Water Skiing for a 16

[mbohac]

Hey Guys,

I was wondering if anyone knew whether or not the lift eye on the back of the boat was adequate enough as a tow hook for waterskiing on a 1966 16? Also, has anyone come up with a ladder solution that works well enough for skiing/tubing but doesn't look like crap or take up a ton of space??

Thanks
Mark

[problemchild]

As Far as I know the lift eye is plenty for towing a skier/tuber.

As for the ladder, I used to have a folding Aluminum one that would hang over the side of the boat and slide under the deck when not in use. I would try to find another one like that; i'll keep my eye out for you.

-Alex

[Rootsy]

personally, IMO, sideloading the lifting rings is a bad idea...

[need for speed]

its for lift not pull.. bad idea might hurt deck...

[Sweet little 16]

it depends on what lift ring you have the older boats had a y shaped bracket that was attached to the wood in the transom in three places the newer boats just had a small bracket and one point of attachment , now depending on how much wood there is in the transom also plays a roll some boats have more than others, and who you are pulling we use ours for the kids all the time but when the adults want to go the ski boat comes out our boat has rear tie down eyes but i would not tow anything from them because there is only ply wood backing plates and no core wood in that area of the transom
I would image being a 66 you have the older style y bracket how is the transom?

[The Hedgehog]

Heck, just get one of those single tow rings from Dana or someone like that. You can mount it and brace it. I have one of those mounted on the back on our 16 and it works great.

We have used the 16 for many years as a ski boat with good results. We just climb over the lower unit. That might be tough for kids but the women have never had a problem with that.

[slamdry]

wasnt the boat built as a "sport skiier"??? so wouldnt that mean it was built to tow a skiier?? i mean i could be wrong here..

[smoothie]

I had a 68 "ski sporter" and skied for 10 years off the lift eye...had the Y shaped bracket...it was a good pull !

[sweet 16 1966]

I have used it for 27 years with no problems. 250 pounds +!
Y bracket.

[MOP]

The fellow that had my 16 had used the lifting ring even though it had ski eyes, he liked the way it towed off the eye. Talk about towing I have towed other boats which are far heavier then a skier using the lifting eye, granted I did not hammer it but moved along at a decent clip once in some very choppy conditions.

Phil

[Formula Jr]

uhmm, the skiis were different in 1964. Big wide things. Then you dropped one and moved your foot over to be up on one Ski. The back boot was always a slipper. Afterward you would have to find where the other drop ski was.

different times..

A rear lift ring will take what ever you want out of it on a lateral pull to a skiier.

Just don't try to tow a boat past displacement speeds with one.

[Rootsy]

It isn't the lifting ring integrity that I would be concerned with... It's the possible damage to the deck where the threaded rod bears pressure when laterally loading the ring... On the old rings the trim ring and it's retaining screws would take the load... as long as the screws hold then no issue...

[Rodger]

On my 66 16' we put 100's of hours of skiing time on it...aggressive competition level slalom skiing, barefoot, including deep water starts and trick skiing. Absolutely no evidence of any problem with the deck, transom, or eye.

[Surfer]

Thats all I've done with my boat for years, pulling mostly kids on wakeboards trying to fly. No visable cracks what so ever. I did find a short rope with carabiners at each end, and a thick rubber sleve at Boat US. The rubber keeps the metal from hitting the deck ect.

[RvR]

uhmm, the skiis were different in 1964. Big wide things. Then you dropped one and moved your foot over to be up on one Ski. The back boot was always a slipper. Afterward you would have to find where the other drop ski was.
different times..
A rear lift ring will take what ever you want out of it on a lateral pull to a skiier.
Just don't try to tow a boat past displacement speeds with one.

Hmmm we were doing jump-starts off beaches and docks and deep water starts in 62 well before the first Donzi, and although the design of slalom skies has improved they aren’t much different in terms of bottom area than the Northlands or AguaSports of the era.

In 65 I skied a 50 mile endurance race on Winni behind a Donzi 16 and always used double boots on my slalom ski for racing as well as on the slalom course. I think you are remembering the early 50’s :)