Rope Length

SantaCruz163 · Newbie Joined: 23 Aug 2009 Posts: 5

What is a good rope length (used on a tower) for a beginner to learn wake jumping on? The boat typically stays at ~22MPH.

kartman · Posted: Jun 19, 2010 6:52 am Post subject:

50-60'

dalmeijer · Newbie Joined: 01 Jun 2010 Posts: 14 City: Zaandam

I also have a question about the rope lenght. I'm riding behind a normal boat with no tower, as my boat (fletcher arrowflight) is not making a big wake maybe it is better to shorten the rope? My rope is 60' now, what is the shortest ropelenght?

Also I have read on the forum you should remove the fins on your board to do surface tricks? Is this true?

kartman · Posted: Jun 20, 2010 6:26 am Post subject:

i ride at 60', with no tower i would bring it in 5'. taking your fins off your board allows you to break it free easier. the fins will fight you and try to keep your board straight.

dalmeijer · Newbie Joined: 01 Jun 2010 Posts: 14 City: Zaandam

Okay but what is the function of the fins then? Or is this a stupid question?

kartman · Posted: Jun 20, 2010 8:54 am Post subject:

ride your board without them for a set. the ride is way different. on a board with water channels i ride without them. on my recoil that is completely smooth, i have fins.

Wakeboarder3780 · Posted: Jun 21, 2010 7:36 am Post subject:

function of the fin is to keep you "locked in" better and not allow your board to squirrel around as easy. As kartman said - it helps your board keep pointing straight so boarders don't find themselves doing accidental boardslides followed by faceplants. Fins in general are not necessary to more advanced riders as they have proper edging technique and could edge whether they have fins or not.

(sometimes people refer to finless and riding without any removable fins but still have some molded in ones, so keep in mind that people talking about finless might still have 2 little cupped fins on the nose or tail of the board but won't have the center fin in)

Wakeboarder3780 · Posted: Jun 21, 2010 7:38 am Post subject:

As for the OP I would suggest 50-60 as previously mentioned.

qballjr13 · Newbie Joined: 16 Jun 2010 Posts: 20 City: Holden

dalmeijer - When you say you ride on a normal boat I assume you mean an open bow joyrider, for example? I am trying the same. Where do you hook up your tow rope?

dalmeijer · Newbie Joined: 01 Jun 2010 Posts: 14 City: Zaandam

Something like that yeah, I have a fletcher arrowflight but I installed a skipole to hook up the rope, ideal for now......

OH2FL · Newbie Joined: 08 Jun 2010 Posts: 16 City: Boynton Beach

I too run a Bowrider, '99 Sea Ray BR180 w/130 4-cyl.
I have a tow line circle hook on the back of the boat we use.
We run the WEST MARINE rope with all the sectionals taken out - so about 60'.
The guys are doing good. Cool

I'm still working on getting up - Embarassed

- trying to change my mindset and NOT fight the boat... dang old alpha male mindset Rolling Eyes

Enygma · Soul Rider Joined: 26 Jul 2009 Posts: 356

Its not that you're not trying to fight the boat because in a way you are for the first couple seconds. But if you dont plane the board out fast enough or with the right movement, and you just sit sideways plowing water, the boat is going to win that fight every single time.

Riding finless will make getting up 100x easier. Big fins on the board mean that you HAVE spin the board at the right time in order to keep the board on top of the water. Whereas finless means you can just leave the board sliding sidways if you feel like it. Hell you can stay sitting down.

And yes, when we say finless we usually mean that we have molded fins on the side of the board and we take out the center fins. But if you find it too slippery without the finns then maybe consider a small but long center fin. No more then an inch tall.

intotheflats · Posted: Jun 23, 2010 5:34 am Post subject:

dalmeijer, I would suggest riding a few time without fins just to get a better feel for how to use your edges but removing fins to do surface tricks isn't necessary. It does make them easier but only because it allows you to cheat if that makes sense. Kinda like doing a wrap 360. Sure it's still a 360 but it's not the right way to do it.

dalmeijer · Newbie Joined: 01 Jun 2010 Posts: 14 City: Zaandam

Will try this weekend, the weather is looking good in Holland!!! Will pick up a new camera on friday to make better movies...will remove the fins this weekend or next week and will post the vids on my introduction topic, please watch and help me get better Smile

dalmeijer · Newbie Joined: 01 Jun 2010 Posts: 14 City: Zaandam

SORRY FOR SPAMMING THIS TOPIC!!! Embarassed

SantaCruz163 · Newbie Joined: 23 Aug 2009 Posts: 5

Thanks for the responses, fellas.

werner · Newbie Joined: 18 Jun 2010 Posts: 10 City: St Helens

Back to rope length...where are you measuring your length from. The tower or off the back of the boat? Example, I use a tower at approx 70' total length but 60' from back of boat.