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/B00YX15RIW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=AVOENDIPLBD69&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?

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?

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.

Think of any price difference as the cost of insurance for a good nights sleep, for a decade.

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...

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.....

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 ?

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

HiDHo said:

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.

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.

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.

Sea Word said:

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.

jleonard said:

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.

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 ?

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.

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.

HiDHo said:

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.

I have always held with the definition of when a rope goes aboard a vessel it becomes a line.

Comodave said:

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...

Nomad Willy said:

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"?

Al,
Of course you're right. It dosn't matter.
But of course correctness is golden.

The stuff on the big spools in my store was rope. It said so on the spool.
The stuff in boxes and bags that had been spliced was line, dock or anchor. Again it said so on the package.

Mischief Managed said:

Not if it's a rode, sheet, or a halyard...

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[emoji106]

Lol very interesting. I like the history and traditions of boat lore. I’ll pick and chose the ones I feel are important, and line vs rope, might not be one of them. But one thing that bugs me is when a boat has a male name. That’s one that I won’t abide by!

OT: One of my other hobbies is paragliding, and a paraglider has many very specific and important lines. Well, all of them are important, but the mfg buys the material in bulk on spools. But it’s still called line? It’s tiny rope but to call it rope seems odd to me.

Sea Word,
Others have called my boat’s name not acceptable.
She became Willy because of evolution .. like everything else.
We were shopping for boats and almost constantly talking about them. Obviously started talking about “Willy” re the Willard in the lineup. After we bought the Willard we talked about giving “her” a proper name for some time but in the end we learned the name Willy had stuck.
There was an article in PMM about a 30’ Willard crossing over to the Bahamas and you’ll never guess her name. Willie .. we named our Willy before learning about “Willie”. Maybe they felt Willie was a girls name.
I’ve seen other male named boats but I agree w you it’s not proper.

Yes, and it’s perfectly fine if it happens organically I’d argue. Or if it’s somehow ambiguous. But my good friend here where I live owns and lives on a 100 yr old ocean tug boat, a black and gray steel monstrosity that is 140’ long and it’s named BOB. that’s short for Big Ole Boat. Now, I get the sentiment, but I just can’t stand that it’s named BOB! But, she’s not my craft.
Now here’s another superstition that I do respect, and that’s renaming boats. I tried to do it ONCE. The boat I purchased was named “tip money” and while that was and is a terrible name, the choice to rename it ultimately resulted in the engine overheating and dramatically blowing up while underway. So, luckily my new boat has already been named SARAH TOO. And while I would have probably named it something else, Sarah too is fine by me and that’s what she will remain!

<...no male boat names?>

Really?! Eisenhower is named for Mamie? How about Bob Homme Richard?

Exactly...........

rope or line? depends on who I'm talking to. Saying "line" to some folks that have been on my boat would be like speaking french to them. So to those folks, its "hand me that rope".

as for quality of line/rope. I'm just not that concerned with it. I use plenty of line for securing the boat and if a line gets funky looking it goes away. I'm just not that picky on which brand I start with.

psneeld said:

Exactly...........

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Graf Spee...:lol: