Double Duty: Turn Your Dayboat Into A Tow Machine

Today’s intelligent digital technology and some smart add-ons can expand your boat’s watersports versatility and performance.

Most boats are built for multipurpose use but really shine in one activity like fishing (center consoles) or socializing (pontoon boats). Tow sports tend to be an afterthought unless you’re all in on purpose-built ski and wake machines. But you can improve the water sports performance of your everyday boat by harnessing technology and adding some simple accessories. Added piecemeal or comprehensively, these components can turn your family or fishing boat into a capable tow sports machine, giving it a dual personality. Let’s look at how to transform your boat into a double-duty vessel.

Elevate Your Tow Point

The hallmark of any tow boat is the tow point, but most boaters underestimate how much tow point height affects performance. The two transom eyes that came standard on your boat work well for towing tubes, but not so much for water skiing or wake sports. For those activities, an elevated tow point is preferred because an upward pull helps lift the skier or rider, making it easier to get up and out of the water. This is often the difference between a frustrating start and an effortless one. Once on plane, crossing wakes and performing tricks is easier when the pull comes from chest height or higher. Let’s look at some options for your boat.

Removable pylon: Sterndrive and jet-powered boats such as Scarab and Yamaha offer aftermarket adjustable pylons in their boat packages, but a variety of these removable, height-adjustable stainless-steel poles that mount securely to the deck are widely available. A key advantage is flexibility – you can quickly remove them after use, keeping the cockpit open and unobstructed. Aftermarket ski pylons vary greatly both in quality and how they’re installed. Price range: $270-$550+

Sport arch: Many builders of bay boats, center consoles, and pontoons offer an optional ski tow arch accessory that mounts over the outboard engine, but a variety of aftermarket options are readily available. This sturdy design provides a solid pull and doesn’t interfere with passengers. Price range: $300–$2,500+

Wakeboard tower: Introduced in the late 1990s for dedicated wakeboats, the aftermarket now has tower options to fit different types of boats, including bowriders, deckboats, sport jetboats, and even pontoons. This taller design features an elevated tow point above the center of the boat, which enables increased airtime for wake jumps and tricks. Price range: $700–$4,500+

See Behind You

You should always have a designated spotter when towing someone behind the boat, but a rearview mirror improves reaction time for the driver for enhanced safety and performance (and saves their necks from turning around so much).

A mirror is standard on dedicated ski and wakeboats, but aftermarket options made by PTM, Roswell, and Cipa are available for virtually every type of boat, including center consoles and pontoons. Some mount to the windshield, others to a wakeboard tower or directly to the console or deck. No matter your setup, a mirror improves both safety and the overall towing experience. Price range: $20–$700+

Lock In Optimal Speed

Establishing and maintaining the ideal speed makes for an easier ride and better experience for the person in tow. Fluctuations create slack and a jerky pull. For the driver, a GPS speedometer is a major advantage, providing accurate, real-time speed over ground. Many modern boats already feature multifunction displays that include GPS speed, but if your boat doesn’t, GPS-enabled speedometers are widely available, and the GPS antenna on most boats can be upgraded. Livorsi Marine’s GPS Speedometer Gauge is a tow sports-specific GPS speedometer with an expanded display, making it easier to dial in precise speed. Delivering an exact speed results in a safer, smoother, and more consistent tow. Price range: $120–$500+

Harness High-Tech

Digital systems like Yamaha’s Helm Master EX and Mercury Marine’s Joystick Piloting for Outboards (JPO) were designed for docking and navigation, but they also offer features that significantly benefit tow sports. Available as options on many newer outboards, these computerized systems feature speed control, allowing you to set and hold speed with exact precision – something difficult to achieve consistently with a manual throttle, especially when towing.

These advanced systems also include autopilot, enabling the driver to maintain a straight, consistent course. A straight path produces a symmetrical, predictable wake, benefiting the skier or rider.

Volvo Penta offers similar functionality with its Joystick Surfing system for Forward Drive sterndrives, designed specifically for water skiing and wake sports. Mercury Marine’s Smart Tow is available on select outboard and conventional and forward-facing Bravo Four S sterndrive applications. This feature adds speed control and programmable launch profiles for consistent pull ups. Volvo Penta’s system offers similar functionality when pulling up a water skier, rider, or wake surfer.

Together, speed control and straight-line tracking significantly enhance the towing experience, making family and fishing boats far more capable and versatile. Price range: $1,000–$40,000+

Bring Your Own Ballast

Larger wakes allow riders to achieve more airtime. Hull design plays a role, as boats with more deadrise (a deeper V-shaped hull) often produce a naturally larger wake. Regardless of hull, you can enhance the wake your boat throws by adding aftermarket ballast systems such as water-filled bladders. Typically made from durable PVC or vinyl, these bladders can be placed in storage compartments or on specific areas of the deck (provided they don’t surpass the boat’s rated weight capacity and comply with safe loading considerations).

Ballast systems like FatSac range from 50 pounds to over 1,000 pounds. Increasing ballast adds displacement, which increases wake size.

One of the key advantages is flexibility – when the session is over, the bladders can be drained and removed, returning the boat to a lighter, more efficient setup. Price range: $200–$800

Unlock Your Boat’s Full Potential

Satisfying tow sports experiences are no longer limited to specialized ski and wakeboats. With today’s technology and features, a family or fishing boat can become a true tow sports machine. Whether buying new or upgrading your current boat, a few smart choices can expand its versatility, give it a new personality, and create more opportunities for fun on the water.