Should Tubing be off a Ski Pylon, Lifting Eye Log Grommets, or Transom

[robby69]

I will shortly be a new pontoon owner, and since my 2 teen sons are looking forwarding to a "tube fest" this summer (Our first family boat), I am trying to find a definitive answer to the best place to attach a tube.

I have a factory installed tournament style ski pylon, but I have read in this forum and others the pro's and con's, but there is alot of conflicting advice since they are always different types of boats.

If you tow a tuber on you pontoon, where do you connect?

Ski Pylon: Read some folks use it all the time no problems, other folks have had it ripped out of their boats.
Seems like it would be the best tubing, keeping the rope out of the water, and the tube skimming.

Pontoon eyes: Read they are very strong because the pontoon can be lifted by them and good place to attach a tube, other folks say the welds won't hold if tubing stress is put on them.

Transom: Haven't read alot of structural issues, but not as good as tubing fun even when using a ball to keep the rope out of the water.

 

[lakegeorge]

Re: Should Tubing be off a Ski Pylon, Lifting Eye Log Grommets, or Transom

I would ask the boat builder for the correct info. I think that's the safest way.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Should Tubing be off a Ski Pylon, Lifting Eye Log Grommets, or Transom

I would say the pylon since it is made for that, you don't want to use the "lifting eyes" welded to the tube, the eyes themselves are really thick but they are welded to the tubes which aren't and they are intended to ie the boat to a dock not lift the boat.

Your other option would be to install some U bolts into the back crossmember on either side and use those but even that could damage the boat so I woudl stick with the pylon, the ones that gto ripped off the boat weren't designed very well.

 

[smclear]

Re: Should Tubing be off a Ski Pylon, Lifting Eye Log Grommets, or Transom

I've got a 25' triple tube pontoon with a 135HP Honda on it. We routinely tow our 4 person Air Head tube using the factory installed ski pylon. We've also been known to get a little aggresive trying to shake the tubers off. Never had an issue with using the ski pylon. How big is the pontoon, and what's it powered with?

 

[robby69]

Re: Should Tubing be off a Ski Pylon, Lifting Eye Log Grommets, or Transom

I've got a 25' triple tube pontoon with a 135HP Honda on it. We routinely tow our 4 person Air Head tube using the factory installed ski pylon. We've also been known to get a little aggresive trying to shake the tubers off. Never had an issue with using the ski pylon. How big is the pontoon, and what's it powered with?

25'6" Tri-Toon w/150hp Mercury 4-Stroke

The most I would tow tubing would be 2 tubes, with a teen on each, approx 180lbs on each tube.



I was wondering as other posters pointed out if maybe the folks that had their ski pylon ripped out towing tubers were aftermarket ones and not factory installed?

Since you have a similar configuration, what kind of speeds to you get?

 

[The_Kid]

Re: Should Tubing be off a Ski Pylon, Lifting Eye Log Grommets, or Transom

I don't have a pylon so I hook to the factory U bolts on each corner of the rear deck. I have had a tube flip and submarine a couple of times when a rider fell off. It brought the pontoon to an almost immediate stop, and I was running wide open at the time. I don't think that a factory pylon would have survived with that amount of stress without some damage. I have the basic round tube that you can sit inside of so maybe the design of tube was the contributing factor.

The factory ski pylon on my Procraft has a sticker on it that says not to use it with tubes.

 

[newcomlr]

Re: Should Tubing be off a Ski Pylon, Lifting Eye Log Grommets, or Transom

So where can you buy pontoon tow pylons...the frame type such as the one pictured below? My toon is a 1997 Suntracker so I don't think I can get an OEM version.