Towable Tubes for Boating: Connecting, Inflating, safety, and Best Towable Boat Tubes 2020
Towable boat tubes are great way to get the family outdoors and involved in boating and water sports. It is relatively simple and can be done with almost any boat including pontoons, bass boats, and even jet skis. Tubing can turn a slow morning of fishing into an exciting excursion on the water. It will have the kids begging to take the boat out again.
The fun and selection of tubes is endless, and we’ll take a look at several in detail.
There are dangers involved in tubing behind a boat, so ensure you checkout and follow all of the safety guidance and tips.
How to Decide on Towable Inflatables
With the huge assortment of towable boat tubes out there, deciding on which one to pick can seem overwhelming at first. Here are some questions to ask yourself, followed by some towable tubes to consider:
How many riders do you plan to pull? Tubes have a maximum rider capacity and putting more than the recommended number of riders on it can increase the risk of injury.
Does your boat have the power to pull a large multi-rider tube? The larger the tube and the more people on it, will increase the drag in the water. If your boat is under powered or already struggles to plane off, you may have trouble pulling larger tubes.
Do you plan to tube all day or have riders with sensitive skin? Tubing for long periods of time can cause abrasion or “tube rash”. Some tubes available now are designed with softer covers to help avoid tube rash.
Are you pulling young or inexperienced riders that you want minimal risk of falling off, or do you have adventurous riders looking for a barrel rolling tube or a towable they can steer? Read on below for the various types of tubes available
Best Towable Boat Tubes
Chariot, Couch or Cockpit Style Tubes for Young kids and relaxed tubing
Keep in mind the boat driver can turn any tube into sporty ride.
If you plan to have young kids tubing behind the boat or you have riders looking for a more relaxed ride, consider a tube with a sitting option. Several models are designed with backrest and side panels to help keep riders in place. Some of these models have a spot for riders to kneel on the back, chariot style. This works as a great spot for adults who have young ones that might want an adult along with them for their first ride.
Cockpit or Couch style tubes, similar to the chariot style allow for a more secure ride than standard deck tubes. The deep cockpit seating helps keep small children secure without having to hold on constantly.
If you are looking for the best of both worlds, towables like the WOW Watersports Bingo 4 have dual tow points for a cockpit or chariot style ride.
WOW Watersports MatrixThis is one of our favorite tubes for young kids. The WOW Watersports Matrix is an exciting 4 rider towable. Two riders sit in front with a comfortable inflatable backrest and side panels to keep them in place. The other 2 riders kneel behind them, riding chariot style. It is a totally different sensation riding in front or back, so it’s like 2 tubes in 1, consequently the name Matrix! These deluxe towables slide effortlessly across the wake. There are plenty of boarding straps for re-boarding from the water. This is one very exciting 4 person boat tube.
WOW Watersports Giant, Super, and Big Bubba
The Bubba couch style towables are some of the most popular tubes on the market. They make for a perfect starter tube for the family just getting into towables, but they are also a tube that anybody can have fun on
. The Bubbas come with a flat base for a smooth ride over the water and minimal drag on the boat. The secure deck seating on the Bubbas come with a super high backrest with sidewalls which is great for keeping young kids safe and for giving them a secure feeling if they are just getting started on towables. The Bubba comes in 2 person, 3 person, and 4 person models.
Trinity 4P Sister, and Zelda 3P
The Sister Series from WOW takes the deck tube to a whole new level with interactive secure seating and high visibility risers. Continuous S shaped high visibility chariot riser that allows for face to face interactive riding or lounging. The Trinity has two tow points and options for sitting, kneeling or standing for 1 to 4 persons. Check out the sister models Ruby, Zelda, and Tootsie.
UTO Excalibur Towable – 3 Person
The UTO Excalibur is not your standard cockpit style tube. Riders can ride sitting,
kneeling, or standing in the cockpit while utilizing the hover bottom design which
allows the tube to float, glide, and jump through the water. It accommodates up to 3 riders.
