How many spare ropes are enough?

[mhinnc]

Up Against The Ropes - They say the first step in overcoming an "addiction" is to admit it. Okay, I'm just about there... maybe. I'm trying to decide if the problem is truly mine, or my wife's. (Maybe I should pause here and mention I've NEVER been able to prove her wrong during our 39 years of marriage.)

See, she believes our 30 footer has an over abundance of ropes stashed in the lazarette. She asked me to count them, but I've not yet had the time. There's a lot of 'em. Different types & lengths. My reply to her latest 'protest' was "Look, dear, how neatly they are coiled and easy to access." She wasn't impressed. I've developed a habit of being overly prepared on safety related equipment on the boat, being that we've only been sailing (coastal - off shore) for two years. I'm not satisfied that's enough time to have formed a satisfactory opinion based on experience. Why, heck, I may not yet have collected enough.

But really, is there a consensus on how many extra lines to keep at hand "just in case"? Type? Length? I suppose time is drawing nigh when I must face the inevitable weaning from this splendid assortment. So, any insight would be most appreciative... I suppose.

[rdempsey]

My boat is 30 ft. Overloaded with too much "but it would be useful someday" stuff.
I am removing almost all things I haven't used in the last year, except for a few engine and pump spare parts I know I will use.
Boat is 2" higher in water so far !


K.I.S.S !

[siamese]

Your wife is right. And, you know it.

[Sun and Moon]

Your question is really just a reformulated version of the age old question "How much does a boat cost?" However many spare lines you have is enough, unless you are fortunate enough to find more, and then you will have enough.

[Island Time O25]

My experience so far is that whenever I try to lighten the load by taking items off the boat the next week or two I happen to need that particular item. But at least I'm not in the middle of nowhere and bringing the item back on the boat is just an hour's trip each way.

[ElGatoGordo]

I'm surprised (and pleased :-) ) no one said "Ropes????? We say LINES!!!"

And to your point, there's always too many and never enough. I CANNOT bring myself to toss a useable length of line, and what constitutes "useable" is questionable! I do manage to keep most of it off the boat and in the shop though. I keep an extra halyard, a LONG tow line, and random lashings/soft shackles onboard. I'm more disiplined in my old age ;-)

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by mhinnc

But really, is there a consensus on how many extra lines to keep at hand "just in case"? Type? Length? I suppose time is drawing nigh when I must face the inevitable weaning from this splendid assortment. So, any insight would be most appreciative... I suppose.

None. They're just clutter. Well, maybe some shorter pieces for lashing stuff or for replacing fender tethers.

I carry six carefully chosen mooring lines, a 125' rode for a stern anchor that I never use, and a 60' heaving/swim line that all can be repurposed. Plus the rig, including some relatively unimportant pieces like the control lines for the jib cars.

I have thought about adding a couple longer pieces of Dyneema for shore ties and towing but haven't done it.


I inspect running rigging and all other lines and cordage regularly and replace it when suspect. I watch out for chafe. Lines in good condition don't just fail out of nowhere.

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by ElGatoGordo

I'm surprised (and pleased :-) ) no one said "Ropes????? We say LINES!!!"

And to your point, there's always too many and never enough. I CANNOT bring myself to toss a useable length of line, and what constitutes "useable" is questionable! I do manage to keep most of it off the boat and in the shop though. I keep an extra halyard, a LONG tow line, and random lashings/soft shackles onboard. I'm more disiplined in my old age ;-)

"Ropes" is correct. Rope is the raw material lines are made from. Until it is put to use and has a purpose, it is rope.

[landsend]

You never have enough lines on board! Especially when its time to tie down for nasty storms.
And you have to tie down your absent neighbors boat .

[deblen]

My wife thinks the same. I have come to the realization that my packrat mentality has protected her from the horrible experience of needing ,because I could always retrieve something from my stores to cover the situation.
She never experienced Murphy's Law-"The next thing you need will be the last item you just threw out"
So go ahead-live dangerously-let her pick a couple of pieces of rope to throw out. See what happens.That will teach her!
Futhermore,what else is a lazarette good for? Cheers/Len

[Ded reckoner]

If the spare rope is in poor condition, then get rid of it. If the rope is in serviceable condition, then consider keeping it.

I think if you are bay sailing, then you don't need many spare lines. Perhaps a bridle for towing. If you are coastal hopping, you probably need a few more. Maybe a spare snubber line if the one in use chafes, a spare dock line replacing one that has chafed, or rope rode for a stern anchor. Fewer spares are needed in your storage because a chandlery is close by. If you're going offshore, you need everything imaginable so you can be independent for the passage you contemplate. This would include, additionally, spare sheets for ones that have chafed, spare sheets for the different sails you expect to use, replacing halyards that fail (as just happened to a companion boat underway with us now), or smaller diameter line for tie-downs. You might want some dyneema line as a spare for a shroud. It is possible your destination won't have a chandlery so you will need to have everything necessary.

What else is your lazarette storing? Is there a shortage of storage space?

[David Mathis]

You haven’t won an argument in 30 years? Google “always right syndrome”. We jest about it, but it’s real. People with this issue have to be right, it’s an obsession. Logic and facts to counter their position is futile, they have to be right. They will often needlessly counter your position just to create conflict which they will win. After 30 years, accept it, you’ve tolerated it this long.

[JBP]

I have 6 dock lines in use at my home marina, bow, stern, and spring. Doubled up because it is pretty exposed and I've had lines chafe through when I wasn't there. When I go out, I usually leave them at the dock. So I also carry 4 bow/stern length lines which I pre-rig when visiting a strange marina since I don't know which side I'll need (and I'm single handed). I carry 2 spring line lengths (a little longer than one boat length) and 2 long lines (2x boat length-ish). Last year I was in a bad storm in a strange marina and used every one.

So that's 14 dock lines, plus a spare halyard plus a spool of light stuff for flags, clothes line, what not.

6 fenders each with a line attached. 2 fender boards each with 2 lines.

A bag of sail ties and short stuff.

Whoo boy. I bet there's more.

[Kd9truck]

Originally Posted by landsend

You never have enough lines on board! Especially when its time to tie down for nasty storms.
And you have to tie down your absent neighbors boat .

100% in this camp, I have every system in mesh bags. My boom preventers are in a bag, my dock lines are ganged together marked with their lengths, Jack line in a dry bag, extra line like back up halyards lay on the bottom with tags for the back-up purpose.
Also my vessel is light so extra ballist (when balanced) never hurts.
Cheers

[Kettlewell]

If you have the space keep the rope! Endlessly useful, and I have never regretted having extra ropes of all sorts, sizes, and lengths. If I was on a small cat where weight was a concern I might think differently. Having said that, as a general rule of thumb you will find that 100% of the time the rope or thing you need will be on the bottom of the pile. Just last summer we found someone's dinghy drifting and I needed a line to tie it up when we brought it back to a dock that I would never see again--no problem and no worries from my bottomless stash of miscellaneous rope.