How to choose your wakeboard rope
A stiffer wakeboard rope is required for wakeboarding than for waterskiing.
To help you to perform tricks you get more air when you use a tighter stiffer
rope that does not stretch. You will be better able to pull yourself through
flips and spins.
There are a number of types of wakeboard ropes, so, when shopping make sure to
keep your specific needs in mind.
No stretch ropes use a material called Spectra in their construction. The
Spectra rope has almost no elastic properties and is very strong. The stretch,
when under load is less than half a percent.
Low-stretch generally stretches one percent in length under a normal
wakeboarding load. These ropes are for the most part made of polyethylene or
some blend of it. If wakeboarding is your primary interest, learning tricks and
honing your skills, a stiffer rope is the best choice.
If you do both wakeboarding and waterskiing on a recreational basis a
low-stretch rope will work well for you. It will have enough stretch for water
skiing and enough stiffness to pull against when wakeboarding.
Wakeboard ropes come in various lengths but average between sixty to seventy
feet. There are wakeboard ropes of one piece with no length adjustment and some
that offer multiple adjustment loops.
The handles for wakeboarding tend to be more specialized so that making aerial
maneuvers or doing tricks become easier. Wakeboard handles generally have a
wider grip, thirteen to fifteen inches as compared to the eleven to thirteen
inches usual for waterski handles. It is much easier to pass the wider handle
behind your back when performing tricks of that nature.
Most wakeboard handles have a rope braid or a second, smaller handle grip built
into the rope. Having another grip to hold on to gives the rider a stronger
hold. Wakeboard handles usually have neoprene foam floats so they stay on top of
the water.
About the author:
Deb Andersen is the owner of http://www.water-sport-center.comwhich
provides extensive information about Surfing, Water Skiing, Scuba, Kayaking and
Kids Water Fun. Plus how to find your perfect water sport vacation.
http://www.water-sport-center.com
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Added: Fri Jan 05 2007
