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beyondhelpin
06-14-2004, 07:37 PM
I was pulling 3 girls on a tube Sunday in pretty rough water yesterday. Not real bad but enough that I did not want to pull them to fast or sling them way out. I slung them out a little fast so I cut back the other way so they did not sling out to far.
That is where everything went bad. When I cut back the other way I also pulled back on the throttle a little. At that point I hit a big wave which almost stopped me. I look to my left and see the tube barreling towards the side of the boat at a fast clip. They smacked into the side of the boat doing between 10 and 15 mph. They hit the boat at the on the side very close to the back. As soon as they hit the boat I pulled the throttle back and into neutral.
I dove in the water to check on everybody and helped one girl who thought her leg was broke. Turns out it wasn't broke but scared the hell out of me none the less. They were at little banged up. Actually the girl who was on the inside was pretty bruised up. My daughter was in the middle on had a couple of small abrasions. The girl on the outside was not hurt at all and was ready to go again.
Has anyone ever heard of anything like this happening before. I know I have not ever seen or heard of anything like this before. As a matter of fact, I would have thought it would have been impossible to do. I have had a boat since I was 18 and I am 43 now. So I am not new to boating. I am still scratching my head wondering how the hell that could have happened?!!!!

Debbolas
06-14-2004, 07:39 PM
How long was your rope?

Dr. Eagle
06-14-2004, 07:40 PM
Originally posted by Debbolas
How long was your rope?
Excellent question Deb......

MRS FLYIN VEE
06-14-2004, 07:42 PM
when we tow we use a 75 to 100" rope.. maybe your rope was to short..

Debbolas
06-14-2004, 07:46 PM
We have flipped people off of the tube before, but never had anyone smack into the side of the boat, how scarey!
I have no idea how long our rope is, but it takes awhile to pull them in.

RiverToysJas
06-14-2004, 07:46 PM
Tube ropes are usually 60'
RTJas :D

Dr. Eagle
06-14-2004, 07:47 PM
Originally posted by MRS FLYIN VEE
when we tow we use a 75 to 100" rope.. maybe your rope was to short..
All the maneuvers may have slowed the boat while slinging the tube as well. Glad no one got hurt badly.:(

unleashed
06-14-2004, 07:47 PM
I've never heard of your type of accident but Im sure its possible. I did hear of a kid that died that was almost decapitated while tubing. From what the person told me the tube came out of the water violently and created just enough slack and noosed around his neck. The poor kid had no chance and it nearly decapitated him and he died at the scene. :(
Deano
Unleashedclothing (http://www.unleashedclothing.com) :devil:

Ziggy
06-14-2004, 07:50 PM
Originally posted by MRS FLYIN VEE
when we tow we use a 75 to 100" rope.. maybe your rope was to short..
Excellent question MrsV....was my first thought too.
its also possible that trying to overcorrect for the whip he overcompensated, hit that wake which stopped the boats momentum right in the tubes path. I've had simlar whips but usually power out of it to take up rope slack, then once out of trouble drop throttle again.
.
Main thing is that the girls weren't hurt and another lesson was learned.

Ntwotrance
06-14-2004, 07:52 PM
the rope was my first question, second would be where you were (river? going with current?)

shadow
06-14-2004, 07:52 PM
Originally posted by Debbolas
How long was your rope?
That was my first thought. Glad to hear none of the kids were seriously hurt.

Dr. Eagle
06-14-2004, 07:53 PM
Originally posted by ShockwaveBob
My wife once slung me so hard that I flew off the tube doing 40 mph and hit an anchored boat. Last time she ever drove. ;)
Soooooo that's what prompted you to take up Golf? LOL.......

shadow
06-14-2004, 07:56 PM
Originally posted by ShockwaveBob
My wife once slung me so hard that I flew off the tube doing 40 mph and hit an anchored boat. Last time she ever drove. ;)
I knew there was something wrong with you.:D
John are you guys gonna be out this weekend?

beyondhelpin
06-14-2004, 07:57 PM
I use a standard tube towing rope. 60' if that is what it is I actually thought it was a little longer. It is an Obrien tube rope. Like I said before I am not new to this. Our idea of being at the lake is not just about tying up in the coves partying. My whole family is into sking tubing and wakeboading. I dont know if I really convied how strange and how fast this happened.
Unleashed I have heard of that before. As a matter of fact a kid was killed last year on the lake I was on when he broke his neck tubing. Makes me glad they hit the boat with their sides and not head first. Gives me the chills just thinking about it.

beyondhelpin
06-14-2004, 07:59 PM
We were on a lake with about 1' of chop.

Ziggy
06-14-2004, 08:00 PM
Originally posted by ShockwaveBob
My wife once slung me so hard that I flew off the tube doing 40 mph and hit an anchored boat. Last time she ever drove. ;)
So ShockwaveBobs silloette is where screams boat got its graphics template:D :D

Dr. Eagle
06-14-2004, 08:01 PM
One thing about any activity, things happen. It is just a blessing no one was injured seriously....
Live and learn...

