Tow post

[Max123]

Curious if anyone has any experience/recommendations on adding a tow post to an aluminum boat with a pod/hull extension/swim platform. I'd like something for waterskiing, tubing, and for rescue towing of other vessels (which happens with astonishing regularity, and I'm a sucker for good karma)

Ever since I got the boat I've been thinking about adding one. I've looked at potentially doing a turboswing, but don't love the idea of a $1000 bolt-on accessory that could get stolen. I don't like that it still keeps the rope relatively low - decent for inflatables, but not great for water skiing. I also would prefer something that mounts further in on the vessel (I imagine the turboswing will cause the bow to lift). Lastly, the turboswing is terrible for rope management - the rope is behind your outboard so to retrieve you have to reach all the way around. The upside of the Turboswing is that it appears to be rated for much higher loads that any of the tow posts.

What I'd like to do is add a tow post to the transom (which may not be possible, since I have a walk through transom door - which likely compromises the strength), or mount it directly to the swim platform. I'm concerned about the forces involved, i really don't want to be pulling out a water skiier and look back at a tow post that's kinked in half.

I know that Silver Streak and Lifetimer offer tow posts as an option in their builds, but curious what they look like and how they are tied in.

@Brando - as the resident pod expert, have you ever incorporated a tow post into a pod design?

 

[Charter Tofino]

I had a tow post added to both of my boats. Essentially just a capped receiver in the stern and removable post that I store until needed. This one is pretty light duty but have towed up to a 40 ft barge with it. It will get redone next year for a more beefed up structural version.

 

[tannerc]

I’ll be adding one to mine this winter as well. Similar idea to Kelly’s. May weld my receiver to the pod deck and extend up the transom. There are cross members I can weld to that are attached to structure for support. Store the rest of the post and slide in when needed.

 

[zurk]

there are two drain holes thru my transom. i just use a bit of dyneema through both connected to an airhead adapter. works good for towing light loads. dont need a full on tow post for towing vessels or tubing etc. just a length of dyneema and a bowline. mine is self centering but you can just get the vanilla one. https://defender.ca/en_ca/airhead-quick-connect-tow-rope-connector-ahkc-1

 

[Max123]

Nice, I like it. My main concern is that my transom has a door cut through it so I wouldn't be confident that it could take the load.

The main thing is that I don't want to hack it up. Its a Jasper Marine Orca 18 and is a lovely boat - anything I do to it I try maintain the original high standard (this is one of the old photo from his website, but it shows the transom door on the port side). I haven't changed it, except to add a kicker bracket.

 

[Max123]

Below is a photo of the pod and swim grid as it exists today with the kicker. It also illustrates why I'm hesitant to drop $1000 on the turboswing - I suspect it will conflict with the kicker. Both the kicker and the turboswing are removable, but it would be stupid to spend that much on something that doesn't work. I suspect custom post will cost even more, but do it once - do it right.

It might just be too cluttered to make it work cleanly, but what I was considering is adding a 4-point tow post similar to how axopar does it. The posts could go through the swim platform and straddle the outside of the pod so its fully structurally tied in. The braced hoop design on the axopar is fairly nice because it is braced, can be fairly tall to clear the engine, and doesnt prevent the engine from tilting up.

Axopar 25 Cross Top

Utilizing our knowledge of developing its larger siblings, we want to call this model a crossover between comfortable day boating and extended island-hopping.

www.axopar.com

(I hesitate to post the link because the axopars don't get a ton of respect here, but this looks like a fairly skookum tow post).

 

[Max123]

there are two drain holes thru my transom. i just use a bit of dyneema through both connected to an airhead adapter. works good for towing light loads. dont need a full on tow post for towing vessels or tubing etc. just a length of dyneema and a bowline. mine is self centering but you can just get the vanilla one. https://defender.ca/en_ca/airhead-quick-connect-tow-rope-connector-ahkc-1

That's what I've done in the past as well, but have aspirations of occasionally working on my slalom turns to show the boy that I still have the moves (and hopefully he gets the bug as well). Once you've skied with a proper tow post its hard to go back. I fully grant that the Jasper is not an ideal ski boat, but its got power and a relatively flat wake - good enough for me and far better than the boats I learned on in the early 1990s.

 

[Aquaholic]

Mine came with one when I bought it, but I had Brando remove it and leave about 3/4 of an inch protruding. The tube goes all the way to the floor and is welded at the base so it’s really solid. I kept the part he removed and might build a sleeve so I can drop back into what was left when he cut the top off.

 

[Max123]

Mine came with one when I bought it, but I had Brando remove it and leave about 3/4 of an inch protruding. The tube goes all the way to the floor and is welded at the base so it’s really solid. I kept the part he removed and might build a sleeve so I can drop back into what was left when he cut the top off.

Why did you cut it off?

 

[Aquaholic]

Why did you cut it off?

I found it was in the way at the stern, as it made me bend away from it as I walked by, and I did a row of recessed vertical rod holders on either side. Visually in the way too.