creaking warps

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nathanlee

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Driving me nuts at the moment. The bow line is creaking in the fairlead, which is being amplified by the hull.

I've tried dousing it with fairy liquid, but to no avail.

Any suggestions, apart from moving the boat to a part of the world with a less depressing climate?
 
Change the lines out for new perhaps as I am sure newer nylon is more lubricated. Slacken the lines off, if possible, so she can move about more. Make the lines longer, so the stretch is absorbed over greater length, which may lessen the movement at the yacht. Spray some Tefelon into the line. Go for a walk or swim and tire yourself out more.
 
BlowingOldBoots said:
Change the lines out for new perhaps as I am sure newer nylon is more lubricated. Slacken the lines off, if possible, so she can move about more. Make the lines longer, so the stretch is absorbed over greater length, which may lessen the movement at the yacht. Spray some Tefelon into the line. Go for a walk or swim and tire yourself out more.
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She's on a tiny pontoon, so I can't get the lines any longer, and the warps were new a couple of months ago. I'll try slackening them off a bit, though the recent wind as prevented anything being too slack.

Teflon spray is a good idea. Will give that a go when the shops open.

4:30 is standard wake up time. Things to do, don't you know :)
 
BlowingOldBoots said:
Change the lines out for new perhaps as I am sure newer nylon is more lubricated. Slacken the lines off, if possible, so she can move about more. Make the lines longer, so the stretch is absorbed over greater length, which may lessen the movement at the yacht. Spray some Tefelon into the line. Go for a walk or swim and tire yourself out more.
Click to expand...

+1 or try Cable tieing or duct taping an old rag round the rope where it crosses the fairlead.

You could also try wetting it.
 
I use these - not a complete solution but definitely reduces the snatch tension that seems to induce most noise.

14147-48-49-SNUBBERS_fu.jpg
 
Steve Clayton said:
...or sheath the warp in plastic pipe around the fairlead
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+1. That always works for me. We keep a selection of old plastic hose for the purpose. The noise seems to be the stick-slip that occurs between the rope and the fairlead, introducing a third surface will usually stop it. Lubricants will only work for a short time as they are extruded fairly quickly.
 
Sometimes you can get a spring line straight onto a cockput primary winch drum without fouling or touching the hull/deck edges. This can then take a lot of the surge out. Good too where the berth is across the wind IME.

I Use reinforced plastic ( loo inlet 3/4" ID) in long lengths. short pieces just work their way out of the fair leads after a few hours.
 
nathanlee said:
Driving me nuts at the moment. The bow line is creaking in the fairlead, which is being amplified by the hull.

I've tried dousing it with fairy liquid, but to no avail.

Any suggestions, apart from moving the boat to a part of the world with a less depressing climate?
Click to expand...

What make up are the lines?, only ask as we have some 8 strand multi plat that are very noisy, won't be using those again when it comes to replacement.
 
little_roundtop said:
Just get a plastic bag, the sort you get free from supermarkets and which you probably use as a bin-liner. Wrap the bag around the line where it passes through the fairlead. No more noise. Trust me.
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Well, there you go. You're not wrong. Well, almost. I've wrapped a bag around the warps and it's considerably reduced the creak, though it is still there, but at quite a soothing level now.

Plastic bag and some whipping twine, and all is well. Thanks.
 
nathanlee said:
Driving me nuts at the moment. The bow line is creaking in the fairlead, which is being amplified by the hull.

I've tried dousing it with fairy liquid, but to no avail.

Any suggestions, apart from moving the boat to a part of the world with a less depressing climate?
Click to expand...

Its just KUDU talking to you . Probably yearning to go to sea again !After having her freedom shes not use to being chained to the land .
 
Last edited:
The final solution is to move the cleat closer to the fairlead.
That's what I had to do on my last boat to eliminate chafe on the bow roller.
However, silicone spray or el cheapo furniture polish on the key point of the rope will help.
The old cleat was about 3ft or more back, behind the anchor locker. I put one in front of the locker.

Two layers of polythene, one moving with the rope, the other staying with the fairlead might be good.

You could use a bit of high modulus rope for the boat end of the warps, so there was no stretch or movement, then you would need the rest of the line to provide the elasticity.

That sound is your rope wearing through.
 
lw395 said:
That sound is your rope wearing through.
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My polyester 3 strand ropes have been squaeking away happily for 12 years with little sign of wear. I carry an assortment of mostly nylon alternatives and a couple of rubber snubbers.

Much of the answer lies in using as long lines as possible and careful attention to springing. In strong winds an additional line from about mid-ships forwards will take the strain from the bow lines and prevent snatching and squeaking.
 
nathanlee said:
Driving me nuts at the moment. The bow line is creaking in the fairlead, which is being amplified by the hull.

I've tried dousing it with fairy liquid, but to no avail.

Any suggestions, apart from moving the boat to a part of the world with a less depressing climate?
Click to expand...

The cure for squeaky warps is multiplait. And if you are alongside a pontoon, make the springs tight and the bow and stern rope relatively loose.

Any 3 strand or worse still braided rope will squeak.
 
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