Dr. Eagle
06-14-2004, 08:02 PM
Originally posted by Ziggy
So ShockwaveBobs silloette is where screams boat got its graphics template:D :D
LMAO......ROTFLMAO....

Ntwotrance
06-14-2004, 08:02 PM
Originally posted by beyondhelpin
We were on a lake with about 1' of chop.
damn, that's a freak occurance then...we tube quite a bit and at the speed you say...I'm baffled...

Debbolas
06-14-2004, 08:06 PM
yeah, we have flipped people, but no where near the boat.....
Did you cut back toward them?

BarryMac
06-14-2004, 08:07 PM
Originally posted by ShockwaveBob
My wife once slung me so hard that I flew off the tube doing 40 mph and hit an anchored boat. Last time she ever drove. ;)
Man that had to hurt...
gjb

beyondhelpin
06-14-2004, 08:08 PM
I was pulling them at about 20 to 25 mph. As far as throttling to take up the slack yea you have to do that some times when conditions warrent. But this was different. When I looked over my sholder and seen them the were less than 20' from the boat. My first instinct was to slam the throttles Thank God I didnt and shut the motor down instead. I would not have wanted them to hit at the very back of the boat and have prop or head injuries. I was afraid of the prop when they hit the side as the boat was still in gear and moving at the point of impact.

Ntwotrance
06-14-2004, 08:10 PM
Originally posted by beyondhelpin
I was pulling them at about 20 to 25 mph. As far as throttling to take up the slack yea you have to do that some times when conditions warrent. But this was different. When I looked over my sholder and seen them the were less than 20' from the boat. My first instinct was to slam the throttles Thank God I didnt and shut the motor down instead. I would not have wanted them to hit at the very back of the boat and have prop or head injuries. I was afraid of the prop when they hit the side as the boat was still in gear and moving at the point of impact.
sounds like you did everything right, and avoided something much worse...

RiverToysJas
06-14-2004, 08:13 PM
I've had a tube coming straight at the side of the boat before in a simular situation (cross corrected, and throttled down), but when I saw the tube coming, I added power to get out of it's way.
If nobody was seriously hurt, you did the right thing! ;)
RTJas :D

beyondhelpin
06-14-2004, 08:16 PM
Thanks for the vote of confidence but still it should not have happened.

Moe_Havi
06-14-2004, 08:31 PM
Based on your description, I think when you say, swung them out to the left for instance, I have had many instances as I'm sure you have in the past that the tube is almost directly straight to port. Now couple that with turning in the direction of the tube (so not to be whipped the other way) and then slowing to counter the roller, brought their momentum right back at you and into your hull. You probably should not have slowed so fast nor turned in their direction and should have accelerated a bit. If you are in motion, there is no way that tube will catch you. It wasn't easy doing what you did. It took all those circumstances happening at the same time. This would go for pulling anything at speed. Water skiers and wakeboarders. Stopping fast can cause trouble. Have you ever been cruising down the river when you encounter some floating debris and you are right on it. It's on your left and the instinct is to cut hard right which will cause the floater to smack right into your port side. If you are right on it you would cut left which would swing your back out and away.
Moe

welk2party
06-14-2004, 08:39 PM
That is why they call them accidents. Glad no one was hurt.

beyondhelpin
06-14-2004, 08:46 PM
Moe you are exactly right on one point. The problem stared when I throttled back just a little and then caught the big wave slowing me even more. But there was no time to apply the throttles because contact was iminent at that point. And the boat is a little large to move quickly even with full throttle. I am running a slightly massaged 454 in a 24' boat. Not enough for quickness.
My guess is the girls skipped across the top of the waves and I lost momentum from a combination of pulling the throttle back and broadsiding the big wave. It seemd like they never even slowed down before hitting the side.

Debbolas
06-14-2004, 08:50 PM
oh, you are so right, I didn't even take in to context the fact that they were skipping across the waves! They could totally cover a lot of ground that way. Are they little tiny girls? (the tube didn't drag?)

RiverToysJas
06-14-2004, 08:52 PM
Originally posted by beyondhelpin
.....I am running a slightly massaged 454 in a 24' boat. Not enough for quickness.
Do you prop down for tubing? What prop do you run?
RTJas :D

wsuwrhr
06-14-2004, 09:00 PM
Originally posted by ShockwaveBob
My wife once slung me so hard that I flew off the tube doing 40 mph and hit an anchored boat. Last time she ever drove. ;)
Bob,
I was wondering if you ever pondered the possiblity that it wasn't an accident?
;) :)
Brian

RiverToysJas
06-14-2004, 09:09 PM
Originally posted by wsuwrhr
Bob,
I was wondering if you ever pondered the possiblity that it wasn't an accident?
;) :)
Brian
We know Brian, we know, everyone should have been wearing helmets!!! :rolleyes: LOL! :p
RTJas :D

Moe_Havi
06-14-2004, 09:11 PM
Hey BH;
I wouldn't get down on yourself too much for what happened. It reall was a flukey deal with all those things happening just at the right time to cause what happened but it gave us and especially you some real experience. Posting this tells thousands of boaters who tow tubes, skiers and boarders what can happen if your natural reaction and safe reaction was to slow down. Now everybody knows to go straight and slow down slowly. Worse case is the kids get dumped in the drink and they usually like that. Good luck and safe boating.

