Kids on the tube

[billandamy]

So how many of you have kids on a towable?

Im wondering how safe you feel during higher traffic conditions, and if you limit your times for the kids to do this.

What brings this to mind is, when I take the kids out to tube, we make sure we get out on the lake EARLY...as early as possible with 3 of them getting ready. By noon, the lake gets a bit crowded, so the tubing ends. They look around and see kids on the tubes and ask why cant we still go.

I look around, and all I see are boats going every which way, some with young kids on the tube being bounced around and thrown off while jet skis and sunday drivers are buzzing all around. I just get way too nervous to let my kids on the tube with the craziness.

Your thoughts and what you do?

 

[JeffM]

Short answer is no, I don't feel safe and we do limit our tubing if there are too many other boats around.

In the area we like to tube, I've found that more than four other boats tubing/skiing/etc creates too much congestion. I'm too worried about my kids in the water with the other boats around, and keeping track of the other boats and their people in the water makes driving very stressful.

Fortunately my kids are also very aware of the hazards when in the water, so when I tell them it's too busy they understand. They may not be happy, but they understand.

 

[sreill]

I get very nervous and I am extremely cautious. I stay away from boats and if I see a boat coming, I slow way down (almost to a stop)

The thing that makes me most nervous is when the spill and they are floating in the water ...It is very easy for an oncoming boat not to see them..

Basically the less boat traffic the better...too much traffic= no tubing on my boat....and Im the damn Captain:grin:

 

[HavingFun]

I hate to say this but there are a lot of stupid boaters. I see boaters following other boats that are pulling tubers or wakers or skiers. Thats just an accident waiting to happen. Other boaters need to stay out of the way and boaters pulling people need some common sense. If someone falls then its difficult to turn around fast if you are pulling more then one tube. Are your kids old enough to wakeboard? After they start that they will prefer glass to semi-smooth water.

 

[uraldyx]

My kids and their friends enjoy tubing and kneeboarding. The local lake we boat on is very similar. By 12:00 on a weekend the lake gets kind of crazy. It is a small lake, about 5200 acres of water surface. We will normally pull off into a no wake cove anchor and swim and just lounge around until around 4 or 5. This is when many of the boats start to pull out. We then head out to tube and kneeboard. I am in no hurry to get off the lake, so we do our water sports after the crowds leave. I do not feel comfortable with all the idiots on the lake.

 

[Pseudomind]

I hate to say this but there are a lot of stupid boaters. I see boaters following other boats that are pulling tubers or wakers or skiers. Thats just an accident waiting to happen. Other boaters need to stay out of the way and boaters pulling people need some common sense...

Is a boater being "stupid" because they wish to use the water also? Catch-22. Where is it written that if one wishes to pull a tube, they have the right-of-way over those who just enjoy being on a boat. I will admit that there are a good few ignorant boaters out and about, but there are also just as many greedy water use boaters.

Just because one ski's or tubes does not mean they have exclusive rights to the water.
:thumbsup:

 

[tdappleman]

I'll keep the kids out of the water when the water gets a little crazy. Around here though the sounds are so large you can find a spot without other boats - plus it gives me an excuse to drive around. But seeing this - makes it all worth it.

 

[billandamy]

Is a boater being "stupid" because they wish to use the water also? Catch-22. Where is it written that if one wishes to pull a tube, they have the right-of-way over those who just enjoy being on a boat. I will admit that there are a good few ignorant boaters out and about, but there are also just as many greedy water use boaters.

Just because one ski's or tubes does not mean they have exclusive rights to the water.
:thumbsup:

Not the point of the thread, really. However, to your point, if it is just me and my wife cruising around, and I see a boat towing a tube, we make either a very wide berth, slow down or stop. It has nothing to do with them having the right of way per se, but rather I understand their vessel is currently involved in a sport or activity that will not allow them to maneuver as much, and that they may have to abruptly stop to pick up a fallen rider, and do it quickly to protect them.

