Pitot Tubes & Accessories

What Are Marine Pitot Tubes?

Pitot tubes are one of the most fundamental components of a boat's speedometer system. Pitot tubes and accessories work on a straightforward but elegant principle: as your boat moves through the water, water enters the forward-facing opening of the tube mounted on the transom, creating pressure inside. The faster the boat travels, the higher the pressure, which is transmitted through flexible tubing to the speedometer gauge, which then converts that pressure into a speed reading in MPH or knots.

The concept dates back to the 18th century — French engineer Henri Pitot first developed the pressure-measurement principle — and today's marine pitot tubes refine that same physics into a compact, transom-mounted sensor that most recreational boaters rely on every time they're out on the water.

Why Your Pitot Tube Matters

Knowing your boat's speed isn't just about performance — it's a matter of safety and compliance. Speed limits exist on many waterways, and an inaccurate or failed speedometer can put you at risk. A pitot tube that is clogged with weeds, debris, or sediment, or that has a cracked or kinked pressure hose, will deliver unreliable readings or no reading at all. Replacing a worn pitot tube or a degraded section of pressure tubing is one of the most cost-effective maintenance tasks a boat owner can perform.

When shopping for replacement pitot tubes and accessories, there are a few key factors to keep in mind:

• Compatibility: Most pitot tubes are designed with universal mounting hole patterns to fit a wide range of speedometer systems and transom configurations.
• Weed resistance: A weed-resistant design helps maintain steady water pressure and prevents false or erratic readings in vegetated water.
• Kick-up protection: A kick-up feature allows the tube to deflect on impact with underwater obstacles rather than snapping off — an important durability consideration for shallow-water boating.
• Tubing length and material: Marine-grade PVC tubing is flexible, corrosion-resistant, and should be routed continuously uphill from the pitot to the gauge to prevent water from collecting and causing inaccurate readings.
• Speed range: Confirm the tube and speedometer are rated for your boat's top speed — recreational pitot systems are commonly rated up to 80 MPH.

Top Brands in Pitot Tubes & Accessories

Seachoice is one of the most recognized names in pitot tube replacements for recreational boaters. Their universal pitot tubes are engineered to fit most marine speedometers and feature a weed-resistant system for consistent water pressure and a kick-up design to minimize breakage from debris strikes. Seachoice also offers complete pitot kits with PVC tubing, tube holders, a clamshell vent, and mounting hardware — everything needed for a full system replacement or new installation.

Sierra is a trusted marine OEM replacement parts brand with a broad catalog of engine and instrument components. Their pitot tube offerings are designed to meet the same specifications as original equipment, making them a reliable choice when you need a precise, like-for-like replacement for your existing system.

Brass Fittings rounds out the category with essential hardware for pitot tube installations and repairs. Properly rated fittings ensure a leak-free, pressure-tight connection between the pitot probe and the speedometer hose — a small but critical detail for accurate readings.