Competitor Swim 200200000 Take Up Reel For Lane Lines

The New & Improved Competitor Swim 200200000 Replacement Take Up Reel for competitor and gold medal racing lane lines. Includes cover and Allen wrench.

A swimming pool take-up reel—often called a tensioner—is a mechanical device designed to tighten and secure the steel cables that run through swimming pool racing lane lines and sometimes heavy duty backstroke flags.

Its primary job is to keep these pool elements safely suspended, perfectly straight, and at the correct tension.

Here is a breakdown of how it functions for its two main uses:

Racing Lane Lines

Racing lane lines consist of plastic discs and floats strung along a central stainless steel cable. If this cable is loose, the lane line sags into the water, which allows waves to pass underneath it and creates turbulence for the swimmers. The take-up reel sits at one end of the lane line. By using a specialized wrench to turn the reel's internal gear system, pool operators can wind up the excess cable, pulling the entire lane line incredibly taut across the pool. This tension is what makes the lane line effective at absorbing and dissipating waves during a race.

Backstroke Flags

Sometimes deluxe backstroke flags are suspended across the width of the pool on similar steel cables so that swimmers know they are approaching the wall. Just like lane lines, these cables need to be pulled tight so the flags don't sag dangerously close to the water or the swimmers' faces. The take-up reel anchors one side of the cable to the wall stanchion and allows it to be cranked tight and locked into place.

The Competitor Swim 200200000 Reel

The specific product you referenced from Morley Athletic is the Competitor Swim 200200000 Take-Up Reel, which is a replacement tensioner designed specifically for Competitor and Gold Medal racing lane lines.

Key features of this specific model include:

• 316 Stainless Steel Construction: Highly resistant to the harsh, corrosive chemicals (like chlorine) found in swimming pool environments.
• Improved Gear System: Makes winding and tightening the heavy steel cables smoother and more secure.
• Thumb Release: Features a larger, easier-to-press thumb release lever, which allows staff to quickly unlock the gears and release the cable tension when it's time to remove the lines from the pool.
• Included Accessories: It comes with a protective vinyl cover to prevent swimmers from scraping against the metal hardware, as well as the tightening wrench.