Tube thread

[ragboy]

And the youtube version.

[skyski_tige]

Pull from the tower... Max 2 kids up to age 10

[zad0030]

Also, when I pull from the tower, I have tried, I CAN'T submarine. The towers just keeps the bow up.

If you are towing little kids, that thing wont submarine no matter how hard you try. Put an adult or two, on a flat style tube (super screamer) and then see if it submarines. Also submarining is a result of an inexperienced rider not leaning back on the tube at startup or an uneven distribution of weight. I dont think the extra 10 degrees provided by the tower makes a whole lot of difference.

[ragboy]

I have towed adults, but it would be extremely difficult to submarine anything with that tower/height and rope length.

[dingleberry]

If you are towing little kids, that thing wont submarine no matter how hard you try. Put an adult or two, on a flat style tube (super screamer) and then see if it submarines. Also submarining is a result of an inexperienced rider not leaning back on the tube at startup or an uneven distribution of weight. I dont think the extra 10 degrees provided by the tower makes a whole lot of difference.

Actually, I did manage to submarine our tube with only one(1) five-year old on it last weekend (pulling from pylon). Yep - had to do with weight distribution, but it is possible. Scared my wife, but he loved it

[dingleberry]

whoops - just realized that you were saying you won't submarine it...from the tower. Sorry - I misunderstood - you're probably right.

[zad0030]

I have towed adults, but it would be extremely difficult to submarine anything with that tower/height and rope length.

Not to pick a fight here Rag. But that tube in your video will not submarine. Its practically designed not to. The weight is focussed at the rear and it has a massive area of air in the front.

I did the math, Assuming you have a 100ft line and the tower is 7 feet higher than the transom, you are looking at a 9.9 degree difference.

[ragboy]

I have had that tube for several years. I would have to locate the video, but used to submarine that tube ALL the time with junior high and high school kids on it during outings with our church. I was hooked from transom, would start up to about 5mph, slow down, and start up again, and would submarine almost every time, and sometimes without the extra effort.

The front looks the way it does in these videos more because of the way the tower is pulling it up, then the design of the tube. I have also pulled this tube from the pylon, and then from the tower, it completely acts differently. From the tower it almost feels like it is floating the entire time. It is a completely different experience. Also, that rope is not 100ft. I think it was more like 70ft.

But hey, nice to see you are able to keep up with your book learning.

[zad0030]

70ft is only 5* and my calc was in the wrong mode so the 100ft one is only 4*.

Ragboy, why do we do this? Why do you post something, I have to comment trying to prove you wrong, and then you say that your have evidence, and I finally shut up even though I know im right?

[ragboy]

Because you are still young and think you are smarter than everyone. Time and experience is on my side brutha. Theory and calculations are great, but even the best equations and simulations can never equal actual real world trials and experimentation. Just ask NASA/JPL and the guys who did the first mars lander.

It may only be a few degrees, but I was in the boat, and going from pylon to tower made a HUGE difference on the tube. It was riding on air the whole time. If you look at the video closely you can see the bow up and the air underneath. It did NOT and does not ride like that from the transom/pylon. And that tube does, and will submarine, but unless I had a 250# guy leaning all the way over the front, I don't think it would be possible. The tower pulls the bow right out. The doesn't even seem to plane, its just on top.

[zad0030]

I may be young and a know it all now, but when you are old and cranky you will be relying on me.

[ragboy]

lol, I will give you credit for being spunky. Hopefully I will put enough away from my business to not rely on anyone.

[Seanmcd]

I pull from the Tower all the time, never a problem.

When I pull from the stern rings the rope sits in the wake and interfers with the movement of the tube. Not to mention the rope pulling throught the wake pushes a huge spray of water into the tubers face.

I can tell you for certain, but also rather un-scientifically, that the load on the tower from a 200lb wakeboarder cutting hard into the wake is significantly more than a tube.

I can feel the boat pull and hear the tower creak with any stress, and tubing is nowhere near pulling an adult rider who can cut.

And for all the snobs out there who say tubing is for little kids or people who can't ride, I say grow up. When the water stinks and you can find a place away from other boats, tubing is an absolute blast. Kids, teenagers, adults, no matter what, when you get on a tube for a good ride, you come away smiling and laughing...

And thats what it is all about....FUN!!

My $.02

[Duncan]

70ft is only 5* and my calc was in the wrong mode so the 100ft one is only 4*.

The problem is not with the calculations, but rather, the assumption that a 5 degree angle (or 4, 9.9, etc.) is insufficient to have an effect. I have no idea whether such an angle would have a noticeable effect on the tendency of the tube to submarine. But until you plug that whole in your analysis, the argument is not complete (or convincing).

And as for spunk, I get a huge kick out of Zad0030's posts (and classic rock tastes). My fav is when a new poster comes on the board, Zad0030 reads him the the riot act (usually with spot on advice), the newbie retorts with "shut up kid", or something similar, and several of the regs on the board jump in setting the record straight as to his good depth of knowledge.

[dogbert]

I can get plenty of air without pulling from the tower. I never pull from the tower...probably has something to do with the large yellow and black warning sticker on my tower instructing me not to do so.