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dock lines - cleaning
What is the best way to clean dock lines (3-strans nylon)??
And how to make them 'softener?? Hanz |
dock lines - cleaning
"Hanz Schmidt" wrote in message ... What is the best way to clean dock lines (3-strans nylon)?? And how to make them 'softener?? Hanz Sounds like a girly man question to me, Hanz. Worrying about soft and pretty dock lines??? My advice. Go sailing and don't worry your pretty little head about them. Sheeesh! -- Gregory Hall |
dock lines - cleaning
On Jul 20, 12:34*pm, Hanz Schmidt wrote:
What is the best way to clean dock lines (3-strans nylon)?? And how to make them 'softener?? Hanz The short answer is DONT...... The correct answer is go to a cordage manufature's web site and read it for yourself. Your line, if of high quality, will have a coating to help reduce water retention... If you clean the line you may risk removing the protective coating. THen the line soaks up water and the breaking strength is reduced significantly. Read the instructions.................. :) But if its cheep ****ty line I recomend a 3000 PSI power washer with the most agresssive detergent.solvent you can find. After spening an hour blowing down the line THEN you can throw it away............... Bob |
dock lines - cleaning
"Hanz Schmidt" wrote in message
... What is the best way to clean dock lines (3-strans nylon)?? And how to make them 'softener?? Hanz Don't bother. You'll just ruin the line. They're not that expensive to replace compared to the cost of damage if one or more breaks. -- "j" ganz @@ www.sailnow.com |
dock lines - cleaning
"Hanz Schmidt" wrote
What is the best way to clean dock lines (3-strans nylon)?? And how to make them 'softener?? If the hardness is due to sun and age, there's nothing to do but replace them. If they're just dirty, a good soak in some mild detergent solution should do the trick. Sodium percarbonate (oxiclean) shouldn't harm the fiber but stay away from chlorine bleach. The warnings to never wash rope are a little over the top in my opinion. Climbers wash theirs, and they have a lot on the line, so to speak. http://www.cmi-gear.com/catalog/ropes/washer.asp http://www.blueridgearboristsupplies...php?itemID=170 |
dock lines - cleaning
On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:42:52 -0700 (PDT), Bob
wrote: On Jul 20, 12:34*pm, Hanz Schmidt wrote: What is the best way to clean dock lines (3-strans nylon)?? And how to make them 'softener?? Hanz The short answer is DONT...... The correct answer is go to a cordage manufature's web site and read it for yourself. Your line, if of high quality, will have a coating to help reduce water retention... If you clean the line you may risk removing the protective coating. THen the line soaks up water and the breaking strength is reduced significantly. Read the instructions.................. :) But if its cheep ****ty line I recomend a 3000 PSI power washer with the most agresssive detergent.solvent you can find. After spening an hour blowing down the line THEN you can throw it away............... Bob Following from: http://www.neropes.com/LineCare.aspx (that is New england Ropes, by the way) Dirt and Cleaning Dirt and salt can cause premature wear. Frequently wash rope and running rigging with fresh water. For a more thorough cleaning, soak your rope in warm water mixed with a mild detergent. Add a small amount of fabric softener to soften the rope. When possible, use a front loading washing machine; otherwise, wash your rope in a mesh bag or pillowcase to avoid tangling. Rinse thoroughly and hang to dry in indirect sunlight. Bruce-in-Bangkok (correct Address is bpaige125atgmaildotcom) |
dock lines - cleaning
wash your rope in a mesh bag
Definitely a good plan. Otherwise you end up with a knot of Gordian proportion. That and the agitator will probably wind the line up tight enough to put way too much stress on the fibers. |
dock lines - cleaning
Bruce in Bangkok wrote in
: When possible, use a front loading washing machine; Yep...brought home the lot and washed in my front loader Frigidaire with the usual cheap detergent. Lines looked new and salt stiffness gone. If you're squeemish about salt water in your $4000 super washer 5000, take them to a laundromat without an attendant that has front loader commercial machines. DO REMEMBER TO TAKE ANY ANCHORS AND HEAVY TACKLE OFF THE LINES! |
dock lines - cleaning
On Mon, 21 Jul 2008 04:41:26 +0000, Larry wrote:
