Lund 186gl Pulling Inflatables

[mackster]

I just bought a new 2012 Lund 186 Tyee GL. This boat comes with a Single ski pole with no bracing. I see on the pole is Say's "no inflatables". I would like to hear from those that have broke this rule. I have two small girls 8 and 5. They like to ride doubles with two tubes behind the boat. So pulling about 300 Lbs will occur. I understand it's all about how hard you pull them. That said, has anyone ever broken a 186 GL ski Pole. Just trying to avoid getting another system for pulling off the eyes on the back of the boat.

Thanks,
Ross

[4JawChuck]

The warning isn't because of the load, it's there because tubes can "kite" when pulled from a ski pole. That being said lots of people pull tubes from the pole, you just need to be careful of speed.

Personally I feel the danger of submarining the tube by pulling from the transom eyes is more dangerous than the kite danger.

[T Mac]

I don't know about that particular model pole, but I have seen a few tow poles broken from pulling tubes.

[KennyPowers]

Originally Posted by mackster

I just bought a new 2012 Lund 186 Tyee GL. This boat comes with a Single ski pole with no bracing. I see on the pole is Say's "no inflatables". I would like to hear from those that have broke this rule. I have two small girls 8 and 5. They like to ride doubles with two tubes behind the boat. So pulling about 300 Lbs will occur. I understand it's all about how hard you pull them. That said, has anyone ever broken a 186 GL ski Pole. Just trying to avoid getting another system for pulling off the eyes on the back of the boat.

Thanks,
Ross

If you do go with another system, I'll gladly buy that pole from ya... Lost mine and they aren't cheap!

[mackster]

Won't be going to another system. The reason I got this boat was to fish hard and play hard, but pulling it all with one ski pole. I'll just need to be careful for a while until I see how the boat handles things. Still would love to hear from people who actually have this boat and if they had any problems with this setup. Seems strong, but would hate to break a brand new boat.

[REW]

Mack,
In spite of the previous post, the warning on the pole to not pull inflatables is because of potential pole breakage.

The problem is not from pulling the tube in a normal fashion. There won't be enough force from normal tube pulling - loaded or unloaded.

The real problem is the sudden and severe load that happens to the pole if the tube happens to go airborne - especially when unloaded and then suddenly takes a dive and goes underwater. It doesn't happen very often, but when conditions are just right - wind, waves, etc. the tube can catch an edge and actually dive. When the inflated tube dives there is a huge sudden load on the pole that can snap it off.

I would suggest that if you want to continue to pull inflatables, that you go to a machine shop and or the pole manufacturer and buy and install suitable back braces to your rear gunnel's on the boat. By installing rear facing back braces - you increase the ability of the pole to resist rear bending loads many times over.

--------------------
The Swivel-Eze pole that I use in my boat - was a custom pole for my boat built by Swivel-Eze. It screws into the center floor pedestal of my boat. Then, about a foot down from the top of the pole is a cross link installed into the pole. Off each side of the pole installed to the cross link, are two rear facing back braces. In each of the rear gunnel's of my boat, I have installed rear back brace supports that are well supported by large washers on both sides of the reinforced gunnel area. When it comes time to install the pole, you simply screw the pole into the floor. Pull a pin out of each cross link, and install each back brace and drop the pin back into the cross link and back brace. Then, at each of the rear gunnel brace mounts, again just pull a pin, drop the back brace in place, replace the pin and you are good to go.

---------------------
Just a comment about driving - if you continue to use your current pole setup.
Any time that you are pulling an inflatable empty - do so at reduced speed. i.e. any time someone falls off a tube and the tube is without weight, throttle back to pull your boat off plane. If you consistently do this, you have reduced by many times the possible chance of the inflatable going airborne and then diving and causing damage.

Always, always, always - when pulling anything in your boat from the pole - always have an observer in the boat with instructions to yell out loudly any time someone falls or conditions change. That way, you can automatically pull the throttle back on the boat to avoid both personal damage to the folks being pulled as well as potential damage to the boat and pole.

Good luck
REW

p.s.
If it were my boat, I would use the same base that you are currently using, but replace the pole with one that has suitable rear facing back braces. Pretty big risk to pull with a pole that is not back braced from any boat.

As always, think safe, and always consider the safety of those around you - including your passengers, as well as those you tow. Also think of the potential damage that would be done to your boat, if the current pole and its mount should fail while pulling.

[Burr]

Is there a reason why using the eyelets on the back of the boat, with a harness is not being considered as an option?

It's been a while since I used my boat to ski and tube. When I did, I always used the eyelets on the back of the boat - they had not yet invented ski poles.

Ski poles always seemed like an invention that didn't solve anything, I never recognized a problem with the way we did it in ancient times.

But then again - I'm asking because it's always puzzled me why boats have them.

[KennyPowers]

Originally Posted by mackster

Won't be going to another system. The reason I got this boat was to fish hard and play hard, but pulling it all with one ski pole. I'll just need to be careful for a while until I see how the boat handles things. Still would love to hear from people who actually have this boat and if they had any problems with this setup. Seems strong, but would hate to break a brand new boat.

The pole worked better than the eyelets because the eyelets are too low to the waterline and the rope gets caught in the wake...

[ohiojmj]

Originally Posted by KennyPowers

The pole worked better than the eyelets because the eyelets are too low to the waterline and the rope gets caught in the wake...

So what if the rope gets caught in the wake?

[REW]

Burr,
Yes, actually a very good reason. I have skied a lot over the years. I was so happy when we went from the transom mounts to the pylon.

The simple reason is the boat wake.

When the rope is hooked low on the boat - like the transom eyes, the rope is very near the water. This means that when a person is crossing the wake and slack develops in the rope, the rope falls into the water. Then, when you continue to cross the wake and the slack comes out, the water is first holding the rope back. Suddenly it lets go.

When a person is skiing behind a boat with a low hookup, he/she is always bracing themselves for the jerk of the rope as they cross the wake.

But, the first time that I skied behind the boat with the pylon, I went from wake to wake and the rope never touched the water. I hadn't realized it before how much I was bracing myself for the rope to catch and slap.

But, after about the 2nd time crossing the wake I begin to relax, knowing that the rope would not catch in the water.

--------------
The same thing is true when pulling inflatables. With a low rope connection, the rope catches every time that the tube flies across the wake. As it does and then unslacks the rope the jerk on the tube will often send the riders flying - if they are not set for it. But, again, with the high hookup, no issues with this for the riders on the tube.

Take care
REW