Pontoon and PWC

[abandzack]

I searched through the forum and didn't see any topic specifically about this, but lots of mentions that people have both and use them together. We just ordered a 2016 Sweetwater 2286 and while we were at the boat show I saw some really awesome looking Seadoo Sparks (they are totally affordable too). I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on this. I think it would be so awesome to be able to take the boat and the pwc out together, using the boat as like the.. "hub". Does anyone do this regularly?

I would like to be able to climb on the boat and hang out with everyone and just lash the PWC to the boat. I'm not entirely sure how to do this and Googling hasn't really helped. I've read that towing the PWC behind the boat is not really a great idea - so every time we move the boat someone will have to jump on the PWC?

What do you guys do?

[Reiner]

Hi there,
I owned (2) PWC's for over 10 years but sold them when we got the toon. PWC's are fun toys but you have to keep common sense with the power they have today. We always had them out at the River with friends on boats. Great addition. I also belong to a PWC Club here in So. California with a great forum you can ask questions about the models you're looking at or any other things. Just mention the "Gov" referred you.
Hope you'll find all your answers and congratulations to your new toon.
Here is the link to the forum: http://www.socalwatercraftclub.com/forum/index.php

Good Luck, Reiner

[jafo9]

we will take the waverunner out sometimes with the pontoon and do exactly what you are talking about. anchor the toon and let folks play with the ski. you can do as you said and always have someone driving the ski. there is usually no lack of volunteers in a crowd to drive the ski while you pilot the toon. you can also tow a PWC just fine without any special harness. you just need to fabricate a way to keep the water from being forced into the motor while under tow. i don't know about the sea doo's with the closed cooling, but on the waverunners and the one kawasaki couch i had, i install a simple ball valve in the cooling line to shut off the flow of water. this can be very dangerous if you don't remember to open the valve back up prior to operation of the ski. the best way i've found is to secure the lanyard to the valve. that way you are forced to at least see the valve and hopefully remember to open it before you start the motor. usually the bow eye is low enough on the ski's hull so when you tow it will give the bow a little lift to keep the ski from submarining while underway. if you are going to tow a long way you will want to play with the length of the tow rope to get the ski in the least disturbed part of the wake. an added benefit of a tow valve is that if your ski dies, the nice person towing you in doesn't have to ride at 5mph the whole way back to the dock.

i don't think the spark is big enough to tow any toys, but with the bigger skis you can pull skiers or tubes for more entertainment.

[Axtellboy]

We quite often use one or both of our PWCs while we're anchored with the pontoon, or rafted up in a group with our other boat. I think you'll want to have someone available to drive the PWC between stops (as noted above, there are some issues with towing a PWC, so I'd do it only in an emergency; also, towing is slow and riding is fun!).

We have a Seadoo Spark, with the 3-up and 90 hp options. With all the options, it's not too much cheaper than our lower-end VX Cruiser Waverunner (although I'll admit that i got a great deal on the Waverunner). With those options, it can tow a one-person tube but not quite as well as the Waverunner. I'm big (230 lbs) and I personally like the Waverunner better given that it's larger and more stable, but my much smaller son prefers the more-agile Spark.

[Xscash]

We always bring the toys! These boats are perfect for exactly what you want to do!!! I made 3 point tow bars from pvc pipe and noodles with ropes through them. They attach to the back of the pontoons and the engine pod keeping the skis away from everything and tracking directly behind each pontoon. works awesome.

[jafo9]

super cool. i've seen lots of folks towing skis, but never a rock wall/slide.

[Xscash]

we will take the waverunner out sometimes with the pontoon and do exactly what you are talking about. anchor the toon and let folks play with the ski. you can do as you said and always have someone driving the ski. there is usually no lack of volunteers in a crowd to drive the ski while you pilot the toon. you can also tow a PWC just fine without any special harness. you just need to fabricate a way to keep the water from being forced into the motor while under tow. i don't know about the sea doo's with the closed cooling, but on the waverunners and the one kawasaki couch i had, i install a simple ball valve in the cooling line to shut off the flow of water. this can be very dangerous if you don't remember to open the valve back up prior to operation of the ski.

A ball vale is only required if the speed of your craft exceeds 20mph while towing. Most pontoons will not tow a pwc faster than 20mph so there is no need for a valve.

[abandzack]

I found a really great deal on a 2015 3up leftover from last year, so it's significantly cheaper than getting one of the bigger skis.

I love the rock wall/slide! I've never seen anything like that!!

you can do as you said and always have someone driving the ski. there is usually no lack of volunteers in a crowd to drive the ski while you pilot the toon. ...
i don't think the spark is big enough to tow any toys, but with the bigger skis you can pull skiers or tubes for more entertainment.

You're probably right! There will be plenty of volunteers haha. They definitely market the 3up Spark for towing and I haven't read any reviews that say it can't do that.

[abandzack]

A ball bale is only requiem of the speed of your craft exceeds 20mph while towing. Most pontoons will not tow a pwc faster than 20mph so there is no need for a valve.

So you don't do anything and just tow it slowly? I can't imagine us going faster than 20mph towing it. I was thinking if we were just putzing along on the pontoon I could tie the ski off and have everyone on the pontoon.

[Xscash]

my boat will not tow over 20mph with all the skis in tow so there is no issue. If I only take 1 ski, I keep it under 20.
Here is a good pic of one of our lake days

[sunedog]

1) Be careful about towing. If you tow too fast, water is pushed into the engine. Water ingestion results in hydro-locking. If you hydro-lock it, you either do major damage trying to start it or the motor won't turn over. Either way, your afternoon is ruined. I don't know how fast you can tow a PWC without risking hydro-locking it, but 20 MPH sounds way faster than I thought.

2) When you're at anchor and want to tie the PWC to the pontoon, tie it downwind and give it about 10 feet of slack. The PWC will float on it's own away from your pontoon. If you try to lash it tightly to your pontoon, every wake will cause the two to beat against each other.

[jafo9]

the 20mph may be true for some ski's, particularly with closed loop cooling. but both yamaha sit downs, one kawasaki sit down, an older sea doo and 3 stand ups i have owned all had a manufacturer warning not to exceed 5mph on towing. definitely want to check with the manufacturer. as noted above, the risk is pushing water back into the motor and filling it with water. first comes the hydrolock then the rust. not such a big deal to clear a flooded 2 stroke, but a 4 stroke is a big deal.

[Xscash]

the 20mph may be true for some ski's, particularly with closed loop cooling. but both yamaha sit downs, one kawasaki sit down, an older sea doo and 3 stand ups i have owned all had a manufacturer warning not to exceed 5mph on towing. definitely want to check with the manufacturer. as noted above, the risk is pushing water back into the motor and filling it with water. first comes the hydrolock then the rust. not such a big deal to clear a flooded 2 stroke, but a 4 stroke is a big deal.

Look, you guys can take whatever advice you want. I was a jet ski racer for many years and a mechanic for many more. I have both closed loop and open, as a matter of fact....all the skis pictured in my photos are open loop. You can see the speed in the first shot. If you do not exceed 20 mph, it's fine. most of the pontoons wont pull skis at over 20 anyway.