Wild Wing 3P
The Wild Wing is like the Bubba Series but has a U-shaped body that slides more easily over the wake than a flat bottom. This means a faster more exciting ride for up to 3 riders, as well as less drag on the boat. This tube also comes with front and back tow points to mix it up.
Other Chariot and Cockpit Style
WOW Watersports Go Bot 3P, WOW Watersports Go Bot 2P
WOW Watersports 2P Coupe Cockpit, Coupe 3P
If you are trying to decide on cockpit vs deck tube, check out the Combo tubes below that offer both in a single package.
Dual tow point tubes
Dual tow point tubes offer different styles of riding by switching the attachment point of the tube and pulling it in opposite directions. This can give you more use options out of a single tube. Most of the chariot style tubes above offer dual tow points.
WOW Watersports Sister Towables – Trinity 4P, Zelda 3P
Spinning Tubes
Cyclone Spinner 2 person Towable
Similar to the older disco tubes for boating, the Cyclone Spinner has a 360 degree tow point, located at the center, bottom of the tube. Lean, tilt and spin through the waves in the large deep cockpit for one or two riders. Slot seating also available on either side. Don’t worry about getting too dizzy, you can also hook to the stationary point and tow the tube the traditional way. Even with the tow rope attached the stationary point this tube still offers great control. Check out the video of this spinning boat tube below!
Laydown Deck Tubes
Big Bazooka Towable – 4 Person
An exciting, multi-functional deck tube with options, the Big Bazooka is a new style deck tube that does more than the traditional. Ride in configurations for 1,2,3, or 4 riders and kneel, sit, stand, or lay on this tube. A flex wing system allows the riders to have some control. Steer by yourself or as a team and fly back and forth over the boat wake while the boat driver goes straight.
Thriller 1P, Bit Thriller 2P, Super Thriller 3P, Giant Thriller Towable – 4 Person
Deck tubes remain the best towables ever. You may get tired from holding on, but the excitement of the ride is THRILLING. The Giant Thriller can be used by 1, 2,3 or 4 riders. See how much wild wake action you can handle and when you are finished relax using the tube as a floating island or just floating down the river.
Summertime 3P & 2P
If your worried about tube rash, checkout The Summertime. No worries of tube rash with the Ultra Soft Top cover on the Summertime. Ride all day long without the abrasions of older style tubes.
A Patriotic theme tube with an Ultra Soft cover makes for a great 4th of July Towable.
Combo Tubes
Like the name combo towables offer the features of multiple tubes. The Macho Combo 3 has options for comfortable seating, kneeling, standing or laying down like a deck tube.
Flying boat tubes
These types of tubes were short lived and are now illegal on most bodies of water. Injuries associated with flying tubes were frequent and you can see why in this video.
Unique towable tubes
Are you looking for a tube to stand up on, do barrel rolls across the boat’s wake or something steerable? Then check out these exciting tubes.
With a rocker-ed bottom, this oval shape design allows for a fast ride for 1-3 riders with less drag on your boat. A high profile makes for great visibility in heavy trafficked areas. It also makes a great lounger for sitting back and relaxing on the sand bar.
This totally STEERABLE towable is the ideal ride for those with a sense of adventure! This flexing twist on the traditional deck tube makes it go from following the boat to chasing the boat. This exciting, multi-functional tube allows you to kneel, sit, stand or lay on this tube. You can still hold on and use it as a deck tube and let the boat driver do the twists and turns or take control and weave through the wake.
This custom, double deluxe deck tube features an Alligator theme, two secure saddle seats to ride the Gator as well as a large, deck area for 1 to 4 riders to sit, stand, kneel, or lay down.
The kids will love this one! A Ducky design theme, secure saddle seat as well as a large, wing-shaped deck area for 1, 2, or 3 riders to sit, stand, kneel, or lay down.
