Patent ID: 8499711

Claim:
A tow rope for employment in combination with a water ski comprising: a handle; a handle rope engaged at a first end to said handle and extending to a second end; said handle configured for a gripping by a user riding said water ski; a docking member, said docking member configured for a removable engagement with a docking component which is positioned on a top surface of said water ski; said docking component comprising a base plate engageable to said top surface of said ski, a pair of sidewalls rising from said baseplate, and a space between said sidewalls configured for frictional engagement with said docking member; a docking rope engaged at a first end to said docking member and extending to a distal end; means to engage said distal end of said docking rope and said second end of said handle rope to one end of a tow rope main line configured to attach to a boat; said docking member disengageable from said docking component when moved in a substantially vertical direction relative to said top surface of said ski; a release line communicating between said handle rope and said docking member; and said release line providing means to exert force upon said docking member to move in said vertical direction when a user of said ski rises from a crouched position to a substantially standing position while riding said ski, whereby force from said tow rope main line engaged to said boat during a start is communicated primarily to said ski by said docking member until said user moves from a said crouched position during said start to said substantially standing position whereafter said force is communicated solely to one or both hands of said user.