Firehose for anti-chafe?

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prv

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Can anyone suggest where to get some? I can find some whole hoses on eBay, but I only want a couple of metres and it would be daft to buy the whole roll (and a waste, by cutting the fittings off).

I don't want to use toilet or exhaust hose, as I reckon the rope might chafe against the cut end of it. I don't want to buy industrial layflat hose as most of it is not as tough and well-reinforced as proper canvas-and-rubber fire hose.

Cheers,

Pete
 
Good thinking. They must dispose of stuff that's not up to snuff. Even if they always dispose of it to the same place, they could put you on the right track to sourcing it.
 
Mine came from next door neighbour, who was a fireman. Hose is scrapped regularly so most active stations will have some. The large stuff used for major fires is somewhat big for chain covering, I was supplied some of the smaller stuff (3 inch?) used for damping down and small fires.
 
As stated above fire hose is regularly scrappedso old stuff is usually easy to come by from any place that uses it. One word of warning though; If it goes in the drink and fills with water it can make the rope pretty heavy. When I worked on tugs we used to be supplied with polyprop where the spliced eyes were always sheathed in fire hose and the first thing we did was cut them off. If you got them wet they just got to heavy to throw up to the quayside. I'm only talking 2" rope so not mega size stuff. If your just using it to stop chafing over the gunwale then it will be ok but on eyes? I prefer not to bother.
 
cryan said:
One word of warning though; If it goes in the drink and fills with water it can make the rope pretty heavy. When I worked on tugs we used to be supplied with polyprop where the spliced eyes were always sheathed in fire hose and the first thing we did was cut them off. If you got them wet they just got to heavy to throw up to the quayside. I'm only talking 2" rope so not mega size stuff. If your just using it to stop chafing over the gunwale then it will be ok but on eyes? I prefer not to bother.
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A good point I hadn't thought of, but I'm not planning to let the sheathed lines dangle in the water.

Some of the mooring lines (about 3" diameter) on Stavros have heavy fabric sheaths on the eye splices, but we don't try to throw those anywhere. The linesmen have to haul the shore end up the quay wall on the end of the heaving line, but other than that all handling is done on the windlass drum or the stern capstan.

Pete
 
Firehose is well quoted for anti chafe - does it actually last long or does one need to keep spare pieces as replacment? I know it depends on the level of chafe - but any comments?

Jonathan
 
It needs to be recognised that firehose, used as anti-chafe material, does not prevent mechanical abrasion - it absorbs it. Better than your expensive mooring warp.

It is cheap, or free. It is sacrificial. It is very easily replaceable.

I now prefer the layflat hose, for it is easier to store and does not absorb kilos of water. So why not carry a couple of spare lengths on board, and some more at home in the shed? As I do. 'Seasy. Every so often, a friend needsum..... I givesum....
 
Lakesailor said:
This bloke is flogging 23m lengths for £40.
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Yep, seen that, mentioned it in my first post. But I don't need 23 metres of hose, and I especially don't need to pay £50 for it.

Unless some other forumites in Southampton and surroundings want to club together and chop one up?

Pete
 
Neeves said:
Firehose is well quoted for anti chafe - does it actually last long or does one need to keep spare pieces as replacment? I know it depends on the level of chafe - but any comments?
Jonathan
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I have some red stuff, that I found on the beach, I think it may be the lay flat stuff that oldbilbo spoke about.

It seems indestructable. I punch a hole for the drop nose pin, so a shortish length can be used and it cannot move.
 
This is the stuff I've recycled....


IMG_3516.jpg



It is 2"/50mm across the flat, and there's also some in yellow.
 
Looks like the same thing that I have, except mine is c 3inch stuff.

It is clean but stinks of petrochemical so I guess that was the use before it went over the side of some ship.
 
Neeves said:
Firehose is well quoted for anti chafe - does it actually last long or does one need to keep spare pieces as replacment? I know it depends on the level of chafe - but any comments?

Jonathan
Click to expand...
My brother was a fireman, now retired, so I have used a fair bit, having good access. I leave the yacht moored up every second winter on her berth. The winter gales usually trash the bow ones and fender ones. The bow hose passes through a port style fairlead which doesn't have a good radius on the edges, the fender hose (the fender line crosses the teak bulwark) cuts through the hose. This only occurs after a sever wind and lots of surging on the lines. So, I get two full seasons and a winter with some of the hoses only lasting one season and winter. I have changed the gunwale hoses on the fender lines to a section of drain pipe, split to fit longitudinally over the teak cap and I will be adding new wooden fairleads at the bow on top of the gunwale.

This experience is for the canvas with rubber inner (although its not rubber its a polymer probably).
 
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