Hi have been doing quite a few Slack rope demos recently, Mostly in
Blaniks and 2-33's or 2-32's. Also done a few in my HP16T. I have put
huge amounts of slack in the rope, so much so that I have had the rope
back release on both the HP and the 2-32. I have had the 2-32 wingtip
abeam the towplanes tail when the rope finally back released, If it
had not I was planing on recovering. I have yet to break a tow rope.

Typically the rope we use is 200ft hollowbraid Poly rope with no
weaklink. I have used adapters (sometimes called a weaklink to convert
a Schweizer ring to Tost or vi versa.)

My technique for recovering from slack rope is to move way off to the
side of the tow plane (About the Upper left or right corner of were we
box the wake) If going right this puts the left wing tip of the glider
just about behind the right wing tip of the towplane. You can pull up
slightly to help take the slack out but this usually is not necessary.

By moving out the side like this when the Rope goes tight it Yaws the
tail of the towplane and if using a nose hook on the glider will yaw
the glider as well. This yawing of both the glider and towplane
almost eliminates any tendancy for the rope to snap and break.

Brian C.
CFIIG/ASEL