Towable Water Tube
Choosing and Using a Boat Towable Tube
Today’s’ water towable tubes are more sophisticated, safer and more fun, than the old round tubes that we dragged around the lake in the past. There are a wide variety to choose from and not all tubes are created equal.
Younger riders like the enclosed feeling and safety of being in a sit-in style tube. With a wide body and hammock style seating, these tubes are virtually untippable, comfortable to use, safe and a lot of fun.
Teenagers and older riders like the deck style water towables , the bigger the better. The thrill level is higher, there is more jostling and fighting for position and you can create the wild ride that teens and other thrill seekers are looking for.
The latest tubes have a combination of upright and prone riding making them adaptable for the whole family, Mom and Dad included. Now you can go with your young ones, or your teenagers.
Inflating:
In general, the tube is full when it is very firm. Covered tubes should be wrinkle free. An adult should be able to stand on the tube and only sink a couple of inches. Under-inflation causes the tow tube to sit low in the water and is the usual cause of damage to the tube. Additional stress is applied to the tube, cover, rope and boat by being dragged through the water instead of pulled across it. This stress causes the air in tubes to be displaced and the tube may rupture. This same stress causes nylon covers to tear and ropes to stretch. The boat cannot plane out and extra gas is consumed.
Pumps
Tubes do not require high pressure. If you could measure the pressure in a fully inflated tube, it would be around 2 PSI. Most towable tubes can be inflated using one good electric pump or a combination of a 12 volt pump and hand pump. Some of the newer 12 volt inflators have been designed specifically to inflate beds or tubes, but will still not fully inflate some of the bigger tubes now on the market. The inflator will do most of the hard work but a hand pump is needed to top off the tube and achieve a proper inflation level. Another suggestion is to use a 120 volt inflator with a power inverter allowing you to connect to the boat battery. For tubers that live on the lake, or have access to 120 volt power, a good 120 volt inflator is a must have! Other 120 volt options are shop vacuums with a blower option and leaf blowers, which put out large volumes of air.
Tow Ropes
Do not scrimp on a tow rope. That old piece of frayed nylon rope you have been saving is not the right idea. There is a lot of force required to pull around a water towable and, if the rope breaks, because of the stretch in the rope, it will snap in both directions. Serious injury can occur. Choose a heavy tow rope specifically designed for water towables. It should be made of braided polypropylene and rated for the number of riders on your tube. Be sure it is free of knots and frays.
Maintenance:
A good water towable is not cheap so you are best to ensure that it stays in good shape. If you leave a full tube sitting in the sun for any length of time, it will expand. Either store it in the shade, or let some air out. Don’t let it sit on the beach, dock, or boat full of air. If it is stored out of the sun in a cool place, you may need to add air. Check and adjust inflation levels each time you use your tube.
Coil your rope up after use, let it dry out and store it in a dry place. Discard frayed or knotted ropes.
You’ll have more fun, and your water toys will last longer if you take a little time after each trip around the lake.
About the Author
CottageSpot is your Canadian source for a broad range of products and information for your cottage or waterfront home including water trampolines, towable tubes, outdoor furniture, dock accessories and more. Learn more about our line of towable tubes at http://www.cottagespot.com/
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Airhead 2010 G-Force Inflatable Towable water tube Ski $137.99 |
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Airhead 2010 Mach 2 Inflatable Towable Water Tube Ski $118.99 |
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Kwik Tek 2010 Mach 2 Inflatable Towable Water Tube Ski $119.00 |
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Kwik Tek 2010 G-Force Inflatable Towable water tube Ski $137.99 |
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NEW CONNELLY 2 RIDER CRUZER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $149.99 |
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Airhead 2010 Jumbo Dog Inflatable Towable Water Tube $234.95 |
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Kwik Tek 2010 Viper 2 Inflatable Towable Water Tube $179.99 |
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Airhead 2010 Viper 2 Inflatable Towable Water Tube $179.99 |
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*NEW* H.O. FORMULA 2 RIDER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $189.99 |
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NEW CONNELLY 3 RIDER SCORPION WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $239.95 |
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NEW CONNELLY 3 RIDER MAN O WAR WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $179.99 |
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NEW CONNELLY 2 RIDER CRUZER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $159.99 |
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NEW CONNELLY 2 RIDER CRUZER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $149.99 |
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MATRIX DELTA WING 1 OR 2 RIDER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $99.99 |
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NEW BODY GLOVE ARROWHEAD SINGLE BOAT TOWABLE WATER TUBE $125.00 |