Bruce in Bangkok wrote in : When possible, use a front loading washing machine; Yep...brought home the lot and washed in my front loader Frigidaire with the usual cheap detergent. Lines looked new and salt stiffness gone. If you're squeemish about salt water in your $4000 super washer 5000, take them to a laundromat without an attendant that has front loader commercial machines. DO REMEMBER TO TAKE ANY ANCHORS AND HEAVY TACKLE OFF THE LINES! I recently washed all the lines, except the cable to rope halyards, in the home washing machine, actually I carried them home and my wife washed them as I am not considered sophisticated enough to run the washes and put in all the correct chemicals in the correct holes. But I digress. We washed each line separately and stuffed it into a mesh bag before washing. The same dose of soap and fabric softener was used for each line. Everything went well until we washed the spinnaker halyard, about 90 ft. of 1/2 inch double braid. When that came out of the washer threads from the inner braid were pulled out through the outer braid in small loops about every 3 ft. for nearly the length of the line. The size of the loops were all approximately the same size and were equally spaced along the line. Anybody got any idea what happened? I really don;t ant to be buying a new piece of rope every time I wash it. Bruce-in-Bangkok (correct Address is bpaige125atgmaildotcom) |
dock lines - cleaning
Larry wrote:
Bruce in Bangkok wrote in : When possible, use a front loading washing machine; Yep...brought home the lot and washed in my front loader Frigidaire with the usual cheap detergent. Lines looked new and salt stiffness gone. If you're squeemish about salt water in your $4000 super washer 5000, take them to a laundromat without an attendant that has front loader commercial machines. DO REMEMBER TO TAKE ANY ANCHORS AND HEAVY TACKLE OFF THE LINES! LOL Our anchor is all chain on the primary rode, and we've never used the alternate anchors that we have, so that should be 'like new' Bob brings home the lines when we put the boat up in the winter, and washes them in our washer. We have about 14 docklines that we use on a regular basis plus some that are on the pin rails for use when we go into another marina, so this takes him awhile. He usually dries them on the front porch. |
dock lines - cleaning
On Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:51:43 -0400, Rosalie B.
wrote: Larry wrote: Bruce in Bangkok wrote in m: When possible, use a front loading washing machine; Yep...brought home the lot and washed in my front loader Frigidaire with the usual cheap detergent. Lines looked new and salt stiffness gone. If you're squeemish about salt water in your $4000 super washer 5000, take them to a laundromat without an attendant that has front loader commercial machines. DO REMEMBER TO TAKE ANY ANCHORS AND HEAVY TACKLE OFF THE LINES! LOL Our anchor is all chain on the primary rode, and we've never used the alternate anchors that we have, so that should be 'like new' Bob brings home the lines when we put the boat up in the winter, and washes them in our washer. We have about 14 docklines that we use on a regular basis plus some that are on the pin rails for use when we go into another marina, so this takes him awhile. He usually dries them on the front porch. Tell Bob that my wife washes ours (I'm not allowed to use the washer since I tried degreasing some engine parts in it one day). Regarding anchor chain. I have just spent about a month in the yard. A chap I know came dragging his "new" anchor chain down to his boat. It was all black so I went over to have a look. He paints his entire chain and anchor with coal tar epoxy once a year says it looks like the chain is going to last for ever. He has a workshop here (builds Warram Cats) and has people to paint it for him but I've been mulling the idea over -- my wife paints her fingernails. I wonder whether she'd like black nails? Bruce-in-Bangkok (correct Address is bpaige125atgmaildotcom) |
dock lines - cleaning
On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 22:31:19 -0400, "Bill Kearney"
wrote: hat and the agitator will probably wind the line up tight enough to put way too much stress on the fibers. I think probably the drive belt will slip. If not the motor will overheat, perhaps fatally. I don't think damage to the line is not so likely, not enough power. Casady |
dock lines - cleaning
