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04-12-2019, 01:00 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
City: Pnw
Vessel Name: SARAH TOO
Vessel Model: 40’ beer can
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 178
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Ropes for dopes
So from previous research I learned that imported and domestic “nylon” lines can be any number of compositions having less than 100% nylon, and even some where spools are filled with flaws or are even multiple pieces adding up to X length on the spool. So, without basing quality on the most expensive material I can find, what are people using for nylon twisted lines? I see on amazon they offer Sea Strand brand at a good price, claiming to be nylon but is it quality?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...DIPLBD69&psc=1
It seems to fit the right weight and includes some engineering data that makes it seem legit. $.40/ft is a lot better than what New England ropes wants for 5/8”.
I want this for anchor and mooring lines.
Or maybe there is something better nowadays like spectra?
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04-12-2019, 01:34 AM
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#2
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Moderator Emeritus
City: Au Gres, MI
Vessel Name: Black Dog
Vessel Model: Formula 41PC
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 21,129
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In my opinion New England Rope is the best with Sampson second. The rest is worth what you pay for it. It won’t last as long so in the end which is the better value?
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04-12-2019, 02:44 AM
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#3
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Guru
City: Miami Florida
Vessel Name: Possum
Vessel Model: Ellis 28
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 5,299
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Often the difference between quality nylon rope and lower priced rope is that quality rope is pre-shrunk. Poor quality nylon rope feels very soft and nice in your hand. Good quality rope will feel firm and resist unlaying. The soft rope will chafe much easier. Buy New England or Sampson. It’s worth the difference.
Oddly enough the cheap soft rope usually ends up harder and less flexible than the quality rope that starts out harder.
__________________
Parks Masterson
Retired from Hopkins-Carter Marine Supply
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04-12-2019, 05:46 AM
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#4
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Guru
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 22,553
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Think of any price difference as the cost of insurance for a good nights sleep, for a decade.
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04-12-2019, 05:49 AM
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#5
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Guru
City: Hampton Beach, NH
Vessel Name: Mischief Managed II
Vessel Model: 1992 Tollycraft 44 CPMY
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 675
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New England Ropes is worth the extra cost, IMO. It's far superior. I have some cheap "nylon" rope that I use for fenders and stuff and when I heat cut it, it smells nothing like New England Ropes nylon. Guessing it's not even nylon...
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04-12-2019, 06:19 AM
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#6
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,119
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I tend to think the other way.
Things that wear or chafe, if you buy premium, it may still be one worthless because of a single, short lived moment.
99.5% of the time your lines are being used at a tiny fraction of their strength, and not being handled.
While I do notice a difference in lines, I haven't seen much difference in performance and I have used a lot of lines in my last 15 years of commercial work.
Usually failure or severe damage comes from extreme situations, not day to day docking. so being prepared for those extremes is more important no matter the lines.
When I say no matter the lines, I mean the list of normal brand names you see when buying anything marine. Bulk rope in strands I am less inclined to say all of it is suitable and certainly the cheap, spooled stuff you see in hardware stores you might want to test some first.
How many times have we all seen boats tied with tiny, who knows what line bobbing next to the rest of us like no big deal....until a storm, etc.....
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04-12-2019, 07:47 AM
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#7
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Guru
City: Beverly Hills
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,371
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I have three strand dock lines that where on the boat when we bought it twelve years ago that we really like. They are very old but still soft and easy to handle and cleat. I have no idea the brand name but would definitely replace them with the same type if available.
These lines are nylon and might be 15-20 years old has anyone used this type line ?
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04-12-2019, 08:00 AM
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#8
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Guru
City: Brookline, NH
Vessel Name: Shalloway
Vessel Model: Defever 44, twin Perkins
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,259
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I won't skimp on ropes. I don't know and considering the variability of quality these days I can't trust unknown brands. I just bought 300' of 5/8 NE Rope for use with a secondary anchor. I'll never regret spending the money on quality rope.
Ken
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04-12-2019, 08:00 AM
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#9
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Guru
City: Brookline, NH
Vessel Name: Shalloway
Vessel Model: Defever 44, twin Perkins
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,259
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HiDHo
I have three strand dock lines that where on the boat when we bought it twelve years ago that we really like. They are very old but still soft and easy to handle and cleat. I have no idea the brand name but would definitely replace them with the same type if available.
These lines are nylon and might be 15-20 years old has anyone used this type line ?
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It might be dacron which was a thing for a while.
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04-12-2019, 09:23 AM
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#10
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Moderator Emeritus
City: Au Gres, MI
Vessel Name: Black Dog
Vessel Model: Formula 41PC
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 21,129
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Years ago when Powerboat Reports was still around they did a test on line. One of the tests was for abrasion. They ran a line over a hacksaw blade with a sawsall and counted number of times the line went over it and measured % of line lost to abrasion. New England rope puts some type of coating on the line that reduces abrasion loss and PBR found that to be true. NER outperformed all of the others by far.
