Inflatable | Marine Accessories

Tubes for use as towables on water are generally not true inner tubes but rather specially designed tubes for the purpose of recreation. These tubes are often fairly durable and come in either donut or disk shapes. A sleeve of synthetic fabric often covers the tube to prevent it from becoming elongated during towing. Such sleeves commonly have handles for the rider to grasp and an anchoring point for the tow line to be attached at.

Towing water tubes also requires a powered watercraft such a motorboat or personal watercraft as well as rope to tether the tubes to such craft.

Tubes used for free-floating tubing have traditionally been true inner tubes, but commercially-sold tubes for the same purpose are becoming common place. These tubes are almost always donut-shaped to allow the rider to sit comfortably on their back across the top of the tube with buttocks in the center. This kind of tube rarely has handles or a sleeve and would perform poorly as a towable.

As I set on my deck on Lake Havasu, Arizona and watch the boats pulling inflatable toys and everyone having a great time I wonder why everyone does not have and inflatable towable to for everyone to have fun on. Their is such a large variety of inflatables for you and friends and family and a lot of them are made by SportsStuff.

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 towable tubing experience.

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 like the regular inner tube to more exotic tubes 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.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_Raven

Yesterday I was talking to a friend that went out on an inflatable for the first time and she thought it was a real blast, she was being towed on a two person towable and the boat driver knew how to use the wake of the boat to make it a lot more fun. Do not forget their are inflatables for one to several people and many shapes and designs and you can have a lot of fun and it does not depend on your age. Water Tubes are becoming more popular all the time so join in the fun and and use an inflatable towable.

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.

Summer is Upon Us!

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.