Cordage - 3 strand vs Braided Dock Lines
 

Tim wrote:

HK wrote:


Tim, braided line has a nice "hand" to it, but when it snags on
something, it can tear out a little, and the deterioration continues
until you have a bit of a mess. I keep two sets of dock lines aboard,
one set twist, one set braided, and use the line appropriate to the dock.

Used to carry an anchor with braided line in Florida. It's much easier
on the hands when pulling up the line, but the rough shell bottoms
ripped it to shreds in short order. When I bought son of Yo Ho, the
dealer tossed in a kit that included a Danforth-style anchor and 200' of
3/8" line. I replaced that line with 1/2" twist because it is easier on
the hands (the palms, mainly) than 3/8". Now, the 3/8" is attached to my
back-up anchor.

Well, I'm a trailer boater so I don't really have much need for the
finest of dock lines. But even when temporarily looping to a dock, I
use ski line and that's about it. But I do have a braided tow line
kept up in the bow. The tow line is much more flexable, and easy ont
he hands.

When I had my 27' Chris Craft, though. it was moored on the lake for a
summer. I used braided for it. I will agree that braided is more
tender and if you snag it on something it can pull and tear, but the
docks were new and in great shape then, with nothing to snag of any
signifigance. So, I would suppose it is to each their own.

6 one way and half a dozen the other.


Well, it isn't as if I go out and buy dock lines. All the ones I have
now I spliced up from anchor lines I have owned and destroyed over the
years. My braided dock lines are the "remains" of a 1/2" braided anchor
line from my last Sea Pro, which I brought here from Florida. The only
braided non-fishing line I have bought recently was for the fender-bumpers.

I'm working on splicing up a towline from another leftover anchor line.
Never know when you might come across a *decent* fellow "rec.boater" out
on the Bay whose ETEC has crapped out and who needs a tow. :-)

Cordage - 3 strand vs Braided Dock Lines
 

Tim wrote:

wrote:
Braid has a nicer "hand" but I like 3 lay because I know how to splice
it. You can splice eyes in braid but it is a lot harder to do and I am
lazy. ;-)

I really don't have a problem with splicing either one. Of course my
ways may be crued but efficient. Tie on the eye or clasp. make a
couple loose knots taking the remainder of the line and threading it
though the knots. Pull tight, then wrap the knots in duct tape.

simple!

?;^ )


Ahhh...the famous "Southern splice." Where did you learn it?

Cordage - 3 strand vs Braided Dock Lines
 

Cordage - 3 strand vs Braided Dock Lines
 

On Feb 16, 1:02*pm, HK wrote:
Tim wrote:

wrote:
Braid has a nicer "hand" but I like 3 lay because I know how to splice
it. You can splice eyes in braid but it is a lot harder to do and I am
lazy. *;-)

I really don't have a problem with splicing either one. Of course my
ways may be crued but efficient. *Tie on the eye or clasp. make a
couple loose knots taking the remainder of the line and threading it
though the knots. Pull tight, *then wrap the knots in duct tape.

simple!

?;^ )

Ahhh...the famous "Southern splice." Where did you learn it?

Well, around here it's pretty popular, especially with the jon boat
crowd.

Cordage - 3 strand vs Braided Dock Lines
 

Tim wrote:
On Feb 16, 1:02 pm, HK wrote:
Tim wrote:

wrote:
Braid has a nicer "hand" but I like 3 lay because I know how to splice
it. You can splice eyes in braid but it is a lot harder to do and I am
lazy. ;-)
I really don't have a problem with splicing either one. Of course my
ways may be crued but efficient. Tie on the eye or clasp. make a
couple loose knots taking the remainder of the line and threading it
though the knots. Pull tight, then wrap the knots in duct tape.
simple!
?;^ )
Ahhh...the famous "Southern splice." Where did you learn it?

Well, around here it's pretty popular, especially with the jon boat
crowd.


To be a regulation Southern Splice, you have to use yellow waterski line.

Cordage - 3 strand vs Braided Dock Lines
 

JimH wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...
Tim, braided line has a nice "hand" to it, but when it snags on something,
it can tear out a little, and the deterioration continues until you have a
bit of a mess. I keep two sets of dock lines aboard, one set twist, one
set braided, and use the line appropriate to the dock.

Used to carry an anchor with braided line in Florida. It's much easier on
the hands when pulling up the line, but the rough shell bottoms ripped it
to shreds in short order. When I bought son of Yo Ho, the dealer tossed in
a kit that included a Danforth-style anchor and 200' of 3/8" line. I
replaced that line with 1/2" twist because it is easier on the hands (the
palms, mainly) than 3/8". Now, the 3/8" is attached to my back-up anchor.


3 strand twisted is best for anchor lines. We are talking about dock lines.




Braided is easy on the hands. When you fish the ICW in NE Florida, you
move around alot from spot to spot, and might drop and raise your anchor
50 times in a day. That's why I used braided.