 

[matthewmiller01]

I have a 6 and 3 year old. The first time they were on the tube was when she was 6 and he was 2. Granted, I merely idle with them on. The tube is a flat tube which is easy to fall off. Luckily, we have plenty of water around here to stay clear of other boats. I will let the kids tube when other boats are about; however, we do not tube in the main channel. We go back into an inlet or far off to the side of the river. That way, if they fall (usually too slow to) or they are done, we stop and pick them up. Also, I do not get in the way of other boaters (i.e. in the channel) while I am engaging in sporting activities where I may have to stop and turn quickly. I get very annoyed when other boats tube, ski, or board in the main channel. I think they are the irresponsible ones for doing these activities in the way of others who are navigating. (Note: The ACE and TVA must maintain the river conditions to allow for barge traffic... so our channel is used.)

Off topic, but I also do not stop and drop anchor in the middle of the channel like so many others do around here. :smt013

 

[brad10281]

Not the point of the thread, really. However, to your point, if it is just me and my wife cruising around, and I see a boat towing a tube, we make either a very wide berth, slow down or stop. It has nothing to do with them having the right of way per se, but rather I understand their vessel is currently involved in a sport or activity that will not allow them to maneuver as much, and that they may have to abruptly stop to pick up a fallen rider, and do it quickly to protect them.

Very well stated. I feel the same way and act in the same manner.

We usually only tube if the water is calm and the traffic is light. Being on a 370 acre lake, calm water isn't usually the problem...it's the traffic. We usually stick to boating on weekday evenings and tend to stay away on the weekends. Just the other day there was a boat(er) that was driving in circles and was very unpredictable. I tried to stay away from him but it seemed like every time I turned short to stay away from this guy he would make it a point to get near me.

At one point he was minding his own business at the north end of the lake going in circles (or whatever he was doing). So instead of going near him I turned around early to stay away, then I look back and he's following directly behind my wife who was on a kneeboard (my daughter was spotting)...some people just don't understand.

 

[highslice]

My kids are on the tubes all the time. More often than not, double tubing. I'll throw them on the tube regardless of the traffic. However, the amout of traffic dictates HOW I pull them. In light traffic, I'll toss them around and send them from one side of the wake to the other. In heavy traffic, they stay in the wake until I find a calm place to "toilet bowl" 'em. NEVER on the tube in the main channel, too many boats.

These aren't all my kids:

Actually, in 6 years the only close call we've had was this year and it involved a jet ski following in our wake and not seeing my son fall off the tube. She did stop, after I pulled a u-turn and pointed the bow directly at her:smt009.

I will never understand why someone would drive directly behind a boat towing a tube/skier. Happens all the time though, sheer stupidity:smt021. I will go a long way out of my way to give boats towing toys a lot of room. And I appreciate the same courtesy when I'm towing the kids.

 

[billandamy]

Just the other day there was a boat(er) that was driving in circles and was very unpredictable. I tried to stay away from him but it seemed like every time I turned short to stay away from this guy he would make it a point to get near me.

That I will say is being an ass on a crowded river or lake. There is a time when you can give kids or even adults a wild ride and go in circles to whip them off or fly up a bit...when there is a bit of traffic around, its time to really just pull the tubers and enjoy the existing wakes the other boats make.

 

[HavingFun]

Very well stated. I feel the same way and act in the same manner.

I tried to stay away from him but it seemed like every time I turned short to stay away from this guy he would make it a point to get near me.

At one point he was minding his own business at the north end of the lake going in circles (or whatever he was doing). So instead of going near him I turned around early to stay away, then I look back and he's following directly behind my wife who was on a kneeboard (my daughter was spotting)...some people just don't understand.

That’s my point of stupid boaters. It would be the same as someone tailgating you when there are 4 other lanes open for the guy to pass you. I didn't say the tuber has the right away. I am saying people shouldn't follow a tuber if they don't have to.

