best type of line for mooring lines?

skyflyer

skyflyer

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 Jan 2011
Messages
1,433
Location
Worcester, UK
Visit site
Could anyone please give me (or point me to) a quick summary of which sort of line is best for tying up alongside - i.e. for warps and springs. I am confused between advantages and disadvantages to nylon, polyprop, 3-strand, multi-plait etc. When I bought my boat it came with some ancient sisal dock lines which are bulky, heavy and inflexible, so difficult to store and I plan to replace them this season.
Any good sources that you know of for purchasing (probably 75m of 16mm [right for a 5-tonne boat?]) would also be appreciated.
 
Sailing Today covered this in the Feb edition, if you can find one still on the bookshelves.

My copy has been recycled, but I've always used 3-strand nylon for mooring (stretchy, easy-to-splice, handles well).

The Jimmy Green site has a size strength table...

https://www.jimmygreen.co.uk/p/tech...-technical-articles-/mooring-warps-size-guide

...with other useful info elsewhere on the site.

I buy online either from Jimmy Green or Outdoor Xcape. (http://www.outdoorxscape.co.uk/store/index.php)

The web being what it is, there'll always be a cheaper supplier somewhere, but you do want to be sure the rope you're buying is decent quality and not gash stuff from an unknown source.
 
IMHO 16mm mooring lines in modern materials are bulky and unnecessary on a 5 tonne boat. I use 12mm braided polyester Docklines on an 11 tonne boat and find them easy to handle and perfectly strong enough for everything that has been thrown at them in the last 10 years. I have just replaced them this year but only because they now creak.
 
in terms of 'stretch' I assume something with a bit of stretch is desirable to avoid snatch loads - and discomfort aboard - if there is a bit of a blow on or a swell. I had thought that braided polyester was designed to be low stretch? Its a minefield!
 
Jimmy Green are great - I know they are just down the road from me, but their advice is fantastic I went for the Octoplait as it felt good.
 
I realise stretch is good, but dont know whether nylon, polyester, polypropylene, is better of worse, advantages and disadvantages of each and what the practical differences are between 3 strand, octoplait and braided!
 
skyflyer said:
in terms of 'stretch' I assume something with a bit of stretch is desirable to avoid snatch loads - and discomfort aboard - if there is a bit of a blow on or a swell. I had thought that braided polyester was designed to be low stretch? Its a minefield!
Click to expand...

Quite right. I assume that braided rope specifically sold for mooring lines is a construction that does have stretch, but I've never checked as I don't see the point of it. 3-strand is usually cheaper and is easier to splice, and it definitely has the required stretch.

You don't want to be using old sheets and halyards, though it's often seen.

I think the stuff I have is polypropylene, but it's not like the coarse hairy builder's blue rope. It's softer and more refined-looking (in fact I'm not 100% certain that it's polyprop at all!).

Pete
 
Nylon handles better than polyprop.... nicer to coil etc. Polyprop degrades in sunlight.

I use natural fibre on my mooring lines, partly because I have coils and coils of the stuff in my loft, but practically because it does not wear down the wooden gunwales if it happens to rub against them. Have to replace them at least every two years. Everyone else will tell you it is madness to use natural fibres.
 
I used to worry about stretch but have to say I have found ready made 10 metre long by 12mm Dockline does stretch a bit even though they seem to be braided polyester. It's the handling and feel that I find to be excellent. I used to use three strand nylon but that can stretch too much and becomes creaky after only a few seasons.
Once upon a time I sat alongside a pontoon during a storm with nylon mooring lines and the ropes stretched so far that we could not safely step ashore even after trying to winch the boat alongside.
 
I go against the grain of most on here. I use hairy polyprop because it floats and will never wrap itself round a prop. It's also cheap as chips when bought in a 200m coil. To my surprise it hasn't shown any sign of chafe in the 15 years I've been using it.

Having said that, I only use it when away from home. On my mooring bridle which is exposed to the elements 24/7 I use 20mm green fishermen's line, also polyprop but green and shiny. I replace that every 5 years - 11m @ 95p/m. last of the big spenders. That isn't suitable for dock lines as it's stiff and shiny so only suitable when spliced.
 
I use 20mm 3 strand nylon as that's the biggest that will fit through the fairleads! Three years ago, one of my warps snapped in a particularly strong Tramontana wind causing all kinds of mayhem. As I'm away from the boat for 8 weeks at a time it helps to know the lines are relatively bomb proof.
 
I use Barry Edwards @ Boatropes (as does Vyv I believe).
There are three main variables in choosing mooring rope.
Strength, elasticity and chafe-resistance.
Nylon is the strongest and stretchiest - 3 strand is cheapest, but not good for chafe, alternatives are dockline (multi-braid) or Octoplait.
For normal overnight stops have 12mm, 3 multi-braid lines.
Polyester is less strong, less stretchy, I have 3 x 25mm permanent lines with springs for long-term mooring.
There's even place for a long (30m) 25mm polypropylene line for floating shoreline.
Mostly I anchor, chain with 3-10m of 14mm Octoplait.
 
Well, for what it's worth these are what I have as my routine pontoon mooring warps:

black%20mooring%20ropes.jpg

http://www.ropesandtwines.com/proddetail.asp?prod=14mm_Black_Polysoft_Mooring_Ropes

I have four short ones (5m maybe?) and two long ones (10 or 12 metres) and that covers all normal mooring in marinas. I stick quite rigidly to "one rope one job", secure only the end ashore (spliced eye or bowline), and avoid doubling up on the boat's cleats if possible (which it often isn't).

For more interesting mooring situations I then have a motley collection of other warps, some 3-strand and some octoplait, including a very long thick one in about 20mm 3-strand that would also serve as a tow-rope or for extending the anchor cable in very deep water.

Pete
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top