Using the Ski Pylon for pulling

[ajholt7]

If I were climbing rocks I might be worried about this. Pulling tubes has never damaged a d-ring that I know of. They lift the boats by them. If they were worried about preventing latteral forces the d-rings would be on the top for lifting.

[talltigeguy]

The other problem is that using devices like that puts a HUGE amount of strain on those d-ring.....

As far as evidence of this happening on any of these boats...I have never heard of the D rings failing. They are way overconstructed for the job of pulling a tube. It is a nice theoretical concern because a harness will multiply the forces against the D rings, but it has never been reported. So there is even less evidence for that being a possibility than the ski pylon failing. Again, if anyone has pics of those failing in this manner, I would be happy to eat humble pie.

At least I have heard of a ski pylon that had more than gel coat cracks, but don't know what caused it. A friend of mine saw it at the dealership on a boat and did not take a picture. The boat was generally in trashed condition, so I suspect it was the result of abuse, but never knew what happened.

It is killing me to see the gyrations people are going through to prevent an extremely rare problem that would cost as much to fix as it would to prevent it. A pound of prevention is worth a pound of cure...in this case.

[IDBoating]

I think the forces would be different with running the rope through the rings like you stared that you did, as opposed to the rope ends terminating at the rings. Running a rope through both rings would certainly try to pull the rings inward to each other.

Perhaps, but the climbing website I cited does NOT run the rope that way. Check out the drawing... the ropes terminate at the anchor points with no cross member.

I will not be subjecting my boat to those potential forces.

[ajholt7]

I think the forces would be different with running the rope through the rings like you stared that you did, as opposed to the rope ends terminating at the rings. Running a rope through both rings would certainly try to pull the rings inward to each other.

[IDBoating]

After installing my transom lights I know how thick the back of these boats are. I wouldn't hesitate to pull from anything bolted to the back of these boats.

If you're using one of those "connector ropes" you could be microfracturing the gel coat or fiberglass. You could also damage the rings without damaging the fiberglass at first.

Example: I asked someone to connect my ATV's winch line to our dock ramp so we could winch it up the beach for winter storage. We've done this for years and it works great. But this time they ran the cable through both of the handles on the ramp and then clipped the winch line back onto itself, forming a triangle exactly like the one formed by these outboard tow ropes. Result: The ramp moved a little and then the galvanized steel handles bent out of shape TOWARD EACH OTHER (but not toward the ATV), and ripped themselves off the ramp! They were almost flattened. They looked like someone had intentionally pounded them almost flat with a hammer. There was some SERIOUS lateral load on those handles, and they weren't small.

If I needed a reminder of why not to use those outboard towing straps on my brand new wakeboat, that certainly did it.

YMMV!

[ajholt7]

After installing my transom lights I know how thick the back of these boats are. I wouldn't hesitate to pull from anything bolted to the back of these boats.

[IDBoating]

That is what I use. The problem is somof these boats d-rings are below the swim platform.

The other problem is that using devices like that puts a HUGE amount of strain on those d-rings. As I've noted in other threads, this is a common mistake made in rock climbing when setting up a top rope anchor system. The lateral force applied to the anchor points can actually exceed the weight of the climber due to mechanical leverage. Then add in shock loads (from a falling climber in rock climbing, or jerking tubes in boating) and you have incredible forces being applied to your rings and transom.

Here's a nice intro to the concept. Read the first part of this page:

http://www.chetwynd.info/other/anchors.htm

Many climbers have been injured or killed by "two connected anchor" setups like that. I know the transom and those rings are supposed to be the strongest parts of the hull, but I don't want to subject my transom to abnormal, leverage-multiplied forces when it can be so easily avoided with a dedicated tow ring.

[ajholt7]

I use a 12' hook up that attaches to both tie down rings and then has a place to hook your tow rope up to it for my 2 man tube. this allows the pull to be off the back of the boat and in the center of the wake. It think it is made by airhead or some tube tow rope company.

The sking you should pull from the pylon.

That is what I use. The problem is somof these boats d-rings are below the swim platform.

[yllw20]

I use a 12' hook up that attaches to both tie down rings and then has a place to hook your tow rope up to it for my 2 man tube. this allows the pull to be off the back of the boat and in the center of the wake. It think it is made by airhead or some tube tow rope company.

The sking you should pull from the pylon.

[IDBoating]

I like it because he is sort of into a perfect 'X' while in the air. Nice and symmetrical.

...while the guy in back is trying to kick him in the head as he flies by. Good times all around! {grin}

[talltigeguy]

That is one of the funniest pictures I've seen in awhile Tall!

I like it because he is sort of into a perfect 'X' while in the air. Nice and symmetrical.

[IDBoating]

I never use the pylon to pull a tube. I connect my tube to the grab bar on the back.

I wondered about doing that... it's tempting because the bar is already there. I was going to investigate how stoutly it's mounted to the transom.

[jwanck11]

That is one of the funniest pictures I've seen in awhile Tall!

[murphini]

We pull a Great Big Mable (4 person) with 4 kids a for the last 3 summers. We probably pull that more than we wakeboard or surf. I got gelcoat cracks around the pylor that were repaired last year. It was loose and the movement cracked the gelcoat. The problem is the nut gets loose from the force/friction of the rope going from side to side.

I just went to Loews and bought a 1 1/16th deep channel socket and then had buy a 1/2 rachet and I'll keep up on tightening it next summer.

It's a pansy, but gets the job done. Much better than the lift rings, and I would be worried to tow from the tower due to the whipping force.

[da.bell]

Have pulled from the ski pylon for 4 years (2006 24Ve and a 2007 RZ2) and haven't had any issues. We even had two high school football players ( one was a QB {my cousin about 180 lbs} and the other was an offensive linesman {240 lbs}) about 10 times from the pylon and still haven't seen any issues. Then both my oldest children being towed a few times also ** 190 lbs and 175 lbs }