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*HUGE* 100″ MASS PANIC 4 RIDER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $189.99 |
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NEW RAVE HYDRO 2 RIDER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $139.99 |
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Sevylor Red Devil One-Person Towable Tube. Water Tubing $129.99 |
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Airhead 2010 Hot Dog Inflatable Towable Tube Water Ski $144.50 |
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Kwik Tek 2010 Hot Dog Inflatable Towable Tube Water Ski $144.50 |
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Inflatable Towable 2 Person Water Tube for Tubing $32.00 |
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Rave Triton VI 6-Person Towable Boat Tube Water Sports $202.49 |
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STRAIGHT LINE TOWABLE WATER TUBE 2 PERSON $49.00 |
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Full Throttle Howler Inflatable TowAble Water Tube NEW $126.95 |
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Airhead 2010 Viper 2 Inflatable Towable Water Tube $179.99 |
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Kwik Tek 2010 Viper 2 Inflatable Towable Water Tube $179.99 |
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HO SPORTS GTX 1,2,3 OR 4 PERSON TOWABLE WATER SKI TUBE $249.00 |
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New Sevylor Blitz River Tube Water Towable Inflatable $39.99 |
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HO SPORTS GTX 1,2,3 OR 4 PERSON TOWABLE WATER SKI TUBE $249.00 |
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NEW WETLINE COBRA 60″ TOWABLE FLOAT RAFT WATER TUBE NIB $79.99 |
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AIRHEAD 4 PERSON INFLATABLE TOWABLE WATER TUBE RAFT $149.99 |
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Airhead 2010 G-Force Inflatable Towable water tube Ski $137.99 |
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Nautica NS-100 1-2 Person Towable Water Ski Sport Tube $40.99 |
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Kwik Tek ZX-1 Inflatable Towable Tube Water Ski $69.95 |
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*NEW* H.O DUO 2 RIDER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $99.99 |
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NEW RAVE HYDRO 2 RIDER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $139.99 |
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*NEW*O BRIEN HAMMERHEAD 2 RIDER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $189.99 |
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*NEW*O BRIEN HAMMERHEAD 2 RIDER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $169.00 |
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NEW CONNELLY 3 RIDER PHOENIX WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $229.99 |
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60′ Heavy Duty Water Ski Towable Tube Tow Rope Line $14.95 |
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*NEW*COCKPIT STYLE UFO 3 RIDER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $189.99 |
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*NEW* H.O. BOMBER 3 RIDER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $159.99 |
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Inflatable Towable Boating Water Ski Boat Sport Tube $289.84 |
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AIRHEAD 4 PERSON INFLATABLE TOWABLE WATER TUBE RAFT $149.99 |
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Grind Water Reaper Towable Tube – 1 Person 101007 2010 $79.96 |
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FUEL VEE W INFLATABLE TOWABLE WATER TUBE TWO RIDER $169.99 |
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Grind Water Reaper Towable Tube – 1 Person 101007 2010 $99.95 |
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INFLATABLE TOWABLE TUBE WATER SKI BOAT LAKE RAFT SPORT $114.50 |
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Grind Water Reaper Towable Tube – 1 Person 101007 2010 $129.95 |
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New 8 Shape Tube Tubing Wet Water Ski 2 Riders Towable $25.00 |
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Kwik Tek ZX-1 Inflatable Towable Tube Water Ski $69.95 |
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Airhead 2010 Mach 2 Inflatable Towable Water Tube Ski $118.99 |
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Kwik Tek 2010 Mach 2 Inflatable Towable Water Tube Ski $118.99 |
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NEW SPORTSSTUFF TOWABLE WATER DOUBLE TUBE GRANDSTAND 2 $324.99 |
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Airhead 2010 G-Force Inflatable Towable water tube Ski $137.99 |
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Kwik Tek 2010 Viper 3 Inflatable Towable Tube Water Ski $289.99 |
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Airhead 2010 Viper 3 Inflatable Towable Tube Water Ski $289.99 |
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Airhead ZX-1 Inflatable Towable Tube Water Ski $69.95 |
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Kwik Tek 2010 Jumbo Dog Inflatable Towable Water Tube $234.95 |
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TOWABLE WATER BOAT TUBE FRENZY NEW $31.00 |
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NEW CONNELLY 2 RIDER CRUZER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $149.99 |
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AIRHEAD DOUBLE DOG TOWABLE WATER TUBE 2 RIDERS NEW $119.95 |
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*NEW* H.O. FORMULA 2 RIDER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $189.99 |
