Where do you hoook your surf rope?

[bergermaister]

Reading Sled's thoughts on adding a tower to his boat got me thinking. I've always hooked my surf ropes to my ski pylon (v-drive) yet I see surf pics and videos of ropes hooked to the tower all the time.

If I hooked mine to the tower you'd be popping up right behind the boat, like way up right behind the boat, and I've got 25ft ropes. Throwing the rope back for a save when you lose the pocket - forget it.

Where does everyone else hook theirs?

[ryan_8099]

Reading Sled's thoughts on adding a tower to his boat got me thinking. I've always hooked my surf ropes to my ski pylon (v-drive) yet I see surf pics and videos of ropes hooked to the tower all the time.

If I hooked mine to the tower you'd be popping up right behind the boat, like way up right behind the boat, and I've got 25ft ropes. Throwing the rope back for a save when you lose the pocket - forget it.

Where does everyone else hook theirs?

So are you using the full length 25ft rope then to get up? I guess I am a bit confused. On my buddy's boat, we always pop up right behind the boat. We actually use a wakeboard rope and use a fancy little trick to make it wrap it around the top of the tower when it connects. It essentially creates a loop, but we are always guessing on the length... Maybe around 10-15 ft?

[bergermaister]

doh!

Make that 16ft from pylon loop to handle, but only have to pull forward about 2-3ft to be in the pocket behind mine. I have a Proline T-handle and a homemade braided one the same length as the Proline. Don't know why I had 25 stuck in my head...

[lsvboombox]

doh!

Make that 16ft from pylon loop to handle, but only have to pull forward about 2-3ft to be in the pocket behind mine. I have a Proline T-handle and a homemade braided one the same length as the Proline. Don't know why I had 25 stuck in my head...

I hook to the tower and only have to pull in about 2 feet with a 20 foot rope

[Mikes]

Have you tried to tie it on the side of the tower? This seems to help with beginers because the rope wont pull them to the center. You obviously have to move it to the other side if someone surfs goofy.

[sandm]

We actually use a wakeboard rope and use a fancy little trick to make it wrap it around the top of the tower when it connects. It essentially creates a loop, but we are always guessing on the length... Maybe around 10-15 ft?

I'd not recommend doing that. stories of guys getting the handle caught in their arms as they fall and dragged along by the boat. reason that the only "surf" ropes you see are knotted balls/t-handles/small handles your arm will barely fit.
just my .02....


we use the tower in the center. pop up behind the boat. would love to have an adapter to bolt to the side of the tower for training noobs, but not sure about the load weight on the tower. having it in the center distributes the load as designed, placing on one side puts all the load on one bearing point..

[newty]

Usually around the ankle of the guy that doesn't bring beer money. That wasn't on the list. Berg can you change the list?

[bergermaister]

Done- makes perfect sense.

Looks like I'm in the minority here. I'm wondering if that has something to do with my tower not being swept back as far as others so the tow point is further forward....

[ryan_8099]

Good point, on the shopping list for this season!


I'd not recommend doing that. stories of guys getting the handle caught in their arms as they fall and dragged along by the boat. reason that the only "surf" ropes you see are knotted balls/t-handles/small handles your arm will barely fit.
just my .02....


we use the tower in the center. pop up behind the boat. would love to have an adapter to bolt to the side of the tower for training noobs, but not sure about the load weight on the tower. having it in the center distributes the load as designed, placing on one side puts all the load on one bearing point..

[newty]

Thanks Berg.

I like to leave it long as well. It helps people get comfortable in the pocket and if they fall too far back they can pull themself back in. Until people can stay up with with slack for more than a minute I make them hold the handle. I also tell them to only to hold onto the handle and not the rope it makes them have to work to stay in the pocket. This tends to break people from relying on the rope to keep them in the pocket. Really shortens the rearing curve.

[sandm]

good call on the rope/handle idea newty. never thought of that..

