So I just recently purchased two tubes:



and



My question is, is there any safe way of pulling these two tubes simultaneously? I was thinking of hooking up the one-man tube to my handle near the ladder, and using the regular tow hook for the two man. There should be enough space so that they won't be continually bumping into each other.

Thoughts?

I do not think that there is a totally safe way to pull 2 tubes simultaneously. I agree with HotByte's method as described below.

I would not attach the tow line to a handle (good-by handle, hello holes in fiberglass).

Attach it to a cleat or tow hook.

We pull two and three tubes all the time now. They should both be connected to same tow point on boat with ropes of same length. If you connect them to different point, when they swing out to one side the one attach to opposite side will effectively be shorter and risk clotheslining rider. Check out some of the pictures in my web page linked below for action shots...especially follow the link to the picasa page. My kids enjoy the bumping and like trying to knock each other off the tube. They call it battle tubing.

Thread with pics

We frequently pull two tubes as well. It is fun for the riders. Potentially really dangerous just like any tubing that is done with a merciless, bone-headed driver. If you haven't pulled any tubes before I wouldn't start with two.

• Yes pull from the same tow point.

• I prefer shorter tow ropes for pulling any tubes - 50' is great as it allows you to more easily manipulate the ride for the tubers with less drastic boat maneuvering.

• Start slow and keep it gentle. 18 mph or so will plane any tube and a easy "S" turn back and forth should allow the tubes to slide back and forth over the wakes. Low 20's max.

• After about 1 minute of pulling riders, I stop the boat, idle over to the riders, turn off the motor and ask them how the ride is going. Review the hand signals and give them the option of slightly more thrills. Emphasis on slightly.

• If the riders are young and athletic I may give them a more exciting ride.

Constant bumping into each other is quintessential to the dual-tubing experience. When I tow 2 tubes, I make sure the ropes are of similar length, and I make sure the riders know exactly what they are getting into prior to setting out. In my experience, half the fun of tubing is playing a game of King of the Hill at 20mph.

If the ropes are dissimilar or longer on one tube than the other, you actually run the risk of greater injury by people on the short line being 'clotheslined' by the folks on the long. It's far better to have the riders dumped by others than having them banged off by an unforgiving rope.

BTW, as Skibrain mentioned, an S pattern is a great path to follow, and throw a figure 8 in for chop once in a while, too. No need to go crazy with the boat. Most people can be tossed with a 3 S, 1 F8 combo.

+2

And I would add that I try not to toss riders unless they are looking for that kind of ride. If the riders appear incapable of climbing back onto the tube from deepwater, that is a factor in what kind of tube ride they get. (yes, I would still come and get them in the boat and let them use the boarding ladder)

When towing more than one tube make certain that none of the tubes are 'steerable' with hard plastic fins mounted to the bottom of the tube. Those fins can cause severe injury when 'battle tubing'.

We tow 2 or 3 super screamers all the time - even done 4 once or twice.

Our kids have even mastered the art of having the tubes "jump" over one another during an S turn.

As someone said above - the trick is having perfectly equal length ropes. Ours are all within an inch or two of one another. I usually tow them from the ski eye, but have from the ski tower also.

One thing to really watch out for when pulling multiple tubes is when someone falls off, the driver of the boat needs to make sure the turn back is smooth, so you don't drop riders at widely spaced points. You've also got to have a really good observer.

When we were on the lake last Sunday, a boat pulling two tubes with multiple riders did this in a very busy section of the lake - the driver then had one rider way out in open water by himself. I pulled my boat over next to that rider to "guard" him, waiting for his boat to get there - otherwise somebody could have easily run him down.