Being safe around ropes

[Jdege]

When I was taking riding lessons as a kid, the instructors made a strict point about always holding a lead in such a way that you'd not be trapped if the horse bolted.

Years later I received similar advice in dog training classes. Of course my dog only weighed 18 pounds, but some had dogs big enough to be dangerous.

I've heard similar advice in sailing classes regarding how to hold a winch handle, but I don't think I've heard anyone say anything about the various ropes and lines that clutter a boat.

But it is something we should be aware of, and should point out to every passenger.

Dancer's hand ripped clean off in freak boating accident

[Matt Johnson]

It's a common racing requirement to lead the rope from a winch pinky first (holding the rope overhand). If you're going to lose a finger, don't let it be you thumb.

Matt

[Hoosierdoc]

Yeah, watch out for the pinch points. I nearly got nipped when I failed a turn on a winch and tried again while the sheet was starting to take load.

And what’s a rope?

[Mirage35]

Yup, the instructor on the last sailing course I took was very particular about that. I do it the right way when I think about it.

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by AnglaisInHull

I do it the right way when I think about it.

Same here. Repetition would make it more natural, but I just fall back into the "normal" approach as soon as I stop focusing on it (or if nobody is looking).

It's a lot like my golf swing; I know what my body is suppose to be doing, and I can accomplish it for a few holes, but then I fall back it my natural feel and endup with a high score

Matt

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Hoosierdoc

Yeah, watch out for the pinch points. I nearly got nipped when I failed a turn on a winch and tried again while the sheet was starting to take load.

And what’s a rope?

A generic term for the various lines on a boat. As in "learn the ropes"

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by StuM

A generic term for the various lines on a boat. As in "learn the ropes"

No...
"a rope is what you hang yourself with
Line is the generic term on a sailboat for any spare cordage without a specific use.. as in
Sheet, Halyard, Topping lift etc.
They become Breast Lines, Spring Lines, furling Lines, securing Lines,..... but Never Ever Ropes!"

Sorry Stu, I was just possessed by my long dead English Sailing Instructor [emoji33] [emoji1]

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

No...
"a rope is what you hang yourself with
Line is the generic term on a sailboat for any spare cordage without a specific use.. as in
Sheet, Halyard, Topping lift etc.
They become Breast Lines, Spring Lines, furling Lines, securing Lines,..... but Never Ever Ropes!"

Sorry Stu, I was just possessed by my long dead English Sailing Instructor [emoji33] [emoji1]

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one.
To me a line (singular) is any cordage with a specific purpose. A rope is cordage without a specific purpose.


Here's one RYA Training Centre that agrees with me.Sailing Lines - Think You Know The Ropes? - Grenada Bluewater Sailing

Let us explain… on board a sailing yacht, rope is the term used to describe the material used to make the lines. If a length of rope has a set purpose, for example adjusting the sails, it is called a line. Each separate line will have its own special name to describe the job it does.

Also:
Historically, when referring to all the lines on a ship, the generic term was "ropes". As in earlier times when seamen's discharge papers were endorsed with "knows the ropes". Hence the modern idioms.


Ships have "rope lockers" not "line lockers"

[jmorrison146]

Once it crosses the brow onto the ship, it becomes a line. At least that's how I was raised.

[Tillsbury]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

No...
"They become Breast Lines, Spring Lines, furling Lines, securing Lines,..... but Never Ever Ropes!"

Except for the one that becomes the bell rope....

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

Except for the one that becomes the bell rope....

or:
Bolt rope
Foot rope
Man rope
Tiller rope
Tow rope?


