How To Stay Safe When Riding An Inflatable Towable Tube

Riding an inflatable towable tube can be extremely fun and entertaining for people of all ages. But it is very important to make sure you keep all riders safe before, during and after the ride. There are some simple precautions listed below to keep in mind during your towable tube activities that will ensure that the boat operator, passengers, and riders are safe.

1. Wear A Quality Life Jacket At All Times

One of the most important things you can do when riding an inflatable tube or towable is to make sure all riders are wearing a life jacket – one that fits properly and securely. There are many times when unforeseen accidents, hidden objects in the water, fast turns, or driver error can cause riders to fall off the inflatable tube. If they do fall, you want to make sure that they have a life jacket on that will keep them on the surface until help arrives. Not all life jackets are appropriate for water sports, so it is important to find life vests that comply with U. S. Coast Guard specifications.

2. Wear A Sports Helmet

Many sports now require the use of helmets since it has been recognized that head injuries could have been avoided if a helmet had been worn. The use of sports helmets in water sports has come a long way not only in the design but in the wide acceptance of wearing them. You can find water sport helmets that are lightweight, impact resistant, and stylish. One manufacturer that produces quality sports helmets is Sportsstuff.

3. Knowledge of Hand Signals for Communication

When riders are being towed on an inflatable tube, it is very difficult for the driver to communicate with the riders except with hand gestures. These hand signals can be used with towable tubes, water skis, wakeboarders – any riders being towed by a boat or jet ski. The basic hand signals are:

• OK (tip of index finger and thumb together)
• faster (thumb up)
• slower (thumb down)
• stop (hand slashing the neck)
• turn (point finger up in circular motion)
• back to shore or dock (pat head).

4. Have A Designated “Spotter” on Board

There always needs to be one additional person on board who is designated as the “spotter.” That person is normally toward the front of the boat, watching out for other people or objects in the area where you are towing the inflatable tube. Their job is to let the boat operator know if there are swimmers, snorkelers, or divers, or other water craft in the path that the boat is taking. The Spotter is never to assume that the driver sees what they are seeing; they should always point out to the driver the object they have spotted, no matter how obvious. The Spotter can also help to pass on communication from the riders to the driver, or if one of the riders falls off, but their priority is to be alert for activity in the surrounding water area of the boat and tube riders.

5. Know the Area, Local Laws and Regulations

Whenever you are heading out on the water to pull riders on towables, you need to know something about the area. You can check with local marinas, park authorities, or other boaters familiar with the area, before heading out. Be sure to observe the signs posted regarding navigable waterways, speed, wake restrictions, shallow water, etc. Regardless, always keep the appropriate distance from other boats, designated swimming areas, fixed objects such as docks or buoys. Avoid your water sport activities in congested or rough water areas. Be conscious of the speed of the boat, especially with regard to your riders: younger and inexperienced riders should be towed at a slower speed, even if they give you the thumbs up to go faster! The recommended “not-to-exceed” speed for towing children is 15mph, and 20mph when towing adults. And always adhere to manufacturer specifications with regard to weight and number of riders capacity.

Keep safety as a priority on your next “tubing” trip, and you’ll have a fun and memorable day!

About The Author:

Jane Warren is a water sport enthusiast. She enjoys scuba diving, swimming, tubing, sailing, and boating. She spends a lot of her time at the beach, either in Florida, or even farther south in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. She cares about safety in water related activities. Her family has personally experienced the loss of a loved one in a drowning accident, and understand the importance of taking precautions around oceans and lakes.

Jane is also the publisher of towabletubesdirect.com. This is a website that helps people interested in purchasing tow behind tubes, and associated items, find out more information on major brands, like Sportsstuff, and their products. She understands that people don’t have the time to spend searching through hundreds of websites for specific products they want to purchase, and publishes this site to make the search for towable tubes, like the popular Super Mable, and other water sport related toys more efficient and enjoyable.