Quote:
Originally Posted by thinwater
Or is the sound actually coming from within the lines (internal friction)? Very common.
Wash the lines with either fabric softener (cheap) or waterproofing treatment (better). This restores the internal lubrication (spinning lubes) that wash out overtime.
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Ugh, I avoid using fabric softeners when
washing lines like the plague. You
wind up literally
washing the life out of them, sometimes in only a wash or two. Otherwise, there are a number of other rules to the best techniques for line washing, including to do so as little as you can, so that they die from chafe & UV, not
cleaning (washing).
Also, I'd skip welding on the boom as mentioned, since welding generally reduces aluminum's strength by about 50%.
You might try adding leather sleeves to lines that you think are squeeking where they wrap the boom. Or by adding line cover type chafe sleeves, etc. But tight lines squeek less than do ones that are only snug.
And using Spectra pendants where the lines wrap around the boom is likely the wisest idea, as they're easy to replace when chafe takes it's toll on them. Instead of replacing the whole reefing line, for which I favor Spectra anyway. And since Spectra is so slippery, it shouldn't make nearly so much
noise as say Dacron. Though you might also
paint it with
Maxi Jacket II, or RP25 so as to make it slipperier, & more chafe resistant.
It's somewhat similar in composition to the coatings which are on the lines when new. And you can read about such coatings on the cordage manufacturer's websites.