TOW HARNESSES

IF YOUR BOAT IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A PYLON OR SKI EYE, YOU WILL NEED A TOW HARNESS TO PULL A TUBE. TOW HARNESSES ARE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT ATTACH TO YOUR BOAT'S CLEATS OR EYES AND CREAT A SINGLE TOW ATTACHMENT POINT BEHIND YOUR OUTBOARD OR STERN DRIVE ENGINE. HIGHER QUALITY TOW HARNESSES ARE CAPABLE OF TOWING MULTIPLE RIDERS, SLIDE EASILY FROM ONE SIDE OF THE BOAT TO THE OTHER BY WAY OF A PULLEY SYSTEM, AND WILL FLOAT WHEN IN WATER. TOW HARNESSES ARE GENERALLY BUILT TO PULL INFLATABLES, WAKEBOARDERS, WATER SKIERS, AND BARE FOOTERS.

WAKEBOARD ROPES

CHOOSING THE RIGHT WAKEBOARD ROPE CAN GREATLY IMPROVE YOUR TIME OUT ON THE WATER. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, IT HELPS TO HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT MAKES A GOOD WAKEBOARD ROPE.

THERE ARE BASICALLY TWO ROPE MATERIALS: LOW STRETCH AND NO STRETCH. BECAUSE PERFORMING TRICKS REQUIRES A LOT OF TENSION AND THE ABILITY TO "LOAD" THE LINE, WAKEBOARD ROPES WILL USUALLY HAVE LITTLE TO NO STRETCH. NO STRETCH LINES ARE MADE FROM A MATERIAL CALLED SPECTRA AND ARE VERY POPULAR WITH PROFESSIONAL WAKEBOARDERS.

ROPE LENGTHS WILL RANGE BETWEEN 50-70 FEET, DEPENDING ON PERSONAL PREFERENCE. MANY RIDERS FIND IT EASIER TO START OUT ON A SHORTER ROPE, HOWEVER, YOU SHOULD NEVER USE A ROPE SHORTER THAN 20 FEET AS THIS CAN BE HIGHLY DANGEROUS. SOME ROPES HAVE LOOPS ON THE LINE WHICH ALLOW THE RIDER TO QUICKLY SHORTEN THE ROPE TO ACCOMDATE DIFFERENT RIDERS.

WAKEBOARD HANDLES ARE BUILT TO ALLOW THE RIDER TO EASILY TRANSFER THE LINE BETWEEN HANDS BY USING LIGHT-WEIGHT MATERIALS, OVERSIZED CONSTRUCTION, AND ON SOME ROPES, ADDITIONAL GRIPS.