Boat tubes are inflatable floats that are towed behind a boat. The boat captain shapes the tube's water course by the speed and turns made. Cross-wake direction can range from slight to rapid and forceful. Water sport towables connect to a boat by ropes or harnesses with thousands of pounds of tensile strength. These cables create an attachment point at the center of the boat, behind the outboard or stern drive. A tow harness can pull a skier, wake boarder, knee boarder, or tube rider or riders.
On the road, towables, which are designed to be pulled by a family car, van or pickup truck, are made with wheels for towing on roads and flat bases for towing on water or ice. They are mainly used to provide sleeping quarters while on the way to a campsite. They can also be unhitched and left at a campsite or other location while one goes exploring in the tow vehicle. Towables are available in standard, fifth-wheel, folding camping, toy haulers, folding camping trailer (pop-up) and travel trailers. According to Frommers.com, the least expensive of the RVs are folding camping trailers, and are priced on average from $3,600 to $18,000, and sleep up to eight people. Motor homes can tow a car behind them.
According to the RV Safety & Education Foundation, 51 percent of RVs exceed one or more safety ratings. The gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is the maximum an RV can carry safely. A leading cause of RV accidents is driving or towing an overloaded rig. Overloaded tires are more prone to blow out. Furthermore, unequal weight distribution can compromise steering and braking. According to John Anderson, an RV safety expert, nearly two-thirds of all the RVs weighed exceed one or more of their load ratings. Chassis manufacturers specify that if a vehicle exceeding a certain weight is to be towed, supplemental braking for the towed vehicle is required, so check with the chassis manufacturer. Truck campers and travel trailers can be hard to handle. Their weight distribution and higher center of gravity often make handling these units challenging on the road. Handling a travel trailer, especially when backing up, takes extra skill for the driver. For a safe towing system, make sure to have the proper hitch, tire inflation and anti-sway devices. Check for product safety before buying an RV towable. The RV Consumer Group is an independent, nonprofit organization that puts out an RV Ratings Guide for Towables for 2000-2011 models. The Recreational Vehicles Dealers Association (RVDA) rates towable and motorized RV brands with its Quality Circle Awards. To reduce risk, take out a recreational vehicle insurance policy, understand proper load distribution, vehicle preparation and other safety issues. Fill liquid propane (LP) tanks to only 80 or 90 percent of their volume. When arriving at your campsite, chock all four wheels both forward and backward.
When going water tubing, make sure your swimming skills are strong. To reduce safety risks, in water sports wear a life jacket or vest at all times. Some flying ski tubes have been banned because they bounce the rider high in the air and then plunge the person back down abruptly. A boat that comes too close can cause a huge wake, lifting riders into the air or causing a collision. Make sure that cables and harnesses are not frayed or damaged. When it comes to water towables, exercise caution while having fun.
