New Owner Question

[mcema_12]

I just purchased a 2008 Sea-Doo Challenger 180. I love the boat, but when I try to pull people on a tube I find them getting drugged underwater, why? If I hold the rope up until they get going it will stay afloat, but once it catches it wants to pull the tube back under. My old outboard boat I just hit the throttle and went, is there something I am not doing right? Do I need a tower? PLEASE HELP!

 

[rookie101]

Strange.....

I don't see any reason that your Challenger would pull a tube different than an outboard. My boat is about the same size and shape as yours, and I have towed lots of tubes with no such problem....hmmmm.

Are you using the built in tow eye? It should be plenty high enough off the water to keep the nose of the tube up. Don't use the two eyelets below the swim platform as they may be to low. Are these people new to tubing and sitting to far forward on the tube, and is this the same tube you used with your old boat, or a new one you just picked up?

You should have no problem towing a tube, and I know there are people on here that tow all the time with their smaller fourteen foot Challengers, so you should be able to as well.......... What ever the problem is it should not be the boat.




Aaron

 

[seadoosnipe]

Experience?

How much experience do you have towing a tube? I see your coming from an outboard type boat (which I believe, most of us do) but this shouldn't make for any real difference in pulling a tube, knee or wake board, or skier.

I have an older 14 foot Challenger and have no problem what so ever pulling from my tow ring. It is about a foot or so up from the waters edge. I don't use my ski pylon because I'm afraid it will bend.

So, I don't think the problem is in the boat but maybe the way you have the tube tied or it's inflation. Whether or not the tube rider is leaning to far forward into the tube or if it's over weighted.

Just a few ideas. I'll be curious as to how others answer this problem.

 

[Dans97challenger]

I would highly recommend using the ski pylon for sure. I use it in mine and I have towned 220lb riders with no problem at all and it doesn't bend in the least. It is built pretty well for tubing. I wouldn't use it to pull a skier but it is perfectly fine for tubing.

 

[robertm]

I've got the exact same boat and haven't had problems. I just gun it at start up and they get pulled out of the water. Actually I have had that problem once or twice. It was solved by them laying back as far as possible at start up. Also, and this seemed to be the biggest cause, make sure the tube is inflated enough. If I don't inflate it enough it will tend to want to submarine. I've had that problem when pulling the tube empty going back to get people. If its properly inflated though, it doesn't usually happen.

For reference, I am using 76" tube with a 60' tow rope.

 

[battscrew]

Have the tubers lean back in the tube till you get going.

 

[sporsterjoel]

Have the tubers lean back in the tube till you get going.

:agree: also hows it the rope attached to the tube?

 

[Gunsrunner]

:agree:
We were tubing yesterday, when i look back when taking off all i see were legs in the air. I have pulled 2 tubes completly under water before:rofl:, they learnt to lean back!!!:rofl: