1993 Fish & Ski - where to attach tow ropes?

[SDP]

Hi, I have a 1993 176 Fish&Ski Champion. I don't have an owner's manual.
Does anyone know where to attach tow ropes for pulling tubes? It would either need to be where the stern seatpost goes, or the two hooks on the transom, but I'm pretty sure those are just for tie-down straps.
Thanks.

[CatFan]

Transom hooks.

[MMosher]

Transom hooks

[BOW4UM]

Transom hooks suck for inflatables as you get so much rope spray. I'm researching poles and seems that's not good for inflatables due to so much drag. Looks like a float is a safe option but I don't like it. See my post for some ideas posted by others.

http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=912940

[MMosher]

Never had an issue

[ChampioNman]

Me either.. I've pulled kids from 6 years old to adults up to 260 pounds on everything from water skis, to the old fashioned inner tube with no issues using the normal length ski rope to the tow rope for a tube/float type device. The passengers never complained of rope spray, hell they were in the water anyway.

[pops slowdog]

Been pulling skiers/boards/tubes, u name it since 1962/63. I have never driven a boat that the rear tie down loops were in the water when boat is planed out. Wanna get your towed folks excited, raise the Jetavater up a degree or two!

Sorry, just funnin, there are a lot of rear seat post mounted ski tows out here but I don’t know a link off top of my (Gray)head.

[SDP]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I suppose I'll just borrow a tube and rope from a friend, and see what happens this weekend.
I recently saw one of those big floats - looks like a big beach ball, basically. I was wondering what it's purpose was.
I consider myself a good, safe boater. And I always just assume every other boat is driven by someone who's not experienced, or by someone who's had a few beers. It makes me feel safer, and I'm never in a hurry. However, I've never towed tubers. Or skiers. I've been in a boat many times pulling skiers and tubers, but never was the driver.
I'm planning on just taking it easy at first with my kids, on less populated lakes, but I still wouldn't mind some pointers, especially regarding safety.

[pops slowdog]

Always a l w a y s have a person dedicated to watching the skier(s), and to nothing else- preferably in the front with you. Don’t pull your people close to other boaters, fisherman, and water hazards. I can’t tell you how many times I see people skiing up close to the bank, docks, piers etc. Try to know the water you are going to be using. Take a tour of it before you start pulling skiers and look for any dangers that are apparent-shallow water, stumps, boat traffic and so forth. When possible if you are going to be towing in unfamiliar water, get a topographical map th get an idea of the depth(s), hazards like rocky ledges and peninsulas.

SPEED should be appropriate for the experience of the people/kids you are towing and the equipment you are using.

Those Kiddos are there for the FUN, they are leaving their safety up to you. NOT a sermon, just from years of experience and I have never had a kid get hurt seriously. Now some drunk grown-ups might be a different story. Enjoy your new hobby!

[BOW4UM]

This is what I'm talking about. When you turn the boat the rope dragging in the water sprays the people and it sucks. This is why I want to raise the rope. Sounds like folks with the poles have had no issues :)

[BOW4UM]

YES and ill add to be VERY careful on blind corners as towables go outside and an oncoming boat makes a bad situation. See it allover and cant understand why folks would do this.

Always a l w a y s have a person dedicated to watching the skier(s), and to nothing else- preferably in the front with you. Don’t pull your people close to other boaters, fisherman, and water hazards. I can’t tell you how many times I see people skiing up close to the bank, docks, piers etc. Try to know the water you are going to be using. Take a tour of it before you start pulling skiers and look for any dangers that are apparent-shallow water, stumps, boat traffic and so forth. When possible if you are going to be towing in unfamiliar water, get a topographical map th get an idea of the depth(s), hazards like rocky ledges and peninsulas.

SPEED should be appropriate for the experience of the people/kids you are towing and the equipment you are using.

Those Kiddos are there for the FUN, they are leaving their safety up to you. NOT a sermon, just from years of experience and I have never had a kid get hurt seriously. Now some drunk grown-ups might be a different story. Enjoy your new hobby!

[CatFan]

This is what I'm talking about. When you turn the boat the rope dragging in the water sprays the people and it sucks. This is why I want to raise the rope. Sounds like folks with the poles have had no issues :)

Poles always have a sticker that says not to use them for tubes. Too much force. My BIL pulled his out of the back deck pulling a tube. Fortunately the pin broke instead of the deck.

[pops slowdog]

Sorry SDP, now I understand where the spray is coming from. Many Ski tow pylons and wakeboard towers available, have even seen one or two that are portable. Not sure if that will prevent the rope dragging in the water out at the tube. Also not sure how a lighter weight and relative narrow beam boat will respond to and handle with the lateral “tipping” leverage that some taller pylons/towers might exert on it.?? Most ski and wakeboard specific boat appear wider, heavier, and have much different towing characteristic being equipped with an inboard engine and VEE drives.

Some on here probably has that experience, I do not. Again good luck and be safe.

[1bluemcm]

I was just thinking - this is not likely to be a practical solution however...

The ski pylon that can be had for the rear seat post mount, that has the two side braces that run aft to the right and left - if there was a way to have a cable running from the pylon forward to some solid mount point and that would be under tension to assist in sharing the load taken by the two aft support legs, that could possibly suffice for the load of tubing. That said, I'm not sure what the forward anchor point would be (perhaps the base of the forward seat post), you'd have a cable running down the center of the boat up in the air, and the lateral loads of turning would still be carried through the aft leg braces of the pylon. Anyway, in theory, a tension cable running forward could help a lot, but probably totally impractical.

[Lea]

As said several times in several threads...Do NOT use the ski pylon for tubing! They are labeled for a reason! And, somehow, I doubt anyone wants to break stuff in their boat .... which is entirely possible when using ill-advised equipment.

[Stang]

Rope spray is the least of their concerns when I am pulling a tube, especially when I trim up and spray them with the rooster tail!

[SDP]

Thanks for all the good advice!
Now on to swim ladders...

[BOW4UM]

For me I understand that but most everyone I have pulled has complained about it. Looks like it will be the float for me. I'm afraid of the pylon as most of my pulling is inflatables NOT skies AND that my boat is primarily for fishing and don't want issues...

Rope spray is the least of their concerns when I am pulling a tube, especially when I trim up and spray them with the rooster tail!

SDP - Lots to think about but you can always start with the transom cleats and work from there. Your boat being FS may have additional structure…? Maybe someone can chime in on that.

[Lea]

No additional structure that I have ever heard about.

[1bluemcm]

Me either. Just the reconfigured forward deck for seating I thought.