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View Full Version : Rope Lengths, Boat Speed Question



futuredeadguy
08-02-2009, 04:30 AM
Hey All:

I'm a wakeboarding newbie, although I competed in slalom events back in the day - 1980s.

I need some help. I have an '05 Mobius LSV. Fat sacks, wakeplate, Perfect Pass. Bought it when my kids were only interested in tubing hoping they'd love the real stuff later. Now they're getting serious about wakeboarding. I'm curious about what has worked for you as far as rope lengths, fat sack and wake plate settings and tow speed, especially if you have a boat like mine.

My older son (age 14 and small for his age) likes 19mph as a speed he's happy with, but it's not working with his jumps, flips, etc. I'm pretty sure it's due to rope length, ballast settings, etc. Here's a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05S9PFeWWWo.

Please view it and give me some suggestions as to what we may be doing wrong with our particular configs. Sacks were empty on this set. Wakeplate full down. Rope length 50.

Thanks for any help.

Jim - Nashville

mmandley
08-02-2009, 06:41 AM
Hi there futuredeadguy.

I watched the vid a few times to see what i can figure out there.

The reasons i see that might be the main issue are hes actualy hitting the smaller part of the wake. Its just starting to clean up and not be washy.

Id start by extending his rope to 60, 50 is short even for new people. 70 is wear most intermidiate people ride and 75 top 80 is pro length.

Boat speed looked good, the way ya tell if the boat speed is right is looking for that nice dark wave. If its washy then your too slow, or weight in the boat isnt set right.

Im sure if you extend his rope he will hit a larger section of the wake and it will want to toss him higher in the air. Other then that its just a matter of getting the timming down for hitting the wake for that pop.

Wake plate % down versus ballast versus speed are all dependent on people in the boat and water conditions.

As long as the secon of the wake he is crossing is dark and full looking, no white wash you have it dialed in.

I wake board at 19 as im pretty new to the wake boarding, my buddies like 23 as most are 10year vets already.

Sharpie647
08-02-2009, 07:11 AM
60 plus handle (totaling 65) is a good starting length but if someone is trying flips then I think the speed and rope length should increase.

I would increase the speed at little at a time and the rope should definitly be longer. With the rope longer you may have to work harder to clear the wake but because it is wider further back you should have more time in the air giving more time to throw the trick.

Everyone has their own style, liking different speeds and rope lengths. But one think for sure is that as you progess the rope should get longer and speed should increase.

jjolson
08-02-2009, 10:16 AM
From looking at the video....it looks like you could easily lengthen the rope out for how far he landed the flip in the flats. I would try lengthening the rope to atleast 65 and do some wake to wakes and see what he thinks of that. Then he could try some flips after that.

mofierka
08-02-2009, 11:44 AM
First, I have to say that backroll is lookin good. If he can almost pull that trick with no ballast and the rope that short he's doing good. It looked to me that the rope was way to short. I have an 08' LSV and I ride at 23 mph with the rope at 70" with the ballast full and wakeplate 3/4 up. I would definitely lengthen the rope to at least 65" and speed up a couple mph. This should give him more air time. For me, the best part of the wake to hit is just before it starts to wash out. With the ballast full you need to try out a couple different speeds because the wake is always changing according to how much weight is distributed throughout the boat.

Reese350
08-02-2009, 09:37 PM
I have an 06 LSV and I second everything Mofierka said. That's exactly what we do. Looking good...

Spaceball 1
08-06-2009, 01:44 PM
That is a awesome flip for no ballast and 50 feet.

So you don't change it up to much i would progressively make changes. First get him out at 60 minimum, 65 would be better but might be to to far at only 19mph. The wake will be very wide at 19 mph any further out then 65 feet. Then put some ballast in after hes comfortable at the new length. Then you add rope length and speed at the same time to get the tricks bigger. Pros ride at 75 or 80 feet but the wakes are huge and speed is much quicker at 24-25mph.

He is looking good though.

guinsha54
08-10-2009, 04:46 PM
I agree with all the previous posts, that’s a nice backroll with no ballast, and I think you get the basic idea that the more weight you add the faster you need to go and the more rope length you add the faster you need to go (if the rider is not clearing the wake). In your case I would say if he is not comfortable going any faster then just lengthen the rope to about 65 and at least put the wake plate up and he should land more wake to wake than in the flats.

On the other hand if he doesn’t mind going faster then fill up those ballast bags run about 22 mph with a 70 foot long rope. If he charges at the wake the same way he will be flyin (which is always a good thing) or with the bigger wake he will not have to huck the backroll so hard because it will give more vertical up and down pop.

Limishowman3
08-13-2009, 12:03 AM
I cannot even imagine trying pull tricks at that speed, i ride 23mph atleast and 75'. It seems the faster you go the easier it is to pull tricks, to a certain degree in speed. Increasing speed will also make you pop higher even if the wake seems to get a lil smaller. I went behind my uncles i/o boat this summer and he had to go like 25or 26 just to make the wake narrowier at around 80' (didn't have a tower so i assume the back of the boat tie would add an extra 5' to my rope length). Wake was a lil smallier but i was able to jump just as high and still have great control, not to mention a nice lil adrenaline rush at going a lil faster. But lengthen the rope out add some ballast and speed up a lil and the wake will be the same width or a lil wider and same height.