Marine Accessories

If your ever wondering what the most popular towables are on the lakes today, all you need to do is go to one of your large local lakes and watch the tubes pass you. Chances are very strong that most of the towables that you see on the lake are Sportsstuff brand tubes. Chances are also very strong that out of the Sportsstuff towables, the most popular series will be the Mable series.

Sportsstuff Super Mable, Big Mable, Mable and Great Big Mable are among the very best towables on the market today. The extreme quality and versatility of the Mable towables is what makes these tubes so popular. Each Mable tubes has multiple tow points, an abundance of handles and foam pads for comfort.

It appears to me, that the Big Mable towable may be the most widely seen tube on the lakes today. The cost for this two-person tube is fairly inexpensive for the quality that is provided. With the Big Mable tube you can ride it while kneeling while using the high tow point, or ride it sitting on your bottom. The Big Mable has plenty of comfortable handles for holding onto while your gliding across the water.

In my opinion the second most popular tube that you’ll find on the lakes is the Super Mable tube. The Super Mable is a three-person tube that also has two tow points. The Super Mable can be rode while kneeling or on your bottom as well. The Super Mable is a great tube for both beginners and advanced tubers.

With either the Big Mable or the Super Mable tubes you may want to consider using a 4 person towable rope. This is a much better quality rope that should last you a very long time if taken care of. Airhead and Sportsstuff both make a very good quality four person tow rope.

So if you’re in search of a great tube, you can’t go wrong with either the Sportsstuff Big Mable, Super Mable or the Great Big Mable towables.

Have a great time on the water this summe with your Inflatable Toys.

While the first official day of summer is still a few weeks away, the weather is nice, the water is warm, and now is the perfect time to begin all those fun summer activities. Inflatable water sports are some of the most enjoyable summer activities, and it can be a lot of fun getting out on the water a few weekends before all the lakes and beaches are crowded. Whether it’s a rousing game of water volleyball, or being pulled behind a boat in an inflatable inner tube, water sports can be a whole lot of fun. However, it’s still important to be safe, especially when it comes to children. When pulling a child in an inner tube, always ensure that they’re wearing a life vest. While it’s unlikely the child will fall off, it’s still important for them to be prepared just in case. It’s also important to ensure the tow rope is secured to the boat, and that the rider has a firm grip on the line, or that it is secured to the inner tube. 

Make sure to have a flagger in place just in case the rider goes down, and that the flagger knows the signals to indicate a downed rider in the water. This will ensure that other boats don’t travel in the area and hit the rider by mistake. 

Few watersports offer such sheer enjoyment as boat tubing. And the great thing is that it’s so easy compared to, say, water skiing. This ease makes it suitable for all age groups and so a great activity for the whole family. Easy as it is, however, you need to take some precautions. Here a some pointers on how you can get the most out of your inflatable sports equipment.

First, let’s look at what towables are. Essentially, the towing experience involves being pulled behind a boat in or on one of various types of “towables.” These boat towables can take a variety of forms but tubes are the most popular (like water ski tubes). Tubes come in a vast range of shapes and sizes, so our first tip is about buying your tube and the rope that connects it to the boat.

Towables are made of artificial fibres such as nylon, polyester, PVC or neoprene. Polyester is the most durable while neoprene is the most comfortable and most expensive. If you have kids, you might prefer the latter.

Next there’s the matter of shape. Towables come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. The original design is the donut shape. This is most suitable for adults who can sit on top. However it’s not so convenient for smaller people to sit on. Plus the donut rolls over easily making it unsuitable for young children.

Then there are deck tubes which are flat and delta shaped. These are great for multiple riders. These can flip over easily so they’re most suitable for teenagers and young adults.

Next we have ‘ride in’ and ‘ride on’ tubes. The former are like small boats and so are perfect for small children and those requiring a gentler experience. ‘Ride ons’ are long narrow towables. Sometimes called torpedo style, these can sit up to six riders. So they’re great for groups of young riders seeking speed and thrills.