Cordage - 3 strand vs Braided Dock Lines
 

JimH wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...
JimH wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...
Tim, braided line has a nice "hand" to it, but when it snags on
something, it can tear out a little, and the deterioration continues
until you have a bit of a mess. I keep two sets of dock lines aboard,
one set twist, one set braided, and use the line appropriate to the
dock.

Used to carry an anchor with braided line in Florida. It's much easier
on the hands when pulling up the line, but the rough shell bottoms
ripped it to shreds in short order. When I bought son of Yo Ho, the
dealer tossed in a kit that included a Danforth-style anchor and 200' of
3/8" line. I replaced that line with 1/2" twist because it is easier on
the hands (the palms, mainly) than 3/8". Now, the 3/8" is attached to my
back-up anchor.

3 strand twisted is best for anchor lines. We are talking about dock
lines.

Braided is easy on the hands. When you fish the ICW in NE Florida, you
move around alot from spot to spot, and might drop and raise your anchor
50 times in a day. That's why I used braided.

Gotcha!

In that case you need to get a windlass for that new boat of yours. It will
save your hands and your back. ;-)



I've got a bow roller, which works fine, and an anchor buoy and line rig
to raise it when it gets stuck. It's a fairly light anchor and doesn't
require much to raise it. Besides, in the course of a day's fishing
around here, I don't lower and raise the anchor all that much. I prefer
just drift fishing or sight fishing, which doesn't require anchoring.

I have been working on some lightweight trolling rigs, though, just to
see if I can make it a bit more interesting for me.

Cordage - 3 strand vs Braided Dock Lines
 

On Sat, 16 Feb 2008 17:28:13 -0500, HK wrote:

JimH wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...
Tim, braided line has a nice "hand" to it, but when it snags on something,
it can tear out a little, and the deterioration continues until you have a
bit of a mess. I keep two sets of dock lines aboard, one set twist, one
set braided, and use the line appropriate to the dock.

Used to carry an anchor with braided line in Florida. It's much easier on
the hands when pulling up the line, but the rough shell bottoms ripped it
to shreds in short order. When I bought son of Yo Ho, the dealer tossed in
a kit that included a Danforth-style anchor and 200' of 3/8" line. I
replaced that line with 1/2" twist because it is easier on the hands (the
palms, mainly) than 3/8". Now, the 3/8" is attached to my back-up anchor.


3 strand twisted is best for anchor lines. We are talking about dock lines.




Braided is easy on the hands. When you fish the ICW in NE Florida, you
move around alot from spot to spot, and might drop and raise your anchor
50 times in a day. That's why I used braided.

Let's see...eight hours on the water, 50 dropping and raising, that means
you're moving about every 9.6 minutes or so.

That's some fast fishing!
--
John H

Cordage - 3 strand vs Braided Dock Lines
 

On Sat, 16 Feb 2008 17:47:42 -0500, HK wrote:

JimH wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...
JimH wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...
Tim, braided line has a nice "hand" to it, but when it snags on
something, it can tear out a little, and the deterioration continues
until you have a bit of a mess. I keep two sets of dock lines aboard,
one set twist, one set braided, and use the line appropriate to the
dock.

Used to carry an anchor with braided line in Florida. It's much easier
on the hands when pulling up the line, but the rough shell bottoms
ripped it to shreds in short order. When I bought son of Yo Ho, the
dealer tossed in a kit that included a Danforth-style anchor and 200' of
3/8" line. I replaced that line with 1/2" twist because it is easier on
the hands (the palms, mainly) than 3/8". Now, the 3/8" is attached to my
back-up anchor.

3 strand twisted is best for anchor lines. We are talking about dock
lines.

Braided is easy on the hands. When you fish the ICW in NE Florida, you
move around alot from spot to spot, and might drop and raise your anchor
50 times in a day. That's why I used braided.

Gotcha!

In that case you need to get a windlass for that new boat of yours. It will
save your hands and your back. ;-)



I've got a bow roller, which works fine, and an anchor buoy and line rig
to raise it when it gets stuck. It's a fairly light anchor and doesn't
require much to raise it. Besides, in the course of a day's fishing
around here, I don't lower and raise the anchor all that much. I prefer
just drift fishing or sight fishing, which doesn't require anchoring.

I have been working on some lightweight trolling rigs, though, just to
see if I can make it a bit more interesting for me.

Go out with Wayne. You'll learn all you need to know about lightweight
trolling rigs. And you'll feel right at home on his Parker.
--
John H

Cordage - 3 strand vs Braided Dock Lines
 

"Reginald P. Smithers III" wrote
In the past I have always used 3 stranded dock lines.
Is there any advantage to paying the extra price for braided lines?

I'm sticking with 3-strand nylon. It's more elastic than braided rope, and
for dock lines that's a definite advantage. Being easier on the wallet, it's
likely to be replaced more regularly, which is another good thing in a dock
line. It's true braid is easier on the hands, but I don't handle my mooring
lines enough for that to be an issue.