Tubing with a dinghy

• Jan 9, 2021

• #1

L

Luis

Member

Nov 2, 2020

53

Baltimore, MD

Boat Info

1996 330 Sundance

Engines

Twin mercruiser

Hi everyone
We recently purchased a Sundancer, and it came with a 10 foot zodiac and a 15hp motor.
The kids really enjoy tubing, and I wonder if anyone has any experience using a similar dinghy for tubing.
If so, how would one connect the towing rope to the dinghy?

Thanks!

 

• Jan 9, 2021

• #2

superwa

Active Member

Jul 27, 2013

524

Rhode Island

Boat Info

2001 Sea Ray Sundancer 380

Engines

Mercruiser horizon 8.1S

Yup, I installed these two D rings on the transom for tubing and knee boarding on my zodiac. Get a harness that floats, as well as a line that floats to make it easier. Works great with the kids.

 

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• Jan 9, 2021

• #3

b_arrington

Well-Known Member

GOLD Sponsor

Feb 21, 2007

3,479

Setauket, NY

Boat Info

Back Cove 37
AB Ventus 9VL

Engines

Cummins QSC 8.3 600

Yep. Being doing this for years with a 9.5 foot RIB with 15 hp motor.

I added a set of u-bolts to the transom. I use a y-shaped harness to connect the tow rope to the u-bolts. Like this one.

One problem is the rope stays low in the water. During a turn it will often dip into the water and cause drag. I also found that a soft bottom dinghy works poorly for towing a tube.

 

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• Jan 9, 2021

• #4

L

Luis

Member

Nov 2, 2020

53

Baltimore, MD

Boat Info

1996 330 Sundance

Engines

Twin mercruiser

Amazing!
How long of a rope do you use? And how heavy of a tow? 1
Kid? 2? 3?
Thanks so much!

 

• Jan 9, 2021

• #5

L

Lazy Daze

Well-Known Member

TECHNICAL Contributor

Apr 21, 2009

18,898

PA

Boat Info

Various

Engines

Various

b_arrington said:

One problem is the rope stays low in the water. During a turn it will often dip into the water and cause drag. I also found that a soft bottom dinghy works poorly for towing a tube.

Click to expand...

Yeah, that can slow things down real fast. Soooo much harder to whip them around and flip the kids off!

Solution: https://www.amazon.com/SPORTSSTUFF-53-2030-Towables-KWIK-CONNECT-Connector/dp/B01M7O5N8G

 

• Jan 9, 2021

• #6

Blueone

Well-Known Member

SILVER Sponsor

Jan 24, 2007

13,791

Lake Erie, Ohio

Boat Info

2004 420 Sundancer

Engines

Cummins 6CTA 450's

Lazy Daze said:

Yeah, that can slow things down real fast. Soooo much harder to whip them around and flip the kids off

Click to expand...

What kind of dinghy are we talking about here... my 260 Sundeck couldn’t flip my kids off unless I was about to hurt them....and mom would never let that happen

 

• Jan 9, 2021

• #7

b_arrington

Well-Known Member

GOLD Sponsor

Feb 21, 2007

3,479

Setauket, NY

Boat Info

Back Cove 37
AB Ventus 9VL

Engines

Cummins QSC 8.3 600

Lazy Daze said:

Yeah, that can slow things down real fast. Soooo much harder to whip them around and flip the kids off!

Solution: https://www.amazon.com/SPORTSSTUFF-53-2030-Towables-KWIK-CONNECT-Connector/dp/B01M7O5N8G

Click to expand...

I’ve seen that. Frankly I was too cheap to buy one.

 

• Jan 9, 2021

• #8

b_arrington

Well-Known Member

GOLD Sponsor

Feb 21, 2007

3,479

Setauket, NY

Boat Info

Back Cove 37
AB Ventus 9VL

Engines

Cummins QSC 8.3 600

Luis said:

Amazing!
How long of a rope do you use? And how heavy of a tow? 1
Kid? 2? 3?
Thanks so much!

Click to expand...

I think my tow rope is 50’. I got a standard length tube tow rope from West Marine.

It really worked best with 1 kid on a tube. I used to go with just me and the kid being towed until I got yelled at by LEO. Take a spotter kid now. My kids are 14 /170lb and 11/110lbs. Honestly it a bit of a struggle to
pull them with much vigor at this point.

For the tube I tried a flat tube but it tended to submarine a lot. The one they like and work the best is a sit-in Airhead Viper 1 person. It got it when the kids were small and they still like it. It’s not super exciting but worked pretty well for us.

 

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• Jan 9, 2021

• #9

b_arrington

Well-Known Member

GOLD Sponsor

Feb 21, 2007

3,479

Setauket, NY

Boat Info

Back Cove 37
AB Ventus 9VL

Engines

Cummins QSC 8.3 600

Blueone said:

What kind of dinghy are we talking about here... my 260 Sundeck couldn’t flip my kids off unless I was about to hurt them....and mom would never let that happen

Click to expand...

My dinghy is a AB Ventus 9vl with a 15hp motor. Not much chance of flipping anyone off - not enough speed and the rope dipped in the water.

Now, I could do it on my 270 AJ if using a flat tube and tried hard. It’s all about the steering. You have to make a series of s-turns then hold in a turn to get the tuber outside the wake. Turn shaft the other way to cross the wake for some bumps.

I did try to pull them with my Back Cove 34 last year. With the diesel torque and a big prop that boat really pulled hard and shot up on plane. They were not used to the larger wake and kinda chickened out on me.

 

• Jan 10, 2021

• #10

L

Luis

Member

Nov 2, 2020

53

Baltimore, MD

Boat Info

1996 330 Sundance

Engines

Twin mercruiser

Excellent. Thanks everyone for the responses...you have been very helpful and extremely informative.

 

• Jan 10, 2021

• #11

L

Lazy Daze

Well-Known Member

TECHNICAL Contributor

Apr 21, 2009

18,898

PA

Boat Info

Various

Engines

Various

I hear 'ya, Brad. It's almost the price of a regular tube. But it does work as advertised - it replaces the existing tow rope - and the ball keeps it's own rope hovering above the wake so it doesn't get caught and slow down.

Kid's often lay too far forward on the flat tubes which of course causes that submarine action. The low tow angle behind a dinghy doesn't help, either. The Viper is a nice tube, though.