PLEASE READ... Dont want anyone to go through this EVER.

[wakecrashin]

For all you fellow wakesurfers,
Please be very very careful on the type of rope that you use and make sure the person riding knows how to "throw the rope" when they are going down.

Last night, myself and a few friends went out for some late evening surfing runs. We use the handle off the flying tube for surfing. It is a regular line with 2 neoprene hard rubber balls to hold on to. I never used a regular handle because I think they are way too dangerous. D is surfing off the back holding the rope waiting for the wake to form and I notice he that he starts to fall into the water. Then all of a sudden I hear "SNAP". He comes up pretty calm out of the water for what just happened and say "Im hurt real bad". We get over to him quick and noticed that the rope completely severed his thumb from the nailbed off. All was left was a bone stick out above the joint. It was a horrific experience. We searched for the thumb in the water for 10 mins, unsuccessfully, then rushed him to the ambulance.

I never in a million years would ever think this would happen as we are ALWAYS extremely careful. This can happen to anyone. PLEASE, PLEASE make sure you properly equip your riders with a safe handle, dont throw them the rope if they lose the wake, and tell them to throw the rope if they are going down. Losing partial thumb is a HUGE deal, but it could of been potentially fatal is the rope would of got caught up on his body.


Be safe!

[Cornut]

That is horrible!
So what exactly happened?
Did the rope somehow wrap around his thumb?

We have just started surfing, and we use a specific "wake surf" rope from Straightline.
Just asking for more details, so we can try to make sure this doesn't happen.

[wakecrashin]

Somehow when he fell, he didnt throw the rope early enough and the rope somehow got twisted around his thumb, and as soon as he hit the water and stopped, the boat kept going it literally ripped the end of the thumb right off.

What Im going to use from now on to prevent this EVER happening again, is Im going to go buy a 2" round rope that they use to tie up HUGE ships and use that. With a rope that big and stiff it would be nearly impossible get it wrapped around anything.

[MHayes]

What Im going to use from now on to prevent this EVER happening again, is Im going to go buy a 2" round rope that they use to tie up HUGE ships and use that. With a rope that big and stiff it would be nearly impossible get it wrapped around anything.

I don't understand why you just don't buy a surf specific rope like this:

http://www.wakeside.com/product/wake...+combo+2008.do

Holding onto a 2" rope is not going to be that easy, especially with one hand, and I would assume uncomfortable.

[lffish133]

You should never surf with a handle it is way to dangerous, we use a thick 2in rope as described, and we tied a few huge knots in it so you have something to hold on to. Don't let the rope wrap around your arm either! wakecrashin, I'm sorry bro that is terrible!

[wakecrashin]

Mhayes..
Is not really the handle is this case that did the damage but the rope. Any type of thin ski rope will slice through skin and bone with a 4000lb boat pulling like its warm butter. If you fall forward and get tangled up in a rope or handle you are F'd.

If you use a THICK rope, it cant wrap around and cinch like a thin rope.

[Kevin_B]

I'm really sorry to hear about this accident thats awful, but I'm still confused why a handle would be so dangerous especially if the line length is short enough so that you didn't need to pull the rope in. I'm just curious because it seems to me a handle would be the best thing to hold onto.

[wakecrashin]

If you fall forward into the handle thats when it gets back. Just like have you ever heard of slalom skiers who get there head caught in the handle and breaks their neck. Freak accidents but they do happen.

Me personally, I I think if your an experienced wakesurfer you know what to do. But people learning, or not comfortable surfing need to know that even if you think theyre going to fall "throw the rope"

[innov8]

We run the proline super d surf line check it out, never had any close calls or problems.
http://ridecwb.com/index.php?mod=ropes&id_prd=121

[Nautiquetrevo]

wakecrashin,
I dont understand why you don't use a specific wakesurfing rope, to me they make a special rope like that for a reason so that it is not dangeroous. Also, i don't know how fast you wakesurf but we don't go as fast as a salom skier so i don't think the handle will break your neck if you get caught in it. And all the wakesurf ropes ive ever seen are not big enough to put your head through. Also the ropes aren't long enough to get wrapped up in. So it sounds like you need to make the investment we all have made and purchase yourself a wakesurfing rope.

[saceone]

wow.....that's horrible.

[wakecrashin]

Trust me guys, even going 10.7 that rope will remove limbs if if it get wrapped around. If took off my buddies finger like it was nothing. We are extremely thankful it didnt remove the joints above it.

Im not saying wakesurf ropes are not safe. "Any" rope that gets wrapped around you or your limbs/ toes, ect has the potential to cause severe damage.


If a rope will completly amputate a finger, if your head is caught in a handle, it will Break your neck, even at 10mph.

Im not here to say whats right or wrong, just to make aware that this can happen. Be safe for your unexperienced surfers.

[qstufflebeam]

Any arm or head through handle situation is dangerous no matter how fast. I am a slalom ski and was at a tournament where one of the other skiers witnessed a horrible accident at Ski Accapulco. One of the coaches there was running either 38 or 391/2 off was turning the six ball fell forward and had his head go through the handle. when the handle went tight it killed the skier.

Many skiers have had their arms broken by falling and putting their arm through the handle. I know that wakesurfing speeds are much slower but I could easily see an arm pulled out of its socked or some serious neck and head injuries. BE CAREFUL. It only takes one time and your seasons over.

Thomas Wayne makes a product called Arm-Guard. It prevents your arm our head from going through the handle. He can custum fit any handle. Contact him at twcues@gci.net

[nch20skier]

This is terrible. Note the the triangular opeing always vaires with the size and type of handle and what it is being used for. Show skiers ropes have a very small opening for much the same reason as noted above. A signle large diameter rope with knots or "pegs" like show skiers use sounds like a very good way to go for surfing.

[WakeSlayer]

Sorry to hear about your friends thumb. Could have been way worse. In the early years of surfing, one of us lasso'd someone tossing the rope back. Nothing happened, and they knocked the rope away immediately and i popped the trick release, but for sure can happen. I put my arm through the handle one time too. Got a good tug on my shoulder that hurt for a couple weeks.
Here is the rope I prefer.

http://www.waterskis.com/Accurate-Wa...urf%20line.htm

Has thick rope, knots, and a very small handle. I live on a fairly small lake so we either need to toss the handle back or surf the turnaround, which not everyone can do. When we do toss the line back to the rider, we throw it low to the outside. Never had a problem since....