3 Traditional rope construction methods
The first method:
- Taking premeasured, precut sections of each different color, and splicing each section permanently into the next, so that all the colors become one long interlocked piece of rope.
- Since one color is spliced into the next, every loop is a blend of 2 colors where it goes over the towbar. This can lead to confusion, especially for novice skiers.
- If any part of the rope is damaged, the entire rope is unusable. Bright colors, like orange and yellow, tend to get the most use, and will fade and weaken from UV rays sooner than the rest of the rope. Not being able to detach these sections and replace them individually results in the whole rope being thrown away prematurely.
Consistent accuracy is virtually impossible to attain.
- When one rope is spliced into the next, it affects the length of the entire rope. The expanded rope has become tighter, and thus shorter. It is like putting both arms into one sleeve. As this is repeated for each succeeding loop, the rope gets shorter and shorter. Because each added section will affect the overall stretch, you will have to make many adjustments afterwards.
- To be able to make an accurate template, the rope must always be measured under tension. However, you cannot tension either of the sections when splicing one into another. The rope can only be tensioned after it is completed. Thus, it cannot truly be measured until it is entirely constructed.
width= />
- Each rope must be built one at a time.
- Since there are 10 different colors, you must have all 10 colors in stock.
- If you run out of 1 color, the entire production is shut down.
- This method requires an extremely large work area.
- The entire rope must be laid out to be measured.
- This is a very time consuming method, and results in higher prices.
The second method:
is very similar, except that there is one long 70' rope, with short pieces spliced in at the point of each shortening loop. The same problems arise with this method, because every time a loop is added to the rope, the overall length of the rope is reduced, which makes it extremely difficult to maintain accuracy.
width= />
The third method: The Spray Lines Method:
- Each color loop is tied as an individual section, and each of the sections is strung together to make a finished rope.
- If we are out of a color, we switch to another color. We can build any sections in any order.
- We can customize easily. Choose your sections, and we string them together in a few minutes.
- If you damage a section, you replace only that 1 section for a fraction of the cost of a new rope.
- There is never any confusion as to which length you are at, as each section is a different color.
- Ropes are extremely accurate, because each section is built independently on its own template.
- By tying each section with tension applied, you know how much each section will stretch, and how much the whole rope will stretch.
- When the sections are connected to make a finished rope, there is no need to make adjustments, or even measure the completed rope.
- This is the fastest production possible, which allows us to sell our ropes at the lowest price.
Lance Brown
PO Box 45
Wauconda, WA 98859-0045
(509) 486 1122