Force on slalom rope?

[Monkstr6100]

Not sure why it really matters to me, but been really wondering how much force/weight is on the line/pylon when a skier is cutting hard? Just something that has been on my mind recently. At work I have access to dynamometer but I don't think they would be thrilled with my reasoning to take it home and hook it on my rope. Thanks in advance experts, Zach J.

[ForrestGump]

Marcus brown and Terry Winter had video of them with a strain gauge. It was 600 lbs of pressure at 38 off or something like that.

[mwetskier]

terry winter was actually pulling more then 600 lbs but the interesting footage was when they compared both skiers at the same time and seeing the difference in loads and where they happened in the course.

[ozski]

6 pulls per pass @ 600lbs in 16 seconds = a sheet load of weight, no wonder it takes a toll on your body..

[6balls]

That's probably a clean pass, too. A scramble with a slam or two can produce short, tremendous, rope breaking loads (not to mention it hurts my back...not that I know anything about this!)

[A_B]

I thought Mapple hooked up to LISA years ago in Spray magazine was near 800 at peak behind boat.

 

I am probably over 600 coming out of the water.

[ktm300]

Highest load is within a ski length inside the buoy line. Lightest load is centerline out.

[Than_Bogan]

For shortline skiers, 3x body weight is a passable estimate. I like to think about it that way because that means every pound of weight dropped is 3 pounds I don't have to hold.

 

Insane shortline (39, 41) is gonna be a little more and -- as 6balls notes -- form breaks may lead to it being much higher. Although I have none of my own data or analysis of that case, the nearly 5x body weight implied by the strain gauges mentioned above is pretty believable.

[A_B]

LISA might even have been before PP, so hand throttle. The theory back then was to peak load behind the boat, not pre load into the first wake. Mapple was compared to some decent 35 into 38 skiers, and his peak load was plotted right behind the boat, and virtually no difference onside to offside. The mortals had much more variation in peak load between onside and offside, and as well same side to same side, and longer and later. Mapple's chart slope was pretty steep and the mortals were much more flatter. I will repeat, the mortals were good skiers!

 

It would be very interesting to see what Mapple does today behind ZO.