Debbolas
06-14-2004, 09:15 PM
excellent point!:D

Garrddogg
06-14-2004, 09:29 PM
Originally posted by ShockwaveBob
My wife once slung me so hard that I flew off the tube doing 40 mph and hit an anchored boat. Last time she ever drove. ;) Dude im sorry but you just made me blow corn flakes all over my desk.:eek: sorry must have hurt like hell!

Cheap Thrills
06-14-2004, 09:31 PM
First off I'de like to say Thank GOD no one was hurt.
second that sounds like a pilot error to me .
If you had slung them out across the wake then turned back into them because of some chop or whatever
the arc of the tube not only exceeds the speed of the boat but it lessens the distance between the tube and the boat plus you turning back into them decreases that distance even further .
Dont take me wrong I'm not slamming you for the accedent even though it was avoidable
I'm sure it's not the first time something like that has happened .
It could have happened to anybody .
You could let a little air out of the tube to create a little more resistance to make it settle quicker in the event it were to happen again. Learn from the mistake .
Peace
C.T. :wink:

wsuwrhr
06-14-2004, 09:42 PM
Originally posted by RiverToysJas
We know Brian, we know, everyone should have been wearing helmets!!! :rolleyes: LOL! :p
RTJas :D
Can you believe I am the safety guru?
Haha.
Now I guess helmets have to be FLOURESCENT ORANGE to work now.
Brian

MudPumper
06-14-2004, 09:42 PM
60 ft isn't far at all. If you take into account boat speed 25 mph and factor in tube speed being whipped, probably at least double 25mph. The tube can cover the 60 ft distance in a heart beat!!! Glad nobody was seriously hurt. ;)

wsuwrhr
06-14-2004, 09:45 PM
Originally posted by MudPumper
60 ft isn't far at all. If you take into account boat speed 25 mph and factor in tube speed being whipped, probably at least double 25mph. The tube can cover the 60 ft distance in a heart beat!!! Glad nobody was seriously hurt. ;)
Good calculation. I think in this case(and others) LONGER IS BETTER!!!
In all seriousness, I am glad noone was seriously injured. Live and learn and learn from mistakes.
Don't beat yourself up about it. Tell you daughter you love her, and it was an accident. Take the other families out for dinner or have a barbeque or something.
Better yet, invite us all over and we can make fun of you!!!
Brian

Moe_Havi
06-14-2004, 09:55 PM
longer lines aren't that safe because you are more likely to swing into more trouble. A 100' line is almost double a 40. Stick with the 60

MudPumper
06-14-2004, 09:57 PM
Originally posted by Moe_Havi
longer lines aren't that safe because you are more likely to swing into more trouble. A 100' line is almost double a 40. Stick with the 60
Im no genius but isn't a 100 foot line more than double a 40???? :eek: :D

Moe_Havi
06-14-2004, 10:08 PM
dah...let me see...your right. i meant double a 60'. sorry
Moe

Cheap Thrills
06-14-2004, 10:09 PM
It depends on how many knots are in it :D
C.T. :wink:

MudPumper
06-14-2004, 10:10 PM
Just givin you a hard time, I had to count on my toes to figure it out!:D

Kachina26
06-15-2004, 05:22 AM
At least you weren't that idiot that I encountered (sp) about 1/4 mile north of the sandbar pulling his kids. He slung them out into heavy traffic. I stopped to kinda block anyone following me who didn't see all this and would most likely not expect a kid in the water. Forget that it's illeagal to tube there, I wanted to ask him "does this LOOK safe???????!!!!!!!!"
Glad no one was seriously hurt. Chalk it up to experience, I bet it won't happen to you again.
ShockwaveBob, You have to make sure the wife has a solid understand of geometry before she pulls someone. My wife failed geometry in HS, therefore she ain't pullin me.:eek:

JetBoatRich
06-15-2004, 06:04 AM
I am real glad to hear the girls are ok:D by you posting and being open about what happened, it shows complete concern with all involved and lesson can be learned to all. Not always easy to admit a mistake, especially on an open forum.
Never seen or heard a tube hitting the side of a boat pulling it, but reading the responses, you have some good explanations of why and what to do to avoid this in the future.
Be careful out there
:cool: