Boating tubing is a fun sport for both children and adults, making it a great choice for leisure and family holidays. Especially, those who already have a boat of their own can easily buy additional equipment like tubes and ropes to start tubing.
However, before shopping for all those gears, it’s important that you make sure your boat is the right vehicle for the sport. “Can my boat tow a tube?” is the question to ask in this case.
Can My Boat Tow A Tube?
Yes, in almost all cases.
If you have never tried boat tubing before, you will be surprised by how many types of boats can be used for this activity. From vehicles as little as pontoon boats, ski boats to bowriders, deck boats, and cruisers, you can already enjoy boat tubing.
Regardless of the boat type, your vehicle can tow a tube as long as it meets the minimum horsepower required for tubing. Specifically, you need at least 35 hp for towing a single person.
How To Tow A Tube
Inflate the tube
First of all, make sure your tube is still in good condition with no holes or malfunctions. If the tube is good to go, inflate it with the right pressure so it won’t collapse when being used.
Tie the rope
The rope should be tied securely on both ends. Notably, on the boat’s end, make a slip knot to a stable bar in order to prevent the cord from moving as you drive.
Also, remember to follow the recommendations of the rope manufacturer and inspect both ends before riding.
Get ready
Before boat tubing, make sure you know how to drive the boat properly, make turns, break, control the vehicle, and know all the emergency buttons.
When it comes to the riders, life jackets and helmets are a must. The driver and spotter should wear them too. These gears will help keep them from drowning in case they fall off the tube.
Another essential thing to prepare before the throttle is agreeing on certain hand signals for good communication and safety.
Drive
When driving the boat, it’s important that you are sober and keep your mind sharp. This way, you can control the vehicle with the needed precision to ensure safety.
Besides, don’t drive too fast, the recommended speed for tubing is between 20 and 25 miles per hour. Driving too fast will knock riders into the water constantly, which can take the fun out of this sport.
Useful Tips For Tubing
What to do
- Keep your distance: The rope for tying the tube to your boat must be at least 55 feet long and not exceed 65 feet long for a safe distance.
- Mind your speed: Driving at 20 mph can generate up to 55 mph speed for the tube during a whip, which can be dangerous. Remember to drive slowly.
- Beware of other boats: Watch out for other boats and objects on the water to avoid unfortunate crashes.
- Wear proper safety gear: Riders must wear helmets and life jackets while boat drivers need hand gloves for a better grip when controlling the boat.
- Know your boat: Read the manual and research carefully to know your boat thoroughly and drive it safely.
- Know your riders: Make sure you understand your rider, such as their age, their tubing experience, etc.
- Follow water regulations: Water regulations vary among different places, so learn them before tubing and strictly follow them when driving.
- Have a spotter on board: A spotter is very useful in keeping an eye on riders in case of issues or accidents while you focus on driving.
- Bring goggles: They protect your eyes against water, bugs, and debris, making sure you can see clearly.
- Turn off the engine if someone’s in the water: When someone’s spotted in the vicinity of your boat, stop the vehicle to avoid injuries to those in the water.
- Communicate with your riders: Remember to use the hand signals you and your riders agreed on before tubing so you always know what they need, especially if things go wrong.
What to avoid
- Don’t accelerate the boat abruptly: Speed up suddenly can catch riders off guard and cause them to fall into the water. Don’t do this!
- Don’t go if the rider isn’t ready: You must always make sure your riders are ready physically and mentally before tubing. If you go when they are not ready, they won’t be physically or mentally prepared for the thrill and potential issues.
How To Choose Towable Tubes For Your Boat
Consider the rider
For children, opt for tubes that allow them to sit in and have handles for them to grab during the ride. The main purpose of this is to make your kids feel safe on the water. As long as they don’t fear falling off, they will enjoy the ride totally.
For older, more experienced riders, you can choose from a wider selection of towable tubes with more features like capacity, maneuverability, shapes, riding position, and the ability to go airborne.
The size boat motor
Depending on the power of your boat’s motor, the number of riders for each ride can vary.
So what size boat motor do you need to pull a tube?
A single rider requires at least 35-40 horsepower for boat tubing. If your boat’s motor is 90 horsepower, it can handle about three riders at a time.
Based on that, you can choose the suitable tube size for your boat, which also helps prevent spending excessive money on larger
On top of that, you should research carefully and read reviews of different tubes from other users. When doing this, pay attention to the type of boat they own, reviews from those with boats similar to yours may be more useful for your case.
FAQs
Can a fishing boat pull a tube?
Yes, you can if the boat’s motor meets the minimum horsepower level for boat tubing, which is 35 horsepower.
In reality, the motor power on some fishing boats is as low as 20 hp, which is why you should check the motor before using a fishing boat for boat tubing.
How big does a boat have to be to pull a tube?
The size of the boat doesn’t really matter. You can tow a tube with a vehicle as small as a pontoon boat.
However, the larger and stronger the boat, the more people can enjoy the sport together.
How much rope do you need to pull a tube behind a boat?
The Water Sports Industry Association states that the allowed length for tube ropes is from 50 to 65 feet. The rope must not be shorter or longer than the limit.
Wrap Up
We hope you have got the answer to your question, “can my boat tow a tube.” When considering doing the sport with your friends and family, it’s best to check for the motor power first.
Once you’ve made sure your boat is capable of handling the load of tubing, you can go shopping for necessary equipment so you can have a great time doing this sport.