The OFFICIAL Tige position on towing from the ski pylon...

[IDBoating]

I asked, and here is the cut-and-paste quote from Tige Engineering. Misspellings and other errors are theirs.

Ski pylon's location was not designed to handle the higher impact force that is produced from tubes and some inflateables. The force put onto the pylon by the skier is limited by the amount of force the skier itself can possibly hold in their hand(s). The inflateables tends to be tied onto the boat with no way of releasing the force unless the rope or the device holding the rope breaks.

Pylons are only for skiers and boarders. No inflateables are allowed.

So there you have it. This parallels the cautions from every other boat manufacturer I've researched. Tow from the pylon at your own risk. I will be installing a dedicated tow ring in the transom, probably integrated with the grab handle as discussed in another thread.

Hope this ends the dispute. Thanks!

[chpthril]

Not to dis Tige, but that's pretty much the CYA answer I would expect

[IDBoating]

Not to dis Tige, but that's pretty much the CYA answer I would expect

Absolutely. But on the other hand, if the pylon were intended to take such stresses they'd be bragging about it. They're not promoting it, they're not even neutral on it, they are specifically recommending against it - so it's a big NO in my opinion.

[skippabcool]

Along with Tiges response for the tow pylon would they support the addition of an added tow ring? My guess is it would be the same answer as the tow pylon based on the fact that they have no control over it and as Chp said it is a CYA. So, if Tige said no to your tow ring are you still going to do it? Not trying to start a fight just using Tiges reasoning. My guess is if they really wanted to be responsible for towing anything other than skiers and boarders their boats would have come with a place to hook up to from the factory.

[IDBoating]

Along with Tiges response for the tow pylon would they support the addition of an added tow ring? My guess is if they really wanted to be responsible for towing anything other than skiers and boarders their boats would have come with a place to hook up to from the factory.

I believe a tow ring is a standard factory option available at extra cost. The grab handle is too, as are many such features. When I was working up a "build a new boat" quote with Ben Pigeon at Tige in Abilene, I believe one of the things he asked is if I wanted a tow ring and I answered absolutely because we pull a lot of kids on tubes.

[tav]

towing a skier from the pylon in the down position?

I have a similar question. Is the ski pylon designed to pull a skier from the "down" position? The tige I just bought has the extendable ski pylon which raises the tow point about 3' , presumably for wake boarders. The upper position has cables you connect to brace the pylon, but the lower posision has no such cable. Is the pylon designed to be able to pull a skier from the lower position? Thanks! tav

[dom w. forte]

The strongest spot to pull from is still the transom lift hooks, they are designed for up pull and side to side force , we use the double hook rope and just loop up to 4 tubes on the rope, all of our failures has been the tube canvas or rope long before any structual failures, picture trying to lift the boat out of the water with a tube rope and canvas attached what do you think will give?

[pdhj1990]

I've pulled a two person tube from the pylon and the tower - no problems. However, every time I read a post about this subject, I have second thoughts.

Paul

[skippabcool]

Tige must be rethinking their official stance, watch the video

[IDBoating]

Very interesting. I'm still glad I installed my combo tow ring/grab handle on the nice, thick, strong transom with a big backing plate and reinforced epoxy. Others may choose to do differently!

[adamsjstt]

Two yrs ago at the LA boat show I asked TIGES VP Rick about towing tubes from the ski pylon and he looked at me like I was a idiot and said "what else is it for". I've towed four adults ( around 800 to 900 pounds) on a tube from the ski pylon and never a issue. I do however have to keep tightening the bolt every so often.

[Duncan]

At least years StL boat show, Tony from Tige told me flat out there were no problems towing a tube from the AlphaZ tower. He described successful testing of forces on that tower well in excess of anything encountered even when pulling a large tube.

I have towed a medium size tube from the tower over three seasons with no issues.

That said, we are getting a pair of steerable tubes for this season and I am considering putting a pair of D rings above the swim platform to tow from (in such case, I would use one of those inflatable balls on the line to keep it above water).

I cannot tow from the pylon because we do not have one (thank goodness). But I have seen those pylons and the underlying reinforcement and would much rather tow from the tower even if I did have one.

[NICKYPOO]

The problem isn't dragging a tube around, the problem that can occur is when that tube gets submerged. That creates the kind of force the can rip one of those little pylon right out of the fiberglass or worse yet, ripping the tow point off the tower which could easily lodge into someone's skull. Dragging 1000# of anything along the surface is nothing compared to the force a submerged tube can create.

[IDBoating]

The problem isn't dragging a tube around, the problem that can occur is when that tube gets submerged. That creates the kind of force the can rip one of those little pylon right out of the fiberglass or worse yet, ripping the tow point off the tower which could easily lodge into someone's skull. Dragging 1000# of anything along the surface is nothing compared to the force a submerged tube can create.

Funny how this topic just won't die, eh?

[Billua]

I have been pulling anything you can imagine with my ski pylon for the last 10 years.

Never a problem and that thing is solid!