Lines - To replace, or not to replace?

[buzzstar]

Originally Posted by Lepke

Synthetic lines have a lube internally that is there to prevent wear as the lines stretch and retract. Washing, soaking in various chemistry removes the lube and greatly shortens the life. Do it with old lines near their end.

Lepke- Does this include plain water, sea, fresh, or tap? Mostly, I wonder about tap water because of the added substances to keep it fresh, and in some places, fluorides. As to sea wand plain fresh water, I'd be surprised since this is the environment I'd think they were intended to operate.

Such a beautiful day here, I'd rather be sailing, but family obligations sometimes prevail.

[KP44]

I would NEVER use bleach. I think it will be bad for the line.

Put the lines into a mesh bag and use a washing machine with gentle laundry soap. If any line ends are frayed, use a hot knife or hot line cutter and dress the ends before washing.

[Bleemus]

No bleach. Fabric softener.

[GrowleyMonster]

No bleach! I have washed running rigging, to my great satisfaction, with a little liquid tide in a bucket or washtub. I just step on them with rubber boots on, like mashing grapes for wine lol. When I get tired, they are done. Rinse and hang. They always come out softer and easy to handle. I have used fabric softener and I can't say it has helped or hurt the lines but it is an extra step, so I don't anymore.

Synthetic lines showing no signs of wear or damage are still good, period. There are ships more or less permanently docked on the Mississippi River at or near New Orleans with Samson double braid nylon mooring lines over 20 years old. This, in a stout current with ships passing close by, and usually nested two deep. They only go bad when they get chafed through the cover.

[sazarac]

Originally Posted by TooCoys

As best I can remember, the running rigging on my boat was replaced by a previous owner somewhere between 2010 and 2012. My lines do not appear to be chaffed, or worn, but they are a little stiff and plenty dirty.

I've been trying to decide if I need to replace all the lines now, or if I can squeeze another season out of them.

It was suggested that I take them down and soak them in a diluted bleach solution, followed by a thorough and extensive rinse, and then soaked in some water with fabric softener in them.

My question is, do these lines appear too far gone for you, or can they be saved for one more season?

Take them to a laundromat, put them in a front load machine , a little detergent, cold water. When they come out give them a good stretch while still wet. Air dry, done. Thirty years, same lines. Looking at your lines any special coatings on fibers are gone, go sailing, repeat next year.

[AKA-None]

As mentioned if you're going to use a machine use a front load washer. Personally I used a bucket and soap.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by TooCoys

As best I can remember, the running rigging on my boat was replaced by a previous owner somewhere between 2010 and 2012. My lines do not appear to be chaffed, or worn, but they are a little stiff and plenty dirty.

I've been trying to decide if I need to replace all the lines now, or if I can squeeze another season out of them.

It was suggested that I take them down and soak them in a diluted bleach solution, followed by a thorough and extensive rinse, and then soaked in some water with fabric softener in them.

My question is, do these lines appear too far gone for you, or can they be saved for one more season?

Yes, wash them but skip the beach.

Really, only lines that go through the masthead need to be replaced on a preventative basis. They're the ones that are a real hassle to replace if broken.

[leefromcanada]

I wash my lines once per year in my home machine. no bleach. air dry. the only hassle is pulling the main halyard out of the mast. but a length of electrical wire, electrical tape, and patience, are all that are needed.

[sailcrazy]

We take all our lines that ;live outside (halyards, spring and safety lines tied to the granny rail, dock and mooring lines, etc) and give them a bath each start of the season. We just use a big pail, cold fresh water, and Downey. Let them sit for a day, then agitate by hand, rinse 2-3 times, and hang on the safety rails till dry. It's also a good time ti check each line for wear, frays, etc. We only change lines when we change configuration, get tired of the color...or find a broken cover/fray. Has worked good for us for the last 15 years sailing the tropics.

[sailcrazy]

We wash each of our exposed lines each season.....to include all the halyards, spring and dock lines, mooring lines, and safety lines tied to the granny rail. We use a 4mm rat line tied/taped to each line inside the mast. We take them down and inspect them, put into a bucket of cold fresh water with Downey, and let them soak for a day, then agitate by hand, rinse 2-3 times, and hang to dry by looping on the safety rail. We replace lines if we're tired of the color, find a break in the cover, or fraying. The lines come out clean, relatively soft, and ready for another season. Has worked good for us for the last 15 years in the tropics

[zengirl]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Second the motion for cleaning them, they look dirt-stained. Clean them by soaking with a little laundry detergent and water in a deep bucket. Agitate a little by hand after they've soaked a while (at least 5 min.) Air dry. People get shrinkage in the lines if they wash and dry by machine.

Ann

not putting in washing machine but is the suggestion about fabric softener a good one, in your opinion. I never thought about that and I too have to clean mine. While I'm at it. I highly value your advice, it seems to always be spot on, so thanks!

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by zengirl

not putting in washing machine but is the suggestion about fabric softener a good one, in your opinion. I never thought about that and I too have to clean mine. While I'm at it. I highly value your advice, it seems to always be spot on, so thanks!

zengirl,

Thanks for the kind words. It is easy to make things harder than they have to be. I have only once used fabric softener. It did not seem to do any good, so I didn't do it again, but a good soak with a little laundry detergent, which has brighteners in it, and (chemically, i don't know how it reacts with polyester and nylon, but one washes clothes made from those fabrics with laundry detergent all the time) it seems designed for the job.

The big deal is if you have fancy non-stretching line, then plain fresh water may be the best deal, add no chemicals at all if you don't know what you're dealing with.

Do not worry about stains, purely cosmetic. New line is beautiful (to me), but not essential. It does have to be able to do its job, though, and if it isn't, we change it out. The laundry detergent will loosen dirt, and help remove salt crystals and all will go away with the rinsing.

Ann

[thinwater]

Far more effective than fabric softener is water repellent treatment, such as Polar Pruf. It replaces the lubricants more permanently, quiets rope, and decreases wear. It also reduces water absorption, keeping the ropes lighter.

Use a bucket, recycled the dregs, and it goes a long way.

[kmacdonald]

I put mine in a mesh bag and wash with Tide in the washing machine.

[Foolish]

Your halyards will chafe and tear at very specific wear points; the cleats and turning blocks. So you should cut off your shackles and advance the halyards by 12" or so. This will move all of the wear points on the lines to new places. You don't need to splice in new shackles, just tie them on with a knot. The halyards will last much longer this way.

I always buy my halyards several feet too long, and then cut off the shackles and move the lines every year or two. There is nothing more frustrating than tossing an expensive halyard because of a 1" tear in the cover at some wear point. Mine last for years and years this way.