Or acccording to L. Francis Herreshoff, in the days of naval sailing ships:
1. Awning-Rope, A rope around an area to which an awning is laced
2. Back-Rope The rope or pendant or small chain for staying the dolphin striker.
3. Bell-Rope A short rope attached to the tongue of a ships's bell.
4. Boat-Rope A separate rope veered to the boat to be towed at a ship's stern.
5. Bolt-Rope A hard laid rope used in several places whee it is not required to flex, such as the Head Rope, Foot Rope, Leech Rope and Luff Rope of a sail.
6. Breast-Rope A rope fastened along the lanyards of the shrouds to secure the leadsman when in the chains, heaving the lead.
7. Breech-Rope A rope to restrain the recoil of a gun when discharged.
8. Bucket-Rope A rope attached to the handle of a bucket for drawing water to scrub the deck, put out fire, ect.
9. Bull-Rope A hawser rove through a block on the bowsprit and attached to a bouy to keep it clear of the ship.
10. Bouy-Rope A rope that fastens the bout to the anchor.
11. Cat-Rope A line for hauling the cat-hook about.
12. Check-Rope A rope made fast to anything stationary for the purpose of bringing a moving vessel to a stand.
13. Clew-Rope In large sails the eye or loop at the clew is made of a rope larger than the bolt rope into which it is spliced.
14. Davit-Rope Lashing that secures the davit to the shroud when not in use.
15. Drag-Ropes Two ropes that are trailed from the after quarters of a sailing vessel so that if fell overboard he could grab one of these ropes as the vessel passed him. They generally had Turk's head knots on them, spaced about 21/2 feet apart, to assist in climbing aboard.
16. Entering Ropes(Man Ropes)jg Ropes that hung from the upper part of the stanchions alongside of the ladder at the gangways.
17. Foot-Rope A rope suspended under a yard or boom for men to stand on. Also, that part of a bolt to which the bottom of a sail is attached.
18. Grab-Rope A line secured above a boat boom or gangplank for steadying oneself.
19. Guest-Rope A rope fastened to an eye-bolt in the ships side, and to the outer end of a boom, projecting from the ship's side, by guys, to keep the boats clear off the sides.
20. Hawse-Rope A rope used to take the strain off the anchor warp when clearing hawse.
21. Head-Rope A rope to haul out jib-booms, and the bowsprits of cutters, etc. Also, that part of a bolt rope at the top of a sail.
22. Heel-Rope A rope for securing the inner end of a studding-sail boom to a yard.
23. Jaw-Rope A rope over a jaw of a gaff to keep it from leaving the mast.
23. Limber-Rope A rope rove fore-and-aft throughout the limbers to clear them if necessary. ( Also a light bronze chain was used for this purpose and known as a Limber-Chain)jg
24. Luff-Rope That part of a bolt rope on a fore-and-aft sail nearest the mast.
25. Parrel-Rope A rope used to confine a yard to a mast at its center.
26. Passing-Rope A rope led round the ship, through the eyes in the quarter, waist, gangway, and forecastle stanchions forward to the knight's head.
27. Port-Ropes Ropes for the hauling up and suspending the gun port lids.
28. Ridge-Ropes Ropes sewed along the center of an awning to give it the pitch needed to shed rain.
29. Ring-Rope Ropes made fast to the ring-bolts in the deck, and by cross turns around the cable to confine it in stormy weather, Also used to reeve off the anchor cable through the hawsehole.
30. Slip-Rope A rope whose bight is passed through the ring of a mooring bouy with both ends on shipboard. By letting go one end and hauling on the other the ship is freed.
31. Span-Rope A rope made fast at both ends for hooking a block to the bight.
32. Spring-rope A rope led from a ships's quarter to her anchor cable, to bring her broadside guns to bear upon a given object.
33. Swab-Rope A rope tied to the handle of a swab for dipping it overboard.
34. Tail-Rope A rope, attached to the clew cringle, that is made taut when the sheets are transferred.
35. Tiller-Ropes Ropes leading from the tiller head round the barrel of the wheel. Also used to secure and control the tiller of a small craft.
36. Top-Rope Rope rove throught the heel of a topmast to hist it by its tackle to the masthead.
37. Trip-Rope Rope fastened to the tripping hook of the anchor tackle to release the anchor when the order, "Let fall!" is given.
37. Yard-Rope A temporary rope used for hoisting a yard for crossing or sending down.

[Jdege]

In my mind, "rope" is a material, not an object, like "wood".

You never pick up a wood, you pick up a board, a plank, a post, a post, a beam, etc. But they're all wood.

Similarly, you never pick up a rope, you pick up a halyard, or a sheet, or if it has no dedicated purpose, a line.

But they're all rope.

[StuM]

When collecting for a fire, I pick up wood

[Jdege]

You pick up twigs, sticks, branches, maybe even logs.

They're only collectively wood...

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by StuM

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one.
To me a line (singular) is any cordage with a specific purpose. A rope is cordage without a specific purpose.


Here's one RYA Training Centre that agrees with me.Sailing Lines - Think You Know The Ropes? - Grenada Bluewater Sailing

Let us explain… on board a sailing yacht, rope is the term used to describe the material used to make the lines. If a length of rope has a set purpose, for example adjusting the sails, it is called a line. Each separate line will have its own special name to describe the job it does. :

Can't argue with that Stu...., I'll now have to reprogram my 35 year aversion to ever calling a line a rope.

RYA vs ENGLISH Sailing Instructor?mmm...
...just goes to show, you can't trust the bloody English! [emoji1]