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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2019 7:39:44 GMT
I dislike the imitation help lines because they get slimy when damp. The ideal rope is staple polypropylene. Easy to splice and it's also a floating rope which is good. I used it for over 20 years on a variety of boats until I discovered the Rombull but that was mainly as I was originally after an equivalent to the old towlines for horse boats for bowhauling purposes .
My new boat Dulcinea will be getting a set of 14 or 16mm staplespun main ropes two bow and two stern. I do like the fact these float. I once took someone else's boat out in strong wind and they Nylon centre line did go in the prop...
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Post by JohnV on Oct 28, 2019 8:02:53 GMT
I do like the fact these float. agree totally Andrew ...... hate sinking lines ....... well apart from lead weighted buoy lines of course
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2019 8:11:00 GMT
I took my lead from the fact that Thames tugs at least the up river ones above teddington were always equipped with staplespun "hairy" polypropylene. For towing and tying up. Once worn the ropes would be made into fenders using the crosspointing technique. They just use a folded rope now. The crosspointing is a bit old school but does result in a handsome side fender.
I feel that it is appropriate for steel boats whereas splitters and firewood boats will tend to have weaker cleats and be used in rougher water so quite a lot of stretch is an advantage in the ropes.
Staple polypropylene does not stretch much.
I'm after some 32mm staple actually as I'd like to make a set of traditional fenders for Dulcinea.
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Post by Jim on Oct 28, 2019 12:48:32 GMT
I dislike the imitation help lines because they get slimy when damp. The ideal rope is staple polypropylene. Easy to splice and it's also a floating rope which is good. I used it for over 20 years on a variety of boats until I discovered the Rombull but that was mainly as I was originally after an equivalent to the old towlines for horse boats for bowhauling purposes . My new boat Dulcinea will be getting a set of 14 or 16mm staplespun main ropes two bow and two stern. I do like the fact these float. I once took someone else's boat out in strong wind and they Nylon centre line did go in the prop... Imitation hemp isn't slimy, I got synthemp, not slimy at all, soft to handle.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2019 13:12:33 GMT
It gets a bit clammy I find.
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Post by airedaleman on Oct 28, 2019 17:47:29 GMT
I found the hemp type suffered from abrasion on the lock sides at a faster rate than the polyprop.
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Post by quaysider on Oct 30, 2019 7:52:40 GMT
I've got 2 14 foot long, 16mm centre lines now that pass through a 19mm sections of tubing where they "fit" in the fairleads either side in the middle... stops them wearing out (like their predecessors did) - plenty long enough to keep hold of the boat AND shut the lock gates when single handing.... Do you mean 14 metres long? I have polyhemp too. Bought a 100m bobbin for £115 of 16mm. Splices up a full set of ropes. As others have said it does chafe easily, so one of my centre lines wore where it goes over the lock coping stones, I just cut and spliced it. Yeah I did... I' m just a bit crap at quick typing these days lol. I'm also going to add another 2 centre lines that live at the front - one for each side... what with the solar panels getting in the way, it'll be easier to have one either side at the front to grab when needed rather than snagging on the panels and/or chimney! ETA - They will ALSO make single handing through swing bridges on the ruddy L & L SO much easier than trying to use the bow line...
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Post by Jim on Oct 30, 2019 8:37:24 GMT
Do you mean 14 metres long? I have polyhemp too. Bought a 100m bobbin for £115 of 16mm. Splices up a full set of ropes. As others have said it does chafe easily, so one of my centre lines wore where it goes over the lock coping stones, I just cut and spliced it. Yeah I did... I' m just a bit crap at quick typing these days lol. I'm also going to add another 2 centre lines that live at the front - one for each side... what with the solar panels getting in the way, it'll be easier to have one either side at the front to grab when needed rather than snagging on the panels and/or chimney! ETA - They will ALSO make single handing through swing bridges on the ruddy L & L SO much easier than trying to use the bow line... I find bow hauling easier using the centre rope for pulling and the bow rope to stop the bow swinging out.
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Post by JohnV on Oct 30, 2019 8:53:41 GMT
Yeah I did... I' m just a bit crap at quick typing these days lol. I'm also going to add another 2 centre lines that live at the front - one for each side... what with the solar panels getting in the way, it'll be easier to have one either side at the front to grab when needed rather than snagging on the panels and/or chimney! ETA - They will ALSO make single handing through swing bridges on the ruddy L & L SO much easier than trying to use the bow line... I find bow hauling easier using the centre rope for pulling and the bow rope to stop the bow swinging out. similarly but I use centre and stern lines pull on stern steer with centre
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