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We are looking to add a tow arch to our 1973 13ft sport. Maybe we are trying to find something that does not exist because we are having a really hard time finding this. Can anybody point me in the right direction on where to find a tow arch that will work with our model? I would really appreciate any help.
B Ricks, I have owned two 13' Whalers and have done a lot of skiing with them (both driving and being pulled). I had a 50 hp on one and a 45 on the other. Both could easily pull a skier on two skis...even a light skier out of a deep water start on slalom. A heavier skier on slalom would have to jump start from the beach.
The 13 is a very light boat and it is best to keep the pull as low as possible. Putting a tow arch or ski tow pole at a height above the engine would make the boat very unstable if a slalom skier pulls to the side. It is far safer and not that much hassle to use the two ski/lifting eyes that come as original equipment on the 13's.
The best (read cheapest and most effective) rig we used was the following. To connect up a ski rope from the two eyes, you need a bridle. Most that are sold come with a float and a pulley so they can slide from side to side as the skier moves from one side of the wake to the other. We broke or ran over a number of these things and they were not worth the purchase price or the problems. We found that a thick piece of polyethene rope (say 1/2" diameter up to 3/4" dia.) was perfect for the bridle. Tie it to a length that will allow you to tilt up your engine when beaching. It does not need to allow a full tilt, just enough to bring the engine up if you want to. You can even double this up by running the line from one eye through the other and tied back off on the first eye. OK, the slider on this bridle is a simple ring of the same line spliced together (splicing hollow polyethelene is simple, just push one end of the rope into the center of the other, forming a 6" diameter ring...instant splicing) This ring slides back and forth on the bridle, and you just tie your ski line (bowline knot recommended)to the ring. The friction between the poly bridle and ring are very low, and you will go many hours before you need to replace the rope. And this rope is very cheap, so when it starts to fray, you just change it out with new poly rope. Also, since the poly floats (most ski tow lines are made of it) you can even carefully back up without catching the line in the prop if you are careful.
If you are planning to pull a ski board, it probably can't exert the same force as a good slalom skier. But the poly bridle will work just fine. We learned all this as teenagers with more time than money. But it works!
