240SD towing Tube/Skier

Morpheus

New Member
May 7, 2007
2,450
Odessa, FL
Boat Info
2006 SeaRay Sundeck 240
Engines
5.0MPI Mercruiser w/ Bravo III
Ok I searched and searched and well wasn't really finding anything. This is mostly for the 240SD owners out here.

Do you tow what have you towed and do you have any tips?

I got a tube and recommended tow rope for it but I'm not sure where to tie it on the boat without hurting anything. I thought I'd look around for like a tow pole that would fit in the hole where the table goes thought that might work but I've no clue which is why I'm asking.

Thanks
 
You already have a tow eye right in the center of the grab handle on the transom.

DSC00844.jpg


You can tow a tube from there without any problems. I'll let others address that issue of towing a skier but I doubt using the table mount to attach a ski pole is a good idea.
 
I figured that was what it was for but what kind of knot to I put on that?
 
Personally I use a tow harness between the cleats. One of the ones with a roller that runs on the cable. A lot of the times if I don't want to hook up the harness I just hook the tow rope to the tow eye on the back.

As to what I tow:

Big Tube 3 Person
Small Tube 2 Person
Skiers
Wake Boarders

Hope this helps
 
Should I search for "tow harness" or does it have a specific name I'd like to check it out.

Well that's easy!

Thanks to the all of ya.

I need a class on tying these kinds of things like this and bumpers and dock ropes or even just a picture like WES added, thanks WES that makes it clear and glass for me and simple I like simple
 
http://clubsearay.com/photoplog/images/397/large/1_Ski_Rope.JPG

I can't remember if this was the right way or the picture I took when I was trying to figure it out. Now I am going to have to go out to the boat to make sure. This could have been the picture I took when I was trying to learn. I know Dave S is the one that got me straightened out, but for some reason my mind is blank.
 
http://clubsearay.com/photoplog/images/397/large/1_Ski_Rope.JPG

I can't remember if this was the right way or the picture I took when I was trying to figure it out. Now I am going to have to go out to the boat to make sure. This could have been the picture I took when I was trying to learn. I know Dave S is the one that got me straightened out, but for some reason my mind is blank.

BOOOOOO :wow: hahaha

Ok now I'm confused but maybe not.

What your saying it's like what you have the the picture but you go up from the bottom over the top and then back down to the bottom and up to the hook like you have it in the picture.
 
Yeah, now I am confused. Dave and chuck will get us squared away. I think that was a picture I took when I was trying to figure it out. I am always looking at it upside down so now I am confused. Here would be the other version, which I am thinking is right. Is it clear as glass or mud now. Which ever way is wrong you would know it because it would not hold.

http://clubsearay.com/photoplog/images/397/large/1_DSC_0235.JPG
 
Ok lets see if I can post a picture in the thread.
1_Tow_Harness.jpg
 
That's cool couple of questions.

The two hooks they don't scratch anything?

and the ability for that to slide around seems like it would take away the ability for the boat to swing the tube across the wake, but then that might be a good thing saftey wise.

Thanks for the help fellows I and me fellow co-workers will appreciate it at the end of the month for employee day out on Lake Tarpon.
 
As to tying the rope, Neither picture looks right to me. I run the loop of the tow rope through the ski loop on the boat, down around the bottom of it, and then bring it back up through the ski rope loop and hook it over the center finger of the ski loop on the boat. Hope that helps, not sure if I explained it right??? Sorry.
 
I use the harness for skiers and the ski loop on the boat for the tubing. I've even pulled two tubes at the same time. One on each cleat. The kids(Teenagers) seemed to like that the best.
 
As to tying the rope, Neither picture looks right to me. I run the loop of the tow rope through the ski loop on the boat, down around the bottom of it, and then bring it back up through the ski rope loop and hook it over the center finger of the ski loop on the boat. Hope that helps, not sure if I explained it right??? Sorry.

Makes sense to me.
 
This is the way we did ours:

1_Ski_Rope.JPG


I've towed many many hours using the hookup in the picture above. A lot of times I towed two tubes at once off the tow eye. The ropes never came off the tow eye. Before you buy a harness, give it a try. It wont cost you a thing. If you don't like it, then try out a harness.
 
I do it as Chuck suggests so there is no chance of it slipping off.( over the top to the back, underneath and then hooking it from the front. The others all probably hold just as well but it's just another degree of safety. There is still the problem of spray on some of the tubes and bananna's as the rope dips into the water from that low of an angle. ( I just tell the kids it's part of the fun! )
 
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I do it as Chuck suggests so there is no chance of it slipping off.( over the top to the back, underneath and then hooking it from the front. The others all probably hold just as well but it's just another degree of safety. There is still the problem of spray on some of the tubes and bananna's as the rope dips into the water from that low of an angle. ( I just tell the kids it's part of the fun! )

Thanks for the tips on tying, now for more questions.

1. Taking off, do I gun it?
-- Obviosly I want to first get the slack out of the line.

2. When towing will I be on plane or will be there be so much drag I will not be able to plane or if I do get on plane am I going to fast?
 
Boy that is a loaded question. It all depends.
Never flat out gun it. Will pull the rope out of the hands of the skier. It is more of a fast steady flow most of the way to full throttle then backing off as you get to the speed you want to be at. The speed is all going to depend on what you are pulling. As slow as 15-17MPH for a wake boarder as fast as 37+MPH for a good slalom skier. With our 240s some time I'm off plane and some times I'm on plane. It all depends on what I'm towing. Remember to always protect your skier. When they fall get back to them as quickly as possible and make sure you keep them on your starboard side when you are coming around them. Make sure you have worked out the signs with them, about going faster, slower, stop, etc.
 
Boy that is a loaded question. It all depends.
Never flat out gun it. Will pull the rope out of the hands of the skier. It is more of a fast steady flow most of the way to full throttle then backing off as you get to the speed you want to be at. The speed is all going to depend on what you are pulling. As slow as 15-17MPH for a wake boarder as fast as 37+MPH for a good slalom skier. With our 240s some time I'm off plane and some times I'm on plane. It all depends on what I'm towing. Remember to always protect your skier. When they fall get back to them as quickly as possible and make sure you keep them on your starboard side when you are coming around them. Make sure you have worked out the signs with them, about going faster, slower, stop, etc.

Ok that's good info (starboard/right) got it.

Actually I was thinking more of what to do for pulling a tube since that's all I have at the moment. I'm now thinking that won't matter how fast I get on the throttle since they are not trying to get out of the water like a skier.
 

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