TIPS & TRICKS
TRICKS WITH YOUR TUBE :
AS A CAPTAIN, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR RIDERS TO MAKE THEIR RIDE MORE FUN. AN EASY WAY TO ADD SOME EXCITEMENT IS TO ADD LATERAL (SIDE TO SIDE) MOVEMENT TO THE RIDE. BY MAKING A SERIES OF S-TURNS WITH THE BOAT, THE TUBE WILL MOVE FROM ONE SIDE OF THE WAKE TO THE OTHER. USING THIS TECHNIQUE, RIDERS ON HIGH PERFORMANCE TUBES CAN ACTUALLY JUMP THE WAKE AND PERFORM ALL SORTS OF TRICKS. IT IS OF COURSE IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE GREATER THE SEVERITY OF THE S-TURN, THE FASTER THE TUBE WILL MOVE. TAKE CARE WHEN TRYING THIS OUT AS IT CAN CAUSE THE RIDER TO FALL OFF THE TUBE ABRUBTLY.
VARIATIONS ON THIS BASIC PRINCIPAL CAN CREATE A LOT OF FUN FOR YOUR RIDERS. SLOWLY EASING INTO YOUR S-TURNS AND THEN SHARPLY CHANGING DIRECTIONS CAN CAUSE YOUR RIDER TO MOVE HARD ENOUGH ACROSS THE WAKE THAT THEY COMPLETELY JUMP TO THE OTHER SIDE. MOVING THE BOAT IN A CONTINUOUS "DOUGHNUT" WITH THE BOAT WILL GREATLY INCREASE THE SPEED OF THE TUBE AS IT SKIMS ALONG THE FURTHEST PART OF THE OUTSIDE WAKE. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER WHEN TRYING ANY OF THESE MANEUVERS IS TO KEEP THE TOW LINE TAUT. PULLING OUT THE SLACK OF A TOW LINE AT TOO FAST A SPEED CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE INFLATABLE, THE TOW LINE, AND THE RIDER.
ONE REALLY COOL TRICK WE'VE HEARD ABOUT IS RIDERS USING A LARGE DECK TUBE TO ACTUALLY LIFT THE TUBE OFF THE WATER AND HOVER A FEW FEET IN THE AIR FOR A COUPLE HUNDRED YARDS. ON A WINDY DAY, HEAD YOUR BOAT DIRECTLY INTO THE WIND AND THROTTLE UP FAST ENOUGH SO THAT BOTH THE TUBE AND THE BOAT ARE ON A GOOD PLANE. USING A LARGE, FLAT, DECK TUBE, THE RIDER LAYS FLAT WITH THEIR STOMACH TOWARD THE WATER AND SHIFTS THEIR WEIGHT AS FAR BACK ON THE TUBE AS POSSIBLE. KEEPING THE BOAT ON A STRAIGHT PATH, THE COMBINATION OF THE WIND AND THE BOAT'S SPEED WILL CREATE LIFT AND ACTUALLY PULL THE RIDER INTO THE AIR! OF COURSE, THIS TRICK SEEMS TO WORK BETTER WITH SMALLER, LIGHTER RIDERS FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.
MAINTENANCE:
ALWAYS THOROUGHLY CLEAN TOWABLE INFLATABLE AFTER EACH TIME OUT ON THE WATER. USE WATER AND A MILD SOAP TO GET OFF SALT WATER AND ALLOW THE TUBE TO DRY COMPLETELY BEFORE STORING. ALWAYS DEFLATE YOUR TUBE BEFORE PUTTING IT AWAY AND KEEP IT IN A COOL, DRY PLACE. STORING A FULLY INFLATED TUBE IN EXTREME SUNLIGHT CAN CAUSE THE TOWABLE TO OVER-INFLATE FROM HEAT EXPANSION AS WELL AS THE NYLON COVER TO FADE. LIKEWISE, EXPOSING YOUR TUBE TO EXTREME COLD CAN CAUSE THE PVC BLADDER TO CRACK AND BECOME DAMAGED. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR UN-INFLATED TOWABLES AWAY FROM YOUNG CHILDREN.
TROUBLESHOOTING TOWABLE SKI TUBE PROBLEMS:
PROBLEM: TUBE DOESN'T HOLD AIR
SOLUTION: CHECK TO SEE THAT THE SPEED VALVE IS PROPERLLY INSTALLED. RE-INSTALL THIS VALVE IF NECESSARY. FILL THE TUBE PARTIALLY WITH AIR AND SUBMERGE IN WATER TO CHECK FOR HOLES. HOLE REPAIR KITS ARE AVAILABLE FROM MOST MANUFACTURERS.
PROBLEM: SPEED VALVE IS LEAKING
SOLUTION: SEE THAT THE SPEED VALVE IS EQUIPPED WITH A RUBBER GASKET. INSPECT THE VALVE TO SEE IF AIR IS LEAKING. MAKE SURE THE VALVE AND ITS CAP ARE SCREWED IN STRAIGHT AND TIGHT. LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR IF THE VALVE IS CROSS-THREADED. CHECK THAT THE VALVE'S WASHER IS IN PLACE AND IS SEALED PROPERLY. CHECK FOR ANY NICKS OR SCRATCHES THAT MIGHT AFFECT LEAKAGE.
PROBLEM: TOWABLE NYLON TUBE COVER IS LOOSE
SOLUTION: MAKE CERTAIN THE NYLON COVER IS THE CORRECT SIZE FOR YOU TUBE. ADD MORE AIR AND ACCESS FOR LEAKS.