[newty]

yea nothing worse than picking up a newb that throws the handle as soon as he thinks he's surfing. After 5 falls in as many minutes passengers start getting bored and want a turn. This will stop that.

[mmandley]

Last summer i actually stoped using the V Tower pylon. I actually hook it on the tower but between the brace bars that the wake board racks are clamped to. Now i dont need a rider to throw the rope as when i turn back the rope is in place for the rider. True this is illegal side when riding reg.

Also it pulls the riders up in the flats so you dont have to come over or around the wave anymore.

Pretty sweet

[rc5695]

I've done both V-drive options, and it is most definitly easier getting up with on the tower. I'm going to keep in mind hooking it on the side instead of the pylon though... Good idea...

[bergermaister]

Also it pulls the riders up in the flats so you dont have to come over or around the wave anymore.


I dunno, dropping in when you've got a big wave is always fun. Makes for some great Kodak moments too! Loved the look on my newbie buddy's face the first few times he tried it on this wave.

13170

Good idea for beginners starting outside though for sure.

[NCSUmoomba]

I agree that towing from the tower may make it a bit easier to get up. However, the good thing about hooking it to the V-drive plyon is that is less likely to rip someones ear off. I guess it is worse on my boat, being a DD. One guy I know tows from his V-drive pylon on his Bu 247. I guess his tower attachment point is way forward since that boat is so long. I also try to toss the line to the other side of the wake when I drop the handle, that way the folks in the boat don't have to deal with it.

[lsvboombox]

I also try to toss the line to the other side of the wake when I drop the handle, that way the folks in the boat don't have to deal with it.

This is exactly what i do. The rope will stay there. With some skilled boat control its still easy to get the handle back to the downed surfer without them paddling. No one has the fumble for the rope and its clear of the people sitting on the weighted side.

[Nobodyrides4Free]

Looks like I'm in the minority here. I'm wondering if that has something to do with my tower not being swept back as far as others so the tow point is further forward....

Berg, My 02 Mobius V is very similar to yours (towers are the same for a few years)and I use the tower to surf. We do the same as Newty with people learning. Guess I am just used to where the rope is. Do you find it hard to get clamps for your tower? I did for a mirror I wanted.

[bergermaister]

Do you find it hard to get clamps for your tower? I did for a mirror I wanted.

Yes, yes and yes. Have to use inserts on everything. Couldn't get some of the board racks I wanted because they didn't have clamps small enough or inserts that would work. Tower speakers feel a little loose sometimes because of the inserts on the clamps. I've even filed off the inner surfaces of the clamps to tighten up the clearances a little. My mirror is the clamp style on the windshield frame which works pretty well. I looked for a tower mirror that would work, but the way most of the aftermarket arms are they would have placed the mirror basically straight over my head.


If we surfed with the rope on the tower pull point there'd be no slack at all - wouldn't like that. But my sweet spot is a little ways back - I never run into the platform or back of the boat. Ok, I haven't yet...

[Mikey]

We tie on the tower and adjust rope length according to the pocket ,adding only a little bit. I agree with making people hold the rope,or i like to tell newbies to hang on only pinching rope in 2 finger tips to let them Truely get the feel of riding Before tossing the rope. It gets very annoying if people won't listen and there rides get very short as i move on to the next rider,to make a point.
You need to be fair to all in the boat..

[Boonejeepin]

I mount to the tower tow point but I loop it around the tower on the surf side. It seems to help me from going to the wrong side of the boat when starting up.

On a humorous note. I have a video of me throwing the rope over the wave and it somehow bounces right back into my hand. I have to think that the rope was being pulled back to the surf side since it was wrapped around the tower on that side.

I think I will start using the lower/ski tow point to make sure that my kids do not get tangled.

[viking]

tower! Have to - with the need for so much weight in the DD I need the peeps in the back with the Fat Sacs and the ski pylon would negate that.