Tow RING question

[BrennanK]

I'm thinking about buying a 2007 196 and I'm a slalom skier and I would use the pile-on for that, but I take some friends out tubing and it is really annoying to have them sit up in front is there a way I can use the lifting ring in the back to pull tubers? Any ideas

[tadelfio]

RE: Tow RING question

You will get a lot of replies on this pretty much saying not to even pull tubers with a nautique, so get ready for that. But to answer your question, it is not recommended but I will tell you that I pull tubes with my 1997 196 lift ring and have never had a problem. They are there to lift the boat. Yes, it is meant to lift straight up not to pull something but, I can tell you that I have never had a problem and I will continue to do it. That's my opinion and I'm sure I'll get a lot of slack from people on this forum.

[TwinTip]

Ati-Dude, welcome to the site.

Towing from the lifting ring is not recommended. Some people do it under certain conditions though.

There are some threads that cover this subject. Check out the links below; they have some posts regarding this.

http://www.planetnautique.com/index....801&highlight=

http://www.planetnautique.com/index....ht=towing+ring

You can also do a search under some key words. Try "towing and ring" to start, there are various other threads regarding this subject.

One solution that I found (I also have a 196) was to get a jump seat to be put behind the driver. It is not the same as using the back seat but it at least allows one to seat another passenger. My kids are still very young and our pulling is basically on a straight line so I don't have to worry about the rope hitting the person sitting on the jump seat.

[swooddc]

I pull combo skiers, kneeboards and tubes occasionally from rear ring, no problems. my dealer told me it was fine. that said, if you are uncomfortable with not following the warning labels one solution I have seen that works pretty good is to clip a carabiner on the rear lift ring and pass the rope through it from the pylon. this way the pylon takes the lions share of the load but the rope doesn't swing back and forth so people can sit on either side of it. The rear lift ring wasn't designed to do this either but it works.

[jeclarke]

I have a model year 2001 ski nautique and there is a label by the rear lift ring that says it is OK to pull up to 2 skiers. I don't know the exact words but it is basically saying that using that ring is fine for small or moderate loads.

Do newer model years have a different decal that says to not use the rear lift ring for pulling. I'm always a bit confused when this topic comes up because there are some that seem to feel it is prohibited.

[chris196]

Please read the second thread listed above.
Go to the back of your boat and see if you have the same sticker as posted.
I have that sticker on a 98 SN and nothing but a lifting ring and a grab handle. So the sticker has to be referring to the ring. CC says it's ok to pull up to 2 skiers from the ring as far as I'm concerned.

[Teleman]

That sticker on the back of the boat looks pretty clear if you ask me too. There are some common sence things that exist in life. Many things are designed with safety factors in them. I would think that CC has put enough thought into this so that boats aren't being returned because the two skiers were FAT and broke the rings or mountings. The next is that the ropes to the skiiers need to transmit the force to break the mountings over the safty factor limits. Just sitting on my couch, I would bet the ropes would break first. If you do think you can attach a chain to the ring and then play "Tug-O-War", with your buddy who says,"My boat is stronger than yours", then YES you will most likely exceed the limits and break the boats. Safty factors......Like driving over that bad looking bridge. They always seem to hold (Except in MN). The last thing is the force to exceed the safty limits needs to go through rope and through the 4 hands and 4 arms of the Fat skiers holding them, who can't get up and drag for many yards as we all laugh. I would again bet that that ring can rip apart 4 hands and 4 arms way before it breaks or even moves. 2 people just aren't that strong. Like the shear pin in a snow blower. It will break first before damaging the blower. My '00 Sport has no problem doing it and the ring has not moved since I got it. Go ahead see if you can grab on to that ring with your bare hands and rip it off. I dare ya' . Now try it together with that fat buddy, ...still won't budge it.

[TravisFling]

Your friends must not be as fat as mine. Now I have to replace the transom... Just kidding, of course. I think the concern is that the bottom of the lifting ring is attached to a "pole" that goes to the bottom of the boat, so it's kind of like a lever, in a fashion, if you're pulling from the back, as opposed to straight up. I have never heard of one ripping out, though.

[east tx skier]

Please read the second thread listed above.
Go to the back of your boat and see if you have the same sticker as posted.
I have that sticker on a 98 SN and nothing but a lifting ring and a grab handle. So the sticker has to be referring to the ring. CC says it's ok to pull up to 2 skiers from the ring as far as I'm concerned.

I have a 98 Ski, too, but no sticker.

Oh well.

[Teleman]

That "Pole" is 3/4 inch stainless steel. Now put it in a vice so there is 3 inches sticking out one end and the other end is attached to the floor. I'll even let you and your fat buddy use gloves, I bet you can't bend, budge, deform, move or anything else to that "Pole" in the boat by pulling on that 3 inch end. Remember, there are two (In the case of two skiers, as mentioned on the label) ropes that are pretty weak that attach to that 3 inch steel pole. Even in the case of tubing, the tubes and ropes are the weak link, not he steel or fiberglass. This is not rocket-science, That rope is not rated for much......Hands are not rated for much either (In the case of skiers holding onto the rope) again, I wouldn't pull another boat using a 1" chain, but a ski rope at 75 feet I probably would. If you don't mind possibly breaking a ski rope. For people in the snow country think shear pin. That rope/hands is going to let go first. I bet for the people that did move the ring on the back of the boat, there is a pretty good story that goes along with it. It probably involves lots of beer, big ropes, lots of water in the boat, and a whole lot of yelling. Oh, and big waves too.

[cboland]

This discussion leads into something I've been wondering about. If you look at a '89 SN 2001, they put a tow ring in the transom from which to pull skiers. I have an '88 that doesn't have this tow ring, but the local West Marine was going out of business and selling them for a few bucks so I picked one up.

I want to install it, but I want to make sure I have the proper backing so as not to risk damaging the transom. Can anybody with an '89 tell me what the factory used to put on the inside of the transom to use as a backing plate of sorts? Sorry, don't mean to hijack the thread.

[Chris4x4Gill2]

I was just getting ready to post that.

My 89 has the tow ring on the transom. If I remember correctly there are two bolts going through the transon. Inside, behind the gas tank there is a piece of wood used as a backing plate that is glassed in as well. The bolts go though this plate.

I'd get pics but the boats in storage.