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*NEW* CONNELLY WING TWO 2 RIDER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $99.99 |
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*NEW* H.O TRIO 3 RIDER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $139.99 |
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NEW BODY GLOVE ARROWHEAD SINGLE BOAT TOWABLE WATER TUBE $119.90 |
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*NEW*COCKPIT QUICK BOLT 2 RIDER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $179.99 |
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Marine Towable Water Tube Sportsstuff $55.25 |
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*NEW* CONNELLY WING TWO 2 RIDER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $99.99 |
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NEW CONNELLY BUZZ BOMB 5 RIDER WATER BOAT TOWABLE TUBE $249.99 |
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Water Tube – Sportsstuff Patriot Double Towable $150.00 |
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60′ Heavy Duty Water Ski Towable Tube Tow Rope Line $14.95 |
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Airhead Matrix V-2 Water Towable Tube $179.99 |
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Airhead Matrix V-3 Water Towable Tube $229.99 |
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Big Mable, Two Person, Towable Water Tube $75.00 |
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Rave Triton VI 6-Person Towable Boat Tube Water Sports $179.99 |
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AIRHEAD SLICE TOWABLE WATER TUBE 1-2 RIDERS NEW $109.95 |
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Speedzone 3 Water towable/tube – SportsStuff $399.99 |
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GYRO W/ ROPE inflatable boat towable ski water toy tube $159.95 … |
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Kwik Tek Airhead Slide Triangular Open Cockpit Tube – Model AHSL-1 Fishing/Watersports $59.99 Airhead® Slide®Believe it or not, there is a group of young men in Indiana trying to make tubing an Olympic sport! Their favorite tube for outrageous tricks? Slide, Airhead’s 1 rider, 56″ triangular tube. They enjoy a secure and comfortable grip with the 4 deluxe nylon-wrapped handles and neoprene knuckle guards. The heavy-duty virgin vinyl inner tube is electronically welded and equipped with a… |
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Blast III – Towable $199.99 How about three people? This sleek, bright towable is made for three people to enjoy the ride as they fly across the water. Designed for serious fun, the Blast III will seat three people in comfortably and then you are ready to blast off across the lake! Headrests and nylon wrapped handles will keep you comfy as you zoom across the wake. Made of strong 440 denier nylon and .50 PVC, the Blast III w… |
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Zip Ski Towable Tube with Optional 2K Tow Rope $69.00 53-1313 / 57-1522 Zip Ski Towable Tube MAKE WAVES Get ready to take on the wake with the smooth riding ZIP SKI MY-T TUBE! This classic action towable is updated with a fast easy quick connect tow system. Just slip your tow rope over the Quick Connect and you’re off and tubing. The ZIP SKI is fully loaded with double webbing foam handles and EVA foam knuckle guards so you can hold on tight. The ZI… |
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Chariot Warbird 2 Towable Tube with Optional 4K Tow Rope $338.98 53-1780 / 57-1532 Chariot Warbird 2 Towable Tube MULTI ACTION Prepare for the most advanced action towables in history with the new CHARIOT WARBIRD series from SPORTSSTUFF. Their wide wingspans allow you to challenge even the toughest wake, while remaining some of the most stable rides on the water as their high backrests and multiple handles keep you in place. With a simple switch of the innovat… |
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8 – Passenger Inline Heavy Commercial Banana Boat $1,398.99 PVC-8-INLINE The Island Hopper 8 – Passenger Inline Heavy Commercial Banana Water Boat is hand crafted with reinforced 1100 denier, UV resistant PVC material. This is a dense puncture resistant material, commonly used to manufacture high quality white water boats. These durable banana boats have been sold to camps, commercial beach operations and resorts worldwide. Features: -8 – Passenger Inlin… |
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RAVE Tirade Two-Rider Towable $166.97 2-Person Rave Tirade Towable. Jump in, hang on and take this little beauty for a spin! The Tirade has comfortable seating for 2 adults and a Rave Tail mounted on the stern, blasting a 15′ stream of water up into the air. 2 passengers can settle into the deep, 3′6″ long cockpits, take hold of the soft grip handles and hit the open water. The Tirade has inflatable covered floors and neoprene covered… |
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sportsstuff 4K Booster Ball $66.99 53-2030 Features: -Enhances the performance of most regular towable. -Heavy-Gauge PVC bladder. -840 Denier full nylon cover with zipper. -Tough 2 inch webbing. -Exclusive patented speed safety valve. -Double stitching and reinforced stress points. -Self bailing drain vent. -Designed for 1 to 4 person towable…. |
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Kwik Tek Big Slice Inflatable Towable $81.97 Carve up the waves with the Airhead Slice! You’ll REALLY slice up the water with the Slice… pardon my pun (couldn’t resist!) This tube’s for one or two riders and is guaranteed to get the fun going next time you’re on the water! Handles up to 2 riders. Slice is a 60″ low profile Tube. Topside neoprene panel. Four nylon-wrapped handles and molded EVA knuckle guards. Accommodates up to 2 riders. 6… |
