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I have been using a standard ski rope to tow wakeboarders behind my non-surf R5. Someone I know mentioned shortening the rope to get closer to the "sweet" spot of the wave. I would be interested to hear ideas here of the ideal length of the rope and how close could you get and still be safe.

Most if not all modern ski ropes, unless they are specifically made for slalom skiing have segments in them where you can disconnect the rope to get a good distance for wake boarding etc. I would think the correct distance to hit the "sweet spot" would depend on your wake and hull, maybe if someone that has a R5 non surf will chime in and let you know if they've found it.

I'm sure your going to be around 60 to 65 ft

I was thinking like 15'-20' but wanted to be absolutely safe with the rider.

When we pull wake boarders, (242, with factory tower) they seem to like 50' the best. I use ropes as dsthomas suggested, which are segmented down from the standard 75'.

45 to 50 ft seems to be about the minimum, with people having different preferences between 50-75'

Lots of sites recommend 60-65' for a beginner, up to 75' or more once you've got some skills nailed down.

I wonder if FirstStar is thinking about wake surfing instead of wakeboarding? That would put him around 20-25', in the range he's talking about...

jhnmdahl wrote: ↑Tue Apr 23, 2024 12:42 pm I wonder if FirstStar is thinking about wake surfing instead of wakeboarding? That would put him around 20-25', in the range he's talking about...

I was wondering the same. Of course Super dangerous to be doing that on a non surf model.

Old thread but still wondering... I don't know the difference between wake surfing and wake boarding. My nephew rides a wakeboard. He likes to jump the wake which is taller the closer to the boat he gets. Is it really super dangerous 25' behind the boat? In an emergency stop the boat would still take some feet to stop as well as the rider so a 25' cushion seems like plenty. What scenario am I missing?

FirstStar wrote: ↑Tue Apr 23, 2024 9:32 pm Old thread but still wondering.

Oh man...I usually look at the dates before I respond...messed up this time.

Wake boarding, is being pulled by a rope from the boat. Wake surfing, you are being propelled by the wake that the boat throws off, so not technically connected to the boat in any way once you are up and going. You are typically MUCH closer to the boat when wake surfing. I'd imagine 10-15 feet, so you have a big enough wake/wave to ride. If you are 10' from the boat, riding the wake, and fall forward because you dip the board below the surface of the water, you're going to get close to the outdrive for sure. That's the dangerous part. Chances are low, but they're still there.