Ski tubes seem simple enough - an inner tube with handles and a rope connector - but making sure you have the right tow rope properly attached is crucial for ensuring your ride is as safe as it is smooth and fun.
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Simple Specs
Typically, a durable nylon ski tube tow rope is 60 feet long; when towing kids ski tubes, shorter ropes are generally used, but a tow rope should never be shorter than 20 feet, so that a tuber is far away from a tow boat's carbon-monoxide-laden exhaust fumes. For safety purposes, ropes should not exceed 65 feet in length.
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Tow ropes connect to the boat with an easy-to-use towing harness, which is connected to two transom tie-down eyes at the back of a boat. Slip the hooks on each end of the harness on the eyes; the harness will then form a "Y" shape at the back of the boat. Attach the tow rope to the center of the tow harness, then to the ski tube itself.
A Few Guidelines
Check all ropes for fraying and other wear before using them; tow ropes should be in pristine condition for use, and a new one is recommended for each skiing season.
Make sure all body parts are free from the rope before towing, and stop the engine immediately should the rope become tangled in the motor blades. Untangle the rope.
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Make sure ropes have the appropriate tensile strength for the weight of the ski tube rider. General guidelines are:
- 1 rider or 170 lbs.: 1500 lbs. tensile strength
- 2 riders or 340 lbs.: 2375 lbs. tensile strength
- 3 riders or 510 lbs.: 3350 lbs. tensile strength
- 4 riders or 680 lbs.: 4100 lbs. tensile strength