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04-12-2019, 09:30 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
City: Pnw
Vessel Name: SARAH TOO
Vessel Model: 40’ beer can
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 178
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Awesome responses thanks. I’m cheap by nature, but I’m also willing to pay for quality when warranted. Wether this is one of those times I am not sure yet. It might be a combination, with a few high quality ropes that sit in a locker and some lesser stuff that I use daily. Here in my waters we don’t get storms really, a wind of 25 gusting 35 is about the most we ever see.
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04-12-2019, 09:46 AM
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#12
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Guru
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 5,034
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sea Word
Here in my waters we don’t get storms really, a wind of 25 gusting 35 is about the most we ever see.
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Until it's more.
I buy most of my supplies at Defender, and I see they sell Samson and New England, so I'm sure I have some of each.
Any lines that look "suspect" I remove them from the boat and use them at home. Not that I really know they are bad, but I want lines I can trust on my boat. It's not uncommon to have tx storms with 75 mph gusts come out of nowhere.
Just like ground tackle, I want good stuff holding me in the slip.
__________________
Jay Leonard
Ex boats: 1983 40 Albin trunk cabin, 1978 Mainship 34 Model 1
New Port Richey, Fl
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04-12-2019, 09:50 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
City: Pnw
Vessel Name: SARAH TOO
Vessel Model: 40’ beer can
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 178
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jleonard
Until it's more.
I buy most of my supplies at Defender, and I see they sell Samson and New England, so I'm sure I have some of each.
Any lines that look "suspect" I remove them from the boat and use them at home. Not that I really know they are bad, but I want lines I can trust on my boat. It's not uncommon to have tx storms with 75 mph gusts come out of nowhere.
Just like ground tackle, I want good stuff holding me in the slip.
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I believe you that it’s not uncommon there, but here, it is extremely uncommon, like never. Our weather is brutally mild in all respects. But that doesn’t mean cheap rope that shreds in a year is ultimately saving money or peace of mind.
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04-12-2019, 10:01 AM
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#14
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Guru
City: Concrete Washington State
Vessel Name: Willy
Vessel Model: Willard Nomad 30'
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 18,738
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FYI,
Once rope is purchased and put on a boat and assigned or put to a job like being a mooring line it becomes a line. Mooring lines, anchor lines ect. Not mooring ropes or anchor ropes.
Stowed on a boat rope is just rope.
But I don’t know if it’s proper to call rope in the store line. I’d guess not but ?
__________________
Eric
North Western Washington State USA
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04-12-2019, 10:24 AM
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#15
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Guru
City: Beverly Hills
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,371
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Tradition: Rope is called Line when taken aboard a vessel. Dock Lines, Anchor Lines, Fender Lines, etc. Sailing vessel give rope a name, main halyard, sheets, etc.
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04-12-2019, 11:00 AM
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#16
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Guru
City: Concrete Washington State
Vessel Name: Willy
Vessel Model: Willard Nomad 30'
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 18,738
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Thanks HiDHo,
It’s kinda like engines and motors.
Few really care so it’s basically fly sh#t.
So I added the FYI to the post.
__________________
Eric
North Western Washington State USA
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04-12-2019, 12:24 PM
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#17
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Guru
City: Tacoma, WA & Ashland, OR
Vessel Name: boatless, ex: Seeadler
Vessel Model: RAWSON 41
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,217
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HiDHo
Tradition: Rope is called Line when taken aboard a vessel. Dock Lines, Anchor Lines, Fender Lines, etc. Sailing vessel give rope a name, main halyard, sheets, etc.
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Well, tradition like beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I was taught by my Dad that rope is rope until it is assigned a purpose, I e. rode, dock line, Halyard, etc. His experience was all in "power". Mostly destroyers and one Essex class carrier.
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04-12-2019, 12:41 PM
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#18
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Moderator Emeritus
City: Au Gres, MI
Vessel Name: Black Dog
Vessel Model: Formula 41PC
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 21,129
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I have always held with the definition of when a rope goes aboard a vessel it becomes a line.
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04-12-2019, 12:48 PM
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#19
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Guru
City: Hampton Beach, NH
Vessel Name: Mischief Managed II
Vessel Model: 1992 Tollycraft 44 CPMY
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 675
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Comodave
I have always held with the definition of when a rope goes aboard a vessel it becomes a line.
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Not if it's a rode, sheet, or a halyard...
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04-12-2019, 01:24 PM
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#20
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TF Site Team
City: California Delta
Vessel Name: FlyWright
Vessel Model: 1977 Marshall Californian 34 LRC
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 13,728
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nomad Willy
FYI,
Once rope is purchased and put on a boat and assigned or put to a job like being a mooring line it becomes a line. Mooring lines, anchor lines ect. Not mooring ropes or anchor ropes.
Stowed on a boat rope is just rope.
But I don’t know if it’s proper to call rope in the store line. I’d guess not but ?
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Does it really matter? Maybe we should we rename this thread "Lines for Swines"?
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