Life Ring Repair

[sbu22]

The poly rope grabs (?) have disintegrated. The ring is still ace condition. The ring has attachment holes. I can't tell how the manufacturer tied the rope to the ring.

1) any suggestions on a good knot/knots to make the attachment?

2) thinking of using single or double braid line rather than replacing the poly it came with - thoughts?

Appreciate the help.

 

[OldDan1943]

I feel your pain. I have a mid size life ring with the poly rope rotted away.
In my case, the rope was secured to the life ring via nylon webbing.

 

[Sea Word]

I am shocked by how expensive these things are! So, I can understand why you want it repaired!

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. 22. Can't help with the marlin spike seamanship but I would suggest you use floating rope (poly) to replace what is there. It may be a USCG requirement.

 

[LaBomba]

Greetings,
Mr. 22. Can't help with the marlin spike seamanship but I would suggest you use floating rope (poly) to replace what is there. It may be a USCG requirement.

I agree RT, I replaced the rope in mine with poly. Took some time but couldn't see throwing it out.

 

[sbu22]

You guys are right - min 3/8 dia, bouyant, 1350 # rated. Note: no need to do annual pull test if black or UV resistant coating. Oh, yeah, and becket attachments. Sheesh!

I still may use non-poly and take my chances with the Coasties.

Had a very brief talk with the rigger at the yard next door. He started rattling off hitches and bends I'd never heard of, using his hands to illustrate. Not useful.

No luck finding a YouTube to instruct. My old one is so frizzed I can't figure out the knots. Maybe a trip to West tomorrow, camera in hand....

Talked

 

[OldDan1943]

You guys are right - min 3/8 dia, bouyant, 1350 # rated. Note: no need to do annual pull test if black or UV resistant coating. Oh, yeah, and becket attachments. Sheesh!

I still may use non-poly and take my chances with the Coasties.

Had a very brief talk with the rigger at the yard next door. He started rattling off hitches and bends I'd never heard of, using his hands to illustrate. Not useful.

No luck finding a YouTube to instruct. My old one is so frizzed I can't figure out the knots. Maybe a trip to West tomorrow, camera in hand....

Talked

Why not let the rigger put new line in, as you watch.

 

[sbu22]

That's plan B, Dan

 

[GFC]

I'd suggest you use hollow polypropelene rope and just weave it together as you see fit. Just get a fid that fits the new rope you're going to use and zip it together.
That project shouldn't take more than 30 minutes and the line shouldn't cost more than a couple of bucks plus a couple of bucks for the fid.


Cheapskate GFC!

 

[HopCar]

I think the end of the line is passed through the hole and then the weave of the hollow braid polypropylene is opened enough to pass the end of the line through the weave creating a loop at each hole.

That looks like a very good ring, might be Solas approved. Certainly worth keeping. You might want to replace the reflective tape while you’re at it.

 

[Xsbank]

Why not cut off the old stuff and attach a heaving line? Or just tie a knot?

 

[Sea Word]

Greetings,
Mr. 22. Can't help with the marlin spike seamanship but I would suggest you use floating rope (poly) to replace what is there. It may be a USCG requirement.

I don’t think floating or not would matter one bit for the intended purpose, and if the coasties are giving grief about it better to be that than something else because they clearly will be issuing over something that day!

 

[kapnd]

The life ring is a required piece of safety equipment onboard.
Alterations are not a good idea, if you can’t just replace it, try to match original as closely as possible.
Liability issues could rear their ugly heads if the equipment were to fail in use.

 

[sbu22]

kapnd - I'm not worried about "liability" issues - if somebody goes overboard from my boat and drowns, I'm sure that the ambulance chasers will have a list of "issues" as long as your arm, probably starting with Viking's engineering design basis for rail stanchion placement.

I've owned a company that deals in technical "high risk" (so the insurance weenies tell me) for 40 years. If I did everything my attorney told me to do to avoid the potential for liability, I wouldn't be in business nor would my competitors.

