ROPE KNOW-HOW

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

ROPE CARE

Whatever a particular rope's durability and resistance to the elements may be, the line won't last long at all if it's abused . . . and proper care begins with putting it away after each use.

Ropes-whether they are synthetic or natural-should always be coiled up and hung in a dry place for storage. Of course, when a line is brand-new, you'll find that it won't stay in a neat coil. One way to convince an "unruly" rope to cooperate is to coil it once or twice in a left-hand direction (for hawserlaid ropes) and then coil it in a clockwise fashion (If, however, you invest in a braided rope, you'll find it easiest to coil it in a figure-eight pattern.)

One should never leave frayed ends on a good piece of rope . . . once the line has begun to unravel, that "unwound" portion will have to be discarded! Natural fiber ropes should be whipped (a method of (continued from preceding page) binding the line's tips) with either a good synthetic whipping twine or a natural fiber such as waxed linen. There are a number of different ways to whip a rope's end (which are detailed in the books recommended at the conclusion of this article), but "common" and "sailor's" whipping (shown in the photos) are two of the more popular approaches.

Another way to prevent unwinding in a natural fiber rope is to back-splice it (again, see the accompanying photos). Back splicing, however, can be used only when the rope will not have to pass through a restriction-such as a pulley block-since the splice increases the end's diameter significantly.

Synthetic lines are generally protected from unraveling by either melting the fibers in their tips or by applying a length of shrink tubing to their ends. (Alternatively, it's possible to apply whipping to the ends of synthetic rope, just as you would when dealing with natural fibers.) Whichever method you choose, it's particularly important that the binding be secure .... since synthetics seem to be more inclined to unravel than are the natural ropes.

Finally, you should know that some lines are more resistant to certain environmental conditions and uses than others. The accompanying chart sets forth the basic considerations, but manufacturers' specifications should also be looked over carefully. For example, most polypropylene and polyethylene ropes can't be used where they'll regularly be subject to direct sunlight, but some factories do apply ultraviolet inhibitors to such lines, eliminating or alleviating that problem.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print