Towing a tube

[korn_kid_12]

Well, I pulled the trigger today and purchased a new to me Mac 26x. Seems I keep moving down the line... I learned to sail on a H16 and an M22, then my first sailboat was an M25, which was eventually replaced by one of the cleanest m26 swing keel boats I have ever seen, and now finally on to the M26x. The goal here is to sell off the motorboat and the 26s to have just one boat which can be kept in the mast up facility at our local lake. Which means we can tow the jetskis with us and have everything available at our disposal. Once I get the electrical system replaced/simplified, and an assortment of other things, including trailer issues resolved. The question at hand is how do people tow tubes with their MacGregor? Specifically where is the line attached. Second train of thought is I am thinking that I should probably seriously consider replacing my prop. Why you ask? Well the boat was at sea-level as recently as last September and I have a good idea that it hasn't been changed to accommodate 4440 feet above sea-level. Given that when I motor I would like to scoot the best the Mercury BF 4 stroke 50hp us capable of.

[dlandersson]

Pizza?

Well, I pulled the trigger today and purchased a new to me Mac 26x. Seems I keep moving down the line... I learned to sail on a H16 and an M22, then my first sailboat was an M25, which was eventually replaced by one of the cleanest m26 swing keel boats I have ever seen, and now finally on to the M26x. The goal here is to sell off the motorboat and the 26s to have just one boat which can be kept in the mast up facility at our local lake. Which means we can tow the jetskis with us and have everything available at our disposal. Once I get the electrical system replaced/simplified, and an assortment of other things, including trailer issues resolved. The question at hand is how do people tow tubes with their MacGregor? Specifically where is the line attached. Second train of thought is I am thinking that I should probably seriously consider replacing my prop. Why you ask? Well the boat was at sea-level as recently as last September and I have a good idea that it hasn't been changed to accommodate 4440 feet above sea-level. Given that when I motor I would like to scoot the best the Mercury BF 4 stroke 50hp us capable of.

[NiceAft]

I have grandchildren who are rapidly approaching the age that tubing is appropriate. Myself having a Honda 4 stroke 50HP, I am interested in this post.

Over the years, I have seen several discussions about motor size for pulling a tube, or a water skier, but never on where to hook the tow line. Thanks for asking. Now I am going to sit back and wait for those more experienced to reply.

Ray

[Tomfoolery]

From experience towing a wakeboard with an equipped with a BF50, I'd suggest the Solas Amita 11.8 dia. x 9" pitch x 4-blade. The original prop typically supplied for this engine on this boat was the Honda 11.75" dia. x 10" pitch x 3-blade, which was also made by Solas, but the blades were supercavitating shape, where the trailing edges were sort of cut away (sickle shaped blades). I can tow a wakeboarder (pushing 200 lb) with the original prop, but the 4-blade is better for that tractor-like pulling, at lower speeds (naturally) since it's dragging something through the water.

I use the dock line cleats on the rail. A fixed bridle makes the pivot point for the tow rope far behind the transom, so steering at low speed can become difficult, or even impossible. Like when trying to turn to face away from the shore with the skier in the water, before hitting the throttle. That's a common problem for me with the prevailing winds, as the boat turns broadside to the wind, and that can aim me at the shore. From a force vector POV, it's equivalent to connecting the tow line to a rigid pole sticking out well past the OB - a long lever arm resisting or preventing you from turning with a skier in the water creating a lot of drag.

A solution is to use a single line between the cleats (I use small 3-strand, with eye splices in each end), with a small block that connects to the tow line, so you can turn the boat and the block will roll across that bridle toward the inside of the turn. The effective pivot is then actually somewhere forward of the transom, and how far forward depends on how long the bridle line is. But it makes turning much easier.

To clear the rudders, you have to lay them out almost flat. They don't touch the water, so no danger there. BUT, I found out the hard way that if you get off the throttle fast, then start turning before the stern wave catches up to you, those rudders out back will grab that stern wave and turn you much faster than you expected, heeling the boat at the same time. The solution is to get off the throttle, wait a couple of seconds for the stern wave to catch up and calm down, then go into the turn. That's at low speed, of course - at high speed, it doesn't matter.

And make sure your CB is all the way up. The boat needs to slide sideways to make high speed turns, and having some CB in the water may roll you the wrong way.

As to the best prop for the OP's OB, no lo sé. From my experience (alone), I think you can tow with whatever prop gets you top speed at max engine rpm now, but of course, the boat won't go as fast since you're dragging someone through the water. But I've found that the 4-blade (same diameter, but an inch less pitch) gets the skier up on top faster, which seems to be a good thing. I don't know if that's important for a tube, though, since it's already on top of the water. And with younger kids, you probably want to go slower anyway, at least until they get used to it, so I don't think hole-shot is that important.

[WASP18]

Seems to me that rpm will be reduced anyway when altitude is increased. A flatter pitch would increase to a limitation of maybe 75% power. Now if you cold add turbocharging. . .

[kmclemore]

I do the same as Tomfoolery, but I made my line between the cleats quite large, essentially deep V shape, which does clear my rudders when fully up. I didn't use a pulley, though that's probably better than my solution of a sliding bowline loop knot.

[dlandersson]

Ditto

I do the same as Tomfoolery, but I made my line between the cleats quite large, essentially deep V shape, which does clear my rudders when fully up. I didn't use a pulley, though that's probably better than my solution of a sliding bowline loop knot.

[NiceAft]

I just now related to my wife that I am researching how to pull a tube with our Mac, and she gave me a look as if I had just escaped from an insane asylum she was reading the paper and was only half heartedly listening to me. She thought I said I was researching how to pull a TOOTH with our Mac.

Ray

[C Buchs]

Thanks to the OP for posting this question. It is something I have been interested in, but haven't gotten to yet.

Tom:
Can you post of picture of your block? I wondering what kind to get.

Do you tow with your mast up? I've got a friend (who has a Catalina) that says you have to take the mast down to tow a tube. I don't think it is a requirement, but thought I would as the experts.

Jeff

[NiceAft]

I will also await the answer to your question, but my thoughts are as long as the ballast is full, there are no worries. Unless the opinion is removing the mast weight equals more speed. That's too much work

Ray

[Tomfoolery]

I tow a skier in whatever configuration it's in. Mast up, mast down (in the crutch, with a crutch extension to make head room), or mast off the boat. No ballast.

I don't have a pic of the block, but any small block sized to the line used for the vee, with a shackle to tie or clip the tow line to. Probably have to use another shackle to the block, as big as will fit, so the heavy snap hook on the tow line will fit.

For a test, just clip the tow line to the vee line and see how you like it. The pull on the tow line really isn't very high (or the skier wouldn't be able to hold on), so even a puny block will work. It just has to be big enough for the vee line to fit through, with eye splices through it if that's the way you do it. Or just cleat hitch some old live rigging line to each cleat. Or bowline one end, and cleat hitch the other until you find a length you like. Or whatever else works.

[beene]

Using this

http://www.airhead.com/heavy-duty-tow-h ... iders.html

[beene]

https://youtu.be/_UyWpdmZrEc

[dlandersson]

Ditto

[C Buchs]

After reading through the advice on this thread, here is what I purchased:
-This tow harness with the block. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F ... UTF8&psc=1
-This rope with float. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F ... UTF8&psc=1

I attached it like this.

I don't like that the latch on the hook doesn't close. I need to mess with that. I didn't want to attach to plastic the rudder cleats, but using them as a guide to keep the line off the radar pole starboard side and the light on the port side worked well.

Jeff