Octoplait / Anchorplait - stiff after being loaded?

[keithw88]

Dear All,
I have recently discarded some Octoplait as it was stiff and somewaht difficult to handle. However, I have another as yet unused 80ms on board (20mm) - from the previous owner.
I have been told that Octoplait does harden all too easily when it is put under a serious load. I do not know what load or other conditions the discarded length was put under, but apart from being stiff it was also a bit yellowed; I do not know if this discolouration was from UV or use/oil contamination, nor whether this is at all significant
Does anyone have knowledge as to what causes this stiffening problem in Octoplait (or Anchorplait which I think is a similar 8-strand rope)?
Does this mean I should buy three-strand nylon rope for the time I am going to face 50 knots or so at anchor?

[Stumble]

The only time I have seen it harden was as a result of a hurricane. The internal fibers eventually melted from the strain and other portions of the rope actually broke from the melting. But three strand isn't the answer, it will do the same thing in those conditions. The only solution I know of is to not get hit by a hurricane.

[UNCIVILIZED]

What size, & displacement is the boat? And do you have a few pics of the line?

[keithw88]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

What size, & displacement is the boat? And do you have a few pics of the line?

My question is about general experience with these 8-strand lines; I would like to know whether just general use/UV can cause this issue, or use in an oily harbour, or use towards the limit of the line and if so if only after some long time (such as a good number of hours at anchor in heavy conditions), or can someone suggest a different cause?

In my own case, my line is 20mm Octoplait and my boat displaces 20 tons lightship, so 23 or a bit more tons in cruising mode. But as I do not know the circumstances under which the line was used, I am interested in any other occurrences of Octoplait becoming stiff before I use the rest of what is on board (or jettison it!).

Is this a general problem, ladies and gentlemen?

[fallingeggs]

Originally Posted by Stumble

The only time I have seen it harden was as a result of a hurricane. The internal fibers eventually melted from the strain and other portions of the rope actually broke from the melting. But three strand isn't the answer, it will do the same thing in those conditions. The only solution I know of is to not get hit by a hurricane.

I'd say this is the answer. Anchor rode doesn't last for forever. After a big blow and/or years of use, it should be replaced. This is the same with all types of rope and doesn't make three-strand better.

I'm sticking with my octo.

[zeehag]

ok i was hit by patricia head on beam to winds. i used 8 plait and 3 strand and yacht braid lines. all of which are just fine and still excellent.
we busted loose a cleat from dock, but my lines are still perfect.; o rinse my lines with fresh water after each salt water use. salt in lines makes the lines not last any reasonable length of time.
jerking and tugging shorten life of lines. avoid htose motions with the securing of
boat to dock.
if this is an anchoring thing--rinse the lines with fresh water after each use.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by zeehag

ok i was hit by patricia head on beam to winds. i used 8 plait and 3 strand and yacht braid lines. all of which are just fine and still excellent.
we busted loose a cleat from dock, but my lines are still perfect.; o rinse my lines with fresh water after each salt water use. salt in lines makes the lines not last any reasonable length of time.
jerking and tugging shorten life of lines. avoid htose motions with the securing of
boat to dock.
if this is an anchoring thing--rinse the lines with fresh water after each use.

Zee, where the hell do you get all that fresh water, rinsing after each usage? To really get all the salt out of a line, just spraying off won't do much... a long soak is required to get it out of the core strands. For anyone using rope anchor rode, that would be a big ask! Bad enough for just 10 meters of snubber.

IMO, anything that is supposedly "marine quality" should not require fresh water rinsing on a regular basis. A pet peeve with foul wx gear that says to do so after each exposure to salt water (as Ann's new gill gear does) WTF??

On the other hand, I must agree that after extraordinary exposure to stress, as in cyclone anchoring, etc, replacement is likely a good idea!

Jim

[zeehag]

in summer i use marinas..rain is fresh water
in winter i donot use thos elines. i did use a 3 strand for anchor chain snubbing--and in patricia as well--still same as was..no changes.
most of my lines began their lives in san diego before i eft for cruising--used as anchor lines, very very rarely as dock lines--i stayed on moorings in sd.
therefor after each use i fresh rinsed em. all my lines get fresh rinses after use.
i LOVE tropics. even my sheets for genoa are rinsed after a good dunking. i have received water from over 54 named events while in barra alone-20 storms x3 yrs, including those out to hawaii makes at least 54 that poured their lovely waters onto my body and my boat. yes the events skimming coast leave water on top of us--cosme was 660 miles across and 200 miles off beach. most canes here overlap the coast by about 100+ miles. except direct hits. we do get many here.
there is no rain in winter. extremely rare and usually only in el nino winters. this i sla nina--we have had one 4 inch(between drops) rain . we should be done with it until may-july. rain season here in mazatlan is july -dec.
barra rain season is may-dec.

anne--i think the longevity of my lines is helped by th e rinsing--you gotta know i aint too lazy to disallow momma nature from working on that rinse--it just works out that way. my lines are no less than 10 yrs of age, and still perfect. in use and fine. not even a creaking sound from em.
oops i did replace spinnaker halyard when it popped due to slapping on mast..oops.... took off some paint as well..... they (all m y lines except the spinny halyard)all came with this boat or my ericson.