Best place to tow toys from?

adamdavi3s · 06 June 2009, 14:19

*Edit* Ignore my stupidity, a search for 'Bridal' bought it straight up!

*edit2* Also helps if you spell Bridle correctly

Hi Guys,

I have just bought a couple of toys I hope to tow but being a total novice I can't decide how...
The main issue is when I want to tow two, I am assuming I need to knock up some form of bridal to go around the engine?

This photo shows the back end, it has an eyelet each side and a very basic A-frame. I think the frame is a no no as I can flex the top by hand so I don't think it will take the strain (second photo shows how it is fixed to the transom)

Can anyone point me towards any advice? I did a quick search on here but didn't come up with much... also, should I be concerned about the rope on the tubes? Again I assume a bridal will negate that issue but I don't know where to start really!

Thanks once again!

BumbleAbout · 06 June 2009, 16:15

Use the eyes !

Many waterski/ wakeboard/ kneedoard/ ringo ropes come complete with a bridle which will usually have clips to attach to each eyelet.

If you don't have one of these then the you can simply tie a length (about 6-8 ft) of rope between the eyelets which will extend behind the outboard. To help it float and stay out of the propeller you can use zip tie a couple of 6" lengths of foam pipe insulation. The ski rope then clips onto this bridle.

When you get bored of tying the rope, you can use upgrade to caribinas (ideally stainless steel) which you can splice onto each end of the bridle.

Many watersports shops and chandlers sell the bridles if you don't want to make one however.

It's usually well worth doing an RYA Powerboat Level 2 course (2 days) to cover all the basics (you can do these in Salcombe).

tonymac · 06 June 2009, 19:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by BumbleAbout

Use the eyes !

Many waterski/ wakeboard/ kneedoard/ ringo ropes come complete with a bridle which will usually have clips to attach to each eyelet.

If you don't have one of these then the you can simply tie a length (about 6-8 ft) of rope between the eyelets which will extend behind the outboard. To help it float and stay out of the propeller you can use zip tie a couple of 6" lengths of foam pipe insulation. The ski rope then clips onto this bridle.

When you get bored of tying the rope, you can use upgrade to caribinas (ideally stainless steel) which you can splice onto each end of the bridle.

Many watersports shops and chandlers sell the bridles if you don't want to make one however.

It's usually well worth doing an RYA Powerboat Level 2 course (2 days) to cover all the basics (you can do these in Salcombe).

Do you really need a bridle? I have just bought a tow toy and it has just one attachment for one of the D rings. It also has a quick release caribina type fitting to fit to the D ring so anyone in trouble can be released from the boat ASAP simply by the spotter jerking an arm upwards. It already has a piece of float attached to the floating tow rope - but as I said no bridle. It all attaches onto one D ring. Is this safe?

ollyit · 06 June 2009, 19:16

last weekend - the higher the better if wakeboarding/skiing - I dont it would matter for a ringo - ultimately it has to be man enough

Steve Waters · 06 June 2009, 20:00

Can I, respectfully of course, add that you check your insurance as my insurance does not cover me for toys and it was clear when I took it out that this would "add to the premium" ?!!
Steve

jyasaki · 07 June 2009, 05:36

Towed a 200 lb kid on a tube on a lake for quite a while using one side's tow eye. No problem at all as far as I could tell.

Not sure that running two at one would work well, as you won't get much separation. Or is that the point?

jky

BTW, having a second boat trim the motor way out and running at low speed will generate a great wake to launch tubes off of (as long as the wake generating boat misses both the tow boat and the rider...)

tonymac · 07 June 2009, 10:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Waters

Can I, respectfully of course, add that you check your insurance as my insurance does not cover me for toys and it was clear when I took it out that this would "add to the premium" ?!!
Steve

Absolutely Steve! My insurance did not have toys on it and I had to have it added so my three wee children (26, 21 and 18!!!) could get a thrill off the back of the boat!

BumbleAbout · 07 June 2009, 11:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonymac

Do you really need a bridle? I have just bought a tow toy and it has just one attachment for one of the D rings. It also has a quick release caribina type fitting to fit to the D ring so anyone in trouble can be released from the boat ASAP simply by the spotter jerking an arm upwards. It already has a piece of float attached to the floating tow rope - but as I said no bridle. It all attaches onto one D ring. Is this safe?

Probably not !

It just means that the towing force is along the centre line of the towing boat (which helps with steering).

My understanding was that with someone waterskiing, having a bridle minimises the effect of the skier at the end of their turn affecting your steering. It also typically halves the load on each eyelet (as long as you have a pulley attaching the tow rope to the bridle).

adamdavi3s · 07 June 2009, 11:48

Hi Guys,

Thank you for all the advice, I purchase a bridle just after posting this (once I had worked out how to spell it properly

) just to make life easier. Putting two rings on it won't give a lot of separation, but that could be fun!
A few of my friends are really into wakeboarding so I might invest in a tower at some point, but possibly when I 'upgrade' the rib

I love the idea of using a second boat to generate wake! We normally take a few out so will give that a go!

Ref training, a couple of my friends are instructors so that's covered

I just hate to keep bugging them with questions!

Thank you for the advice on insurance also! I hadn't thought about that!

Cookee · 08 June 2009, 12:44

A word of warning - ringos and other inflatables produce a lot more drag than a skier and you should not tow one from a ski pole or A frame unless it is designed for it.

PeterM · 08 June 2009, 13:05

Indeed they can - I do sometimes wonder why I am slowing down so fast - then realise that the passenger has puched the front of the inflatable into the water I have suddenly started trying to pull a few tonnes of water !

Downhilldai · 08 June 2009, 22:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by BumbleAbout

...It's usually well worth doing an RYA Powerboat Level 2 course (2 days) to cover all the basics (you can do these in Salcombe).

Does PB2 cover towing skiers/toys nowadays? It never used to.
There used to be a 'ski boat driver award', but that may have been superceded now?

BumbleAbout · 09 June 2009, 08:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

Does PB2 cover towing skiers/toys nowadays? It never used to.
There used to be a 'ski boat driver award', but that may have been superceded now?

PB2 covers towing boats, but not skiers/toys (or at least not when I did it) - the comment was more to help the "I'm a total novice" initial post.