Anyone ever tow another boat with their nautique?

[myrtlebeachrider]

I recently had to pull my friends malibu back to the local landing which would have taken about 2 hrs above idle speed. We did it in about 15 min once my SANTE got his 4k lb malibu on plane and we cruised in at 24mph. I was shocked at the strength. You could have wakeboarded behind his boat while being towed by mine!!!

[MHayes]

RE: Anyone ever tow another boat with their nautique?

Although it sounds like you were sucessful in getting your buddy back to shore, I would highly recommend that you tow around idle speed for your safety as well as your buddy's. If the tow rope was to break, you may be in a world of trouble!

[Madhat78]

RE: Anyone ever tow another boat with their nautique?

plus most pylons and towers have a towing capacity of only 1000 lbs. would be a good way to void all structure warranties.

[Andrew]

RE: Anyone ever tow another boat with their nautique?

my biggest concern would be the fact that the 'bu doesn't have brakes :O

[bkhallpass]

RE: Anyone ever tow another boat with their nautique?

Breaking the tow line is no small matter. My neighbor was pulling a stranded boat off the rocks, when the tow line broke. The laceration on his arm was into some kind of an artery. Had to be raced to the closest Marina, then ambulance to the hospital. Just something to keep in mind. If you do tow, keep the kids, and anyone else for that matter, far away from the tow line. BKH

[myrtlebeachrider]

RE: Anyone ever tow another boat with their nautique?

As far as brakes go when I started slowing down I allowed plenty of space but didn't need it at all. The boat in tow was slowing faster than I was.
Where can I find the towing capacity for the pylon. I was under the impression it was a lot more than 1000 lbs.

[Andrew]

RE: Anyone ever tow another boat with their nautique?

i've towed a couple boats from the pylon on my '86 without problems...... it doesn't really take much to tow a boat forward. i mean, i can move a boat around at the dock with one hand and last time i checked i was no where near 1000 at the gym lol

[MHayes]

RE: Anyone ever tow another boat with their nautique?

I think the key here is that he was towing at 24 mph......I'm sure a great deal of energy was used to get the boat in tow up to that speed.

[Andrew]

RE: Anyone ever tow another boat with their nautique?

i dunno, as the boat speeds up there is less of it in the water, and less area for resistance.
not that i recommend towing at that speed by any means, but i don't really think there is a lot of stress on the tow point.....

[Laptom]

RE: Anyone ever tow another boat with their nautique?

I would never tow at that speed. Towed a couple of times at idle and only at the pylon and nog from the tower! Perhaps it could not do any damage, but you would never know unless it was to late...

[ag4ever]

Re: RE: Anyone ever tow another boat with their nautique?

i dunno, as the boat speeds up there is less of it in the water, and less area for resistance.
not that i recommend towing at that speed by any means, but i don't really think there is a lot of stress on the tow point.....

If that was the case, you would need less and less power (ie smaller and smaller engine) as you sped up. It is true that once you go from displacement to planing, the drag decreases a bit, but then it begins to build again.

It takes significantly more power to tow a boat at 24 MPH than at lower speeds.

The other problem is steering. At 24 MPH, if the other boat starts to veer off course, you would have no reaction time to stop him from possibly capsizing you.

When towing a stranded boat, always have them keep their outdrive in the water to act as a rudder and keep them pointed straight ahead. Also discuss with them before starting to tow how you will release at the end. I like to have them start steering to the left while I go to the right and release the rope with us taking different navigational lines preventing the following boat from drifting into me. But you have to be careful. I had one swing around with thei engine tilted up and scratched my hull with his skeg. Cost me a few bucks to get it fixed.

Regardless, if you plan to tow at anything more than an idle, I would suggest using the rear lifting rings as the atachment point. It is much stronger than the tow pylon.

[Fast351]

Re: RE: Anyone ever tow another boat with their nautique?

Regardless, if you plan to tow at anything more than an idle, I would suggest using the rear lifting rings as the atachment point. It is much stronger than the tow pylon.

I would not do that. Those lifting rings are designed to lift UP, not sideways. Chances are better than slim that you will crack the surrounding fiberglass by towing off of it. My Nautique has a sticker right next to the ring stating exactly that. The ski pylon is the safest, and again, I would not go over idle.

[DanielC]

RE: Re: RE: Anyone ever tow another boat with their nautique

DO NOT TOW BOATS OFF THE LIFTING RING!!!! It is designed for a vertical load. The only thing that holds the top of the lifting ring from moving side to side or forward and back is fiberglass. the lifting ring is attached to a 5/8 stainless steel threaded rod that is actually glassed into the bottom half of the hull of your boat, so it can hold the vertical load. You also need to have a straight down pull to the lifting rings if you are going to hang the boat by the lifting rings.

[Gizmo]

While I dont agree with the speed you towed with. I will say that I towed in 2 malibus last summer and one this summer. Everybody I know personally that has a BU has had problems significant enough to keep them off the lake a few days.

[skiswm]

RE: Re: RE: Anyone ever tow another boat with their nautique

hmm...do you mean the rear lifting ring or the rear tow ring you use when the boat is loaded and someone wants to ski? I was told when I bought my boat to always use that if I were towing another boat/pwc and to never use the pylon. It also clearly stated in my tower warranty that it was never to be used for towing another boat.