www.iFourWinns.com

Another newbie question... Do you have any recommendations as to how best to hook up a tow rope for an inflatable for a 298 Vista? I do not have a hook solely for this purpose and am not too keen on installing a pylon... I read that there is a way to do this using a 'yoke rope' tied from cleat to cleat on the aft end of the boat...

thanks,
Stacy & Isora in Annapolis

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Stacy & Isora in Annapolis, MD
2005 Vista 298

thats what i did on our 268. the only eyes to hook to are the same ones you use for securing the rear of the boat to the trailer, and under the swimplatform are no the best for towing tubes. I just use the two rear cleats

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Jeff

'14 Cruisers 380 Express "Simon Sez"
Merc 8.2 Mag MPI 380
DTS B3X, (x2) Axius Premier


(SOLD)
'08 V318
Merc 350 Mag MPI 300
DTS Seacore, B3 (x2)

I would use the stern cleats with a "y" type arrangement. I've not done it though. Sounds like the big question is how far back to let the dinghy run at what speed. I'd like to hear your experiences. We are looking at getting an inflatable. Do you already have one? What size / brand and how happy are you with it?

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1999 Four Winns Vista 298, 5.0 VP DP
Goosepond Marina
Lake Guntersville
Scottsboro, Alabama

Yes, a "bridle" is the preferred method for towing an inflatable. It is a good idea to use nylon line that stretches, absorbing the shifting loads as your boat works up and down in the sea. However, because dinghies are light, this is a good opportunity to use polypropylene line that floats. It should not get fouled in your propeller, if you should accidentally back down when coming into the marina without remembering the dinghy is behind you. Hopefully your inflateable has two points to mount the bridal, this helps keep it from wandering.



Here is one I found on E-Bay. They are not expensive.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Towing-Tow-Bridle-F ... 35003r4055

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Thanks. Actually, in my "newbie-ness" I realize I mis-spoke... I meant for towing a tube, not an inflatable dinghy... my boat guy tells me I need to install a tow-hook on the transom... which is probably not a bad idea, but... is there a way to tow someone on a tube without drilling any new holes in the boat?

thanks,

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Stacy & Isora in Annapolis, MD
2005 Vista 298

A bridle is still probably your best bet. I've used it to tow my ski on my 248. I don't know the 298 well but I can't imagine there's a structurally sound area on the centerline of the transom above the ESP to effectively mount a tow hook. Go with the bridle.

Until we bought the jet ski we routinely pulled two 60" tubes behind our 298, one hooked to each stern cleat. Before that, we spent many hours pulling tubes behind our Sea Ray 270 Sundancer also tied to our stern cleats.

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1999 Four Winns Vista 298, 5.0 VP DP
Goosepond Marina
Lake Guntersville
Scottsboro, Alabama

Even if you have a ski tow hook installed, you would never want to tow a tube from this point, you will rip it out. Tubes are best towed from the transom cleats as others have already mentioned. I too tow the kids on a tube using a bridle. They are very easy to make.
take 20' of 1/2" line, tie in a carabeiner at each end to easily attach to transom cleats.

You can get rope and carabeiners at your local boat shop.

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2000 248 5.7L DP
'92, '94 SXI 750, '08 STX 15F, '12 Ultra LX 300
Videos

I think you can get a good deal on what you need at the flea market this weekend. You should really try and get there, it is a big gathering of boats, boat gear, and boaters.
I wish I lived closer, I would not miss it.

http://www.usboat.com/anfm_home.php

Also, you can catch the Blue Angels practice today if you have time.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Thanks for all the tips. I will definately give this a bridle carabiner idea a try... sounds great. regarding the nautical/boat antique show/flea market, we are going Saturday. The blue angels are in-town "no doubt." We heard them this AM. Last year we saw them practice out over the Severn but this year no luck. Got to work.

thanks again all.

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Stacy & Isora in Annapolis, MD
2005 Vista 298

Personally, I would not tow from the stern cleats. They were not engineered for that type of load. I know many of you do it with no prpblems, but I would not feel comfortable doing that. I bought a bridle with hooks that I clip to the transom eyelets. The bridle that I purchased has foam floats and its a thick polypropelene roap.

Just my 2 cents and that's all they are probably worth.

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"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz

Your 2 cents worth is right on the money IMO. This is the exact setup I use on my 298 when towing.

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

You are absolutely correct, I have misposted!! I hook the bridle up to the transom eyelets on both side of the out drive.

I have used this bridle set up to tow another boat back to the marina a couple time as well. I would never tow off of a cleat. I don't know what I what thinking/typing that day

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2000 248 5.7L DP
'92, '94 SXI 750, '08 STX 15F, '12 Ultra LX 300
Videos

Hmm, which is "stronger", the clears or the eyelets? I don't have eyelets on the back of my 348, so it's a moot question for me. But given what the cleats are intended to do, secure the whole boat, I can't really see making an argument about them not being 'strong enough' for pulling a tube.

Like any other situation when dealing with loads, you want to make sure you've got the right materials. You'd want to be sure the various parts of the equipment are rated for the load. Strong enough to deal with regular use but not so strong as to not fail under excessive loads. Better to have a carabiner or ring fail in the event of excessive load, than have it pull out a cleat.

I have a bridle intended for both towing a tube or an inflatable. I don't know the rated load but the ring it on looks like it'd certainly part well before a cleat.

Tangentially, it's a pain in the ass towing a dinghy behind the 348. You either have to tow it RIGHT BEHIND the boat or pay out well over 80' of line to find the 'sweet spot' in the wake. There's no in-between. Having that much line is a bit of a hassle, especially if you have to back off the speed quickly. Even with it floating it's a tangle risk (if only just getting tangled in itself). And keeping it in place right behind the transom really doesn't work without using a fixed Y sort of setup using PVC pipe. The dinghy wanders just a little too much. And the wake is powerful enough to flip it and beat the crap out of it in the BLINK of an eye. So I either deflate it or stow it on the platform. Anyway, that's fodder for a whole other thread.

Here's a question to ask, do you see yourself burning the extra fuel to pull water toys? Do you see the 298 as being maneuverable enough to make it practical? Neither really works for me in the 348. I "can" pull toys with my setup but, in the end, usually avoid it because of the size/burn rate issues. It's better to raft-up with someone in a much smaller deck boat and let them do the pulling. The trade being access to amenities on the larger boats, along with supplies and friendship. A win-win when everything goes right.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

My thoughts exactly Bill, even though we have a small 248, I don't like towing with it, have don't it. That is the reason we got us a 160 hp 3 man Jet Ski for a tow boat. Last summer at Powell we burned 8 gallons a day using the jet ski to tow the tube, wakeboard, skis, until all 4 kids and 2 adults were tired. You can not run even the small 248 w/5.7L towing for very long at all with 8 gallons.

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2000 248 5.7L DP
'92, '94 SXI 750, '08 STX 15F, '12 Ultra LX 300
Videos