It was just supposed to be a fun day of tubing behind a PWC. What could go wrong?

By Captain Steve Larivee

All They Wanted to Do Was Tow an Old Inner Tube Behind a PWC

They dropped the tube in the water, put on the PFDs, pulled up the PWC, and secured a tow line to the stern ring. The only problem being that inner tubes don’t have an attach point for towing, but no worries. We’ll just hang onto the tow line and take it easy.

And So They Did

Things went well for the most part. The pull on the tow line wasn’t so much that hanging on was impossible but just tough enough to require another modification -- wrapping the line around the rider’s arm. Even then, things still went well enough until it was time to head to shore. That’s when it went horribly wrong.

Then Mother Nature Showed Up

A wave hit both the PWC and the tube at the same time. The power of the wave pulled the two apart with such force that the tow line tightened and actually cut right through the 22 year old rider’s arm just below the shoulder. A passing boater picked up the injured man (who was conscious and alert after the accident), along with his brother and took them to the Hillsboro Inlet Marina. There, on the south side of the inlet, paramedics met them, and both were taken to North Broward Medical Center. Authorities, including a Broward Sheriff's Office helicopter, scanned the waters in and around the inlet for the man's arm but could not find it.

Capt. Steve Says

It would be a shame to have an accident like this occur and not learn anything from it. Now, towing while holding onto a rope isn’t new, it happens every day on waterskis. But tubes add much more resistance to the scenario and that means the only thing these guys seemed to do wrong was wrap the line around the poor guy’s arm. The rider will either will be pulled off the tube and dragged or, as in this case, get an arm pulled right off. A better alternative would have been to simply tie the towline around the tube itself. It would have guaranteed much happier results. Hopefully, this man will still be able to enjoy life to its fullest. Best wishes.