Towrope-handling system monitor for waterskiing

A system for controlling a water-ski towrope being towed behind a boat comprising:

• a winder mounted on said boat for holding the towrope;
• a length monitor means for providing a first signal indicative of the length of rope unwound from said winder;
• a length selection means for producing a second signal indicative of the desired length of rope to be unwound from said winder;
• and
• comparison means for comparing said first and second signals and producing a stop signal when said first and second signals are equal.

A device for monitoring the status of a water-skier being towed by a rope from a boat, comprising:

• warning means mounted on the boat;
• tow handle means attached to said rope, said tow handle means including actuation means gripped by said skier and responsive to the release of the grip of said skier to produce a warning signal, said tow handle means including a handlebar, said handlebar having a rigid portion and a flexible wall portion mounted on and spaced from said rigid portion, said flexible wall portion defining a closed chamber between said rigid portion and said flexible wall portion, said flexible wall portion being resiliently deformable by the grip of said skier to produce a certain fluid pressure within the chamber defined by said wall portion;
• fluid pulse sensing means in fluid communication with said chamber defined by said flexible wall means to sense a change in fluid pressure within said closed chamber upon the release of the grip of said skier and in electrical communication with said warning means;
• and
• first transmission means linking said actuation means to said warning means to transmit said warning signal from said actuation means to said warning means, said warning signal being independent of the tension on said rope.

A device for monitoring the status of a water-skier being towed by a rope from a boat, comprising:

• warning means mounted on the boat;
• actuation means gripped by said skier and responsive to release of the grip of said skier to produce a warning signal;
• first transmission means linking said actuation means to said warning means to transmit said warning signal from said actuation means to said warning means, said warning signal being independent of the tension on said rope;
• and
• tracking means associated with said ski-rope for monitorin the angular position of said skier with relation to said boat and producing a position indicating signal and position readout means mounted in said boat responsive to said position indicating signal for providing a visible indication of the relative position of said skier to said boat.

A device for monitoring the status of a water-skier being towed by a rope from a boat, comprising:

• warning means mounted on the boat;
• actuation means gripped by said skier and responsive to release of the grip of the skier to produce a warning signal;
• first transmission means linking said actuation means to said warning means to transmit said warning signal from said actuation means to said warning means, said warning signal being independent of the tension on said rope, said first transmission means including at least one electrical conductor running along the length of said rope from said tow handle to said boat;
• reel means mounted on said boat upon which said towrope is wound, said reel means including electrical connection means for connecting said at least one electrical conductor to said warning means, said electrical connection means including a first plug means electrically affixed to said reel, a second plug means electrically affixed to said conductor and adapted to mate with said first plug means, a conductive sphere integrally formed with said reel, in electrical communication with said first plug means, a conductive sperical bearing means substantially encasing said sphere and in electrical communication with it, a third plug means electrically connected to said spherical bearing, and second transmission means electrically connecting said third plug means to said warning means.

A device for monitoring the status of a water-skier being towed by a rope from a boat, comprising:

• warning means mounted on the boat;
• tow handle means attached to said rope, said tow handle means including actuation means gripped by said skier and responsive to release of the grip of the skier to produce a warning signal;
• first transmission means linking said actuation means to said warning means to transmit said warning signal from said actuation means to said warning means, said warning signal being independent of the tension on said rope;
• and
• second actuation means mounted on said towrope adjacent said handle means for producing said warning signal upon entry of said second actuation means into the water.