proper rope length for wakeboarding

wcsparky05

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Feb 5, 2007
Messages
204
i think its only 20 feet, does it vary by weight of the person or preference?
 

sabastianunf

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 11, 2004
Messages
215
Re: proper rope length for wakeboarding

varies depending on skill level, boat speed and boat wake. 20 feet is too short. You want to be at the curl of the wake - the area just ahead of where it turns over into white water. As speed and skill increase this point will be further back.
 

salty87

Commander
Joined
Aug 12, 2003
Messages
2,327
Re: proper rope length for wakeboarding

your boat is going to make a big difference, too. some have wider wakes, some you have to go faster to plane.

it's probably going to be somewhere between 50 and 65 feet. take an old rope with a handle and get up to speed, have someone let the rope out as if there was a rider. stop letting rope out when the handle is past the 'v' your wake creates but not into the curling over white wash. mark the rope and reel it in, will tell you how long.

rider comfort comes into play also. shorter ropes mean the wake isn't as wide where the rider is and it will be easier to jump the narrower wake at that point. if the rider can make that jump with no problem, they'll want a slightly longer rope. it's best to land in the smooth section of your wake as opposed to out in the flat water where you slap down instead of landing smoothly.
 

Liquid_force

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 7, 2003
Messages
318
Re: proper rope length for wakeboarding

It's very rider dependent.

55-60' behind our 19.5' for my brother and I.
We're 180-195lb and intermediate/advanced

we often shorten/slow down, or lengthen/speed up depending on the other riders.

Even my wife though, who's basically a beginner and about 145lb is comfortable at 55'.
 
Top