Can You Tube Behind A Houseboat?


Houseboats can be great fun to rent or own. Anyone can enjoy the best experience free from any worries when on a family vacation on a houseboat. It offers one of a kind experiences which everyone must try out at least once in a lifetime. Houseboats not only offer a great experience for vacation but you can enjoy other things too on a houseboat. 

There are a variety of activities that you can do while on board and we have many articles that we have here on our site that are full of great things to do while on board. These activities will help you in getting rid of boredom and will also help you in getting entertained. 

One such activity is tubing but can you tube behind a houseboat? 

You can certainly tube behind a houseboat but it will be more of a lazy river speed than an extreme ride! To have some serious fun while tubing you will need higher speeds than what most houseboats offer but you can still tube behind a houseboat just at slower speeds than normal. 

In the rest of this article we will go into more depth about tubing in general as well as give some additional information about tubing behind a houseboat

What is the boat tubing?

Water tubing is basically a water sport in which one or two people sit on a tube that is shaped like a doughnut and are pulled by a boat. It offers a quite fun experience as it is quite easy and people of all ages can enjoy this sport to the fullest because of no restrictions. 

Moreover, water tubing is kind of an exercise in itself. You get to have the experience of both water and the sun at the same time.

One of the best things about tubing  is that there is no specific speed requirement of the boat while tubing. You can customize the speed as per your requirements. You can go as fast or as slow as you want to which makes it an ideal family activity.  The speed shouldn’t be too fast as it may increase the chances of getting injured when you fall off the tube into the water. Apart from that, it is a quite safe sport but using proper safety equipment is important.

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The tubes used are comfortable too and everyone will be sure and enjoy the experience immensely. 

Can you tube behind a houseboat?

This is one of the most asked questions when it comes to tubing and houseboats. Tubing is a quite fun experience especially when the speed of the boat pulling the tube is fast. For the best water tubing experience, it is important that the speed of the boat is high enough to help you have fun. But when it comes to boats which can’t go fast, it can be a little boring. 

Yes, you can tube behind a houseboat but while tubing behind a houseboat, you must make sure that the speed of the houseboat is as fast as possible to increase the excitement. 

While tubing, the speed of the boat should be 15 to 20 miles per hour to have the best experience possible. For kids, the speed should not be more than 12 miles per hour. 

You can customize the speed according to your needs. If you are planning to tube behind a houseboat which can go fast, it surely would be a lot of fun. But if your houseboat doesn’t offer these kinds of speed then you still don’t need to worry as it can be enjoyed by kids or people who prefer a less thrilling ride. 

A slower houseboat would be the perfect speed for those people as they can enjoy the experience as well as stay safe.

How to do it?

Tubing is basically done to have fun and enjoy your time on the water as much as possible. It comes with a few basic requirements like using sunscreen to avoid sunburns. The rider(s) sits on a tube which is then pulled around by a boat. The speed depends on the age group and the top speed of the boat.  Anyone can enjoy this activity as it is free from severe injuries as long as the person driving the boat doesn’t go too fast and is careful to watch the tubers at all times. 

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The rider may go in a too and fro motion when the boat is moving. The rider can also use their hands to change the direction as they like. Using a floating device is one of the most important requirements while tubing. 

An important thing to be taken care of is that the speed of the boat doesn’t exceed 25 miles an hour under any circumstances. Although it is quite safe it can still be dangerous if the driver is not careful and accidents on the water could even prove to be fatal. 

The rider must ensure that all safety instructions are followed properly during the ride. You can wear any type of clothes while doing so but it is preferred that you wear something that dries off quickly and the rider should always wear a personal floatation device. 

Safety Instructions to be followed while Tubing

Your safety is in your hands while water tubing. Although it is a quite safe water sport, still having proper safety equipment is important. You must also go through all the safety instructions properly before getting on the water. 

One of the basic yet most important instructions is to make sure that you are wearing a floatation device. It will be the thing that prevents you from drowning in case of any accidents or if you get tangled in the rope or tube. Also, make sure that the jacket is  your size and is worn properly. Even if you are a good swimmer you still want to wear a life vest as you could get knocked out in an accident. 

Secondly, make sure that you have plenty of sunscreen on. You will be in the water a lot but the sun may still cause sunburn. Even if it is cloudy the sun could still cause sunburn so cloudy or sunny wear some sunscreen!

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You should also make sure that the speed of the boat is not too fast while anyone is riding the tube and the boat’s speed should be adjusted according to the different age groups that are riding.

If possible, assign a spotter on the boat whose only job is to watch the riders and inform the boat’s driver if someone falls off. They can also inform the driver in case of any obstacles in front of the boat or even that the tube is going to encounter. In some states this is even the law so make sure that you know whether a spotter is required by law or not. 

Before getting into the water, the driver should ensure that everything is fine and safety equipment is ready in case of an emergency.

Conclusion

All in all, tubing is quite a fun thing which can be enjoyed at any time of the year. It is quite easy to do and offers a great experience too. The best thing about it is that it doesn’t hold any age restrictions and you will surely enjoy the experience regardless of the speed of the boat. 

You should give it a try on your houseboat trip but do make sure that you do it under an expert’s guidance. Also, make sure that the ropes, tube and all the other basic requirements are in good condition. 

So have a great time and enjoy water tubing!

Matthew Robbs

I love the outdoors and especially spending time with my family. Whether on a boat or at the beach, my happy place is near the water.

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