Boating – June 2019

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THROTTLEINSURAN

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One Pleasant Avenue, Pt. Washington, NY 11050

Toll Free:800-962-5659

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John Posey, TX Buzz Fyhrie, FL

972-775-3523 888-327-8467

For over 51 years Total Dollar has
built a first- rate reputation, pro-
viding expertise that’s second to
none. You’ll get custom-tailored in-
surance — agreed value hull,
liability and special coverage, plus
personalized service and rates that
won’t gouge your pocket.

Call us 7 days a week at:

800-962-5659

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O’BRIEN

8-SECTION FLOATING

SKI COMBO

THE PULL: The standard

ski rope should be 75 feet in

length, but getting a basic

one comprised of sections

lets you adjust the line length

to individual rider prefer-

ences. Ski ropes are typically

made of polypropylene, and

should have a little stretch

to allow for slalom riders to

make sharper cuts around

course buoys.

THE DRAG: Stretch needed

for skiing is not desirable for

wakeboarding.

PRICE: $35.99; obrien.com

O’BRIEN

6-PERSON FLOATING

TUBE ROPE

THE PULL: Tube ropes

should run between 50 to

60 feet in length and be low-

stretch. The most important

thing to look at is towing

capacity. You do not want

to use a two-person rope

for a six-person tube. Ropes

are rated for both the rider

weight and tensile strength.

We recommend getting the

largest possible to cover any

potential tow toys in your

arsenal.

THE DRAG: Not suited for

wakeboarding or skiing.

PRICE: $32.99; obrien.com

O’BRIEN

PROP HANDLE WITH

FLAT SPECTRA

THE PULL: Wakeboard

ropes typically run between

60 to 80 feet to get the

boarder into the sweet spot

for launching from the wake.

Serious wakeboarders use

a rope made from Spectra,

which has no stretch so it

helps the boarder accelerate

into the wake and ramp up

for tricks.

THE DRAG: No-stretch

doesn’t work well for skiers

and tubers.

PRICE: $99.99; obrien.com

TOW-

ROPES

You can buy a boat that can take you tubing, surfi ng, wakeboarding and

water skiing, but when it comes to ropes, there is no “one size fi ts all”

type to get you up and going. Each sport needs its own specifi c towline.

Here are examples of what you need. —Pete McDonald

CAPTAIN’S TEST

(Answers from pages 22, 24)

1. E. All the mentioned
   checks are valid ways
   to ensure your trailer is
   ready for the road.


2. B. Tie-downs are
   always necessary,
   even for short trips
   and even when the
   boat is securely
   cradled by the trailer

bunks and side guides.

3. E. While C (replace
   the entire system) can
   also be a solution, it
   may be overkill unless
   the lights and wiring are
   all very old and brittle.


4. D.
   5. F.
   6. D. All could be possible
   causes of hydraulic-surge
   brake failure on a trailer.

CAPTAIN’S

TESTS ONLINE

Test your knowledge of boating

with more Captain’s Tests at

boatingmag.com/captains-test.

TUBING

Should be low-

stretch with a

towing capacity to

match your tube

WAKEBOARDING

No-stretch Spectra rope is the

best choice for catching air

SKIING

A rope with

some stretch

and adjustable

sections can

suit multiple

skiing styles

THE WAKESURF ROPE

O’BRIEN RELAX SURF ROPE

Wakesurf ropes are different because they are only used to get the

surfer up. Once the surfer drops into the wave, he or she drops the

rope and a spotter pulls it back into the boat. Wakesurf ropes should

be 20 to 25 feet in length to allow the rider to get up quickly and

drop right into the surfable wake behind the boat. Look for one with

a series of knots running up to the handle to allow the rider to pull

into the wake. $49.99; obrien.com