Abstract: A safety release for water skiing tow lines comprising a U-shaped body having a rearwardly facing slot therein, a mounting bracket for securing the device to a ski pylon, a bolt arm pivotally secured to the body which extends across the slot when the arm is in a vertical position so as to engage the terminal loop of the ski rope. The loop retaining bolt arm is pivotally mounted on the body and is pivotable rearwardly from a first position substantially normal to the plane of the slot opening to a second position substantially free of the slot opening. A manually operable extension is affixed to the bolt arm to move the arm in a forward direction from the second position to the first position. A lever is pivotally mounted on the body to engage the bolt arm to form a bar-like assembly which extends transversely of said opening.