Towing another boat

[bucky]

I was reading in the "problem child" thread about towing other boats, and wondered where you tied off to your boat. Is it safe to use the ski pylon to pull another boat? It looks solid but I'm afraid if I snapped it off it could get expensive. Would the eyes on the stern be better?

[Mag_Red]

I would definately use the rear tow eye. Lot of difference between a 200 lb skier and a 3000 lb boat. :twocents:

[Bongo]

I agree with Mag_Red. At that much weight, pull from as low as possible and lower the lever. I'd not think about towing another boat from the ski pylon unless it was a rubber raft with the Old Milwaukee Swedish Bikini Team.! (Dating myself, a bit.)

Bongo

[SKI*MC]

It depends if you are towing for long distances, or short, and the water conditions. We had to tow our boat the other week because of engine problems, we hooked it to eye underneith the bow. Since the boat is not running, the bow does not raise like it does when your are going. This can become a problem when towing at a speed more then 10 MPH on rough waters. You can tow, but keep it slower no matter what the water conditions!

[jimmer2880]

I tow my 9,000lb dock twice a year. At first I tried to use the rear "eye", but had a heck of a time steering (remember, our boats rear turns when we turn). Had to switch to the pilon. Granted, it's only 1/10 of a mile, but it is against the current 1/2 the time. No problems so far. My neighbor used to tow his similiar weighted dock approx 5 miles the same way for 15 years and no problems.

One thing I will tell you is to be sure you hang a couple towells/life jackets, etc over the towing rope just in case it breakes. They should keep the line from slingshotting back & peeling someone's head open.

I usually tow just on the other side of "in gear". Approx 1200 RPM's

[BriEOD]

I've done the same as Jim. I use the pylon but go very slow.

[T Scott]

I also agree with Jim and Brian...I always tow from the pylon. I used to ski on a waterski show team and I figure if the boat can pull 10 skiers off of a dock for a pyramid from the pylon, then it should be able to tow another boat. Keep in mind, the eye in the back of the boat is simply drilled through the gel coat and secured with a backing plate. The pylon is supported by a beefy aluminum beam that is tied into the stringers and is also bolted to the floor of the boat. To me, the pylon is by far the strongest part of the boat. :twocents:

[jkski]

Here is one for you.......... I watched a ski show one night where they were pulling a 4 tier pyramid off the dock using 2 boats hooked together, you guessed it, by the pylons. The front boat hooked a rope onto their pylon and it ran back to the back boat, through their open windshield and connected to their pylon, where the pyramid ropes were also connected. The lead boat was an MC naturally, and the second boat was a CC. In any case, it was a great stunt and the pylons held fine.

[east tx skier]

I've used the rear lifting rings and never get out of idle towing another boat. I figure, if those rear lifting rings can be used to lift the boat temporarily, they should be beefy enough to pull a boat through the water at 5 mph.

[milkmania]

depends what I'm pulling.....
the two that I have pulled, were a runabout and a pontoon

I tied off to the rear lifting eyes one my boat, the had one of the passengers on their boat HOLD the end of the rope....giving them firm warning to release if anything goes wrong. getting underway seems to be the most difficult time, once underway there's not a lot of drag.

[tex]

I have towed boats, ramps, docks...etc. I always use the pylon. I have used my pylon to drag jump anchors and that is a ton of drag. alot easier to stir.

[jimmer2880]

Just to clarify some things here. A lifting eye is different from the tow ring I was talking about. My '95 PS190 actually doesn't have a rear lifting eye. The Rear tow ring has a sticker that says "not for lifing" on it.

If it's a true lifting eye, they're engineered for vertical force, not horizontal. So - I would not ever tow, or tie up to a "lifting eye". Especially the bow lifting eye (the next time you're under the hood of a closed bow, look at the lifting eye & you'll understand why I say that).

not trying to start something here, just trying to be sure we are talking about the same thing.:D

[ktn_cmu]

had one of the passengers on their boat HOLD the end of the rope....

That's a good point, I am thinking that if you tow a boat and you don't act like tpttool you should be ok no matter where you hook up the tow line. If I can hold the rope, the pylon or the the rear loops should be just fine.

[Workin' 4 Toys]

I always use the pylon, but have the boat in tow hold the rope.

[rodltg2]

it would seem to me that the pylon would have the most strength.