Finally for extreme thrills there are the rocker towables which have wings. These are examples of concept tubes which are aimed at the thrillseeker.

As for the ropes that connect the towable to the boat, these are graded according to the number of riders allowed. Towable ropes should be 50 and 65 feet in length.

Now that you’ve bought your towable and rope, it’s time to look at some tips for using them. First, always check any warning indicators on the tube. Read and obey the manufacturer’s specifications on such factors as the number of riders, their maximum size and weight, and the recommended top speed limits. Then the tubers should be instructed into how to position themselves on the tube. Don’t forget they must always wear a personal flotation device while in the water.

The next thing to do is to find the right area of water for towing. To be safe, you should allow at least 100-feet of unobstructed water on either side of the boat and a minimum of 3000 feet in front. Aside from the driver, the boat should have a ’spotter’ to check for riders who fall off. The spotter can then alert other boats in the area by waving a flag.

It’s essential too that the boat handler be familiar with any regulations affecting that stretch of water you’re on. Speed limits are influenced by water conditions. Wakes for example can be dangerous for towing so boat speeds should be reduced. And he must keep in mind the capabilities of the riders on the tube he’s towing. There are various speed limits that apply to riders of different ages, for example.

If you follow these simples tips, you’ll be assured of a safe and fun towable session. Towables, whether marine towables or freshwater, offer a genuine water sports experience for the whole family. In fact it’s the perfect activity for large groups of all kinds.

The DOABLES are here! These  revolutionary

of the action. You can slalom, spin, jump, do combinations of  moves in, out, and

consumption. Your control Skill  Tubing,

Whether you want to rent or buy a boat, over a dozen studies have shown that being with family and friends, relaxing and being outdoors and close to nature are the primary reasons people spend time on the water. Recreation with family doesn’t have to mean spending a fortune on a theme park vacation in order to have an experience that everyone will enjoy. Should you decide to buy a boat; the monthly payments can often be less than $200, which is well worth the improvement in quality of life.

Boating is about Family

Work. School. Music lessons. Sports practice. Ever feel like your family is being pulled in a million different directions? Bring them back together with recreational boating.

Time spent on a boat is quality time. Whether you’re fishing, swimming, tubing or just cruising along taking in the scenery, you’re having fun boating together. You’re not waiting in long lines, under the hot sun, bickering about what ride to go on next.

Out on the water there are no distractions. You can focus on each other. You can have conversations. Share stories. Laugh. Reconnect and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Life really is better on a boat.

Boating Lets You Relax

It’s hard not to relax when you’re on a boat. Out on the water there are no faxes. No computers. No interruptions. There is the open water. The fresh air. The sun warming your face. And a sense of freedom and adventure you can’t find anywhere else.

Whether looking for blissful, deadline-free days or pulse-quickening adventures, you can find them with recreational boating. After all, you’re the captain when you buy your own boat. The only rules are the ones that you make. And you’re free to break those.

With a boat, great getaways and destinations are just a weekend away. You may be just a few miles from home, but it feels like you’re a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of your daily routine.

Boating fun means finding the freedom to be your best even when you are using inflatable sport equipment.

You’ll never catch your limit of fun

Buy a boat, and you’ll never catch your limit of boating fun. There are always new places to explore. Bigger fish to catch. Friends to be found. And new memories to be made and having lots of fun on inflatable sport equipment.

Reeling in the big one, catching a wave off the board or just taking in the scenery, after a full day of boating fun on the water, it’s easy to remember why it’s called the “Great Outdoors

Kids and adults alike love to play with inflatable toys in the water; whether it’s river rafting, being towed behind a motor boat, or splashing around in the pool, inflatable toys are always an excellent option for fun in the sun.  While inflatable toys and the water are a great activity for kids, it’s also important to never leave children unattended in the water.  In addition, children should always be monitored closer when it comes to larger toys that can tip over in the water and be a potential hazard.  Parents shouldn’t be afraid to partake in water activities with their children, and remember to bring inflatable accessories like a pump to make it easier to pump up all the inflatable toys.  With summer fast approaching, now’s a great time to check out all the new inflatable toys for this year and buy early while they’re still available.

