TOWING HARDWARE

TOW ROPES:
MANY PEOPLE ARE CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT KIND OF TOW ROPE IS APPROPRIATE TO USE WITH YOUR SKI TUBE. BASICALLY, ANY HIGH QUALITY TOW ROPE OF THE CORRECT TENSILE STRENGTH THAT IS MADE TO PULL INFLATABLE TUBES WILL WORK FINE. NEVER ATTEMPT TO ATTACH A WAKEBOARD OR WATER SKI ROPE TO YOUR TUBE AS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE ROPES IS DIFFERENT THAN TUBE ROPES AND IS NOT BUILT TO SUPPORT INFLATABLES.

A TYPICAL TOW ROPE SHOULD ALWAYS BE AT LEAST 50 FEET LONG. IT MAY BE LONGER IF YOU WISH, BUT SHOULD PROBABLY NOT EXCEED 65 FEET. NEVER TOW SOMEONE IN A ROPE SHORTER THAN 20 FEET IN LENGTH. THE FUMES FROM THE ENGINE CAN BE DANGEROUS. ADDITIONALLY, IF THE BOAT IS FORCED TO STOP QUICKLY, BEING SO CLOSE TO THE ENGINE CAN PULL THE TUBE INTO THE PROPELLER. ALWAYS THOROUGHLY INSPECT YOUR ROPE FOR CUTS, FRAYS, SHARP EDGES, KNOTS, AND EXCESSIVE WEAR. EXPOSURE TO SUNLIGHT MAY ACCELERATE THE DETERIORATION OF TOW ROPES. NEVER STORE YOUR TUBE ROPE IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT. IT IS GENERALLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU REPLACE YOUR TUBE TOW ROPE AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH BOATING SEASON.

ALWAYS CHECK WITH THE MANUFACTURER OF YOUR INFLATABLE TOWABLE AND TOW ROPE FOR GUIDLINES ON THE APPROPRIATE WEIGHTS/TENSILE STRENGTHS. BELOW IS ONLY A GENERAL GUIDE PROVIDED BY THE WSIA (WATER SPORT INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION) SPECIFIYING TOW ROPE TENSILE STRENGTH TO BE USED WITH INFLATABLE TUBES.

TOW HARNESSES:
IF YOUR BOAT IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A PYLON OR SKI EYE, YOU WILL NEED A TOW HARNESS TO PULL A TUBE. TOW HARNESSES ARE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT ATTACH TO YOUR BOAT'S CLEATS OR EYES AND CREAT A SINGLE TOW ATTACHMENT POINT BEHIND YOUR OUTBOARD OR STERN DRIVE ENGINE. HIGHER QUALITY TOW HARNESSES ARE CAPABLE OF TOWING MULTIPLE RIDERS, SLIDE EASILY FROM ONE SIDE OF THE BOAT TO THE OTHER BY WAY OF A PULLEY SYSTEM, AND WILL FLOAT WHEN IN WATER. TOW HARNESSES ARE GENERALLY BUILT TO PULL INFLATABLES, WAKEBOARDERS, WATER SKIERS, AND BARE FOOTERS.

VALVES COMMONLY USED ON INFLATABLE TUBES

SAFETY VALVE:
THE SAFETY VALVE IS USUALLY A "PUSH-IN" VALVE. THIS VALVE IS SIMILAR TO THE VALVES FOUND ON INFLATABLE POOL TOYS THAT YOU BLOW UP WITH YOUR MOUTH. A SAFETY CHAMBER IS SIMPLY SEPERATE PART OF THE TUBE THAT IS MEANT TO KEEP THE TUBE AFLOAT SHOULD THE INFLATABLE BE PUNCTURED AND LOSE ITS AIR. MOST AIR PUMPS HAVE AN ADAPTER TO FIT THIS COMMON TYPE OF VALVE.

SPEED VALVE (RAISED & RECESSED TYPES):
A SPEED VALVE IS A SPECIALLY ADAPTED VALVE THAT IS MEANT TO ACCEPT THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF AIR PUMPS. THESE VALVES ARE THE MOST COMMON VALVES FOUND ON INFLATABLES.

RECESSED MULTI VALVE:
THE MULTI VALVE IS SIMILAR TO A SPEED VALVE WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT IT HAS A BUILT IN ADAPTER FOR USE WITH AN AIR COMPRESSOR (EQUIPPED WITH A "TIRE" FITTING).