"Larry" wrote in message ... Bruce in Bangkok wrote in : When possible, use a front loading washing machine; Yep...brought home the lot and washed in my front loader Frigidaire with the usual cheap detergent. Lines looked new and salt stiffness gone. If you're squeemish about salt water in your $4000 super washer 5000, take them to a laundromat without an attendant that has front loader commercial machines. DO REMEMBER TO TAKE ANY ANCHORS AND HEAVY TACKLE OFF THE LINES! I've heard of people putting liquid fabric softner in the rinse for their docklines. Not sure if that was for the braided version. |
dock lines - cleaning
"Rosalie B." wrote in message
... Larry wrote: Bruce in Bangkok wrote in m: When possible, use a front loading washing machine; Yep...brought home the lot and washed in my front loader Frigidaire with the usual cheap detergent. Lines looked new and salt stiffness gone. If you're squeemish about salt water in your $4000 super washer 5000, take them to a laundromat without an attendant that has front loader commercial machines. DO REMEMBER TO TAKE ANY ANCHORS AND HEAVY TACKLE OFF THE LINES! LOL Our anchor is all chain on the primary rode, and we've never used the alternate anchors that we have, so that should be 'like new' In this case, you don't need to remove the anchor before washing the rode. -- "j" ganz @@ www.sailnow.com |
dock lines - cleaning
I think probably the drive belt will slip. If not the motor will
overheat, perhaps fatally. I don't think damage to the line is not so likely, not enough power. Why bother to 'think' about it? Avoid putting the added stress on the fibers within the line. Indeed, there's not enough power in most washers to destroy the line outright. But fray enough of the fibers within the strand and find out later, when it's undoubtedly least convenient. |
dock lines - cleaning
On 2008-07-20 19:08:46 -0400, "Capt. JG" said:
"Hanz Schmidt" wrote in message ... What is the best way to clean dock lines (3-strans nylon)?? And how to make them 'softener?? Hanz Don't bother. You'll just ruin the line. They're not that expensive to replace compared to the cost of damage if one or more breaks. I tend towards this answer for different reasons, though many of the other answers are technically correct. Most don't replace dock lines often enough. A roll of 3-strand isn't that expensive and it's a great time to practice your marlinspike work. (You *do* splice loops in both ends of your "home" lines so your crew simply has to drop the lines on, don't you?) -- Jere Lull Xan-à-Deux -- Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/ Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/ |
dock lines - cleaning
Jere Lull wrote:
On 2008-07-20 19:08:46 -0400, "Capt. JG" said: "Hanz Schmidt" wrote in message ... What is the best way to clean dock lines (3-strans nylon)?? And how to make them 'softener?? Hanz Don't bother. You'll just ruin the line. They're not that expensive to replace compared to the cost of damage if one or more breaks. I tend towards this answer for different reasons, though many of the other answers are technically correct. Most don't replace dock lines often enough. A roll of 3-strand isn't that expensive and it's a great time to practice your marlinspike work. (You *do* splice loops in both ends of your "home" lines so your crew simply has to drop the lines on, don't you?) Bob has the loops on one end. Our home lines (of which there are 14) have the loop end on the dock with chafe protection sewn on at the spot where the line goes through the chocks or hause holes. So when we dome back to the dock, we pick the line up from the piling where it had been looped as we left and bring it aboard and tie it off in the boat. When Bob puts lines out for visiting another marina, he puts the loop end on the boat, runs the line out through the hawse hole, and brings the line back over the life lines so that I can toss the end to a dock person. Or occasionally loop the line around the piling and bring it back aboard so that when we leave, I just have to pull the line off the piling. It has been suggested to him that he needs to give the loop end to the dock person because the dock people often don't tie off correctly, but he has not listened. If you have loops on both ends, how do you adjust the length? When we leave the boat, we leave it adjusted to the middle of the slip (with spring lines) so when we come to get on the boat, we slacken the lines on one side so that the boat can come over to the pier and we can get on. How can you do that with loops on both ends? |
dock lines - cleaning
"Rosalie B." wrote in message
