Everything You Need To Know About Towable Inflatable Tubes

There are countless different Towable Tubes on the market these days but in essence they fit into 5 basic categories: - 

1. DONUT / RINGO - Just like an actual donut with one or more holes for each rider to sit in
2. DECK - A flat disc shape, often completely round but sometimes dart shaped or slightly squared off.
3. SOFA - Similar looking to a sofa or a wedge, often with sides or winglets, but sometimes without.
4. BANANA BOAT - The classic hotdog shape with riders all seated in a row.
5. HYBRID - An interesting and sometimes whacky combination of 1 or more of the above styles.  

RIDING POSITIONS

All towable's are designed to accommodate one of 3 basic riding positions - seated, kneeling, or lying prone on your front (for safety reasons, all of these positions must be facing in the direction of travel). Some towable's can accommodate more than one of these riding positions, and some can even accommodate all 3.

Donut Style (Single Hole, Single Rider)

1. Seated in the hole with feet outside

2. Lying prone on your front

Donut Style (Single Hole, Multi Rider)

1. Seated on the sides with your feet in the hole

2. Lying prone on your front (not always practical)

Donut Style (Multi Hole)

1. Seated in the holes with feet outside

2. Lying prone on your front

Deck Style

1. Lying prone on your front

2. Kneeling

Sofa Style (front tow point only)

1. Seated

Sofa Style (front and rear tow point)

1. Seated 

2. Kneeling (chariot style)

Banana Boat

1. Seated in a row

RIDER CAPACITY

Towable's are rated on the number of riders that they are designed to carry. As a basic rule, the larger the tube, the more riders it can potentially carry. The more riders a tube can carry, the stronger the materials and construction are. Regardless of capacity, tubes are always designed so that every rider can comfortably reach and tightly grip a handle in each hand.

A 3 rider towable can sometimes still be used by 2 or even 1 rider if they distribute themselves evenly and maintain a balanced load on the tube. If you do tow with less than the rated capacity onboard it is essential that the tube is kept balanced and the weight is evenly distributed or it will become dangerously unstable as the speed builds up. If in doubt slow down to prevent the tube leaving the surface of the water and rotating as a result of the lighter load.

TOWING TUBES WITH VARYING NUMBER OF RIDERS

2 Rider Towables

Slow down with 1 rider onboard, Riders must ALWAYS be able to comfortably and tightly grip a handle in each hand

2 Man Donut Style (Single Hole)

1 rider lying prone if positioned centrally and can grip 2 handles, 1 rider seated centrally on the back with feet in the hole

2 Man Donut Style (2 Hole) - 1 rider lying prone if positioned centrally and can grip 2 handles

2 Man Deck Style - 1 rider lying prone if positioned centrally and can grip 2 handles, or 
1 rider kneeling if positioned centrally and can grip 2 handles

2 Man Sofa Style, - 1 rider if positioned centrally and can grip 2 handles

2 Man Banana Boat, -1 rider using the front seat

2 Man Hybrid, - 1 rider if positioned centrally and can grip 2 handles

3 Rider Towables

Slow down with 2 riders on-board and slow RIGHT DOWN with 1 rider onboard 

Riders must ALWAYS be able to comfortably and tightly grip a handle in each hand

3 Man Donut Style (Single Hole), 2 riders seated on the sides with feet in the hole, or 2 riders lying prone if positioned centrally and can grip 2 handles, 1 rider seated on the back with feet in the hole, 1 rider lying prone if positioned centrally and can grip 2 handles

3 Man Donut Style (3 Hole), 2 riders seated in the OUTER holes, or 1 rider seated in the central hole

3 Man Deck Style, 2 riders if located on the outsides, or 1 rider if located in the middle

3 Man Sofa Style, 2 riders if located on the outside, or 1 rider if located in the middle

3 Man Banana Boat, 2 or 1 riders if they use the forward most seats

3 Man Hybrid, 2 or 1 riders if they can centrally distribute themselves and grip 2 handles 

4 Rider Towables

 Slow down with 3 riders on-board and slow RIGHT DOWN with 2 riders on-board.

Riders must ALWAYS be able to comfortably and tightly grip a handle in each hand

NEVER ALLOW 1 rider on a 4 rider towable as it can be dangerously unstable at any speed

4 Man Deck Style, 3 or 2 riders if they can centrally distribute themselves and grip 2 handles

4 Man Sofa Style 3 riders if positioned centrally or 2 riders if positioned on the outsides

4 Man Banana Boat, 3 or 2 riders if they use the forward most seats

4 Man Hybrid, 3 or 2 riders if they can centrally distribute themselves and grip 2 handles

When it comes to the number of riders, it's a case of using your common sense. If the weight on the tube is not distributed centrally or the tube feels (or looks) unstable, or not every rider onboard can tightly grip a handle in each hand, then you are asking for trouble. Tubing can be dangerous. If in doubt, don't do it. Remember that weight gives a towable a lot of its high speed stability. A towable with a large surface area and very little weight onboard can behave unpredictably and can become dangerous very quickly.

