Rope wearing topside of ski on start. Repair solutions?

[Sivota]

I would be very grateful for any advice to help me solve this problem - the handle rope is wearing the topside of my ski, no doubt caused at the start. RFF HO Syndicate Pro. Handles used: Masterline Custom and InTow spectra. It appears that the very top layer of the ski is lifting - only very marginally. I have seen suggestions for using epoxy or nail varnish to repair chips and dings. Would that work here? Can I sand off any residue without damaging the rest of the top surface? Finally, how can I stop this happening again? Many thanks.

 

[Deke]

I have this issue too and unfortunately no advice other than when it gets bad enough use an epoxy like Solarez to fill it. What I can advise though is, keep an eye on your rope!

[Sivota]

@Deke sure will, thanks. You might have seen Corey's rope break in the "This is Why I Love the Internet" thread here peaceloveandwaterskiing

[Ski_Dad]

this is a crappy picture cause it was dusk out - but my masterline carbon handle has this covering where the rope hits the ski - i'm pretty sure that is an option

 

[BraceMaker]

It is far enough forwards that you could probably smooth it up with a very fine sand paper like 4000 grit but you don't really want to mess with that edge. Maybe try a bit of a shift in your deep water technique?

[Garn]

HO's Syndicate Pro Handle would probably prevent this in the future.

 

[vtmecheng]

I've had really good luck with JB Weld, just make sure it's the long cure stuff and not the 5 or 10 min quick version because they are not as strong. If it's starting to lift up, delaminate, then I do the following. Clean up any stray edges, clean it all with rubbing alcohol, use toothpicks to hold the separation open, tape the edges of where you want the epoxy to be so it only goes where you want it, fill with epoxy, remove toothpicks, clamp, and wait 24 hrs. Sand the result of you need to and it should be good as new. I like to wait a few days after before skiing since epoxy takes time to really cure.

 

 

 

 

[Sivota]

@skidad @garn Thank you, I think one of those may have to be the solution going forward. @vtmecheng Thank you. Nice fix! it has not got as bad as that yet, just a very little flaking of the top surface. @BraceMaker Thank you. Hopefully it is just forward enough and if I can catch it now there will be no real effect on that edge. Now on my start I try not to have a strong contact between the rope and the ski, although I used similar handles and ropes with my previous skis - D3 and HO Omni without any issues. They both appear to have a slightly different 'finish' on that top edge.

[vtmecheng]

Thanks. That was from a handle pop in a fall just after coming around the ball. I got lucky that it was the end of the ski and wasn't deep. That was last year and it has held up perfectly since. I think the real tricks are to make sure everything in dry and to clean it well so the epoxy can really take hold.