Chafe protection

[capnsensible]

OK, you are right, everybody who has ever sailed is completely prepared for every event at sea, always.

My use of towelling on a number of occasions from harbour to mid ocean was probably completely pointless.

You win.

 

[craigsmith]

Even in moderate gale stuff, I have tried to use split plastic pipe. To fit it on the rope is, as you suggest, fairly simple. To actually get it in the right place, nigh on impossible. So, in very heavy airs, I have used, more than once, with great success, old towels. Grease helps.

You have these things done in advance. That's good seamanship. Getting the tube in the right location is a bear... but manageable. Practice more. Or just tie it off on the rope on deck, and veer a little more rope to set its position, then fine tune.

Serious loads will destroy the fabric in things like towels in minutes.

~

www.rocna.com/kb/Chafe_protection

The link above expands on some of the points already made. Fabric (or even wire) reinforced rubber hoses are about as good as we know of. Use small lines to secure, and the same can also be used to "suspend" the rope away from chafe points, given adequately strong fixing points - this way all the involved lines are 'swinging' and not sliding. Snatch blocks better again.

Talking specifically about drogues (or anchoring), per the OP question, the rope choice is an oblique solution to chafe protection also. Obviously avoid polypropylene and the like, but also avoid nylon for sure. Nylon loses a significant amount of its strength when wet, and is well known to further be compromised when cycled at high loads. Polyester is a far superior choice for drogues.