TOWABLE TUBE BLADDER

The bladder is the inflatable PVC inner of the tube that holds the air. Bladders vary in thickness and generally speaking the larger the towable the thicker the bladder needs to be (for strength reasons). Thickness is measured in G (gauge) so a 24G bladder will be thinner than say a 28G bladder. However, manufacturers often mix and match the PVC used in a towable tube in order to save weight and keep the price down. For example, some sofa style towables have a 28G main chamber (the area where you sit and which takes most of the abuse) but the arms will be 24G as they do not need to be as strong. So when you see, for example, 28/24G this means that the main chamber will be thicker 28G PVC but smaller less stressed features will be thinner 24G. Don't let this put you off though. 24G PVC is still very thick and very strong.

TOWABLE TUBE COVER

The cover of a towable tube is generally made of extra strong nylon and is there to prevent damage to the bladder. Covers vary in strength and generally speaking the larger the towable the stronger the cover needs to be. Strength is measured on a density scale of D (Denier) so an 840D cover will be denser (stronger) than a 420D cover. However, as with bladders, manufacturers often mix and match the nylon used in a towable tube cover in order to save weight and keep the price down. For example, some towables use 840D nylon in the main areas that take most of the abuse, but the backrest will be 420D nylon as it does not need to be as strong. So when you see, for example, 840D/420D this means that the highly stressed parts of the cover will be stronger 840D but the less stressed features will be 420D. Don't let this put you off either. 420D nylon is still very strong.

As well as protecting the badder, the cover plays another vital role which is to take all of the load when the tube is being pulled as the tow point is always stitched to the cover.

TOWABLE TUBE VALVES

There are 3 main types of valves used on a modern towable tube. For the main chamber most manufacturers use either Boston Valves or Lightning Valves. For smaller less stressed features such as armrests etc ECO valves are also used (of the type found on other inflatable products such as kayaks, air beds etc).

Boston Valve - a high volume non-return valve that lets air in quickly but doesn't allow it to escape again. The Boston Valve screws into a moulded base that is welded into the bladder of the towable. Once screwed in, a pump adaptor fits into the Boston valve and allows air to enter the bladder on each pump action but then shuts off automatically to prevent escape. A cap is then screwed onto the top of the Boston valve to fully seal it and protect the non-return mechanism. To deflate, the Boston valve is unscrewed from the moulded base.

Lightning Valve - O'Brien's patented evolution of the Boston valve with a wider opening to let air in even faster. The Lightning Valve is already moulded into the bladder of the towable and a pump adaptor fits into the Lightning valve and allows air to enter the bladder on each pump action but then shuts off automatically. A cap is then screwed onto the top of the Lightning valve to fully seal it and protect the non-return mechanism. To deflate, the cap is simply unscrewed and the non-return valve is opened manually.

ECO Valve - A classic no nonsense non return valve for low stress areas such as armrests etc. Simple to use, reliable, cheap, and perfect for areas where a Boston Valve or a Lightning valve would be overkill.  

TOWABLE TUBE PUMPS

There are 4 main types of pumps available for inflating your tube, the 12V electric, the hand pump, the Turbo pump, and the foot pump. Manual pumps are absolutely fine and are a cost effective way of getting the job done, but electric pumps take a lot of the grunt out of it, and high volume Turbo pumps will inflate any size tube in no time at all and with zero effort.

12V Electric - a medium volume pump that plugs into a cigarette lighter socket either in a car or boat. Most also have a deflate feature to suck air out of the towable to make it as compact as possible after use. Perfect for 1 and 2 man towables but not ideal for larger towables as these pumps cannot deliver the higher pressures required. Supplied with various adaptors to fit most types of towable valves.

Hand Pump - also known as a stirrup pump, this is a high volume manual device that you stand on and pull up and down to inflate. Some hand pumps push air in on the up stroke and also on the down stroke making them highly efficient. Most also have a deflate feature to suck air out of the towable to make it as compact as possible after use. These are known as double action hand pumps. Supplied with various adaptors to fit most types of towable valves.

Turbo Pump - a high volume high speed 12V electric pump that has croc clip connectors to attach directly to a car or boat battery. Most also have a deflate feature to suck air out of the towable to make it as compact as possible after use. Better suited to larger towables as they can deliver much higher Volume of air so inflating the high volume tubes really fast. Supplied with various adaptors to fit most types of towable valves.

Foot Pump - a medium volume manual device that we are all familiar with. Perfect for 1 and 2 man towables but not ideal for larger towables as these pumps cannot deliver the higher Volumes required. Some foot pumps have a deflate feature to suck air out of the towable to make it as compact as possible after use. Supplied with various adaptors to fit most types of towable valves.