KEY POINTS:
Soon after humans discovered that piston power plus something that floats equals fun, we quickly realised that new powered floating thing plus towable floating thing equals fun plus adrenalin. And a new industry was born.
Initially, these "towables" were relatively simple: discarded bits of plywood and the like. One sat on them, grabbed a bit of rope attached to a boat and held on. Of course, it didn't take long before the idea was refined with some riders wondering why they should hold on to the rope when they could simply tie it to the toy, lie back and be pulled along. Others, meanwhile, wondered how to make them go faster and higher without falling off. Inevitably, the two combined and became manufacturers of today's inflatable water toys. They are now all immensely rich.
This is because, around this time of year, children (of ALL ages) start pestering parents for the latest models - the ones that will go faster, fly higher and deliver more adrenalin than the ones they wanted last year.
And well they might, but only if the bloke behind the wheel knows what they are doing. I don't mean knowing how to get it back from the store, inflate it, attach it to the back of the boat and tow it along so the children scream nicely. I mean knowing how to make it soar, dip and slither excitedly from side to side.
After much research, I have uncovered some helpful tips.
Firstly, it is vital to maintain momentum. Always stay on the throttle to keep tension in the line and avoid slack.
Then, if you want to get them airborne, head straight into the wind and get the toy on to the plane. Then throttle up to just over 30mph (48km/h) for adults and about 25mph for kids. Get the rider to pull on the front handles while they lie on their stomach with their weight shifted as far back as possible.
If the front of the tube lifts slightly off the water at the beginning of the ride, the wind and boat speed will eventually create lift. If the boat retains its speed, the toy will literally lift off in reasonably horizontal way. Be sure to maintain a steady speed and a straight path as any sudden movements can create an air shift and send the rider into a splash landing.
A lot of the fun with these things comes when the boat changes direction. For an additional thrill run straight into the wind and then do a 90-degree right turn. Slow down just a fraction immediately before turning (just enough to keep the rope taut) then speed back up at the end of the turn.
Make sure the rider keeps their weight back with their hands pulling the front handles. When the boat turns and speeds up, the tube will gain forward momentum. As the tube turns it will be lifted on edge. It should hit the first wake, leave the water and easily clear the second wake.
A warning: although you want to speed up as the tube starts to fly, be sure to back off as the tube lands. If you don't, there is a chance you will yank the handles from the rider's grasp.
One of the first "tricks" most drivers use is the donut run. This is where you spin around in a circle and see if the rider can hang on. It's a heap of fun but space-hungry and not a great idea if there are other boats in the vicinity. A much more considerate approach (and much more fun for the riders) is to send the toy hopping back and forth behind the boat. The key is to immediately get the tube outside the boat wake. Do this by veering hard to the right (about 45 degrees out of a straight path) to push the wake to the left. Then turn back to the left. The tube will skate to the right side of the wake. The first turn is the only one that has to be one of those "hard" ones. Once under way, do gradual S-turns at about 25-30mph, adjusting the throttle to keep slack out of the line.
A couple of quick safety messages to finish: ensure the rider is wearing a buoyancy vest or similar in case of an accident. Make sure there is always an observer in the boat with the driver (this is a legal requirement) and keep the towing speed under or about 32mph (slower in the whip turns) in case of a major "whoopsie" (water isn't actually all that soft at high speed).
* For a buyers' guide to latest water toys, see the December/January issue of Propeller magazine on sale now or visit propellermagazine.co.nz.
