TrepMan
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2000
- Messages
- 9,215
- Reaction score
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Hey gang - finally got to take my family tubing today, water temp dropped a few degrees due to rain/cold front late week (was 80, for you northerner's that water temp not air temp) and was down to 75-76 but we met some friends on the water and I got to try it out. Water wasen't that bad once you got in.
I had bought the floating ski-bridle, tube rope, and a Slipstream tube (looks like an oval with a high-back headrest) last winter as well as had Tracker put a ladder on last fall. Went with the Slipstream so my 4 yearold could just sit down in the tube with Daddy leaning back on the backrest and hold on, until he is able to swim better with his lifejacket on.
Took a good friend (who is on his N-th ski boat as a spotter and to teach me), we put Noah and our neighboor's older daughter in the tube in a nice quite cove (lifejackets all around) and off we went. The floating bridle did great keeping everything out of the way of the outboard/prop and the kids loved the tubing. Took me a while to get used to the drag comming from the back and keeping my bow higher (and stern lower) than usual but with the 40 Merc no problem running the bigger kids up on plane and 25 mph. The rear lower mounted seat (Pro Crappie) made a great spotters seat!
Only complaint was with the tube, not the boat. This Slipstream did great when I took Noah at fast idle, but when any speed was applied it pushed the nose down and sprawed water constantly over the rider's face so he/she could not see. It scared Noah so we slowed down, but even the teenagers said it was a little too much spraw.
I wonder it it's since the bridle/tow rope is at water level (clipped to the tie-down spots) and would ride better with a ski/wake-board boat with a higher attachment point, or if it is just the design of the tube??? Either way at 4 Noah is not going fast any way and is comforatable being dragged around at trolling speed, and that's what counts the most!!!
Just wanted you to know that the boat could tow easily and ran great!
Have a great Memorial day everyone!!! TrepMan
I had bought the floating ski-bridle, tube rope, and a Slipstream tube (looks like an oval with a high-back headrest) last winter as well as had Tracker put a ladder on last fall. Went with the Slipstream so my 4 yearold could just sit down in the tube with Daddy leaning back on the backrest and hold on, until he is able to swim better with his lifejacket on.
Took a good friend (who is on his N-th ski boat as a spotter and to teach me), we put Noah and our neighboor's older daughter in the tube in a nice quite cove (lifejackets all around) and off we went. The floating bridle did great keeping everything out of the way of the outboard/prop and the kids loved the tubing. Took me a while to get used to the drag comming from the back and keeping my bow higher (and stern lower) than usual but with the 40 Merc no problem running the bigger kids up on plane and 25 mph. The rear lower mounted seat (Pro Crappie) made a great spotters seat!
Only complaint was with the tube, not the boat. This Slipstream did great when I took Noah at fast idle, but when any speed was applied it pushed the nose down and sprawed water constantly over the rider's face so he/she could not see. It scared Noah so we slowed down, but even the teenagers said it was a little too much spraw.
I wonder it it's since the bridle/tow rope is at water level (clipped to the tie-down spots) and would ride better with a ski/wake-board boat with a higher attachment point, or if it is just the design of the tube??? Either way at 4 Noah is not going fast any way and is comforatable being dragged around at trolling speed, and that's what counts the most!!!
Just wanted you to know that the boat could tow easily and ran great!
Have a great Memorial day everyone!!! TrepMan