... Jere Lull wrote: On 2008-07-20 19:08:46 -0400, "Capt. JG" said: "Hanz Schmidt" wrote in message ... What is the best way to clean dock lines (3-strans nylon)?? And how to make them 'softener?? Hanz Don't bother. You'll just ruin the line. They're not that expensive to replace compared to the cost of damage if one or more breaks. I tend towards this answer for different reasons, though many of the other answers are technically correct. Most don't replace dock lines often enough. A roll of 3-strand isn't that expensive and it's a great time to practice your marlinspike work. (You *do* splice loops in both ends of your "home" lines so your crew simply has to drop the lines on, don't you?) Bob has the loops on one end. Our home lines (of which there are 14) have the loop end on the dock with chafe protection sewn on at the spot where the line goes through the chocks or hause holes. So when we dome back to the dock, we pick the line up from the piling where it had been looped as we left and bring it aboard and tie it off in the boat. When Bob puts lines out for visiting another marina, he puts the loop end on the boat, runs the line out through the hawse hole, and brings the line back over the life lines so that I can toss the end to a dock person. Or occasionally loop the line around the piling and bring it back aboard so that when we leave, I just have to pull the line off the piling. It has been suggested to him that he needs to give the loop end to the dock person because the dock people often don't tie off correctly, but he has not listened. If you have loops on both ends, how do you adjust the length? When we leave the boat, we leave it adjusted to the middle of the slip (with spring lines) so when we come to get on the boat, we slacken the lines on one side so that the boat can come over to the pier and we can get on. How can you do that with loops on both ends? I have loops on one end only. I leave my dock lines on the dock most of the time and have others I take with me. I don't every rely on someone standing on the dock to "help" docking the boat, no matter what kind of funny hat they're wearing. I had a friend who was teaching not realize one of his students did that... tossed a line to somoene standing on the dock, then the instructor had to abort the landing, and the joker wouldn't let go of the line. He got dragged into the water! He didn't let go until he got pulled quite aways... -- "j" ganz @@ www.sailnow.com |
dock lines - cleaning
On 2008-07-23 09:35:00 -0400, Rosalie B. said:
Jere Lull wrote: (You *do* splice loops in both ends of your "home" lines so your crew simply has to drop the lines on, don't you?) Bob has the loops on one end.snip If you have loops on both ends, how do you adjust the length? When we leave the boat, we leave it adjusted to the middle of the slip (with spring lines) so when we come to get on the boat, we slacken the lines on one side so that the boat can come over to the pier and we can get on. How can you do that with loops on both ends? I carefully set our lines at "home" as loose as I could without allowing the boat to contact any of the pilings or docks, but *lots* of slack so we could drift backwards. Then I powered the boat every which way I could to ensure most unreasonable winds wouldn't blow us into anything. That determined the length of the lines I made up. The "outside" stern line has two loops: one for while we're away, one that allows us to bring the boat to the finger pier. Works great for us. Isabelle proved that I got it almost right. The surge was within inches of needing to cut the shortest line, but we otherwise survived by just moving the lines to the tops of the pilings and pinning them with nails. Come the next storm storm, I flip the boat end-for-end and add the two new lines to the next pilings over for the stern. If *they* need adjusting, boating on the Bay will no longer exist, as Isabelle exceeded the worst surge in 75 years and wasn't far off from destroying everything. Our home lines (of which there are 14) I don't believe I've seen a boat or slip situation that required 14 lines under normal conditions. Six: two bow, two stern, and two spring (to keep the bow off the dock) should be all that's required. NO springs to keep the boat from drifting back, as it just won't move that far. [I do have a short "spring" that I set on the "inside" main winch to give me positive control. That's the first to cut, of course, if the other longer lines are set.] Then again, we're small, our dock lines relatively large, and our slip's relatively wide. -- Jere Lull Xan-à-Deux -- Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/ Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/ |
