House boating Questions.

(dough_boy) · (dough_boy) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 05-20-2009, 4:07 PM

1. How many feet behind the house boat do you tow your wakeboat?

2. If you are towing wave runners also how would you set it up?

Pics if you got em please. Thanks

(ss1234) · (ss1234) **Join Date: Jul 2005** 05-20-2009, 4:20 PM

Far enough back that when you stop they are still a safe distance back, 25'-ish or more. When pulling multiples we tie off the ropes across the width of the houseboat and stagger the lengths. That way you avoid the rope burn of one rope over the top of a vessel and they don't bang together. I've seen multiples where they tie a boat behind a boat...never tried that. I would do that if I were pulling 2 'runners and a boat.

Also, don't play WWII battleship complete with evasive moves and balloon launchers when towing.....Enough damage can be done doing this without towing.

(bill_airjunky) · (bill_airjunky) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 05-20-2009, 4:20 PM

A couple of good threads for you to read:

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/184899.html

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread/t-221254.html

Personally, we don't bother to tow the boats. PWCs, maybe, but not the wake boats. Read too many horror stories about people that have done it & swamped the boat. And we always have plenty of boat drivers so we just drive them all.

(mikeski) · (mikeski) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 05-20-2009, 6:49 PM

25' only when the water is flat and it's not windy. The rope should have a quick disconnect clip on the bow and be simply lashed to the houseboat in such a manner that it is easily released.

When we get where we want to be we untie the boat in tow (set it free), kill the houseboat motor momentarily, dive in and swim back to the free floating boat, then finalize the anchorage with the wakeboard boat well clear of the houseboat.

(trace) · (trace) **Join Date: Feb 2002** 05-20-2009, 8:03 PM

No ballast, 50'+ rope, and someone keeps an eye on it at all times. We've towed my VLX thru maybe 3' chop (busy weekend on a big lake) with no problems. Big houseboats usually have another way to haul jetskis - davit to the roof or bunks on the back deck. If not, I would tie them 25'+ behind the wakeboat.

(dough_boy) · (dough_boy) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 05-21-2009, 3:41 PM

Thanks for the help. Anyone else have opinions?

(guido) · (guido) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 05-21-2009, 3:56 PM

Like this... LOL!!

Upload

(guido) · (guido) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 05-21-2009, 3:58 PM

BC had 2k of lead in it and it worked fine. We just moved it to the back.

(guido) · (guido) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 05-21-2009, 4:02 PM

Oh, and we usually ride the jetski when we've got one, though the ski got traded in for the Donzi (not sure if there'll be another any time soon). There is always someone that's down to take it for a ride. It's good for scouting houseboat spots, too.

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 05-21-2009, 4:12 PM

haha I love that shot.

(westsiderippa) · (westsiderippa) **Join Date: Dec 2006** 05-21-2009, 4:28 PM

dang evan looking at that pic makes we wish we there right now. that shasta trip rocked!!!! heres another shot of the money train....

Upload

(rio_sanger) · (rio_sanger) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 05-21-2009, 6:19 PM

25 feet is cutting it close. It's amazing how fast the towed boat comes up on you when you slow down.
I usually run about 50-60 feet back, which gives a safe distance, and it is usually a little smoother water back out of the propwash.

(fullspeed)

That is a sick picture of the $$$ Train. Nice guys.

(jetskiprosx) · (jetskiprosx) **Join Date: Aug 2004** 05-21-2009, 9:59 PM

Back in 03 we did a Shasta trip and had 2 wakesetters followed by a sit down jet ski. It sure looked funny going traveling down the lake...though the pictures above win hands down!

(saceone) · (saceone) **Join Date: Jan 2009** 05-21-2009, 11:58 PM

loving the $hot

(psudy) · (psudy) **Join Date: Dec 2003** 05-22-2009, 7:05 AM

We always ran rope through two pieces of PVC with quick connects on each end. We connected them to the port and starboard side of the house boat and ran them to the front eye of the boat. THis kept it from coming forward. Never had any problems with it.

(guido) · (guido) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 05-22-2009, 10:56 AM

Great idea Paul.

Bry- Me too, brotha. I'm down for a HB trip this summer. You want to jump on the planning?? I know there are some great deals. Pedro would be great. Shasta would be awesome again, too.