To slow down or not to slow down - that is the question

I'd really love to learn a few (actually, I'd be happy with one) new tricks this year. I've got a (small) handfull of inverts and a wrapped 3. I'm 40, and although I hate to admit it, falls just hurt more than they used to, and I've found that I'm more and more reluctant to try new stuff while riding my usual setup (75 foot line, 3000 pounds in a 99 star). My plan is to shorten the line, so I can drop the speed a bit and keep a clean wake. So . . . how short should I go? Maybe 60 feet? And should I get rid of some ballast as well? And does the shorten the rope/reduce the speed method noticeably reduce the impact of falls? I'm not looking to do anything crazy, but I'd be the happiest guy on the water if I landed a non-wrapped 3, or a switch heelside or toeside backroll, or even a backside 180, which has eluded me for years.