Missing Link

[stillbuilding]

Originally Posted by colemj

Two concerns come to mind: 1) you will be either going without windlass, or kludging some type of one together. 2) it floats. This can be taken care of someway, I guess, but many are the times when the wind dies and we are floating around directly above our anchor - I would hate to get all that floating rode wrapped in my prop or rudder, or those of another boat.

Mark

Floating would be my concern also. Cut by others' props, caught around hull appendages has to be a consideration. May be useful in deep water in isolated anchorages, but then never know what is on the bottom hey.


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[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by stillbuilding

Many windlasses have a capstan for rode so that makes it more acceptable for those so-equipped boats.


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Yes, but this stuff is real slick isn't it?
Floating issue could be dealt with with a weight, or at most a couple of weights, wouldn't have to be that heavy I don't think.


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[Paul L]

Originally Posted by stillbuilding

Many windlasses have a capstan for rode so that makes it more acceptable for those so-equipped boats.


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I think to do this right, you'd need to have a spool to take up the line. Like the commercial boats use when they put down wire instead of chain. The anti-chafe jacket that is on the tow line that I posted a pic of is not that slick. The company makes up a lot of custom lines like the pictured tow rope for the marine applications, the Navy, etc. The owner was a Bering Sea fisherman. They sell some massively strong snatchblocks that are inexpensive -- but too big for most yachts.

[Delancey]

Little bump for an old thread. Anybody have a testing rig who would be willing to try and break some samples?

[Seymore]

I think that HMPE (high molecular weight polyethylene) would have poor resistance to deterioration from sunlight. I've found the cheap polyethylene sure does.

[colemj]

Are you sure you aren't thinking of polypropylene?

Mark

[hpeer]

HDPE is used as telephone cable jackets, lasts forever. I believe HMPE is also used in some cable. The addition of black color, to stop the penetration of sunlight, may be at stops the deterioration. So white or light color HDPE or HMPE would degrade faster.

But, in general I think these ropes are "sunlight stable."

[Delancey]

I just wanted to add that the knotless line connector works as advertised as far as being stupid simple to use and it does not slip.

I just don't have any way to measure at what load the line breaks so me breaking stuff is kinda meaningless, hence the request.