dock lines - cleaning
On 2008-07-23 09:35:00 -0400, Rosalie B. said:
If you have loops on both ends, how do you adjust the length? Oh, didn't actually say: At "home", we don't adjust them ever. They're set for the life of the line. Our "away" lines at most have one loop since they need adjustment. We use old sheets (no loops) under certain conditions -- they can be thrown quite a distance. Handy when warping raft-mates in. -- Jere Lull Xan-à-Deux -- Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/ Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/ |
dock lines - cleaning
On Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:57:28 GMT, Jere Lull wrote:
On 2008-07-23 09:35:00 -0400, Rosalie B. said: If you have loops on both ends, how do you adjust the length? Oh, didn't actually say: At "home", we don't adjust them ever. They're set for the life of the line. Our "away" lines at most have one loop since they need adjustment. We use old sheets (no loops) under certain conditions -- they can be thrown quite a distance. Handy when warping raft-mates in. If you want to go through the Panama Canal you are required to have four 150 foot lines. Casady |
dock lines - cleaning
I don't do anything special with "home" docklines. Docking and undocking at
home is the practice for being able to handle other situations smoothly. I don't want to make it easier. It's probably a mindset left over from my flying days when you go out and just do take offs and landings over and over without stopping. -- Roger Long |
dock lines - cleaning
Jere Lull wrote:
On 2008-07-23 09:35:00 -0400, Rosalie B. said: Jere Lull wrote: (You *do* splice loops in both ends of your "home" lines so your crew simply has to drop the lines on, don't you?) Bob has the loops on one end.snip If you have loops on both ends, how do you adjust the length? When we leave the boat, we leave it adjusted to the middle of the slip (with spring lines) so when we come to get on the boat, we slacken the lines on one side so that the boat can come over to the pier and we can get on. How can you do that with loops on both ends? I carefully set our lines at "home" as loose as I could without allowing the boat to contact any of the pilings or docks, but *lots* of slack so we could drift backwards. Then I powered the boat every which way I could to ensure most unreasonable winds wouldn't blow us into anything. That determined the length of the lines I made up. The "outside" stern line has two loops: one for while we're away, one that allows us to bring the boat to the finger pier. Works great for us. Isabelle proved that I got it almost right. The surge was within inches of needing to cut the shortest line, but we otherwise survived by just moving the lines to the tops of the pilings and pinning them with nails. This is a picture of our boat at low tide on Friday after Isabelle when through on Thursday. http://home.mindspring.com/~gmbeasle...fterisabel.jpg The water was still up about knee level over the dock. At the height of the storm the water was up to the top of the pilings. (The guy who was in the slip next to us hauled his boat for the storm). In our slip (fixed docks-50 foot slip), we have pilings on each side of the slip, but at the end of the slip there are only cleats on the dock. So in preparation for the storm, we had to run lines across the dock to the other side where there were pilings. Bob didn't want to get his feet wet, but I waded out along the dock to check on things (climbing over other people's lines that they had run similarly), but the boat was so high above the level of the dock that I couldn't get on when I got there. Normally the bow lines would go to the cleats. Come the next storm storm, I flip the boat end-for-end and add the two new lines to the next pilings over for the stern. If *they* need adjusting, boating on the Bay will no longer exist, as Isabelle exceeded the worst surge in 75 years and wasn't far off from destroying everything. Our home lines (of which there are 14) I don't believe I've seen a boat or slip situation that required 14 lines under normal conditions. Six: two bow, two stern, and two spring I don't think we really require that many lines either, but that's what Bob does. I can't find a picture ATM to check (although I can see 6 lines on the picture) but we have four stern lines (one directly to the side of the stern from that side and one that crosses over to the other side), and two long springs on each side, plus one short line in the middle to pull the boat in to the