I have the same problem with boaters buzzing by me when I am anchored in Lake Michigan. Last Sunday I was atleast 2 miles offshore and I can't tell you how many boaters decided that they should come within 100 feet of me. They have every right to do that but lets be courteous to others.

 

[Larry&Leisa]

I use the orange 'skier' flag when we are tubing also. If we are doing a pickup, I'll have my spotter hold it up and wave it if I think another boat or PWC isn't being observant enough as well.

 

[highslice]

I use the orange 'skier' flag when we are tubing also. If we are doing a pickup, I'll have my spotter hold it up and wave it if I think another boat or PWC isn't being observant enough as well.

In Missouri the law is that we have to take the flag down while under power. It should only be up while stopped, without the anchor deployed, and there are "swimmers" (including skiers and tubers in the water) in the water. That picture is when I was trying to obey the law. Problem is, 99.7% of the other boaters don't know the law here and leave the flag up while towing. So if I don't have my flag up they assume I am not towing. Therefore, now I'm back to leaving the flag up, with the spotter waving it when we do a pickup (like you).

 

[brad10281]

That I will say is being an ass on a crowded river or lake. There is a time when you can give kids or even adults a wild ride and go in circles to whip them off or fly up a bit...when there is a bit of traffic around, its time to really just pull the tubers and enjoy the existing wakes the other boats make.

Funny thing is that the lake was dang near empty and this guy wasn't pulling any tubers...he was just "having fun" I guess.

 

[Zeppi]

I agree with Bill. I cruise by parallel to someone pulling a tube or skier and most of the time I give the captian a nod to let em know I see what is going on. Normally I can see them give a recipical wave. I also tend to slow down just a little if I'm in a popular tubbing zone also.

The other day I was following in a guys wake and I thought there was a PWC between us, until he turned and I saw the tow rope. I make a quick turn the other way. For some reason I do like riding in other peoples wakes (at a distance) but not when they are pulling someone. The device he was pulling looked just like a jet ski.

I think another factor to think about is the lake. I was pulling a tube at a COE lake that was straight and long with not much room to do circles. So we felt safer knowing that the other boaters would not be comming for sides. On our lake it seems to be every man for them selves. Boats come from every direction.

Oh yeh, what ever happened to bright color life jackets? It's hard to see someone in the water wearing a dark blue or green one.

 

[surfinjoe]

Off topic, but what lake are you on? That is one beautiful picture.

My kids are on the tubes all the time. More often than not, double tubing. I'll throw them on the tube regardless of the traffic. However, the amout of traffic dictates HOW I pull them. In light traffic, I'll toss them around and send them from one side of the wake to the other. In heavy traffic, they stay in the wake until I find a calm place to "toilet bowl" 'em. NEVER on the tube in the main channel, too many boats.

These aren't all my kids:

Actually, in 6 years the only close call we've had was this year and it involved a jet ski following in our wake and not seeing my son fall off the tube. She did stop, after I pulled a u-turn and pointed the bow directly at her:smt009.

I will never understand why someone would drive directly behind a boat towing a tube/skier. Happens all the time though, sheer stupidity:smt021. I will go a long way out of my way to give boats towing toys a lot of room. And I appreciate the same courtesy when I'm towing the kids.

 

[highslice]

Table Rock lake in southwest Missouri. Thanks:thumbsup:.

 

[Zeppi]

I hate to say this but there are a lot of stupid boaters. I see boaters following other boats that are pulling tubers or wakers or skiers. Thats just an accident waiting to happen. Other boaters need to stay out of the way and boaters pulling people need some common sense. If someone falls then its difficult to turn around fast if you are pulling more then one tube. Are your kids old enough to wakeboard? After they start that they will prefer glass to semi-smooth water.

Sorry to interupt. But where did you get the yellow ladder hanging off the back of the boat?