It’s a good idea to store your inflatable toys in a cool and dry location after being used in the summer.  Deflating the toys and grouping them up in a single bin to prevent damage throughout the year is a great idea. 

If you are new to boating, you might not be familiar with boat towables that you can use on the lake. They are easy and very enjoyable to use. Buying them is only a matter of finding the ones that suit your preferences. There are three main things to look for.

First, you need to consider how many people will be with you when you go out on the lake. If you will be carrying a large crowd, some just work better than others. For instance, there are inflatable water lake tubes that are designed to be used by just one person. While a group of people can take turns, a larger towable might be a better choice if several people will be going along. The Sportsstuff MAXX 108 inch lake boat towable will carry up to 8 people easily.

Second, you will want to make sure the boat towables will hold up to the punishment you will give them out on the lake. They need to be sturdy and well-built. Look for features like double-webbing on the foam handles and double stitching on the nylon covers. Try to find ones with self-bailing drain vents so that the boat will not fill with water as the boat sends up a spray from the lake. Make sure the tow system is reinforced so that the boat towables will not go sliding off the boat tow line and away to another part of the lake.

Third, get the towable that suits your idea of a fun design. They come in various patterns of yellows, reds, greens, and blues. They have racing stripes, checkerboards, or flame shapes. Some have a rounded appearance while others are flatter in design.

Take a look at the various boat towables you find for sale and compare them on these three points. Find the ones that best suit your needs. Then you can buy the ones you like and enjoy them out on the lake the very next time you go.

Water skiing is fun for those who can balance on skis and ride them atop a lake. Lake towables make it possible for anyone to glide on the lake behind a ski boat. These special inflatable sport toys can bring excitement to any morning or afternoon on the lake.

One type of lake towables is the kind that are shaped like torpedoes. These are made for only one rider, who either rides inside or wears the lake tube. With tubes where the rider is held inside, look for a good system of tow lines to hold the tube in place behind the boat. Some are specially made so that they turn 360 degrees to give the rider a more thrilling ride.

For the lake towables inflatables tubes where the rider wears the tube, check to be sure you fit within the weight limit, and height and age requirements for riders. Look for wearable lake tubes that have a tow handle and allow full movement around it. You can make the most out of your ride by controlling the tow handle.

Other single rider lake towables  inflatables are designed for the person who wants to let the ski boat driver make most of the decisions. Small chair-like lake towables are available that allow the rider to sit back, hold on, and enjoy the ride. These have backrests like any usual seat in the home or car. Other individual lake towables inflatables  are shaped like small boats. Either way, you will want to make sure the hand holds are strong. You will be gripping them tight as you fly across the water’s surface.

One type of lake towables inflatables allows riders to control the shape of the inflatable by pulling on hand grips. With the Frantic and other Half Pipe boat inflatable towables, it is easy to pull up the sides of the flat towable into a shape that looks like a hot dog bun. The Frantic will rock and slide through the water, controlled by the people holding the grips.

Groups need not take turns on individual lake inflatables towables, either. Ski boats can haul inflatables that will carry 2, 3, or even up to 6 riders at one time. The key to getting the best group lake towables is durability. A heavy gauge PVC bladder is a must, as well as a reinforced towing system.

Lake inflatable towables are fun for the entire family and all your friends. When you get together for a day at the lake, you will enjoy the time you spend riding in the wake of a ski boat. Choosing the right boat for your water skiing trip is the beginning of the fun.

With unknown dangers behind every wave, Morgan began his epic journey by cautiously dipping his toes into the Atlantic Ocean and easing his plump frame into the inflatable circular tube that would glide him into the history books. Morgan faced his first challenge days later when, floating along the southern coast of Newfoundland, the incessant scraping of his tube against the side of the island repeatedly woke him. After several failed attempts to keep his eyes shut, Morgan finally had to push off the landmass with his feet and drift back out to sea.

