Important Message Due to the War on Terrorism Follows!
At TowMeUp.com we strive to keep several spools of towline in stock at all times. Typically we use an average of 450,000 feet of Spectra a year, provided by 3 key suppliers. Lead time for orders of custom Lengths or strengths is typically 2 or 3 weeks and is wound with our stocking orders. With the recent escalation in threat levels by the US Government the worldwide supplies of Spectra and Dynema fibers are being snapped up by the US Government for military suppliers. (The material is used to make lines for personel and cargo chutes) The lead time from our manufacturers is currently running almost 4 weeks, so if you have a special need it is critical you convey it to us as soon as possible. It is also possible that we may not be able to provide your needs in a timely fashion if the product you order is not in stock, because of the delay in obtaining our stock shipments.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
The towline is an essential element critical to safety of the towing operations. There are many types of lines that can be used for towing applications, all of which have some trade-offs. Paraglider towing has some unique requirements , and some of the information gleaned from experience with Hang Glider towing is not particularly appropriate. Paragliders have very poor pitch control, and anything that can produce variable tow forces is transmitted to the pilot in the form of surging and pitch oscillations during the tow. The requirements for paraglider towing are simple enough. The line must have a minimum breaking strength of 1100 pounds, and it must have low stretch. Some of the lines used in the past for towing (primarily because they were cheap) are made of nylon or polypropylene. These are very poor choices for towing paragliders primarily because they stretch, and then recoil; which causes surging on tow and makes towing very uncomfortable to the pilot. From a performance standpoint, it takes a thick line to develop the required strength, and the increased drag during the tow makes for very inefficient tows and limited altitude gain. Steel cable is simply unsafe in paraglider applications, and should never be used. Kevlar is as strong as steel cables of the same size and it has very little stretch, but it is very abrasive to line guides, pulleys and hardware. It also handles UV poorly and degrades quickly in sunlight. Spectra (or Dynema) is the trade name for a highly oriented polyethylene fiber. It has much better life and resistance to wear than Kevlar and can be coated to minimize the degradation caused by UV exposure.
At TowMeUp.com we use Spectra towlines exclusively, since experience has shown us that this product gives the best compromise between performance and cost. To ensure that we have the highest quality line available, we have our Spectra towlines custom manufactured for us to very specific requirements. All of our lines are made from the highest quality fibers, continuously woven with no splices on the roll, and then urethane coated for better wear characteristics and longer life given the UV exposure this product is expected to withstand. Each shipment of line received has been independently tested to ensure the elongation and strengths meet our specifications, and then we destructively test samples to failure at our facility as well. Because of the unique requirements of both Payout or Static (Scooter type) towing, we have 2 different styles of line manufactured for us.
Spectra Towline for Payout Winch Applications. The payout winches designed by TowMeUp.com are carefully balanced systems so that the line drag caused by paying out more towline is offset by the increased torque of the reducing line diameter on the payout drum hub. This means that once the tow tension is set after launch it rarely needs to be modified for the duration of the tow. The towline used is very specific to achieve the balance, in that it must occupy a specific volume on the drum, as well as meet the strength requirements essential for safety. Our winches are designed to hold 5500 feet of 1100 pound test Spectra towline. The payout winch line is supplied with 500 feet of red urethane coating, then 4500 feet of clear urethane coating, and finally another 500 feet of red urethane coating, for a total of 5500 feet. The coating protects the line from UV exposure, and the red coloring makes it easy for the tow operator to know when the pilot is topping out on tow, without suddenly running out of line at the end of the drum. Coating both ends of the line red makes it easier when installing new line on your drum hubs, since the line can be wound on from either end. This line is a hollow braid rectangular line with dimensions about 0.055" x 0.010". In use it typically twists after a few tows and becomes aerodynamically more efficient and allows higher tows. It is very easy to splice and finger trap. We produce a custom aluminum splicing Fid for this line that makes splicing very fast and simple.
Cost - 5500 feet of 1100 pound test Spectra, continuously woven, no splices 500' red - 4500' clear - 500' red urethane coated towline sells for $925 per spool.
Due to the demand for this product in smaller spools, we now offer this in 1000' spools with 500' colored red and 500' clear urethane coating. Occasionally we have spools of line in various lengths. Please call us for availability.
If you require a custom size, strength, or length of line, we can arrange to have it put up when our stocking orders are made. Typical lead times run from 2 - 6 weeks depending on market conditions at the time we place our orders
This Page last updated 7 July 2004 Copyright TowMeUp.com All Rights Reserved
Questions or comments, please contact us TowMeUp@iesonline.cc