If you like to draw attention at the lake then this is the tube for you. This unique custom big mouth hot lips design will surely get you noticed. Ride chariot style or seated with dual tow points in this cockpit style tube.
This is how to Inflate your Towable Tube
- Get the right pump
- Make sure you are using the right the valve
- Inflate until it is firm, and the cover is wrinkle free
Properly inflating your towable is important for the life of your tube. An underinflated tube will cause excess drag and put added stress on the tube, cover, tow rope and your boat.
There are several methods available including 120v pumps, 12v pumps and manual pumps. 120v pumps are the most powerful and reliable but require you to be near electricity. This may not be the best option if you plan to tube far from where you launch. If you have an inverter, you can use a 120v pump at your truck or in the boat, but keep in mind it will use a good bit of your battery so keep the motor running. A 12v pump is a great option since all boats utilize 12v batteries. If you don’t have cigarette plug on your boat, you can use the alligator clamp adaptor to utilize the pump on the boat. A manual pump is a great backup to keep around and may even be needed to top off some of the largest tubes available.
When inflating, make sure you are using the one-way valve. Nearly all tubes on the market now have a dual function valve, or Boston valve, like most airbeds now available. The one-way valve will be the smaller part of the valve and screwed into the deflating valve. If you pull the pump or hose away and air releases from the tube, then you are not utilizing the one-way valve. To deflate, unscrew the biggest valve, the air should release freely. To remove the most possible air and make your tube easier to fold up and store, use the deflate option available on most 12v/120v pumps.
The tube should be firm and the cover free of wrinkles. An adult should be able to stand on the tube on hard ground and sink down only a couple inches.
Keep in mind air expands in the heat and contracts when cool. If you fill you towable up in the shade on a cool morning and then bring it out into the sun in the heat of the day, you may need to let some air out. Similarly, if you fill it up in the heat of the day and tube into the evening as it cools off, you may need to add some air.
How to Connect your towable to the boat
The connection point will vary depending on the boat you have, but the standard connections are the U-bolts or eyelets at the back of your boat. Using a bridle or self-centering tow harness will split the load and make tube easier to pull and steer in either direction. Depending on the type of boat you have, there may be a ski bar or pylon for this purpose, but most wakeboarding towers are not designed to withstand the drag of tubing. If you do not have a pylon or ski bar you can pull a tube behind a pontoon boat using the U-bolts or eyelets. You can hook up a tube to a bass boat using the eyelets or using a bass boat tube pole, an after-market device that attaches to your motor bracket.
With any boat that has lower transom tow points, a Tow Bobber will help significantly to reduce rope drag, water spray and submarining tubes.
Most tubes on the market come with a quick connect attachment for the towable connection. If your tube does not have one, you can add a quick connect.
Attach it by putting it through the tube loop and looping it back through itself. To attach the tow rope, simply loop the rope through the quick connect hole and over the barbs.
To connect it to the boat when using a bridle, y-connector or self-centering tow harness, it should also have a quick connect attachment. If not, or you are connecting straight to a pull point or a bar on the boat, simply loop the rope through itself around your pull point before connecting to the towable. Most y-connectors will also have hooks for connecting to the boat transom
Avoid tying knots in the rope as this is not recommended. All tow ropes will come with loops on both ends. A carabiner can also come in handy for connecting straight to a pull point on the boat assuming it is rated for the load.
Boat Tubing Safety
Tubing behind boats is not without its accidents. They happen every year and can result in significant injuries or even death. They can all be prevented by following the
boat tubing lifesaving rules:
- ALWAYS Wear a PFD
- ALWAYS Turn off the Motor
- ALWAYS Maintain Distance – Away from shore, boats, obstructions and the motor
- ALWAYS Observe the rider constantly
- ALWAYS Drive responsibility
- ALWAYS Use Proper Equipment
Wear a PFD-Personal flotation device, Life jacket, life vest, or life preserver, whichever alias you use, is not only common sense it, it is required by law in most states for riders of inflatable towables, or any towable like wakeboards and knee boards. Make sure it fits properly and meets the weight capacity of the wearer.
