, it seems like it wouldn't even work very well. If you turned even a little, the rope would be rubbing on the engine. Not the case on my old boat with them a little more spread out. 
 
A tube only submerges on startup, in my experience. It happens when the kids are too far forward on the tube when you take off. Then you either cut the motor, or the kids jump off. Either way, it puts very little force on the tow bar unless you are an idiot and keep going full throttle.

I would think most ropes would snap before the tow bar collapsed, but what do I know.
 
Indian-Lake-Bum,

I noticed on your picture you have a flag on your bimini light. I need to get an orange flag for tubing because Illinois just adopted that law this year. Your set up looks great. Where did you get it and would you know if you can get it in orange?
 
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