How to Be a Good Tuber

Motor boats are used to propel a tube through the water when tubing.

Recreational tubing is an activity where one or more riders are towed behind a motor boat with the riders attempting to stay on the tube as long as possible while the driver attempts to throw them off the tube with their driving. In order to get the most out of your day on the water, it is important to follow proper tubing technique when riding on the tube, to keep your rides going longer, and as a driver, to ensure the riders are safe and facing an appropriate challenge.

Things You'll Need

• Tow line
• Power boat
• Flotation vests

Instructions

1. Raise your boat's towing flag to alert other boats that you are towing riders.

2. Wear vests at all time when on the tube. Even a strong swimmer must wear a vest in case they are injured in a fall and cannot swim.

3. Check the rope line where it attaches to the boat as well as to the tube to ensure the rope doesn't come loose and end your run early.

4. Assess the skills of your riders when driving. An experienced tuber will require a more challenging ride with more extreme turns, while a beginner will get more enjoyment out of a slower, straighter ride that lasts longer.

5. Drive the boat in a manner that matches your tube. A broad flat tube that is unlikely to flip requires sharper turns, which cause centrifugal force to eject riders from the tube than a taller tube that can be flipped over to dump a rider.

6. Stay low when riding on the tube. The higher off the tube you are, the more easy it will be to flip the tube or throw you to the side.

7. Hold on tightly to the hand rests with both hands at all times; only take a hand off briefly if switching grips. Losing a hand grip will make you easier to dump.

8. Hold one forward-facing grip and one side-facing grip if possible. Side-facing grips let you resist centrifugal force better and help balance the tube.

9. Switch between which hand is forward and which is on a side grip when riding solo, switching to the hand in the direction the driver is trying to toss you on the side. For example, if the driver turns the boat to the right, the force will be throwing you left, so grab the left grip, then move your right hand to a front grip.

10. Shift your weight to the high side if one side of the tube begins to rise off the water before it gets too high and you flip.

References

• Boaters World; TUBING TIPS