Vacation Fun

[dorelse]

Since we're all posting vacation photos!  We spend the 4th up in the Park Rapids/Two Inlets area at a very nice resort called Half Moon Trail.

Here are some highlights:

Boat anchored off the dock:





Watersports:

[dorelse]

Glamour Shots:






Carpetball:

[kert0307]

Looks like fun! What's the purpose of that big ball in line to the tube?

[75starflight]

it helps keep the rope out of the water, and makes it visible to other boaters who are not paying attention. I could use one on my starflite, but just haven't purchased one yet.

[Jason]

I was wondering the same thing on the ball. Nice idea. Sucks getting sprayed in the face when your on a tube.

Pictures look good Doran! Looks like fun. Thanks for sharing.

[dorelse]

it helps keep the rope out of the water, and makes it visible to other boaters who are not paying attention. I could use one on my starflite, but just haven't purchased one yet.

Well, close.

On a lot of outboard boats, the Y-harness can sit extremely low to the water.  This causes the tow rope to cut into the wake when tubing, as the tow point on the tube is also extemely low.  When the wake catches the tow rope, it actually will cause the tube to spin violently 'in' at a 90 degree angle to the boat.

When the rope then comes out of the wake, it releases and snaps the tube back violently.  Kids were scared to ride in tubes after a couple of incidents, so we got this.

This ball raises the rope up just enough to keep everything out of the wake...works great!  Had it 3 years now and its been worth the money.

Its also supposed to be a shock absorber.  In the photo you can see its compressed, normally, its not, so I think it does absorb some shock in the line.

[dorelse]

Here's a good video from them on its benefits.  The last 15 secs of the video show what was happening to the kids...except more angle and the whip back was worse:

Sportsstuff 4k Booster Ball (53-2030)

[kert0307]

Interesting, I've never tubed behind a boat that had the tow point low enough to do that (haven't pulled a tube with the Glastron yet.) I have seen a boat occasionally pull a tube under water though if someone's leaning forward when the boat first takes off and this would probably help that too.

[bambam]

I have seen a boat occasionally pull a tube under water though if someone's leaning forward when the boat first takes off and this would probably help that too.

I have the boat sink issue with my boat, the prior owner used the cleats to tow but it appears to have ripped out one of the cleats.  I'm going to look into this baby.

[dorelse]

After having the center tow pole in the CVZ-19 I owned, I knew I was putting that on the CVZ-18 when I redid it.  It makes a big difference.

[Jason]

After having the center tow pole in the CVZ-19 I owned, I knew I was putting that on the CVZ-18 when I redid it.  It makes a big difference.

Also helps keep the rope out of the prop. We managed to wrap the metal cable bridal around the prop on my V172. Killed the motor and bent my prop!

[WetRaider]

That ball looks worth it, Doran.  Probably gives a young kid something to focus on in front of them that is less scary than a loud motor, knowing the prop is under water but they can't see it.

I've looked at the TurboSwing before ... http://turboswing.com/en/demo/ 
I like the idea of being able to have a bar up high out the back side of the outboard.  Not sure what it does to you in terms of pulling when your tow weight shifts from one side to the other, but they show a picture of this thing being used with a booster ball also...  On my GT, when I'm at idle, the transom eyes are both under water.

[dorelse]

They've never been scared of tubing...except when it was unpredictable.

In fact...here's them (the 2 in the middle), 'Battle Tubing':