Abstract: The disclosure is a dual-role ski-rope retriever. In its vertical-axis position the reel is rotatable by a geared-down electric motor reversible for paying-out or winding-in the ski rope. The mounting structure also permits the spool to be swung into a horizontally and rearwardly pointed axis position which allows the paying-out of ski rope over and around the rear flange of the spool without its rotation. The rope can be wound-in manually when the spool is restored to its non-rotating detent-held vertical-axis position. The mounting structure is made easily and quickly removable (to discourage theft, vandalism and/or weather damage) by having laterally extending tabs on its flat sheet-metal base, which tabs are longitudinally slidably engageable under laterally positioned cleats fixed to the rear deck of a boat, and by an upwardly springable forwardly extending tongue centrally apertured to fit over a flat support-anchoring disc fixed to the deck.

Abstract: The disclosure is a non-rotating ski-rope retriever having a reel-like drum molded of a tough and preferably smooth flexible plastic material. The drum is easily removable from a support adapted for semi-permanent attachment to the transom and/or the rear deck of a motor-boat, and is swingable from a vertical-axis position for easy manual winding-up of the ski rope to a paying-out position in which the axis is generally horizontally disposed but preferably with a downward and rearward inclination to lessen friction as the rope slides over the top edge of the drum. If the drum is made of flexible plastic material its rear flange will also flex to further reduce the friction as needed.