How to tie a wakeboard rope?

Basically, the title says it all. I'm brand new into wakeboarding so don't laugh if I'm asking such a novice question lol. But yeah...how do you tie the end of the wakeboard rope to a pylon on the boat? Is there a certain type of knot? If so, what is it and how do you make it? Thanks to anyone that helps me out.

all of mine have loops in them already. you just loop it around twice and away you go

I always put it over the pylon, twist it 180 and then put it over again. I've never had a problem but who knows, maybe i'm doing it wrong... hahaha

there is a bit of a different way but claytons works well too. the other way is hard to describe in words, but there is a pic(s) in here.
http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/645077.html (look at the last 3 pics)

don't worry, your not the first to ask (i did) and its not a silly question at all

The method that Clayton mentioned is the best way since it makes the loops last longer.

But, some pylons are too large to do that so you need to pull the rope through the loop and put over the pylon ball. Then make sure to cinch it tight.

http://www.animatedknots.com/index.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.anima tedknots.com


This site will help you with all your knot needs.

Ok folks, I need to do an article about this on my site, but here's how you shorten a rope without knots:

Make a loop where you want to shorten it(bend the rope back on itself). Wrap that loop around the pylon. Direct the looped end under the trailing rope. Then bring the loop up and over the top of the pylon. Pull tight and that's it. No slip, no knots. I show probably a dozen folks this every season.

To attach a rope at an existing loop, pull the line that leads to the boarder thru the loop and use the loop you just made.

The second set of pictures from the link Jeremy posed above is the way to go. Same thing tuneman describes at the end of his.

Tuneman,

Never seen your "no knot" method before, but that's awesome. I'm going to try & use that this season.

i always pull the rope through the loop to make another loop that gets pulled tighter and u pull on it so theres no way it can come off, maybe thats the wrong way tho.

I do the same thing. Put the handle end of the rope through the loop, put it on the pylon, then pull tight. Seems to work.

method one double loop will help make your rope last longer

ok, i was about to ask if anyone has some actual explanation or proof that one way of putting the rope on the hitch is better for the life of your rope than the other... but then i did a crude test with some string and a pen (smooth surface).

I think the common double loop wins... unless you have better evidence? (please share)

the pen was the hitch and the string the rope (of course) I tested 4 ways:
1. single loop
2. the double loop way (most common i think)
3. main rope through loop loop - pull a bit of the line back through the loop to make it look like this
4. tuneman's extraordinary rope shortener loop

i judged the potential wear by the vibrations i felt in my fingers holding the pen as i moved the rope back and forth to simulate the rope moving back and forth from edging from one side to the other.

methods 3 and 4 had the most rub/vibrations. i did it several times for each method, making sure i held the pen very close to the same way in each test.

Looking closer, method 2 results in 1 and 3/4 loopings of rope around the hitch. method 3 has a full 2 loopings of rope. only 1/4 looping difference. there was very little to no recognizable difference in vibration between single looping and double looping (1 vs 2) surprisingly, despite method 1 only has 3/4 loop of rope on the hitch.

I would say, from my little test; that if you CAN double than do so. If you have a really nice hitch that swivels then it probably doesn't make a difference. overall, i guess it probably won't make a huge difference anyway, despite the hitch type.

*also, an exception to consider for tuneman's rope shortening loop technique is that the same bit of rope is most likely not going to be wrapped around the hitch every time like the other methods. Thanks for sharing tune man! awesome and very usefull! "a free accurate rope shortening device"




again, if you have a better explaination, please share as mine is pretty crude

number 3 works for me.

i always do number 3. becomes really tight and gives u good line tension while riding.

thanks everyone

It attach a rope to the pylon where there is no loop I take the rope and make a loop...then twist it a few times and turn take the end going to the boarder and put it throguh it...pull tight and it works everytime