Rigging Tape

[smurphny]

Has anyone else had problems with white so-called "rigging tape" unravelling? I'm ready to throw the damned stuff overboard and just use white electrical tape from now on. It's no big deal when the stuff decides to unravel from something you can easily reach but when it uncoils itself from spreader boots or something up high, it's a real PITA.

[GordMay]

The last lap, or lap & a half, of any tape, should be wrapped without ANY stretch at all.

[jkleins]

I have had problems with it but I didn't use Gord's technique. I found that Rescue Tape comes in a 2" wide, thicker size in white and sticks well and seems to be doing a lot better. You do stretch that as it sticks to itself better when stretched a bit. It was a lot cheaper then the good 3M stuff in the marine store but not sure how it will hold up.

Jim

[Cheechako]

Done properly, the common stretch to stick electrical tape becomes a homogenious chunk of rubber. Its thicker and avail at least to 3" wide also. Caveat:ive never used it for rigging... Just electrical. Dont use common electrical tape, gets sticky and a mess in the sun.

[GordMay]

Taping Tips:

When wrapping with any of the non-adhesive (self-fusing, amalgamating, vulcanizing) conformable rubber tapes, it may help to apply with the outside in. The inside (tacky) side of the tape is turned to lay on the outside of the wrap, keeping the roll closer to the work.

Electrical & Rigging tapes are generally applied under in successive “half laps”, and under tension, so that the tape elongates (stretches) to the point where it’s width is about ½ to 3/4 of it’s initial dimension - then completed with a final lap (or 2) which is not stretched at all. This prevents “flagging” (winding back on itself). Rubber tapes are often over-coated with a protective layer of regular vinyl tape.

This tensioning technique is not always suitable for co-axial cables, especially foam cores, which have little compressive strength. The tension can cause dielectric breakdown of the cable.

When taping vertically, the final (top) layer should start at the bottom and tape uphill, creating a rain-shedding lapstrake (shingle lap) effect.

When taping screwed component co-ax connectors, tape in the direction (clockwise seen from cable end) of tightening the threaded joint.

[Cheechako]

The ones im using are sticky both sides....?

[smurphny]

Originally Posted by GordMay

The last lap, or lap & a half, of any tape, should be wrapped without ANY stretch at all.

I've tried that. There doesn't seem to be any way to make sure it will stay put. On the spreader boots, you can't wrap it too hard anyway because the wire needs to be able to move through it when tightened. I wonder if there is something that would assure a bond. Maybe hitting it with a little acetone on the last couple of wraps?? As Cheechako mentioned, electrical tape does make a sticky mess (and unravels after a while as well) so the theory behind the rigging tape is good. Just have to find a better way to apply it. What would work really well if it was made in white would be electrical rubber tape. It never seems to fail to bond into a solid mass after a while but I don't think it would hold up in the sun.

[IceMan]

I had to remove the old white rigging tape on my shrouds also. It was old, torn, yellowing and was filling up with dirt and dust. It was eliminating the oxygen getting to the stainless and it was starting to rust. So I hauled my butt up the mast and removed the tape cleaned the turnbuckles, threads etc. Then I got the largest of those coloured foam floatie noodles that the kids use in the swimming pool. I cut off the proper length, split it down the middle and slipped it around the turn buckles. Then get the real large zip ties, sharpen the end with a knife or wire cutters then poke it through the foam like sewing stitches. Oxygen gets to the stainless and it keeps the turnbuckles from tearing up your sails. It doesn't get messy or sticky or any such things like that. They'll last for a for a couple of years easily and come in colours to match your boat.
WD

[Ziggy]

I put a couple wraps of white electrical tape on top of rigging tape. Doesn't leave a sticky mess and keeps the rigging tape from unwrapping.

[David M]

I like the self-annealing tape.

Gord, I'm surprised you missed this fourth term for the same tape. That is so not Gord-like of you.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by David M

I like the self-annealing tape.
Gord, I'm surprised you missed this fourth term for the same tape. That is so not Gord-like of you.

Originally Posted by GordMay

Taping Tips:
When wrapping with any of the non-adhesive conformable 1(self-fusing 2, amalgamating 3, vulcanizing 4) conformable rubber tapes, ...

I think "self annealing" would be the 5TH term, were it applicable.