Cutting Line Into Smaller Sections

[cal40john]

My moorage is also on a lake in a protected place, so getting the tie up exactly right isn't required. On the other hand a friend just bought a boat to go cruising. The boat was in Ensenada while he finished getting his life unbound. Apparently the breakwater isn't so good there and someone walks the dock tying broken dock lines back together. Proper shock absorbing nylon dock lines aren't being used there for their snob appeal.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by GaryMayo

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The line is poly. I am not a rope snob. Lol.
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The information you present is vauable and the polypropylene line may be well suited for your application; however, those that recognize and require the qualities of three-strand nylon are not rope snobs either. Those that are subject to a large fetch, wakes, tropical storms, etc. need to hear the negative qualities of the polypropylene that will not absorb the shock loads in their situations.

[HopCar]

At 44 cents per foot 3300 pound polypro isn't much of a bargain. You can buy high quality 3/8" twisted nylon for about fifty cents per foot, it's about the same strength, it's less than half the size, it's a lot nicer to handle and it will last longer in the sun.

Polypro is available in many colors. Darker is better at standing up to UV. White breaks down the fastest.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by HopCar

At 44 cents per foot 3300 pound polypro isn't much of a bargain. You can buy high quality 3/8" twisted nylon for about fifty cents per foot, it's about the same strength, it's less than half the size, it's a lot nicer to handle and it will last longer in the sun.

Polypro is available in many colors. Darker is better at standing up to UV. White breaks down the fastest.

Bingo.

And with proper chafe protection, on that boat and in that location, the 3/8-inch nylon would last 15 years (had a boat that size with that set-up on saltwater for 15 years).

Polypro is for waterski lines and floating Lifesling lines.

[Blue Crab]

Capt Mayo, with your last name I am willing to take your word on mayo not needing refrigeration. When it comes to docklines, not so much. These guys aren't rope snobs, they're experienced sailors.

[s/vPainkiller]

I don't know about all lakes, but I kept a boat on Lake Murray in SC for many years. I've seen tropical storm force winds here during winter and spring storms. I wouldn't use polypro for dock lines here either.

Scott

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Capt Mayo, with your last name I am willing to take your word on mayo not needing refrigeration. When it comes to docklines, not so much. These guys aren't rope snobs, they're experienced sailors.

My Miracle Whip is in the fridge. Somethings taste better cold.

[zeehag]

clipper marine is a light weight boat, and poly lne will work for a season, out of sunshine--keep a good eye on it--but i think you will find , as all good scots do, that the expense of the rope initially with 3 strand nylon, is well worth it as the other line will not last more than one season, and nylon lasts many many years. is your math... have fun!! i use poly for snubber bridle and emergency uses where in i need a floaty line.(dinghy, people, critters, kayak...other lite use work...)

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by Stumble

The first one is discoloration, followed by fraying, broken strands, white flecks, embrittlement, and strength loss. Poly has its uses, but use as a dock line really isn't one of them.

Thanks for the warning signs. None of them are present that I have observed. At the point where the dock line goes around the dock cleat I notice the line turning dark.

Someone give me a web address of dock lines I should be using. Not opposed to upgrades.

[colemj]

The Atwood polypropylene bridle rope is actually very good stuff. It is not what you are thinking about when you think of polypro rope - it is very UV resistant, has a good hand and is pretty strong.

We use this in 1/2" black as our dinghy painter and it has been in use for the past 6 years - 4 of them in the tropics - with no sign of UV damage at all. The black color is probably the best in this regard.

For a dinghy painter, this stuff is the best - it floats and it is strong. I hate when people tie up to our boat using sinking line and later find it going down the side, over the bottom and around the rudder taking off bottom paint as the dinghy pulls.

However, I would not use it as a dock line. There is no stretch, it snags readily (like all multiplate line), melts quickly under high load on small radius (like around a cleat during a strong pull) and has a tendency to work itself loose on cleats without some care in tying.

I guess if you are in a inland lake with no tides and little swell or fetch it may indeed work well, but I personally would not use it for that application otherwise.

I do wish everyone used it as a dinghy painter. At least everyone who visits our boat in their dinghy.

Mark

[colemj]

Originally Posted by zeehag

i use poly for snubber bridle

By snubber bridle, do you mean the length of rope you connect to your anchor chain to remove the load off the windlass?

If so, that is the most inappropriate use for polypropylene line I can imagine.

If not, then it may be fine and you can just ignore the above.

Mark

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by colemj

.................that is the most inappropriate use for polypropylene line I can imagine................Mark

I agree, but Zeehag usually knows proper line application. Maybe she uses the polypropylene to attach one of thse large black rubber snubbers. What's the plan, Zeehag?

[SailFastTri]

I left a 3/8" polypropylene ski tow line on my dinghy for two years at 40-degrees north. Was able to break it pulling by hand. UV damage.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by SailFastTri

I left a 3/8" polypropylene ski tow line on my dinghy for two years at 40-degrees north. Was able to break it pulling by hand. UV damage.

Yes, ski tow line is awful, and a completely different beast than the Atwood polypropylene bridle line (except for the basic polypropylene part).

Product Info | Atwood Rope MFG

Like I said, ours is 6yr old with 4yrs in the tropics with no problems. This line is very UV resistance - unlike most polypropylene line.

To the OP: the breaking strength is not a good datum to use. Better is the working load, which is ~200lbs for this line - not very high for dock line use.

Mark

[Sailmonkey]

I use almost exactally the same thing for our dinghy painter (braided polypro from home depot) black in color. It floats, has no shock adsorbing qualities, welds itself together on tight, highly loaded turns........

it works for the dinghy, but again, where I dock I would never tie up the boat with it. In fact next to us is a catalina 22 tied up with polypro. I check his dock lines more often than I check mine.