I have a small cruiser with a number of lines led to the cockpit, and I
am thinking of marking them (color coding) to help in identifying the
lines when under sail. Has anyone marked or color-coded their lines, and
if so, what kind of paint or dye would be recommended. I'm considering
using cans of paint spray to mark portions of the lines. - Obviously, I
don't want to damage the lines, and I would like to use something that
would stand up to heat, moisture, etc., over time.

Jim Cate

On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 18:07:38 -0500, something compelled Jim Cate
, to say:

Has anyone marked or color-coded their lines,

Yes.

and
if so, what kind of paint or dye would be recommended.

I used different colored lines. I guess if I didn't want to
replace all of my lines just to have them be differently colored
from each other, I'd whip the ends with thread.

On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 18:07:38 -0500, Jim Cate wrote:


I have a small cruiser with a number of lines led to the cockpit, and I
am thinking of marking them (color coding) to help in identifying the
lines when under sail. Has anyone marked or color-coded their lines, and
if so, what kind of paint or dye would be recommended. I'm considering
using cans of paint spray to mark portions of the lines. - Obviously, I
don't want to damage the lines, and I would like to use something that
would stand up to heat, moisture, etc., over time.

Jim Cate

I think that if you paint the lines with anything, they will become
very stiff, and unpleasant to handle. If you really feel you need to
colour-code your lines, you should replace them with pre-coloured
line, which should be readily available at most marine stores.




--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI
peterbb4 (at) interchange.ubc.ca
new newsgroup users info : http://vancouver-webpages.com/nnq
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca

I do exactly that, for exactly the same reason. Sheets are always black,
reefing lines are blue (1st reef) and red (2nd reef). Topping lifts are
white, jib halyard is red (roller furler, usually don't need to raise or
lower) and main halyard is green. My mizzen halyard is white, but it's not
likely to get confused with anything else, and so are my mizzen staysail
halyards. Same for my drifter halyard -- I have to go forward for it anyway,
so no there's no need to colour code it. But I wouldn't ever try to dye or
paint the lines -- I just buy coloured line in bulk. You can get an amazing
variety of line colours these days.

--
Karin Conover-Lewis
Fair and Balanced since 1959
klc dot lewis at centurytel dot net


"Jim Cate" wrote in message
...

I have a small cruiser with a number of lines led to the cockpit, and I
am thinking of marking them (color coding) to help in identifying the
lines when under sail. Has anyone marked or color-coded their lines, and
if so, what kind of paint or dye would be recommended. I'm considering
using cans of paint spray to mark portions of the lines. - Obviously, I
don't want to damage the lines, and I would like to use something that
would stand up to heat, moisture, etc., over time.

Jim Cate

Peter Bennett wrote:
On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 18:07:38 -0500, Jim Cate wrote:


I have a small cruiser with a number of lines led to the cockpit, and I
am thinking of marking them (color coding) to help in identifying the
lines when under sail. Has anyone marked or color-coded their lines, and
if so, what kind of paint or dye would be recommended. I'm considering
using cans of paint spray to mark portions of the lines. - Obviously, I
don't want to damage the lines, and I would like to use something that
would stand up to heat, moisture, etc., over time.

Jim Cate


I think that if you paint the lines with anything, they will become
very stiff, and unpleasant to handle. If you really feel you need to
colour-code your lines, you should replace them with pre-coloured
line, which should be readily available at most marine stores.

What about patterns made with permanent Magic Marker pens? Incidentally,
the interest in color coding isn't so much to identify the lines, but
to permit convenient checks on how much line has been let out. For
example, how deep the dagger board has been extended, or how much to
drop the main halyard for first, second, or third reefing points, or how
much anchor line has been let out.

Jim

Jim

On Tricia Jean,
All lines dealing with the jib are some variant of red, staysail lines
are blue and main lines are green.

Halyards are solid color, sheets are white with the appropriate colored
flecks. Topping lift is a different stripped pattern. All rope
clutches are labeled. Reefing lines are on the boom, #1 is green & #2
is red (#3 - white - is not normally rigged). Main halyard is marked at
all 3 reefing positions.

Jim Cate wrote:


Peter Bennett wrote:

On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 18:07:38 -0500, Jim Cate wrote:


I have a small cruiser with a number of lines led to the cockpit, and
I am thinking of marking them (color coding) to help in identifying
the lines when under sail. Has anyone marked or color-coded their
lines, and if so, what kind of paint or dye would be recommended. I'm
considering using cans of paint spray to mark portions of the lines.
- Obviously, I don't want to damage the lines, and I would like to
use something that would stand up to heat, moisture, etc., over time.

Jim Cate



I think that if you paint the lines with anything, they will become
very stiff, and unpleasant to handle. If you really feel you need to
colour-code your lines, you should replace them with pre-coloured
line, which should be readily available at most marine stores.

What about patterns made with permanent Magic Marker pens? Incidentally,
the interest in color coding isn't so much to identify the lines, but
to permit convenient checks on how much line has been let out. For
example, how deep the dagger board has been extended, or how much to
drop the main halyard for first, second, or third reefing points, or how
much anchor line has been let out.

Jim

Jim


--
Dan Best - (707) 431-1662, Healdsburg, CA 95448
B-2/75 1977-1979
Tayana 37 #192, "Tricia Jean"
http://rangerbest.home.comcast.net/TriciaJean.JPG

you people are easily confused. do you wear a green mitten on your right hand
and red mitten on your left hand?

other way around, jax.


"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...
you people are easily confused. do you wear a green mitten on your right
hand
and red mitten on your left hand?

For once JAX is correct. Port (left) has the red light and starboard
(right) has the green light. Your rear has the white light.
krj

Scott Vernon wrote:
other way around, jax.


"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...

you people are easily confused. do you wear a green mitten on your right

hand

and red mitten on your left hand?

Jim. As an experiment, on my anchor rode I marked 25' intervals by spray
painting different colors. It's held up for 5 years now. I tried tape, but
it didn't last long . For halyard and centerboard marks , I use rigging
tape (white) and black or red tape. For 3 strand dock lines I 'tuck in' a
bit of colored yarn where the line meets the toe rail. I bought new sheets
this year so went with red for the main and blue for the jib.


--
Scott Vernon
Plowville PA __/)__/)__


"Jim Cate" wrote in message
...


Peter Bennett wrote:
On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 18:07:38 -0500, Jim Cate wrote:


I have a small cruiser with a number of lines led to the cockpit, and I
am thinking of marking them (color coding) to help in identifying the
lines when under sail. Has anyone marked or color-coded their lines, and
if so, what kind of paint or dye would be recommended. I'm considering
using cans of paint spray to mark portions of the lines. - Obviously, I
don't want to damage the lines, and I would like to use something that
would stand up to heat, moisture, etc., over time.

Jim Cate


I think that if you paint the lines with anything, they will become
very stiff, and unpleasant to handle. If you really feel you need to
colour-code your lines, you should replace them with pre-coloured
line, which should be readily available at most marine stores.

What about patterns made with permanent Magic Marker pens? Incidentally,
the interest in color coding isn't so much to identify the lines, but
to permit convenient checks on how much line has been let out. For
example, how deep the dagger board has been extended, or how much to
drop the main halyard for first, second, or third reefing points, or how
much anchor line has been let out.

Jim

Jim