Shortening a wake rope
 

I have a Straightline wake series that is too long for half of the crew
I've seen some coated ropes crack when it was tied off shorter, was wondering if there was a way to cut it back and finish it off. Essentially making another take off.

You could cut the cover off and eye splice it to make a new loop. Then you could splice the other cut end to make it into an extension for the other half of the crew that ride the long rope.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ETjsIHLg0M - one way to do it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM5cL...eature=related - using a fid, I think this one is in Italian though.

That's kind of a permantent solution, otherwise you could tie a bowline or something. It's a strong knot but it's easy to untie at the end of the day.

Found a good step by step for a 3 strand rope, might be more helpful - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eF5Ty...eature=related

I think there is a better knot than a bowline but I don't remember what it's called. I think Dave Briscoe uses it, I'm sure someone will know what I'm talking about.

yeah, be careful tying knots mid-line. You can easily damage the coating after just one time AND most knots (bowline included) are difficult to untie. A friend of mine showed me a great way to tie a line shorter, it does not damage the coating, it holds super well, and is quick to tie and untie... i just do not think I am intelligent enough to explain it in words... let me ponder this...

I will have to take some pictures next time I go out, but here it is the best way I can describe it.

you should be standing close to the pylon, a foot or two.
Put a bight, or loop (fold rope in half), in the line at the desired length.
You now have a "double line", hold the bight in one hand and let the "double line" fall down to the boat floor.
wrap the bight around the pylon to make a 180 degree turn (U shape), leaving the bight in one hand, and the double line in the other.
the "U" should be open towards you, not away from you.
Take the bight and continue to wrap it around the pylon an additional 90 degrees going UNDER the "double line".
Now the bight should be a 270 degree wrap going under the double line.
Take the bight end, open it up and loop it onto the pylon.
pull it snug and tie up the remaining line and sections.

It works great.
I have ruined the coating of my previous line by using a clove hitch and a girth hitch (aka: larks foot), no good.

If this does not make any sense, let me know and I can take pictures.

Thanks for the replies
I should have thought of you tube....
I am thinking wake lines are usually braided, not 3 strand. I will have to get to the rope to check it out

I simply cut mine off, tied a figure 8 knot in it and i had a shorter rope. then as i progressed i added section onto it. Havent had a problem yet and its been used and abused for 2+ yrs now.

I, among others I know, use the method Johnny described. Even that method though will destroy (or at least damage) your coating.

Any way you could just wrap it around the tower a few times?

We do the same thing as Johnny, but it has pelled away a little of the coating where we put the loop.

I'd just buy a cheaper shorter rope. We've got an 85' aline as our mainline, and we have a shorter accurate line that gors down to about 55' with a cheap handel for backup

This is the best invention ever made: http://www.hyperlite.com/product/305..._Rope_Adjuster if you don't want to deal with all the other bs of learning different rope knots or anything else this is the ticket. Our shop is getting rid of all our demo ropes that we use and just putting one of these in the boat from here on. You can use it to wakesurf too.