Ropes at Nationals

[JeffSurdej]

Slalom Ropes for Nationals

 

Standard Ropes

 

For the 2021 Goode US Waterski Nationals. Slalom skiers will have their choice between 2 standard ropes, either the Dlx Optimized 2.0 or the Dlx Pro Mainline. The default rope will be the Optimized 2.0. Skiers will need to request the mainline to be used at the starting dock.

 

Optional Two Lighter Towlines

 

a. The “mid-rope” 8mm may be used if requested in Class E in B 1-3, G 1-4, W6, and above. In class L it may only be used for B/G 1-2-3.

 

b. The “light rope” 5mm may be used if requested in Class E in B1-2/G 1-3. It can NOT be used in Class L/R.

 

According to the rules...If different ropes specifications are used, skiers will be permitted to choose which rope to use. No re-ride will be granted if a skier receives the wrong rope. A skier cannot provide his/her own slalom rope.

[lpskier]

Those are Masterline products, correct?

[Broussard]

@lpskier Yes, both ropes are manufactured by Masterline.

 

You can order the Optimized 2.0 or Dlx Pro Mainline from Masterline, or better yet: support your local pro shop!

[lancef]

What is the difference between the to Masterline ropes?

[ski4xtc]

@lancef The Dlx Optimized 2.0 has just a little more give to it than the Dlx Pro Mainline. I bought both ropes this year and pre-stretched them by using the ratcheting strap and fish scale method. I do not like bungee ropes but for the first time, we are using the Optimized 2.0 in our boat. It has some give but not too much. It just seems a little easier on the body. We used the Dlx Pro Mainlines for our tournaments. If you do not like any give in the rope, I would stick with the Dlx Pro Mainline. One additional note is that the Optimized 2.0 rope has slip knots but the Dlx does not.

[BigGerald3]

Jeff,

Just to be clear, if you request the mainline and get the optimized, you don’t get a re-ride??

[BS74]

@ski4xtc : pre- stretched or not, would not want to be one of the first 5 skiers!( for 2.0)

[MISkier]

The only way to pre-stretch a rope is to ski some sets with it. For our tournament ropes, we have club members ski practice sets with them before the tournament. And, you need some people that will pull on -22 and -15, not just -32 and up.

 

Anyone hosting a tournament should never use ropes fresh out of the package at the tournament. Not only is it inexcusable, but you really shouldn’t even measure them until they have a few sets on them.

[lpskier]

@MISkier second paragraph: Agree.

First paragraph: Disagree. I’ve had very good results stretching the optimized 2.0 rope under load at 44 lbs for a couple hours before use. In fact, in my personal experience, the prestretched 2.0 rope felt better first set than a 2.0 rope used for several ski sets that to me still felt spongy.

 

Even though I ski the 2.0 as my personal rope and love it, I think I will ski the standard rope at Nationals just to be safe. Last year the ropes felt a little spongy on day one. I’ll ski the “stiffer” rope since I ski early in the tournament.