Ever pull a jetski behind your cruiser?

[beachcombersc]

I was wondering if anyone had ever tried/seen somene drag a jetski behind a larger boat while at cruising speed? I am thinking this is not a smart idea, but had wondered if anyone had ever tried or heard of someone doing it without problems...

I own both and was just curious...

280da with twin 4.3
Kawasaki 1100 stx dI

 

[tphinney]

i have heard of it; but never done it or seen it. i have even seen some products on the Web designed to stand off the Ski at given lenghts so that it doesn't hit you're transom when you come off plane.

the big trick (or so I have heard) is that you have to pich off or shut off the water pick on the jetski to prevent it from flooding the engine in the ski and possibly sinking the ski while under tow.

 

[H2ONUT]

Yes I have seen it done, it dosen't track too well behind the boat, so I don't know about getting up on plane.

 

[comsnark]

I did it once. Didn't know about the entire "hydrolocking" issue. No damage requiring money or time was done to the ski.

Once on plane, the ski was very well behaved. The trick was the need to CHANGE the line length. The ski needs to be MUCH farther back from the boat when on plane.

 

[Alex D]

I was wondering if anyone had ever tried/seen somene drag a jetski behind a larger boat while at cruising speed? I am thinking this is not a smart idea, but had wondered if anyone had ever tried or heard of someone doing it without problems...

I own both and was just curious...

280da with twin 4.3
Kawasaki 1100 stx dI

A lot of my buddies at our marina do it, but they never run faster than displacement speed around 8 mph when they tow to the annchorage ...

 

[RiverGalsMan]

I've done it a bunch of times. The trick, as someone already mentioned, is to use a long line. I would pull it with my 300 at about 30 MPH with a 120 foot line. I always pinched the raw water intake line. Why take the chance?

Nice long line and you should have no problem.

 

[beachcombersc]

This bad boy hits the scales at 700lb. dry. Where would be the best place to attach it to? Both sides, or one side? I wouldnt think the tow hook for watersports would do so well..

As for water intake. not a chance...

 

[RiverGalsMan]

I got a towing bridle with two hooks and a quick release tube attachment at the point where the two lines connected. I'd then use two heavy duty tube tow lines joined to form a 120 foot tow line. Then a hook to attach the ski.

The skis may weigh 700 - 900 pounds, but I don't think you need that type of force to keep that thing on plane behind the boat. Though I never did it that way, you might be able to attach the tow lines to the two aft cleats. Tow hook, maybe, but I like the idea of distributing the stress to the boat to two spots, rather than one.

 

[beachcombersc]

Well I did it!!!
I was able to drag it just fine. I did pinch the intakes off just in case. I will make some mods to the ski, and make a quick release harness to share the load across both sides(also to help keep it centered). It did just fine... Thanks everyone!