Halfway through the modern odyssey, Morgan was swept up in the powerful North Atlantic Current, which spun the tiny inflatable craft around and forced him to travel facing backwards for two weeks—a setback that was only mitigated by the fact that it allowed Morgan to receive a more even tan as the sun beat down on him.

“Come to think of it, I probably should have put some lotion on my shoulders,” Morgan said. “I did get a little pink.”

He then drifted west of Ireland where his tube bumped into an ocean liner and was redirected into the Canary Current, which took him to his final destination in France while he ate a bologna sandwich he had packed for the trip.

Although he claimed he was never frightened during the milestone voyage, Morgan admitted that his biggest challenge was staying alert and awake.

“I was dozing on and off for the first 1,000 miles or so,” Morgan said. “It really zonked me out. You close your eyes and the next thing you know the ride is over.”

While Morgan did prepare for the perilous journey with loose-fitting swim trunks, some zinc for his nose, and a book of word-search puzzles, he largely shunned the use of modern navigational equipment. Instead, the brave pioneer accomplished the incredible nautical feat by allowing his tube to meander at its own pace across the ocean, only adjusting the tack every several days by lightly paddling with his hand.

“You just have to go with the flow,” said Morgan, adding that at one point his sunglasses fell into the water, but he knew he had to continue to float on. “Battling the elements will just make you uptight and then you’ll never unwind.”

Morgan is also credited with a number of groundbreaking methods for making himself more comfortable as he bobbed along the North Atlantic’s most dangerous swells, including floating on his back, lying on his stomach, and clinging to the top while dangling his legs through the hole.

Morgan said he only had to splash some water on his face to cool off about every 100 miles, since the weather throughout the soothing intercontinental journey was “real fine.” At one point, however, he did grow concerned when he floated into a powerful storm that threatened to blow his tube to the destination too quickly.

“I was like, ‘Settle down, I don’t want to get there too fast,’” Morgan said. “There was a pretty annoying rain storm, too. It really watered down my Coke.”

On Wednesday, New York mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that the city will honor Morgan’s epic float with a concert and a ticker-tape parade, at the end of which America’s laziest hero will be given the Medal of Valor and a solid gold chaise lounge.

With boating season about to get into full swing, it is time to think about packing up your gear and your family and heading to the lake. Going out on the boat with your family can be a fun experience that can create many happy childhood memories for your children. Growing up on the water is an experience that not all children get to have. There are some things that you can do to help add to the experience.

The first thing that you need to do is to pick a boating destination. Children enjoy riding on the boat, but they also will not want to ride around endlessly all day. They need something to look forward to. If you are a family that enjoys skiing, then board your boat and take a scenic cruise to the best skiing spot on the lake. If your children like to be pulled on a float, then make your way to calmer waters where they can enjoy being pulled on the float without having to worry about other boats, their is a very large selection of inflatables.  If sunbathing is a priority, then a calm inlet where you can tie floats to the boat and be lazy in the water is a perfect spot. We have an island close to us where there is a beach volley ball court and a water volley ball court set up in shallow water. This seems to be the spot for the teenagers to congregate and parents to relax together. Younger children might enjoy a nature cruise, looking for turtles, fish and flowers.

Pack plenty of food and drinks for your family. If you have a teenage son who eats and eats and eats, then have snacks available for him. A picnic lunch on the water or on the beach of an island are both good ideas. If you have access to a restaurant on the water, then take advantage of an hour out of the sun and in the air conditioning to fuel up for more water fun.

Take along games such as cards or a favorite board game. If your children need a break from being in the water, they can play a game on deck or down below. The children can play games inside the boat while you ride around leisurely, which works for both of you.

Have fun making memories with your family on the water. Whether you are swimming, skiing or relaxing in the water or on the boat, enjoy the family time that boating together gives you. In this fast paced world, being out on the water, away from it all is a good time out for everyone