challenger 2000 how to connect towable/tube?

[Lumps]

(I know there are other post discussing parts of this topic but I didn't see any consensus or anything about the useless ring off the stern)

I previously had a 98 challenger. the boat came with a "tow hook" (a ring off the back with a little hook in the middle) and a ski pylon. the ski pylon was badly bent when I got it. I was able to straighten it (let me know if any one is interested in the apparatus I built for this and I'll post pictures). the previous owner said that the ski pylon had been bent pulling a tube. he said the ski pylon was for skiing only. so I used the ring off the back for pulling tubes.

fast forward to today. I now have the challenger 2000. It came with a badly bent ski pylon too but it is twice the thickness of the one on the smaller challenger. it was much harder to fix and I even snapped the bolts off on my straightener and had to rebuild it with bigger bolts. anyway, the "tow ring" off the back of the challenger is just a loop. it doesn't have the little hook to loop over the tow rope. my tow rope for tubes has a giant ball in the middle so I can't pull the rope through its own loop when attaching it to the ring on the back.

I question if this "tow ring" is even for towable/tubes? it was really hard to straighten the pylon (and the pipe it fits into) I don't want to bend it again. I am sure no skier could bend it but a 4 person tube?

can the pylon be used for tubing? maybe I need to replace the ring on the back with one with a hook? I am note sure why they would have changed this and doubled the strength of the ski pylon unless they wanted it to be used for tubes too? if I am supposed to use this ring of the stern, how do you attach the rope? maybe get an "adapter" like you can get for tubes that don't have the plastic attachment? the manual is silent on the topic

Any thought will be appreciated?

 

[Coastiejoe]

So in the loop on the back of the boat there is not a little finger in it, just one solid ring?

Can you post a picture?

 

[Lumps]

I Love your handle Joe!

here is a picture. it is hard to see in the picture but it comes out pretty much right where the swim deck meets the back of the engine compartment. even if there was a proper eye with a hook there I question if the rope would rub the deck. I don't know if this would be a problem for bare gelcoat but I am going to put on some hydroturf there too. from what I can tell this is like this from the factory. not sure what use this is in its current state.

Edit: sorry for the sideways picture. on my phone it was right side up

 

[Coastiejoe]

Are there cleats at the port and STB stern by chance?

 

[Lumps]

Are there cleats at the port and STB stern by chance?

yep. see attached.

 

[Coastiejoe]

Buy a "Tow harness". It hooks cleat to cleat and has a pulley that the tube line attaches to.

 

[Coastiejoe]

Or an adapter like this where you can tie it to the loop basically permanently and leave it there.

 

[Lumps]

That is what I was afraid of. I have seen some other tow hooks on line. I may see if I can find one that has the same width of holes. Honestly, I don't know why they made it like this. Of all of the seadoo boats I have seen, none were water skiing. One was wake boarding and everyone else was tubing. This should be Their highest priority.

 

[henryb]

The yellow "adapter" that CoastieJoe posted is exactly what you need to use. I have one and use it all of the time for towing tubers. Also there is no need to tie it on permanently... just thread the rope through the solid tow ring on the boat, then loop the plastic adapter piece through the loop in the rope... this will leave the adapter sitting on the swim platform securely attached to your tow ring... and completely removable.

 

[SeptemberC]

I think maybe someone has removed the ring that's supposed to be there, the one with the little finger, for that U. My Challenger had this one




For what it's worth someone told me to NOT pull a tube using cleats. Something about it would pull the cleats off the hull. But my cleats have metal plates under them so the cleats go on top of the hull and the bolts go through the cleats, through the hull and through the metal plates. I would think that would be strong enough but I've never had the guts to try it.

 

[henryb]

I think they must have changed it to the solid "U" shaped tow-ring somewhere in middle of model year 2000. My owners manual shows it as standard. I think it's stronger and more versatile as you can link a greater variety of carabiner style hooks and rope loops.

But if you prefer that style tow ring, and you can find a used one somewhere online, it might be interchangeable?

 

[biffdotorg]

I think they must have changed it to the solid "U" shaped tow-ring somewhere in middle of model year 2000. My owners manual shows it as standard. I think it's stronger and more versatile as you can link a greater variety of carabiner style hooks and rope loops.

But if you prefer that style tow ring, and you can find a used one somewhere online, it might be interchangeable?

Nope, that is the standard ring for that model/year. Ours has the same on it. If you choose to tow from that ring, rather than the pylon, go with the yellow adapter as stated above. It will be the easiest to use and take off with no knots as described. Don't bother with the cleats on the side.

The pylon would still be my choice if I didn't have a tower. Getting that rope up is important.

Good luck

 

[henryb]

I use a Booster-Ball when towing tubes, it works great for keeping the rope out of the wake!

 

[Lumps]

I use a Booster-Ball when towing tubes, it works great for keeping the rope out of the wake!

I use one too. I like it for keeping the rope clear but I like it even more for visibility. The lake we go to is pretty busy. You cannot mistake that there is some one being towed with the bright colours and size