Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

[smartwork]

How are most of you carrying tubes or towables while on the lake while they're not in use while still leaving room for passengers? Do most people deflate them after every use?

 

[south texas]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

I would either strap mine to the bow inflated, or if we had a full load, I'd carry it deflated and fill it with a 12 volt compressor. It takes a while, but saves tons of space.

 

[JimmyOOOOO]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

I just strap it to the bow... make sure it's tied down good though... those things hurt when the wind catches them and flips 'em on top of your head!

 

[WTR4FUN]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

Like this

 

[SG Goobacks]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

We just deflate ours after everyone gets their run, much easier and with it being put away we can just stop anywhere and jump in to cool off. We have one of those little 12v inflators/deflators and only takes a couple of minutes either way.
We have tried the tie down to the transom and it always is either in the way or is flipping around trying to get someone.

 

[dkorzun21]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

Great Post I F.... hate carrying that thing but it is sooo much fun. I usally put it in the bow and have someone hold it put it takes up so much room then when you bring it back it gets the floor soaked.
Im tryed staping it into the back of the boat where the swim board is but my starp keep comming loses alitle bit and it would drag on the water.
DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THATS A BAD IDEA? SEEMS LIKE IT TO ME BECAUSE IT RIGHT NEXT TO THE LOWER UNIT FLOATING IN THE WATER. BUT I SEE TONS OF PEOPLE WITH TUBES BIGGER THEN THERE BOATS DOING IT THIS WAY. I NEED TO FIND A NEW STRAP THATS ALITTLE TIGHTER SO IT BARLEY EVEN HITS THE WATER OR NOT A ALL. LET ME KNOW GUYS SORRY BOUT THE CAPS MUST HAVE HIT THE BUTTOM AND DONT FEEL LIKE CHANGING IT..LOL THANKS

 

[dvan1901]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

If you have a swim platform, just set it on there and strap it in. That's what we do. Then if we anchor, I give it about 20' of rope and people float around on it.

 

[dkorzun21]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

Like this

Yes like the a tube almost as big as the boat is that safe to do?

 

[four winns 214]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

I carry a large tube (six feet in diameter) on two boats- a 21' Four Winns deck boat with an extended swim platform and a 1984 21' Sea Ray cuddy with a small swim platform. On both boats I have installed a plastic cleat underneath the stern seat to which I fasten the tube tow line. With that arrangement, the tube stays put on the Four Winns because it is resting on the stern that slopes back to the swim platform. On the Sea Ray, I have to run a line over top of the tube between two stern cleats because it rests on top of the stern. In both installations, the tube makes two seats unusable.

I don't recommend a bow installation with a large tube. If it becomes loose underway, it can interfere with the operation of the boat.

 

[samagy16]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

Figuring out how to tie it, where to tie it, Checking up on it every 30 seconds while your hauling butt before you actually use it = BIG HEADACHE.

Buying a 12V inflator (approximately $20), investing around 10 to 15 minutes inflating whenever you are ACTUALLY ready to use it and deflating afterwards = Fun, hassle free boating.

What if you spend the first part of your day just cruising and then for some reason you don't use it? You just lugged that thing around all day.

 

[Flying Sushi]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

Can we just tow it with a short rope behind boat? Any issue with MP or Coast Guard doing it ?

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

My tube is a warbird II and it's big, I've tried inflating it on board and that worked out pretty good, it deflates ok too but even deflated it's a pain to stow, if i fold it over just right I can stuff it in the ski locker but dripping wet. I didn't like that too much so next time out I inflated it at home, strapped it on top my jeep ZJ's luggage rack and headed for the lake, i tied it up to the swim platform half of it hanging off just like in the pictures, then once we were tired of it, back to the ramps and carried it off and set it on my empty trailer tied off to the winch, after the day was finished it went back atop my jeep for the ride home, much better then deflating it and stuffing it into the ski locker, my Airhead Slice two man tube is half the tube the warbird is and it's no problem to deflate and stow.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

Can we just tow it with a short rope behind boat? Any issue with MP or Coast Guard doing it ?

That works provide you just tool around all day cause if not it will be bouncing and hopping all over the place.

 

[rs1lollie]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

I found this on another site. Just google tube keeper, looks like what your looking for. I think I'm going to pick up a set.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

Securing it not an issue, don't need no fancy straps, the boat illustrated has the ideal circumstance, nice big platform on rear and a simple round tube. I've had my smaller tube secured like that and it impairs rear view about 98%. I did not like that. With my large tube I'm better off just *** dragging it off the back half in half out.

 

[TJDave]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

I always carry a couple of motorcycle tie downs under my seat with the rest of my dock lines, etc. I use the handles on the tube and tie to the cleats on each side of the engine cover.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

Can we just tow it with a short rope behind boat? Any issue with MP or Coast Guard doing it ?

Learned the hard way that's not a good idea. We were returning from the beach and my son started out in the tube but then decided quickly he'd had enough. I was too lazy to bring it aboard so just reeled in about half the rope, made it fast, and got underway again at planing speed while keeping half an eye on it to be sure it stayed in our wake. It stayed in the centre all right but a gust of wind caught it and it flipped, hit the water upside down and dug in. There was a huge bang from my tow pylon and it got jerked backward in its bracket (there's a bit of play). The tube snapped forward out of the water and got launched toward the boat.

It didn't hit us nor did the tow rope break -- surprisingly -- but it scared the poop right outta of me and I imagine the instant load on all the gear was huge - with the potential for something to give suddenly and hurt someone. I recall a thread on here in the spring about a kid getting killed in the tow boat when a piece of bracket let go and caught her in the head.

So...lashed to the swim platform with a little overhang is ok...Dragging along behind at speed....dumb...

 

[Bryce]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

My tube is a warbird II and it's big, I've tried inflating it on board and that worked out pretty good, it deflates ok too but even deflated it's a pain to stow, if i fold it over just right I can stuff it in the ski locker but dripping wet. I didn't like that too much so next time out I inflated it at home, strapped it on top my jeep ZJ's luggage rack and headed for the lake, i tied it up to the swim platform half of it hanging off just like in the pictures, then once we were tired of it, back to the ramps and carried it off and set it on my empty trailer tied off to the winch, after the day was finished it went back atop my jeep for the ride home, much better then deflating it and stuffing it into the ski locker, my Airhead Slice two man tube is half the tube the warbird is and it's no problem to deflate and stow.

I'd be nervous around here (Lake Allatoona, GA) leaving it back at the boat ramp parking. When we got our annual pass for the Army Corp day use areas, the park host at the area we got it at said to keep our windows shut all the time around the parks and ramps even when putting in and taking out... I guess they've had problems with people reaching in car/truck windows and taking peoples permits off their rear view mirrors. Those are only $30 and not a $100-200 towable.

 

[jmarty10]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

Great Question - yesterday my wife got tired of holding it steady on the back of our bowrider so I told her to unscrew the valve and deflate it. The next time we use it I will put a buck in the air compressor at the gas station and fill it up. To much hassle with a smaller boat.

 

[Jonathan3206]

Re: Carrying the tube/towable on the lake

Can we just tow it with a short rope behind boat? Any issue with MP or Coast Guard doing it ?

Bad idea. If WILL get pulled under the water at some point. When that happens you will have a huge strain on the boat. Also there is a big chance you will pop the tube and or the tube rope. Just hang it over half and half on the boat and water. It will be fine.