Centre rope length...

[Naughty Cal]

If you do use PP just make sure it's not left out for prolonged periods.

 

I think with any ropes whether they be used for mooring or handling purposes, it is important to check their condition on a regular basis. They are an important piece of equipment and are often overlooked.

[nb Innisfree]

I think with any ropes whether they be used for mooring or handling purposes, it is important to check their condition on a regular basis. They are an important piece of equipment and are often overlooked.

 

Yeah that's the first thing we do each day, carefully inspect inch by inch followed by a full load test

Edited October 12, 2009 by nb Innisfree

[ChrisPy]

Yeah that's the first thing we do each day, carefully inspect inch by inch followed by a full load test

should be colour coded with the test date marked on a tag, and re-certified every 6 months.

[Tam & Di]

I made some towing straps out of nylon and they were bloody useless far too stretchy.

 

I have a mooring line in nylon too - because it was available when i needed it - and it is my least favourite for throwing and i dpn't reckon it's going to last very long either.

 

how big is the eye for lassooing?

 

I use a old working boat technique of holding both ends of a rope (one on the stud, one in the hand) and throwing the bight to hook the butty or a lock bollard.

 

 

This is one of our trainees on a course. The eye is 1m long - i.e. about 2.2m doubled back and spliced in. I reckon that would do for just about everywhere in the UK too.

 

However when we were in the UK we did much as you do - throw the bight of a line over. One basic difference here is that you work from the boat to the bank - locks are automatic and/or have lock keepers, and you seldom get off at locks as part of the operation. In the UK the reverse is true of course, and you do have to get on and off pretty much at each one other than places like the Thames.

 

Coming into a UK lock with the butty the steerer would step off with a stern line as it came in, and bring it to a halt by taking turns on the appropriate bollard. Here it is much the same technique - it is just that the eye of the line is thrown onto the lockside bollard and the turns to bring the boat to a halt are taken on the boat itself.

 

Although you can (and probably most people do) throw the bight of a line over the bollard in the same way as in the UK there is always the chance of getting a line jammed at the lockside bollard or in a groove in the coping, and the size and automatic nature of French locks makes that a much more dangerous occurrence than if it happened in the UK. Getting a line jammed while taking a turn on the boat is a possibility, but that's down to the crew - I know of no practical way of countering carelessness or stupidity.

Edited October 12, 2009 by Tam & Di

[Naughty Cal]

should be colour coded with the test date marked on a tag, and re-certified every 6 months.

 

Mock all you like but i like to know that my boat is secured to ropes that are in good condition. A boat is a major purchase, to skimp on the ropes doesnt make any sense.

[deletedaccount]

Am I alone in having no idea what my rope is made of?

 

I've got three different types too, bow, centre and stern.

[Naughty Cal]

Am I alone in having no idea what my rope is made of?

 

I've got three different types too, bow, centre and stern.

 

Looks that way

[saltysplash]

Am I alone in having no idea what my rope is made of?

 

I've got three different types too, bow, centre and stern.

 

 

I have no idea what your ropes are made of either

[Trafalgar Marine]

Most of our customer prefer 10 metre 33ft ropes front and back and 15 metres 49ft for centre lines.

 

It's worth remembering that you will lose up to 3ft when splicing.

 

ninety odd per cent of people now buy black multifilament rope which is UV stabilised. Hempex is the next popular with few people asking for nylon or staple spun.

 

As far as I can make out, synthetic hemp ropes are polypropylene

 

Hempex is indeed made from polypropylene as is multifilament (soft black) rope. Staple spun is also made from standard polypropylene but its construction differs from standard direct film polyprop (the horibble blue stuff) which is not UV stabilised.

 

Using a thick polyprop tow/lifting rope is fine. Many barges and smaller ships use eight braid blue polyprop at around 40mm.