Cable skiing

As water ski or water ski cableway a plant is referred to a body of water can be driven with the water skiing or wakeboarding. The term derives from the ski lift and works technically similar. Unlike this one has a water ski lift but no lifting effect, that is, the drawn person will only move horizontally.

History

The water ski cable car was invented in the early 1960s by Bruno Rixen and developed to market maturity. His inventions include the start at right angles to the running cable, making the launching rotor is accelerated smoothly, without that the velocity of circulation rope is reduced, and the double circulation rope. Only in this way the requirements of the Water Ski Sports can be met, such as high speed and high shear forces in the slalom run. The first commercially operated water ski cableway was built in 1966 in the Mediterranean off Benidorm in Spain. Today, there are about 363 water ski and wakeboard cable cars, including 112 two- pole systems in 48 countries.

Technology

A water ski lift is built in the broadest sense circular. An electric motor operates a roughly 600 to 1000 meters in length Double steel rope about eight feet above the water surface in four-five or hexagon. It is about every 80 meters a bracket - pair ( technical term: entrainment ) secured, can be hooked into the harness. These tow lines, at the end of which a handle is, hanging down to the water surface. At this, the water sports enthusiasts can hold.

The velocity of circulation rope of such a system can be continuously up to 61 km / h upregulated. The speed is set in dependence on the respectively driven sports equipment. With a wakeboard a speed above 40 km / h, barely mobile, with a mono water ski, however, are for 58 km / h. The runner can slalom reach speeds of over 120 km / hr. The water skiers start in a standing or sitting on a ramp and gradually accelerated to the speed of the circulation rope.

Criticism

The operation of water ski lifts is not always without controversy. Local angling clubs fear that too much movement comes through such investments in the water and fish are scared.