Question regarding tubes and towers

[James Walker]

Nautique owner my entire adult life but recently purchased a 2014 210 without a pylon. I have always towed inflatables from the pylon in the past because I have seen some older towers broken while tubing. So what does the board have to say about this.

[SANonTellico]

It probably depends on the type of tubing you do. I wouldn’t hesitate to use the tower for some light to moderate tubing with a one or two person tube. Fast, aggressive tubing or large multi person tubes, I would use the tow hook on the back of the transom. Just my opinion, not backed up by any facts.

[uwhusky]

I wouldn't attach the tube to your tower. To be safe, I'd use the tie spot on the handle centered in the back of the boat near the swim platform.

[GMLIII]

I have pulled the Molecule from my G23 2017 tower many times and never had any problems. Just go for it. Too many folks get paranoid pulling tubes from towers.

[SANonTellico]

Looks like they aren’t having any fun at all…..
Good picture!

[GMLIII]

SANonTellico actually it was a picture from one of Obrien’s print ads . LOL

[SANonTellico]

Too funny…..still a good picture.

[charlesml3]

This rumor has been swirling around this forum and other Nautique forums for years. I've yet to see ONE credible photo of a tower that was damaged by towing a tube. Someone posted one once on the FB forum claiming it was from a tube and it was clearly freeze damage from when the tower legs would collect rainwater.

We've towed three tubes at once from the tower of a 2013 G23. Plenty of times. These towers are very, very sturdy.

[swatguy]

i will come right out and say this …….. I have 700 plus hours of towing double tubes from my tower. The tow point on my 210 is on the back transom. The ropes get burried in the rooster tail if I don’t. I would prefer not to have to tow from the tower , but Nautique really didn’t me when option for a pylon. I real wish they’d offer a true removable or pop up pylon like the ol days.

I do take couple precautions tho as I could definitely see some wear and year or possible failure happening. At least in my head. For the record I have experience in seeing towers cracked from tubing , but I’ve seen just as many cracked or fail over the years fron simply wakeboarding or cruising too. “ Cracking the whip” or anything that loads the line from slack (0 tension ) to “full pull “ with an instant snap is asking for disaster over time. The torque from the sudden snap is what will get you.

that’s my 2 cents ,


what I will add , if you do decide to pull from tower. I highly recommend adding 8-10ft extension to the standard tube rope lengths. Adjusting the standard tube length rope which is 60-65 ft to the tower instead of transom pulls the tube closer to the rooster tail. So adjusting the length to keep them further back away from the rooster tail wash/ spray makes it way more enjoyable for the people on the tube.

if you’re still not sold and want to keep it at the tow point , this little item may be an asset to you prevent the rope from getting burried in rooster tail. I’ve ne we used one as I guess I am just too lazy to deal with and haul it around

https://www.airhead.com/products/boo...xoCe-8QAvD_BwE

[Scooter G]

Dang, I'm going to have to get me one of those molecule tubes. Would I have to take the "no tubes" sticker off the boat, or does that one count as a tube, ha.

[03SANTE]

2003 210 and never had any issues pulling two single rider tubes from tower or one 3 person. I feel more pull against the boat when I'm driving a wakeboarder who is loading up way outside the wake than I do when sliding a tube around the bend. Our tubes seem to skim across the water easily so not too worried. Most of our tube pulling is guests who don't want to try surfing or wakeboarding, so not doing a ton and I tend not to toss them around as much as we did on our old sterndrive. I never use my ski pylon because the rope would drag across the sundeck.

I would think the only time you would seriously stress the boat is on startup if the tube was nosediving under water creating a big drag and you tried to power through.

[GMLIII]

Scooter G We got tons of mileage out of the Molecule especially when my kids were little. They loved that thing. PITA to fill and empty with air although. I store it in a giant Rubbermaid container on wheels

[hal2814]

That advice came from the aftermarket tower world. They all pretty universally tell you not to tow a tube with them. Those aftermarket towers are not nearly as well attached as our factory FCT towers. I personally use the ski pylon to tow tubes but the FCT tower warnings all (as far as I know) say you can tow “recreational towables” with them, which would include tubes.

[Scooter G]

HaHa thanks GMLIII, I like it! Yup, looks like you need to pack your breakfast and your lunch for the air fill. Keyword - "Large" rubbermaid container. I don't think you can even call it a tube, it's like a recreational device on it's own merit.

$700 to $800 bones, wooo, so much for the new Surf Board.
https://www.hosports.com/product/tubes-molecule


Off topic, on topic, thread title says Tubes somewhere in the mix