How to stop mooring line chaffing?

[dewent]

Leaving our yacht over last winter caused some of the 18mm mooring lines to almost chaf through at the fairleads.

I seen some ropes using a clear plastic tubing to stop this. Anyone know what it is and where to buy it?

Other suggestions to stop wear would be welcome.

 

[skip50]

There are special things made for this, but I just use lengths of the normal boating fresh water pipe, usually the one that has nylon mesh incorporated in the wall. Over the winter I fix them in place by attaching thin line to the pipe and fixing in place with a rolling hitch to the mooring warp. I find I only need to do this on the inboard side.

HTH

 

[westernman]

I use old fire hose which my mum got from the local fire brigade station. This has a kind of heavy mesh structure in it.

It does the job, but I do need to replace the hose from time to time as it does suffer. Fortunately I have a considerable length of the stuff.

 

[lw395]

I solved the problem on my swinging mooring by fitting a new cleat much closer to the bow roller. This meant there was hardly any stretch between the roller and the cleat, therefore the rope hardly moved and the wear was eliminated.
As others have said, a plastic tube of some sort that moves with the rope will stop the rope wearing, but will itself wear over a few months.
You do need to check the rope inside any tube from time to time.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

This stuff lasts forever.

http://www.chafepro.com/

 

[dewent]

Can you get this in the UK - can't find it on the web?

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Can you get this in the UK - can't find it on the web?

I ordered direct from them in the USA

 

[JimC]

Can you get this in the UK - can't find it on the web?

You can get it here: https://nauticalrope.co.uk/scullion_enterprise/other_rope_products/chafe-pro-line-protection

 

[mawm]

This stuff lasts forever.

http://www.chafepro.com/

I made my own with some canvas strips and velcro…..although the stitching leaves a lot to be desired. My next lot might be made out of leather however the permeability of the canvas allows the rain water to keep the lines cool when stretched which helps prevent melting under load.

 

[Lakesailor]

Plastic pipe. Don't use it.

This one has hardened in the sun and cracked. The broken pipe has cut through the mooring strop where it passes over the fairlead.

This owner was lucky in that the broken pipe fell away from the line.

This strop was cut by the end of the pipe

So was this one

These are from boats on one mooring site with no more than 20 boats.

 

[FishyInverness]

I would suggest, as I have before, Layflat Hose. (fireman's hose)

Our moorings dept use it on mooring strops as protection on a regular basis.

 

[fireball]

LS - we disagree on this every time it comes up ...

I've used the same bit of clear pipe for the last 3 years and it has not chaffed through or split.

Mine was pipe from a chandlers - so perhaps it's a different grade - eitherway, it has protected our mooring warps way beyond expectation and I'll continue to use it.

I must add though - we do have a chain (in plastic tube) as backup - this is a requirement of our mooring - so even if we couldn't regularly inspect the warp, there is a good backup in case of failure.

 

[Bodach na mara]

There seems to be different grades of plastic tube used by different contractors up here. The one that fitted mine 8 years ago has lasted well and shows no sign of cracking. Down the river was a different story a few years ago with several boats adrift after only one season of new risers. I wish I knew how to tell the difference.

 

[nimbusgb]

There seems to be different grades of plastic tube used by different contractors up here. The one that fitted mine 8 years ago has lasted well and shows no sign of cracking. Down the river was a different story a few years ago with several boats adrift after only one season of new risers. I wish I knew how to tell the difference.

If your boat comes off the mooring after only one season through the pipe chafeing the line .......... you bought the wrong type

 

[stevebrassett]

I use clear plastic pipe, as well. The kind with the nylon reinforcement in it. I have used the same piece for several years and check it every time I go on board. It is still flexible, with no signs of cracking.

 

[prv]

Plastic pipe. Don't use it.

This one has hardened in the sun and cracked. The broken pipe has cut through the mooring strop where it passes over the fairlead.

To be fair, that's also a pretty horrible fairlead.

Pete

 

[nigelmercier]

To be fair, that's also a pretty horrible fairlead.

A foul-lead?