Community DIY endless shuttle powered by battery or hard-wired. Open software. Big-box builds. Size the motor and pack for your use case.
System 6.9 is a community project: open-source software plus builds from materials you can get online or at Home Depot, Harbor Freight, Lowe’s, Menards, and similar. The center of gravity is community and community development — not a finished commercial tow product.
Each builder has their own use case. Motor size and battery pack (or hard-wired supply) are chosen by that use case — we do not ship a one-size powertrain.
DIY endless shuttle for the community — one architecture, many surfaces. Water (foil/skim), backyard snow, sled uphill, skate tow, and more. You size the motor and pack for your use. We publish the guide, the software and real build costs, all free. Use at your own risk.
Commercial endless tows such as System 2.0 cost tens of thousands of dollars. System 6.9 is for hobbyists who want to compare ideas, understand what a build needs and what it really costs, and then make one for their own lake, pond or hill. Compare community builds or read the free guide.
Same endless loop. Different accessories, mounts, and speed presets.
| Use | Setup notes | Height / speed bias |
|---|---|---|
| Foil / skim (water) | Shore A-frames; floating Dyneema | Low tow ~0.8–1.5 m · foil soft / skim faster |
| Backyard snowboard | Hill or flat-to-slope chord; return tow to top | Low–mid · soft start |
| Uphill sled tow | Steeper chord; stronger tension; kids/adults | Low handle; slow presets; EOR critical |
| Skateboard tow | Parking lot / empty street / private pavement | Low tow; soft ramp; short span OK |
| Wakeskate / wakesurf-style | Same water frames | Low |
| Grass / dirt “summer sled” | Dry hillside practice | Low; expect abrasion on line |
| Ski / snowboard park return | Side hit or backyard feature return | Same as snow uphill |
| Training / rehab pull | Very low speed presets | Softest ramp |
| Cargo / gear shuttle | Non-human: coolers, tools across a cut | Own-risk; different carrier |
| Photo / camera dolly | Slow constant speed along a lane | Smooth speed mode |
Weak fits (don’t lead with these): high big-air wake (wants tall towers), full-size cable parks, public ski-area lifts (certification world).
Nothing is on sale right now. The guides, the build gallery and the software are free, and the guides will always be free. See the roadmap below for what might come later.
You size these for your own use case. The parts list shows what I'm using.
One motor · endless loop · reverse = return. Drive A-frame holds the control box and user powertrain; return A-frame holds the idler and tension.
[DRIVE A-FRAME] [RETURN A-FRAME]
System 6.9 control box Idler on sliding carriage
+ user motor (keyed → capstan) 2× springs + 2× ratchet straps
+ user pack / hard-wired hard stops
\ /
\════ endless Dyneema ════════════/
│
carrier → handle → rider
One-motor endless loop. Drive A-frame = power + control. Return A-frame = idler + tension. Soft ramp, E-stop, low tow height (~0.8–1.5 m).
Keyed hub → capstan grips multi-wrap under a hard dead pull; E-stop kills power. Do not go to the lake until this passes.
Full line (~80–150 m span), two A-frames, springs + straps, anchors/guys. Pass = clean reverse cycles with no rider.
Carrier + handle. Foil first (~12–18 km/h), then skim (~25–35 km/h) with spotter + E-stop ready.
The build gallery is open. Post your setup and see how other people solved the same problems.
What each build actually cost, part by part, next to the estimates below.
Builds that pass the test ladder. Their firmware, docs, CAD and parts lists go up on GitHub for anyone to copy.
Only after there are working builds: affiliate links to parts, merch, custom parts if a build really needs one, and pre-spliced Dyneema loops cut to your length with a tow-link loop for the handle. None of these are on sale now.
Community DIY. Use at your own risk. Not a certified tow system. Contribute via the home splash signup.
Approximate USD from research spot-checks — will move; use at your own risk. Not a certified tow system. Span ~80–150 m → endless loop ~200–350 m of line. Pick battery or hard-wired — don’t double-count.
Capstan rule: do not surge bare AmSteel-Blue on aluminum. Use jacketed UHMWPE, polyester drive wraps, or a grooved keyed drum.
| Path | What’s in it | Approx USD |
|---|---|---|
| Battery lean | ~1.5–2 kW BLDC + ESC, 48 V LiFePO4 ~40–50 Ah, light reduction | $560–1,100 |
| Battery comfortable / adult deep-water skim | High-kW / 80100-class path + high-C pack + proper reduction | $1,500–4,000+ |
| Hard-wired lean | 2–3 HP VFD + 1.5–2 HP keyed 3φ + mount/coupling | $450–850 |
| Hard-wired adult deep-water | 5–10 HP motor + matching VFD | $600–1,500+ |
Lean is cruise / youth / assisted-plane. Adult ~100 kg deep-water skim needs ~8–12+ kW peak / ≥~200 kgf — size for the start, not cruise. Youth ~30 kg can stay lean–comfortable with torque gearing + a long soft ramp.
| Block | Notes | Approx USD |
|---|---|---|
| Capstan / keyed drum | Portable-winch-style or DIY grooved keyed drum | $85–400 |
| Return + fairlead sheaves | 2–4 snatch blocks / marine sheaves | $50–250 |
| Keyed hub / bushing | Match motor/gearbox shaft | $40–150 |
| Line 250–350 m | Jacketed 1/4″ UHMWPE, hybrid, or 8–10 mm coated | $1,000–2,200 |
| Two towers | Scaffold / pipe A-frames / lumber POC (temp) | $150–1,200 |
| Tension kit | Springs, ratchet straps, turnbuckles, take-up | $150–400 |
| Anchors / guys | Earth anchors, ballast, braces | $80–300 |
| E-stop + contactor + enclosure + wire | Hard-wired NC E-stop; sized for peak current | $200–600 (+ charger if needed) |
| Carrier + short tow + handle | Rider interface | $70–200 |
| Build | Approx total |
|---|---|
| Lean DIY battery (generic haul / youth-leaning) | ~$2,000–3,500 |
| Hard-wired Phase-1 | ~$2,200–3,500 |
| Comfortable Phase-1 | ~$3,500–5,500 |
| Adult deep-water skim (~100 kg) | ~$4,500–9,000 battery · ~$4,000–7,500 hard-wired |