Always turn the motor off when someone is getting in the boat, or if the boat becomes too close to someone in the water. Many accidents have happened when someone thought the motor was not in gear, and it was, or circled the rider too closely while trying to pick them up.
Maintain Distance. No, not social distance! The biggest contributing factor to tubing accidents is impacts with shore, docks or another watercraft. Maintain two to three times the distance of the rope from shore and other obstructions. Avoid busy weekends and peak times of day to help avoid other watercrafts on busy waterways. Avoid shallow water. When I was a teen, we were pulling a tube with a boat and other friends were on a jet ski. With the tube just outside the boat wake, the jet ski positioned itself in front of the tube and proceeded to slalom back and forth spraying the riders with water. The jet ski operator, also with a passenger turned too sharply and rolled the ski over. Luckily, it went all the way over creating somewhat of a ramp for the tube. The tube with two riders hit the jet ski and launched the riders high into the air. One of the riders injured is arm, but no one was significantly injured. It could have been a lot worse.
Observe your rider constantly. Most states require a spotter of a minimum age to be present while pulling towables. They should notify the driver immediately to help get the rider out of the water quickly and back on the boat or the tube. They can also help spot other approaching watercrafts. Make sure you identify clear hand signals between the rider and spotter. Usually thumbs up for faster, down for slower, etc.
Drive responsibly. It is ultimately the driver’s responsibility to keep the riders safe. This means avoiding docks, obstacles, and other watercrafts. It means pulling at an appropriate speed for the riders and staying within the guidelines of the tube manufacturer. Remember when turning the boat traveling at 20mph(whipping), the tube can reach speeds of 55mph. The driver needs to constantly alert and practice 360 degrees awareness. Appropriate speeds for young kids tubing behind boat would be 8 to 12mph, 15 to 20 mph for teens and adults.
And a safety video for your entertainment
Use proper equipment including the tow rope, tube and cover, bridle, life jackets and any anchor points or hardware used to connect the towable to boat.
How to Inspect your boat tubing equipment?
- Inspect life jackets and tube covers for rips, tears, frays and UV damage.
- Inspect ropes for rips, tears, frays and UV damage.
- Ensure proper strength for the size tube.
- Rope length should be no shorter than 50ft or longer than 65ft.
- Inspect bridle for functioning sheave and working carabiners, wire rope for corrosion, and any plastic components for cracks.
- Inspect boat anchor point for secureness and with the manufacturer recommendations for load capacity.
- Inspect tube for proper inflation.
Faded coloring is indication of UV damage and consideration should be given to replacing these items depending on severity and location. The rope should be replaced if any of these issues exist. The last thing you want is a freak accident due to a failed 20$ rope.
Additional safety tips for tubing
Multiple Tubes creates additional risk.
Multiple Riders creates more risk than riding alone. Tubes designed for multiple rider’s help mitigate the risk of banging heads and clashing riders. When putting more riders on a tube than it is recommended for, the riders heads are closer together and more likely to bump. Slaloming and whipping a tube with multiple riders also put the riders more at risk than a lone rider.
PPE- personal protective equipment such as gloves and helmets can help protect riders from head bumping, worn knuckles or rope burned hands.
Additional Tubing Tips
The Tow Bobber Is an inflatable ball attached in the middle of a tow rope. They usually come pre rigged with a section of tow rope on each side and most are capable of use with up to 4 riders. It keeps the rope out of the water to reduce drag, water spray from a dragging rope and submarining of the tube. Its great for bass boats or boats with low transom tow points. It enhances fuel economy and reduces stress on the tube and cover by acting as a shock absorber.
Hopefully now you have an idea of the best boat tube for you and your family, how to connect it, and tow it safely. Get out on the water and have a Youth Outdoor Adventure!