Floating Kicker?
 

I'm thinking of applying for a permit to put a kicker where we ride, but before I do I wanted to get a little feedback. First, do floating kickers work? Our riding spot is tidal, and the difference between high and low tide is around 8 feet, so it'll have to float. If floating kickers basically suck, I don't think I'll go to the trouble. Second, has anyone had to put lights on a kicker to satisfy regulations, i.e., to make it visible to boaters at night? I'm wondering how much maintenance is involved. Thanks guys!

Have you ever ridden cable? I've never been to a park that didn't have a floating kicker. So yes, they work.

I've never been to a cable park. I guess I just assumed that all the kickers at the parks are attached to the bottom with poles or something, but if they're all floating on ropes that's good news.

Most every single rail and kicker at a cable park are floating so they can easily change the configuration. Just anchor it well and you'll be good to go.

We had a waterski jump on a public lake and had lights that operated off of a solar panel blinking on a gate at the top.

You'll need 4 anchors to keep it in place, or maybe 3 will do.
A problem I'm facing is that the difference between high and low level in our lake is possibly 30 feet. Any suggestions for a good and simple way to keep the anchor-ropes tight, so the kicker won't float all through the bay on loose ropes?

In order to keep the kicker anchored and stable during fluctuating tides or water levels you need an anchor, length of anchor line, hinge point, and a counter weight...

For arguments sake the following example would take account for an anchor directly below the kicker... Lets say you have a lake that's 20' keep, and fluctuates 5' in depth. Tie a 30' line to your 50lb anchor, run that line through a pulley attached to the base of your kicker, on the other end of the line attach an anchor of lesser weight. As the water levels fluctuate and your kicker floats on the surface, it will remain anchored via the anchor and fluctuating counterweight. This method works well for fluctuating water levels or a kicker that's consistently subject to large wakes.

-Cheers!

Yay! Thanks Ross!