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.com which
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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