By BrettBBonner on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Have any of you ever towed a Max with a boat?

I have a MaxIV I use for duck hunting. I would like to tow it (empty) to some islands with my 70HP purpose built Mississippi River boat. And you guessed the problem/concern which is 7 knot MS river current.

Some of my friends thing it will become a big anchor. I really don't think so. But having done stupid things in the past that seemed perfectly reasonable at the time (oh that wonderful hindsight), I thought I might bounce it past the experts.

Any thoughts?

Also if any of you have done this, (1) where did you tie it up (front axles?, winch?), (2) what type of boat and HP did you use, and (3) did the Max plane off?

Thanks

By Fred Sowerwine, Montana's Max dealer (Fred4dot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Brett, I have never done it or know of anyone who has done it. If I were to try, I would do it anchored to the front axles and I would make a plastic pipe "v" with the rope inside to keep the max away from the boat. I think I would keep it as close to the boat as practical and would do a test run in a calm water area. I would think riding on the wake with the front wheels kind of up, it would follow well. Don't hold me to that though.

By lcater on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I towed a floating dock once with my boat, and it kept hauling
the backend of the boat around. Your may have a problem when
the Max heads downstream from your boat and it's mass/
momentum will try and swing the stern of the boat downstream.

By Big Wolf on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Persoanlly I would not even attempt towing it in the river current. I will not get up on plane at all! If you tow it close to the boat, when it does go under, it could take the rear end of your boat under water also. You would want to use a longer tow line.

You can go buy one of those big drift socks to experiment with, that will give you a better idea, what the atv will react like when it is under water in the river current. I tossed out a big drift sock beside the boat in the Detroit river, and was forced to cut the line to get ride of it. It was like a giant anchor, and if it would have caught onto some thing, it would have drug the baot under in the current.

You could tow it slowly, and I would suggest adding floatation sponsons all the way around to keep it up, or add a couple of 10 foot pontoons for added floatation.

By brettbbonner on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Thanks for the advise. I'll do some serious testing in calm water before I try it in the river.

You are correct about anchors and rivers. What happens is the anchor will hold, the boat will swing downriver, and then the river can drag the boat under water (if the boat isn't designed to be anchored in that kind of current). It happens quick.

This situation could happen a number of ways, but typically only if the rope isn't long enough and your boat motor dies.

I'll let you know how it works when I get around to it.

By dt5428 on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hey Brett I have never tried towing an aatv but have towed a seadoo in rough lake water and was going to make or buy a towing rig for the seadoo which I would think it would work for a aatv.Try going to Overtons.com they have them and you can get ideas from that.They hook to both sides on the back of you boat and then to an eyelet on the seadoo.They are expensive to buy and I think they would be easy to make with rope or chain and pvc.I also do not think you would get it to plain out either unless you made some type of ramp on the front of you aatv to push the front up then maybe you might have a chance.I would not try just a rope you have no control over the aatv.Again just my opinion never tried it.

Later,Dan

By Big Wolf on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Brett,

Take a serious look at installing some of those ethyfoam floatation and stabilizing sponsons on all sides, or a couple of those ethyfoam pontoons. With either of those installed you the machine should not turn over or go under in the current.

Also if you install the pontoons down low near the bottom of wheel level, and spread them out a bit, you would probably get it up on plane and it will track behind better.

We have about a seven mile per hour current in the Detroit River and St. Clair River, and there is a lot of big freighter traffic and boat traffic, which creates some really big waves and wakes. When the wind picks up, I have also saw 4 or larger waves at times. When a real bad storm rolls in I have saw some serious boat sinking waves also.

Definately do add more floatation and stabilizing aids to your machine before you take it out in the big river.

By Eugene kochnieff on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Also an auto bilge pump to drain leakage, plus a well fitted cover to prevent water splashing in should just about make it fool proof.

By lawpressman on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I made and installed pontoons on my max and several others. It may have been the best thing I ever installed on an atv. It makes you feel very safe in the water. But keep the max out of fast current unless you have a get out place down river. Towing the max very slow would be ok but fast, better have good insurance. The only thing good about this is most max's will not sink, even full of water. another thing most max's leak water through the bearings. so better have a good bilge pump. I will send you a picture of my pontoons if you want.