water ski/tube with 15hp?

georgieboy · 29 June 2010, 12:28

i have a 3.5m rib with 15hp 4 stroke tohatsu. will this be good enough to tow water ski/tube? i have never been water skiing before and have no idea how fast we need to go.

willfinch36 · 29 June 2010, 12:32

Im not sure about water skiing, but my mate used to have an AVON 3.1M RIB with a 15hp and that would tow a donut with no problem

georgieboy · 29 June 2010, 12:37

thanks.
i would guess that a skier would be less drag than a tube.

longjohn · 29 June 2010, 19:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by georgieboy

i have a 3.5m rib with 15hp 4 stroke tohatsu. will this be good enough to tow water ski/tube? i have never been water skiing before and have no idea how fast we need to go.

A skier - No way! Maybe a tube - but a small one and only just.

busaboy · 29 June 2010, 20:04

The oxford rowing team towed a skier down the Thames not so long ago, not very fast but set a record.

Mollers · 29 June 2010, 20:09

30hp on a sib is about the minimum to get an adult skier out. If the kids dig the wakeboard in on pull-out, it'll bog our Searider down with a 50 on the back.

Downhilldai · 29 June 2010, 21:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollers

30hp on a sib is about the minimum to get an adult pie-dodging skier out.

Fixed.

Mollers · 29 June 2010, 22:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

Fixed.

Good point.

willfinch36 · 30 June 2010, 08:37

As said above I very much doubt you will be able to tow a skier.

njensen · 30 June 2010, 10:20

a small kid on waterski : maybe
An adult on waterski : no way.

the tube could be ok, at least if it not a 200 pound person.

Paul E · 30 June 2010, 18:16

we used to have a 30 on a 13ft dorey, it would tow a donut ok but not fast enough to be any proper fun (and I was only 12ish)

fishface14 · 30 June 2010, 21:54

i have a 3m rib with 18hp, it pulls a doughnut with no problem and i still have some power spare.

simmons0 · 30 June 2010, 22:13

Pretty sure I could wakeboard behind 15hp, you'd be struggling to get anyone bigger than a child up on ski's though.

Mollers · 30 June 2010, 22:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by simmons0

Pretty sure I could wakeboard behind 15hp, you'd be struggling to get anyone bigger than a child up on ski's though.

I reckon it takes more of a tug to get a w/board out than a pair of skis, unless the w/boarder is tiny with good technique.

Downhilldai · 30 June 2010, 23:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollers

I reckon it takes more of a tug to get a w/board out than a pair of skis.......

Not so sure about that

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollers

....unless the w/boarder is tiny with good technique.

That must be me then

zookeeper · 01 July 2010, 11:52

hows about just having a go...

georgieboy · 02 July 2010, 21:53

thanks for the input, going out next weekend, will let you know how it goes.

Tims Osprey · 03 July 2010, 08:45

I think you will struggle to pull a skier up out of the water with just 15 hp. Also when using small outboards, 2 strokes are far better for skieing because they are more responsive with more torque to weight ratio, quick response is important when getting a skier up, particularly inexperienced skiers. I used to manage it with a 2 stroke 30 hp on a 14 ft dory, but thats twice the hp, and lots more response. No harm in trying though..it's all good fun

Eddy Stone · 12 July 2010, 19:16

My 14 year old daughter could waterski behind this Ribeye 330 with a 15hp, but the next season she couldnt. Not enough power to pull her up when she grew. It could pull a ringo fine. The limitation was accelarative power for skiing.

jpn · 16 July 2010, 04:28

15 2stroke can probably get a kid to ski....but a 4 stroke I doubt....probably response and weight of 2 stroke engines...