Re: Tubing or skiing, rope legnth?
The full length of the rope is 75 ft. In competition slalom skiing, the rope length is referred to the amount taken "off" the full length. For example, if the rope has been shortened to 37 feet, the skier is said to be skiing at "38 off" (75-37=38). Most professional competition events will start at 28 or 32 off [2]. When skiing at 38 off, the rope length is now shorter than the distance from the center of the boat to the target buoys. So the length of a regular ski rope is 75ft and some of them have the rope so you can remove the different lenghts. Tube Ropes
Bear in mind that the rope that you use for water ski ropes is not designed with tubing in mind. Tow ropes, or tube ropes, are specifically designed with higher break strengths and less stretch than a standard water ski rope. Tube ropes are recommended by the Water Sports Industry Association (WSIA) and designed with the number riders being pulled in mind. Basically, a two person tube rope for a towable designed for two people, a three person tube rope for a three person towable and so on. Note: Never pull a multi-rider towable with a rope that is not recommended for the size of the tube, regardless of the number of people you have on board.
Your tube rope should be a minimum of 50′ in length and should not exceed 65′.
Tube ropes should have a loop at both ends for quick and convenient connection and never be tied to a towable or boat harness.
Specification & Guidelines
Number of Riders
Combined Weight of Riders
Rope Tensile Strength
One
170 lbs
1500 lbs
Two
340 lbs
2375 lbs
Three
510 lbs
3350 lbs
Four
680 lbs
4100 lbs
Note: Check with the manufacturer of your specific towable product for tow rope specifications. The specifications outlined above are meant to be a guideline ONLY and are recommendations of the Water Sports Industry Association (WSIA).
