Shortening rope

Guys, every time I read a tip for learning w2k, just learning to ride, etc. often it's "shorten the rope until you go w2w then star lengthening it."

Ok fine, but my rope, a Straightline Thermal, only goes down to 55 feet, which is 60-feet with the handle, an SL Vortex carbon. (I love this rope and handle, btw)

I have a cheaper poly SL rope which is the same way, 70-feet, with a 10' and 5' takeoff sections.

Is there a way to ride with the rope shorter than the shortest take-off loop, and not damage it? I don't want to freaking tie a knot in my $90 spectra line, if you get the drift. I guess I could tie a knot in my cheaper line, but I really don't want to.

Many times when pulling up beginners I'd really like a shorter line. I guess I could buy a slalom line with a bunch of take-off sections just for learning, the move to the real wakebaord lines as they reach that length.

Advice appreciated.

Hey, nice boat! I have an SSV too, and we don't really want to go much shorter than 60' (55' + 5') because it puts the rider too close to the "rooster tail" turbulence.

If you really feel a need to get down to 55' (or less), you could fasten the rope at a shorter length the same way as you shorten a rope for wake surfing. You pull harder when cutting, but I don't think it would harm the rope.

Or, you could stay at 60' and bump the speed up to make the wake a little narrower.

How do you shorten a rope for wake surfing? Now that you mention it, I'd like to know that too! heheh

That's plenty short. And don't move it out from there until you're clearing it TS & FS, regular and switch. Let your TS jumping determine rope length. (All good stuff from Wakeworlders when I asked a few months ago).

Tie a figgure eight on a bight...it's more of a looping type knot used for climbing. It'll be less stress on the rope and comes out pretty easy.