The regulatory issue seems to be the "bouyant" part. Not sure I see the distinct advantage to that versus the fact that all the poly line I've seen starts disintegrating the moment the Gulf UV hits it. I doubt that the grab line floating 2" beyond the circumference of the float makes a functional difference to the victim.

 

[kapnd]

That’s absolutely your call.
Keeping the life ring in the shade helps, the yellow poly rope suffers in the sun.
It’s possible that some kind of sunscreen product might help too?
You are correct about the function of that silly line around the float, it hampers heaving the thing too, and if you are trying to deploy it in a big hurry, Mr Murphy says it would get hung up firmly on the nearest cleat, fishing rod or deck chair!

 

[dhays]

I think a floating line would be better for the intended purpose. Poly line disintegrates quickly in the sun. Another option would be use use something like Sampson float line. It floats, is easy on the hand, and is UV resistant.

 

[Sea Word]

If a rope is only 10” long I fail to see the relevance of it floating or not. They use poly at the factory because it’s cheap, and will wear out in a time span that’s “more than a few years, but less than forever”. That’s important if your business is selling life rings.

 

[dhays]

If a rope is only 10” long I fail to see the relevance of it floating or not. They use poly at the factory because it’s cheap, and will wear out in a time span that’s “more than a few years, but less than forever”. That’s important if your business is selling life rings.

I think (but I could be wrong) that the reason for floating line is that it makes the rope easier to grab when the ring is floating in the water.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. dh. That's what I was thinking as well. Poly for it's ability to float and not because it's cheaper. I would not be at all surprised if there was actually a written law describing the exact make up of USCG approved life ring ropes.

 

[sbu22]

You're right RT. The first sentence of my post 6 above is out of the regs.

Did a field test this morning with with a piermate's 2-3 year old ring to see how the bouyant line part worked. The floating line, on the two quadrants where it floated free of the ring added maybe 3" to the radius of the ring on the first try. Second time, 3 out of 4 floated free. The other quadrant lines floated under the ring, adding no additional radius. Then, when retrieving with a boat hook, the poly line parted under the weight of the ring.

The marlinspike approach sounds good - you guys make it sound easy, but I have zero experience and currently am short of spare time - think the rigger gets it.

dhays - I checked out Samson - they don't look like they're set up for a 12' order of 3/8
- very interesting industrial grade material.

Thanks to all.

 

[RT Firefly]

Sorry Mr. 22. Missed that...

 

[dhays]

dhays - I checked out Samson - they don't look like they're set up for a 12' order of 3/8
- very interesting industrial grade material.

Yeah, I did buy a 600’ spool and used 400’ as a stern line for a shore tie. Not that you necessarily want it (great stuff though) but I think Defender will sell in lengths.

https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=1811519

 

[sbu22]

You're right - sold by the foot by Defender. Not very expensive (~ $0.50/ft). If the timing were better, I'd probably do that. I suspect that line would work better than the cheapo stuff in my unscientififc field test.

 

[rgano]

I would select the rope of choice, either floating or not, although I agree with floating, in a triple twisted form. Then you only need to cut four lengths and make an eye splice at each end of each length after running it through the holes in you ring. Be sure and add a length of floating retrieving line to your rig. You can see my retrieving line coiled into the center of my ring at lower right corner.

 

[jjorgenson3]

We had the same problem. Line and rigger was less than $20 and it’s like new.

 

[Comodave]

Can’t tell from the photo but is the CG certification readable? If you can’t read the CG certification numbers it isn’t legal anyway. You have to be able to show that it meets the requirements in order for it to be legal. Same with wearable PFDs, if the CG certification numbers are worn off they are no longer legal even if they are in otherwise good condition.

 

[capn_billl]

I just had the same problem, 10ft of quality Marine rope UV stabilized I bought a a sail shop, and Doubled half knots, (called a sheet bend, or square knot), and it's good as new.

 

[sbu22]

Thanks, folks. Wound up having the rigger do it similar to what capn bill suggested.