pier so we can get on (after loosening the lines on the other side). Then there are four lines at the bow. But I can't remember what the other line is. (to keep the bow off the dock) should be all that's required. NO springs to keep the boat from drifting back, as it just won't move that far. [I do have a short "spring" that I set on the "inside" main winch to give me positive control. That's the first to cut, of course, if the other longer lines are set.] Then again, we're small, our dock lines relatively large, and our slip's relatively wide. We have a nice slip and what is particularly nice is that we are on the inside of a T so that the dock actually goes all the way back to the gate and I don't have to climb off the bow to get to the finger pier. Bob keeps the boat well back in the slip so as not to have the anchor overhang the dock in the front. We come and go to the dock without help - just the two of us because we carefully hang the lines up on the pilings as we leave. [Bob is an ex-aviator too, but he has to deal with amateurs - i.e. me - in the docking and so he DOES want to make it easier.] I do require help at other marinas, because I am absolutely terrible at throwing lines, and I've only ever managed to lasso a piling ONCE in 10 years. I also do NOT jump. If anyone goes from the boat to the dock, it is Bob and coming in to a strange marina dock, we need him at the helm. We've had some interesting experiences where the dockmasters aren't really that aware. We were coming into the Isle of Palms marina once and they told us to put the boat in between two little sailboats on the face dock. Bob lined us up, stopped the boat, and the wind blew us sideways banging into the dock with considerable force, fortunately right in the middle of the available space. But the most egregious example of this was in Southport. They have a long face dock and put transients inside and outside on the face dock. There are slips sticking out into the basin from one end of the face dock, and two sections in the basin and one section at the far end of the face dock. The marina is on the site of an old menhaden factory. There is a grass lump where the boats used to unload. That dock doesn't go out as far in that area. They wanted us to come in and tie port side to, which necessitated getting into the dock with the port side next to the inside which should have been easy. Unfortunately the boat only backs to starboard (unless you want to back to the starboard) and the wind was carrying us away from the dock so the first pass didn't work. As we tried to turn to make another pass, the current caught us and carried us sideways down the fairway. As Bob tried to regain control without running aground on the grass lump or hitting anyone else's boat, the dock master and other boaters ran up and down the piers trying to decide where we'd end up. Eventually at the end of the dock, the cross dock lessened the current, and Bob was able to back all the way back up to the entrance and make a better approach. The dockmaster's comment was - I guess I forgot to mention that we have current. |
dock lines - cleaning
On 2008-07-24 09:16:22 -0400, Rosalie B. said:
This is a picture of our boat at low tide on Friday after Isabelle when through on Thursday. http://home.mindspring.com/~gmbeasley/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/raafterisabel.jpg The water was still up about knee level over the dock. At the height of the storm the water was up to the top of the pilings. (The guy who was in the slip next to us hauled his boat for the storm). In our slip (fixed docks-50 foot slip), we have pilings on each side of the slip, but at the end of the slip there are only cleats on the dock. So in preparation for the storm, we had to run lines across the dock to the other side where there were pilings. Sounds and looks good, except I suggest you move the lines on the pilings up to the top and "pin" them with nails bent down over them to keep them from slipping up (too easily). That forward breast line looks like it would have been pulling down pretty hard at high tide. Someone on our dock took a pic at high tide: No docks, pilings or visible lines; just two rows of boats lined up on the water; only a few tree tops visible on the breakwaters between them and the Bay looking towards Baltimore. Very strange picture, as I recall. -- Jere Lull Xan-à-Deux -- Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/ Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/ |
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