TOPIC: Vintage Skiing Question

Ok folks, it looks like the bugs are worked out of the 80Hp on the Clipper so now I want to do some skiing and tubing. I don't have the original ski rope that dad used so I'm not sure how we did it, can't remember, (CRS you know)! Since this is an outboard what are you folks using to pull tubes or skiers, without interferring with the outboard?

I did a little research and it looks like there's some kind of harness. Some fixed length for each side and some with a cable/pulley. Anyone using these? One better than the others?

I'm just worried about the rope interferring with the outboard when someone decides to go outside the wake and up toward the side of the boat, like we used to do with the Ski-nautiques. Of course easier to do with a ski-tower but not building one of those into the boat.

Bob

bob, a yoke style works fine, and they have a float on the pully so it will not get into the prop. greg

A length of line with a float on it attaches to the two transom eyes. It is long enuff to clear the motor. The ski rope then attaches to a ring on this line. The ring allows the tow line to travel back and forth. I got one at Fleet Farm a few years ago, just like we had in the 1960s.

Andreas

Bob,

many years ago, I bought one of the little "traveler" jobs that had a pulley in it. I didn't like it, as it tended to make the tow ropes jam up against the motor tower when a skier was in a hard turn. I too prefer to just use a simple "Y" arrangement with a float attached right at the "Y" . I like to have the the left and right ropes come together a few feet behind the motor. Be careful that the rope or webbing stays clear of the propeller.

Can't see much of it,but this is what I use when pulling the tube behind my boat. It's a Y shaped rope like what Bruce is using.Yep, that's me going for a ride.

Thanks for the input guys. Looks like I'll be looking for the "y" type.

Bruce, that's what I was afraid of. Couldn't picture in my mind how it wasn't going to interfer with the motor if the skier decided to try and race the boat.

Jim, thanks good pic it still helped. Good on ya by the way.

I did go skiing behind a neighbors boat (24' Sea Ray bow rider)Sunday which made me say I need to get the stuff now. It wasn't pretty but was still fun. Hadn't been on ski's since 2002!

Bob

bob, i use to ski all the time behind our 12' aerocraft with 18hp evinrude on the delaware river. became quite good at it but not as good as my bro who could drop a ski and spin around. i'm pretty confident i could still do it today, but am afraid to risk it. gettin old sucks, your afraid to chance things anymore. ron

That's cool ROn, I hear ya though. My ankles hurt and I bruise the big toe on my left foot, that I didn't realize until about 4 hours ago!!!!!! LOL

Andreas, sorry meant to ask, you didn't have a problem with the rope pulling against the motor when the pulley/ring went full to one side or the other?


Bob

I used to be able to pop right up on a single ski, back when I was in my 20s and at 155 Lbs. No longer. Fast forward 25 years and slap on 50-60 Lbs - what a pathetic experience trying to get up on that ski. I figure if the ski was 2 feet wide I might have had a chance. Holding onto that rope with all I could, 20,000 gallons of water rolling over my head - I just couldn't get out of the hole. To ad insult to injury, I was sore for over a weak.

Bob - the Y arrangement will pull up against the motor tower if the angle of pull is sharp enough. It doesn't really cause a problem with either setup, except the little pulley-style one was banging up my freshly restored Evinrude. Not cool. Making up a "Y" arrangement with rope or webbing isn't difficult, and you can find rope / netting floats pretty easily. If you can't find a decent one, just make up your own. One way to make a floating harness is to put the ropes through sections of those "Noodles" that kids swim with these days. Go to the hardware store & get some stainless steel carabiners to attach the ends to the boat. You will be skiing in no time..

Good info thanks Bruce. I'll probably just pic up a 12' "Y" from West Marine. I ordered and O'brien Deluxe Le Rube and rope. The Admiral can't ski anymore, bad right knee but she can rube so I figured what the heck. I'll get a ski rope and some ski's later.

Bob

This is the one I've been using for over 10 years. Works well for me.

Thanks Doug, I was just worried how much it would pull against the motor if you go a ways out of the wake on either side.

Bob