ON THE WATER

THE TOWING AREA:
ALWAYS SELECT A SAFE, LEGAL AREA WHEN TOWING A WATER TUBE. THIS AREA SHOULD ALLOW SUFFICIENT SPEEDS TO TOW A RIDER AND WILL HAVE AT LEAST 100 FEET OF UNOBSTRUCTED SPACE ON EACH SIDE OF THE BOAT AS WELL AS AT LEAST 3000 FEET OF UNOBSTRUCTED SPACE IN FRONT. ADDITIONALLY, THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY DOCKS, PILINGS, SWIMMERS, ROCKS, OR HEAVY BOATING TRAFFIC THAT COULD INTERFERE WITH THE RIDER. NEVER TOW AN INFLATABLE TUBE IN LESS THAN 8 FEET OF WATER OR ANY AREA WHERE THEY MIGHT BE INJURED DUE TO AN UNDERWATER HAZARD. ABOVE ALL, ALWAYS OBEY YOUR LOCAL BOATING LAWS.

THE SPOTTER:
WHEN TOWING SOMEONE, IT IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO DESIGNATE A SPOTTER THAT WILL REMAIN ONBOARD. THIS PERSON'S JOB IS TO BE CONSTANTLY COMUNICATING BETWEEN THE RIDER AND THE BOAT CAPTAIN. SINCE THE ATTENTION OF THE CAPTAIN SHOULD ALWAYS BE FOCUSED ON THE WATER, OTHER BOAT TRAFFIC, AND POSSIBLE OBSTRUCTIONS. BEFORE RIDING, IT IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA FOR THE SPOTTER, THE RIDER, AND THE CAPTAIN TO COME UP WITH A SYSTEM OF HAND SIGNALS BECAUSE THE NOISE OF THE ENGINE OFTEN MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO HEAR ANYTHING BEING SAID. THE SPOTTER SHOULD CONSTANTLY BE UPDATING THE CAPTAIN OF THE RIDER'S STATUS AND WARNING ANY APPROACHING BOATS OF THE RIDER IN THE WATER. DISCUSS WITH YOUR SPOTTER AND EVERYONE ELSE WHERE YOU PLAN TO MAKE YOUR TURNS AND WHAT DISTANCES YOU PLAN TO COVER. MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS HOW THEY WILL GET INTO AND OUT OF THE BOAT, INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY THAT IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO FIRST RE-BOARD THE INFLATABLE TUBE BEFORE GETTING ON BOARD, ESPECIALLY IF THE RIDER IS SMALLER, YOUNG CHILD.

ONCE YOU'VE DECIDED WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO TOW, TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND REMOVE THE KEY. IT IS A SAFE PRACTICE TO ALWAYS REMOVE THE KEY TO THE BOAT WHEN SOMEONE IS GETTING IN OR OUT OF THE WATER AS THIS PREVENTS ANYONE FROM ACCIDENTALLY STARTING THE ENGINE. BE SURE THAT ALL RIDERS TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID THE PROPELLER AT ALL TIMES AND THAT THEY PADDLE AWAY FROM THE BOAT WHENEVER THEY ARE ENTER THE WATER.

WHEN ALL RIDERS HAVE ENTERED THE WATER, BE SURE THEY ARE SECURE ON THE TUBE IN THE POSITION IN WHICH THEY ARE GOING TO RIDE. NEVER TIE OR STRAP YOURSELF TO AN INFLATABLE OR TOW ROPE AS THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

GO!
WHEN ALL RIDERS ARE IN POSITION AND EVERYONE IS READY, BEGIN PULLING THE TUBE BY IDLING SLOWLY UNTIL THERE IS NO SLACK ON THE TOW LINE AND THE INFLATABLE IS POSITIONED DIRECTLY BEHIND THE BOAT. NEVER JERK-START THE INFLATABLE BY GUNNING THE THROTTLE FROM IDLE. THIS IS DANGEROUS TO THE RIDERS AND COULD POTENTIALLY DAMAGE YOUR BOAT. ADDITIONALLY, NEVER LAUNCH A SKI TUBE FROM A DOCK OR DRY LAND AS THIS CAN ALSO BE DANGEROUS.

NORMAL, SAFE TOWING SPEEDS FOR AN INFLATABLE ARE GENERALLY BETWEEN 20 - 25 MPH FOR ADULTS. WHILE SOME PEOPLE MAY FEEL THIS IS TOO FAST FOR THEM, IT IS GENERALLY ADVISABLE TO MAINTAIN A SPEED FAST ENOUGH AT WHICH THE BOAT AND THE INFLATABLE ARE BOTH ABLE TO PLANE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE AMOUNT OF POWER NEEDED TO ACHEIVE THESE SPEEDS WILL VARY DEPENDING ON THE WEIGHT OF THE RIDERS AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ONBOARD.

THE SAFEST AND EASIEST WAY TO TOW A SKI TUBE IS TO KEEP IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BOAT'S WAKE. THE IS ACCOMPLISHED BY SIMPLY KEEPING THE BOAT ON A STRAIGHT PATH AND MAINTAINING A STEADY SPEED.

IF A RIDER FALLS OFF THE INFLATABLE WATER TUBE, ALWAYS STOP THE RIDE AND PICK THEM UP IMMEDIATELY. AS THE SPOTTER IS MAINTAINING CONTINUOUS VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE FALLEN RIDER, THE CAPTAIN SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND SAFELY TURN THE BOAT AROUND. THE SPOTTER SHOULD BE ASSISSTING THE CAPTAIN BY INFORMING HIM AS WELL AS ANY SURROUNDING BOATS OF THE RIDER'S LOCATION SINCE THEY ARE OFTEN VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE. APPROACH THE RIDER AT IDLE SPEED WITH THE BOAT AIMING INTO THE WIND OR WATER CURRENT, WHICHEVER IS STRONGER. TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND REMOVE THE KEY WHEN THE BOAT IS CLOSE ENOUGH FOR THE RIDER TO SWIM TO IT. USING YOUR HANDS, PULL THE TOWABLE TO THE BOAT WITH THE TOW LINE AND SECURE IT BEFORE MOVING AGAIN. WATER TUBES ARE OFTEN VERY LARGE AND CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO MOVE AROUND THE BOAT BECAUSE OF THEIR SIZE. BECAUSE THESE TUBES CAN BE SO CUMBERSOME, MANY PEOPLE CHOOSE TO CARRY AN AIR PUMP/INFLATOR ONBOARD SO THAT THE TUBE CAN BE DEFLATED AND RE-INFLATED EASILY. IF AN INFLATOR IS NOT PRACTICAL FOR YOUR BOAT OR WITHIN YOUR BUDGET, INEXPENSIVE TIE DOWN KITS ARE AVAILABLE.