Tubing/Skiing/Kneeboard behind boat?

[Burnham]

So, I finally have gotten back to putting new plywood and carpet into my boat after it sat all last summer . I know it's a "fishing boat" and thats what it will primarily be used as, but being a 20 year old- most of my friends would rather tube, ski, and whatnot behind it. I was wondering if you guys think it would be capable of doing so. The motor is a 40 hp, and the boat tops out around 29-32 mph.

[going4it]

You will be able to kneeboard and tube behind it but highly doubt it will pull up a skier.

[Walleye Rueben]

When I was 16, my first boat was a 14' runabout with a 1965 40hp Johnson. We waterskied several times a week for 3 summers. As long as you are willing to start on 2 skis (kick off your ski once up if you want to slalom), you should be fine (unless you're a really big guy).

I was able to get a few smaller friends up on 1 ski from deep water, but they really had to work at it.

[Jim Almquist]

It will work for kneeboarding but if the guy on the board is decent at cutting he will slow your boat down a lot. Back in the day we used a 115HP and that worked out about right. Let about 50 gallons of water in the boat and we would create a nice wake to jump over. We also used shorter ropes so we would be closer to the boat.

[Basschaser]

Agree with Walleye. As long as your friends aren't real big you should be alright. When I was a little kid I could actually ski behind a 6 HP Johnson for sh*** and giggles. Back end of the boat will get thrown around by anyone that can ski well though.

[tunrevir]

You can ski behind just about any boat but you are a bit under motored for skiing. If folks want to try a jump start(leave a bit of rope between them and the boat to hop up on a ski it would work for you). If the folks that are skiing with you are used to a big boat draqgging them out of the water it won't work. If the skiers are pretty good sized (say 185 or more) I'd stick to a tube or boogie board. The other thing is, if you do get some folks up at the speeds your pulling them, if they are proficient skiers, it will drag the boat around on a cut. Wake board, boogie board or tube shouldn't be much of a problem once your up to speed.

Tunrevir~

[Grum]

When we were kids we used to start off the dock even worked behind a jet ski, once.

[Burnham]

thank you everyone, i think i'm going to start out with buying a tube and a kneeboard

[Wanderer]

Keep your rope short. It doesn't look like you'll be rigging a tow bar on your boat but rather tying off the transom. The longer the rope, the more it will drag in the water. On a knee board the rider can hold it up pretty well but in a tube you can't so much.

I was towing those two types of toys with my Lund Rebel (16ft) with 50hp Yamaha 2 stroke. The motor really worked to handle anyone 170lbs+.

Maybe a lower pitch prop would help if you can get one.

[bturck]

Also don't forget the weight of the extra person on board; unless you have a mirror in your boat you are required to have another person on board to eyeball what you are towing.

[chanfish]

i have a lund pike rebel with a 25 horse. Could i pull my kids in a tube with this? Dont need to go real fast. Just move them around. Guess i always thought it was too small to pull kids in a tube but maybe not perhaps? Thats why i never bought a tube but maybe i was wrong?

[ClownColor]

Been tubing behind a 15 horse growing up and loved it (when your young, anything is great regardless of speed)! From 18-23 I ski'ed, kneedboarded, tubed, and my friend who was good could wake board...all behind a 40 horse. kicking out of the wake would put drag on the boat but it worked just fine and we had a blast.

[chanfish]

thanks Clowncolor.. my daughter tells me that tubing is the bomb and i never even thought i could pull them...should have asked this years ago but better late than never..i just need to find a tube probably a one man deal right?

[Kyhl]

I also grew up being dragged behind a 25hp. We would knee board behind a tank of a pontoon that had steel tubes. Didn't need to go fast, just wet fun. Tubing behind a 25hp tin boat would be a blast for them.

[chanfish]

thanks..should have thought of this many years ago.. bought my fishing boat pre kids and never thought i had the horsepower to pull them. now i gotta go find me a rope and tube!! could i pull two kids in a tube or just one?

[Grum]

I think it would depend on how big are the kids, style and size of the tube and how much weight is in the boat. How fast you can get up plane will let you know if your at your motors limits. I would not recommend overloading it as a blown motor makes the fun end fast, I learned that the hard way.

[chanfish]

all great points grum...my daughter is 90 pds but my son is a good 170. so i think i would get the lightest tube and only pull one at a time..boat planes up pretty good but i recently learned that you need another person in the boat to spot for you legally and you have to account for that..

[Grum]

Empty the boat of all things unnecessary and have the lightest responsible spotter in the group. Get a large (one that floats your son) covered tube with an attached tow point as they will get to plane faster. With your 25 you should be able to have some fun.

[chanfish]

thanks. i am going to do it. some good old family fun. time is moving fast and i want to enjoy these last few years before they are both gone and on their own..boat has been sitting alot all these years so now i have another activity they may find more fun than just fishing..heck you can do both in a day now!! here we go!!

[Grum]

the only other thing I can think of off hand is get a good tow rope, one that attaches on both corners of your boat so the the tube weight is in line with the thrust of the motor and you don't loose power with a side load off just one corner. Have fun and a great summer, it's going fast.

[neptune]

If you really want to try skiing trick skis can be fun and very entertaining. We have an old pair and even though we have a ski boat it's fun to pull people behind our 16' Lund with a 15 hp. If the person you're pulling isn't very good at skiing though be prepared for some amazing splashes.