Tow Rope repair.

My water ski tow rope needs help. The rubber on the handle has worn off, down to bare metal. The rest of the rope is still good, so I’m hoping just to wrap the handle with something.

Any ideas?

I don’t ski or know anything about it but…..will the wrap for a tennis racket or golf club work? If so that shouldn’t be hard to find.

how about baseball bat wrap

chunk of pool noodle and some good marine grade glue

Hockey tape

Plastic dip coating like this?
I used this on a cage protector in a restaurant to cover the alarm from getting hit by accident because it had a sharp edge.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Plasti-Dip-14-5-oz-Black-Plasti-Dip-11603-6/202196703

What cant duct tape fix?

You’ve got plenty of suggestions on repair, I’ll make a recommendation for replacement. Tow ropes see an awful lot of stress and strain. Especially tubing ropes, but ski ropes as well. I’ve been one to replace them every 5 years or so. My concern for those on either side of the rope is higher than the cost of a new rope. I just redeploy the old one for a different task. Can always use the old one to tie a tarp or hang a deer.

On a good ski rope, the handle is a separate section that’s about 5′ long and is easily replacable. Either way, they have a finite life and should be replaced periodlically. If it’s that worn, I would just buy another.

Sounds like catastrophic rope failure is in your future, potentially causing loss of life and/or limbs…. ? Plasti-Dip

big_g wrote:

Sounds like catastrophic rope failure is in your future, potentially causing loss of life and/or limbs…. ? Plasti-Dip

It can be brushed on too.

Thanks for all the ideas. The tow rope has barely been used in years and never left out in the sun. So, I’m thinking it’s fine for awhile yet. So far, leaning towards a skinny chunk of pool noodle at Walmart for $0.97. Although I think I have some plast-dip left from another project, need to look for it.

Noodle will spin on the tow rope handle, over time while on the skis you will not like that. It needs to stay put. Even tho I ski no longer, before a motorcycle wreck I used to ski a ton!! not kidding when I say I had the ability and the endurance to stay up for over an hour at one time and not just stay dragging behind the boat on a slalom ski.

Dang, I couldn’t imagine skiing slalom for an hour! I can barely go 10 minutes… LOL

You’re honestly going to need a new rope sooner or later I’d get one now.