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Post by Clinton Cool on Dec 9, 2019 8:32:31 GMT
I've got by for several years with battered ropes, now is the time to replace them. I've already decided that the centre lines will be 10m long. I say lines because I like one each side, fitted to uprights on the handrail, I don't have a centre eye. I reckon 6m is long enough for the stern line, maybe 8m for the bow, as a longer one can help when single handing through swing bridges.
The centre lines have the potential of getting caught in the prop but I accept this, long centre lines are invaluable when single handing through locks.
Any thoughts? Also, I need to decide between 14mm and 16mm. 14 should be plenty strong enough but 16 might be nicer to handle?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2019 9:06:30 GMT
I like staplespun polypropylene. 14mm is okay. It's quite rough rope so depends what your hands are like. It never bothers me. I like the fact it floats. However it is not very stretchy. You do need proper secure deck hardware. I would be cautious of using it on bolted down cleats but with welded hardware it should be okay. Some people prefer stretchy stuff. I did actually find a very nice 12mm 4 strand nylon rope called "Rombull" which I use as a bowhauling line. It's a really quite decent stuff but it does sink and fast. Rombull stuff here: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nylon-Rope-4-strand-twisted-8mm-10mm-or-12mm-/322627723372Yes 12mm is quite thin but there is an argument for having a rope which will break before anything else does. |
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Post by Telemachus on Dec 9, 2019 9:19:54 GMT
We replaced our centre ropes with Polyhemp, which looks like “proper” rope but is partly synthetic. I think we ended up with one 16mm and one 18mm. Yes 18mm is pretty fat but nice to hold. We got it for the same price as 16mm so felt like a bargain! Probably too thick for front and rear mooring lines but good for a centre line.
Thin stretchy lines seem like a really bad idea to me, if they break under load all that stored energy in the stretch will be released and the end of the rope could take your head off (well, you eye out anyway).
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2019 9:27:00 GMT
A large rope might cause an injury but not a 12mm line. And you always stand out of line with any potential breakage anyway.
There was a bloke on canalworld who had the centre line ring detach while slowing the boat in a lock and it was catapulted at him by the rope - hit him hard in the shoulder.
It seems safer to have a rope break than removal of deck hardware.
Polyhemp does stretch a bit as well but not as much as nylon.
I use staple poly for tying up with but a stretchy rope can be useful for some things like stopping the boat without it whacking against the side.
Heavy ropes can also cause the problem of tearing bollards out specially the ones before locks which are often only secured with a small lump of concrete. A thin stretchy line to strap the boat to a halt will eliminate that problem.
Of course it depends how you handle the boat I like to approach slowly and stop it with a rope on a bollard rather than reversing.
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Post by kris on Dec 9, 2019 9:41:06 GMT
Id recommend polyhemp.
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Post by Telemachus on Dec 9, 2019 9:48:06 GMT
A large rope might cause an injury but not a 12mm line. And you always stand out of line with any potential breakage anyway. There was a bloke on canalworld who had the centre line ring detach while slowing the boat in a lock and it was catapulted at him by the rope - hit him hard in the shoulder. It seems safer to have a rope break than removal of deck hardware. Polyhemp does stretch a bit as well but not as much as nylon. I use staple poly for tying up with but a stretchy rope can be useful for some things like stopping the boat without it whacking against the side. Heavy ropes can also cause the problem of tearing bollards out specially the ones before locks which are often only secured with a small lump of concrete. A thin stretchy line to strap the boat to a halt will eliminate that problem. Of course it depends how you handle the boat I like to approach slowly and stop it with a rope on a bollard rather than reversing. I often stop our boat using the centre line on a bollard, but I never tie it, I just take one turn and let it slip through until the boat stops, adjusting the friction by the amount I pull on it. Apart from anything else, a strong pull on the centre line tilts the boat excessively. And good to have a long centreline so the pull is mostly along and not so much across. Our centre line would reach the prop, but then so would the stern line. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2019 9:48:44 GMT
I thought polyhemp was a floating rope.
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Post by Telemachus on Dec 9, 2019 9:50:40 GMT
I thought polyhemp was a floating rope. Sort of marginal. It will float for a bit, but eventually sinks I think. Certainly wouldn’t take much pull from the prop to suck it under and in. |
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Post by Jim on Dec 9, 2019 16:59:28 GMT
I bought a 100m bobbin of 16mm buff synthhemp for about £120, new lines all round and a bit spare. It floats, nice to handle though not as hard wearing as some. I have big hands so no problem holding a coil why going up a ladder.
Where my centre line tends to rub on the lock coping one had worn, the other is on its way, but a cut and splice solves the problem.
I think it's worth doing end and eye splices to tidy the ends up and make attaching easier.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2019 17:01:39 GMT
A length of bicycle inner tube can be quite good for wearing areas on ropes. Or 'ose.
I always splice eyes but not really a fan of back splices as they get caught on things being thicker than the rope.
My preferred bitter ending is needle and palm whipping with orange whipping twine.
High visibility so you can see if the whipping is unravelling. Not that it does if done properly.
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Post by JohnV on Dec 9, 2019 17:25:00 GMT
touch of superglue on the whipping helps prevent any possible unravelling
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2019 17:44:23 GMT
Glue lined heatshrink is another way of doing the rope ends. I did have a nice moment years ago when a geyser came out of a lockside cottage for a natter while my boat was in the lock. He was old and wise. He spotted my orange whipping and picked up the end of the rope and asked "who did that?" I said I did it and he said "you don't see that very often". That was encouraging. Despite me being an obvious posh twat he could acknowledge the beneficial aspects of my whipping. This type of whipping (not my image) but I prefer to double up the diagonal parts which follow the rope's cuntlines.  |
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Post by Clinton Cool on Dec 9, 2019 22:31:05 GMT
All a bit posh for me, this splicing business. Last rope I got a formed a loop by tying a knot, did the job perfectly.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2019 22:50:27 GMT
Overhand granny knot loop ?
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Post by kris on Dec 10, 2019 1:26:37 GMT
Its actually quite easy to put an eye splice in a rope and ive got to agree with jim on this it does make them "proper" working lines. Im not sure about andrews whipping prefering a back splice or another eye on the end.
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