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Joe
 
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Default Seamanship Question #9

Walt wrote in message ...
Bart Senior wrote:

How do you coil left-hand rope? [1 pt]


Where do you *find* left-hand rope?

It's the stuff of myth as far as I'm concerned, although if I ever run
across it I know to coil it counter-clockwise.


If your looking at your local boat store most likely you will never
see it.

You need to get into some heavy long tows to need a right laid rope.
Twisted hawsers were often made of 4 strands of right laid rope, laid
left, or given a left handed twist, this was sometimes called
cable-laid. More strands are sometimes used as in a sampson braid. The
stressing of a normal right laid right twist rope twisting and
un-twisting underload can cause them to weaken and give your tow a
chugging feeling. A left laid right twist hauser prevents springing
and friction wear. Usually start seeing left laid rope in the 5" or
bigger sizes.

Joe