Centre rope(s)

[Rebotco]

I've seen several references recently about having 2 centre lines.

 

Surely if the line is attached at the centre of the cabin roof, it can be taken either side as required - as long as the roof is kept clear of clutter. Just cannot see why they would ever be needed on both sides at the same time, even when boating single-handed.

 

Can someone enlighten me please? What am I missing?

 

Thanks

 

Brian

[steve hayes]

I've seen several references recently about having 2 centre lines.

 

Can someone enlighten me please? What am I missing?

 

 

Clutter and mushrooms, etc.

[Guest wanted]

Depends on where you have a tie off point I guess, I have two loops, one each side and I have seen some in the middle.

[Albion]

I've seen several references recently about having 2 centre lines.

 

Surely if the line is attached at the centre of the cabin roof, it can be taken either side as required - as long as the roof is kept clear of clutter. Just cannot see why they would ever be needed on both sides at the same time, even when boating single-handed.

 

Can someone enlighten me please? What am I missing?

 

Thanks

 

Brian

 

If the line/s are taken to the true centre of pivot (which they should be in an ideal world) then that is a lot of roof to keep clear if all poles/planks etc are to be kept forward of that. There are always mushroom vents to be considered as well. If the boat has a trad engine room then you will have the tall engine exhaust stack behind the centre point also. It is much easier to have two ropes. With only one then sod's law says it'll get hooked on something just at a critical moment when you're pushed for time to step off the boat for example.

Roger

Edited January 2, 2012 by Albion

[Ryeland]

I have a fairlead each side to stop the centre line(s) taking the paint off the top corner of the cabin side, so it's so much easier to have two, rather than keep unhooking one line from the fairlead and flicking it over to the other side. I started out with one, and the second one makes life so much easier, especially when single handing. My pole and plank brackets are at the stern end of the roof as well, so the one line was for ever getting caught.

 

Richard

[Andy Todd]

One at the front, one at the back

 

Means you can get off the boat at the stern or the bow with a centre line

[alan_fincher]

The mushroom vents on our boat are poorly located to allow a line to be quickly flicked from one side to the other without it often getting caught.

 

So for serious trips, we usually have a line down both sides of the roof.

 

Also stops mugs, windlasses, cameras, GPS, etc getting swept of the hatch.

 

That said we have just done a shortish trip where I couldn't be bothered to put a second line out, but on the whole we do have the two, only one of which is ever being used at any given time.

[ditchcrawler]

Depends on where you have a tie off point I guess, I have two loops, one each side and I have seen some in the middle.

Same here, one rope run down each side to the stern.

[RLWP]

 

Can someone enlighten me please? What am I missing?

 

Thanks

 

Brian

 

I have absolutely no idea. Our 70' boat has only one that is always taken to the back

 

Richard

[RichardH]

All our boats have 2 for the reasons above - I was fed up with losing chimneys, aerials, central heating lids etc !

[Grace and Favour]

I find that with just one rope it's not losing the roof clutter that causes me a problem - - but sweeping the (carelessly placed) chilled G&T into the cut I object to

[blackrose]

The mushroom vents on our boat are poorly located to allow a line to be quickly flicked from one side to the other without it often getting caught.

 

Same here. Initially I was quite unhappy about the builders' lack of common sense in putting a mushroom vent right behind the centre ring on the cabin roof, until I realised the issue was easily rectified by having a rope on each side.

 

Edited January 2, 2012 by blackrose

[annaschu]

I have two, as a single hander I have plenty to think about when approaching a lock and as previous posters have said you can guarentee that that's when the rope will get zig zagged between the vents. I used one rope for the first two years after getting my boat and coped perfectly well, but two makes it even easier

[bizzard]

I have two,both with a large loop spliced on the ends the same size as coils .To slip over an arm whilst climbing lock ladders with the windlass in the other hand.And the large loop in a coil to lasso bollards with.

[David Schweizer]

We have only one centre line which is attached to as ring located ojn the roof, somewhat rear of centre. I do not have it running to the back of the boat but keep it heaped on the roof next to the ring. If I need it in a hurry a quick dash up the gunwhale secures it. I have tried keeping it at the rear but apart from it constantly needing to be relocated to the other side as the towpath changes sides, it avoids the inevitable hooking round a mushroom vent or chimney.

 

I have never found keeping it on the roof a problem,even when single handing, but we do have wider gunwhales than most modern boats, and the cabin sides have a good tumble home, so acessing it is not really a significant issue. Two ropes in such circumstanmces would be counter productive

Edited January 2, 2012 by David Schweizer

[Mac of Cygnet]

I have two,both with a large loop spliced on the ends the same size as coils .To slip over an arm whilst climbing lock ladders with the windlass in the other hand.And the large loop in a coil to lasso bollards with.

 

At last! You're the first person I've found who has loops in a centre rope, for the reasons you state. I was beginning to think that I was doing something inherently dangerous. (I have two loops in one of my centre ropes).

[dmr]

Why Only Two? THREE is better.

 

2 big'uns, one down each side, and each with a nice big monkeys fist to aid throwing in locks, a third smaller lighter one neatly coiled at the centre of the boat, to be grabbed quickly when needed, such as when steadying the boat in a wide lock in a cross wind whilst waiting for a second boat to enter, and for breasting up to fuel boats etc.

 

........Dave

[bizzard]

At last! You're the first person I've found who has loops in a centre rope, for the reasons you state. I was beginning to think that I was doing something inherently dangerous. (I have two loops in one of my centre ropes).

And as i stated if the end loops are as large as the coils in a ''rope that you heave''and included in it, its dead easy to lassoo a post or bollard.

Edited January 2, 2012 by bizzard

[BlueStringPudding]

Chimney and wind turbine. Much easier with two ropes

[The Pipe]

Chimney and wind turbine. Much easier with two ropes

Better to stow these when boating! They make all sorts of strange noises when you go under bridges.

[luctor et emergo]

You should never have a rope secured to yourself! nor climb a ladder with a windlass in hand!

[blackrose]

Why Only Two? THREE is better.

 

 

Why three? SIX is better, or even EIGHT! In fact I always judge a boat by the amount of centre ropes it has. The more centre ropes the better in my opinion.

[luctor et emergo]

Why three? SIX is better, or even EIGHT! In fact I always judge a boat by the amount of centre ropes it has. The more centre ropes the better in my opinion.

 

And the size... minimal capacity to hold the QEII.

[NbCassie2]

At last! You're the first person I've found who has loops in a centre rope, for the reasons you state. I was beginning to think that I was doing something inherently dangerous. (I have two loops in one of my centre ropes).

 

So I'll be the second person you know with loops in his centre ropes. It seemed a perfectly reasonable thing to do at the time and was also a means of ensuring that my slightly over long ropes were not so long that they could fall off the roof and lead to a visit down the weed hatch!

[Naughty Cal]

Why three? SIX is better, or even EIGHT! In fact I always judge a boat by the amount of centre ropes it has. The more centre ropes the better in my opinion.

 

You wont like ours then. No centre line