Is cheap multiplait a false economy?

[Failcon]

I am shopping for some 18 mm multiplait to join onto 12 metres of anchor chain on my 8 metre mobo. Yes I know 18 mm is huge for this size of boat but it is what is on there at the moment (all 10m of it !!) and it runs nicely through the windlass, but the overall length seems way too short to me. I assume if I fitted a smaller diameter it would slip when hauling up.

You can buy unbranded 18 mm white 8 plat nylon on ebay for about £2.20/metre from uk-yacht-rigging-and-supplies, but English Braids Anchorplait is about £4.50 and the 18 mm Liros Anchorplait from Jimmy Green is £7.65 (ouch). Are you just paying for the name, or are there tangible differences in the products. I am not bothered about strength (it would lift the boat out of the water nearly twice over) or stretch, but I do want to be able to run the rope through the chain gypsy. Will the cheaper rope slip or abrade?

If I can spend half or one third of the price of branded rope that would make me very happy, but do you only get what you pay for??

Thanks for any thoughts

 

[VicS]

Forum member Boatropes, aka Barry Edwards, http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Boatropes is generally recommended on the Reader to Reader and Scuttlebutt forums as a source of good quality rope at reasonable prices.

Raggies use quite a lot of rope!


For a boat that size 12mm would normally be the recommended size but check what the manual for the windlass suggests as the minimum size to fit it.

Windlass on an 8m boat !!

12m of chain + 10 m of rope does not, I agree, sound very much . My boat has 15 fathoms (90 ft) of chain.

 

[PaulGooch]

I wouldn't waste money on mulitplait on an 8m boat, just use 3 strand nylon.

The guy that owns UK Yachts Rigging and Supplies has an excellent reputation, i've dealt with him a few times. Another good place for ropes is : http://www.ropesandtwines.com/categories.asp?cat=29

18mm is, as you say, huge for the boat. What size chain do you have ?

 

[Failcon]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for all your helpful replies on all matters MF805 in the past. And thanks to others for thoughts on rope suppliers. To VicS who asked why a windlass on an 8 metre boat the simple answer is that it was there when I bought it.

I do not know if the windlass and 8mm chain + 18mm multiplait was standard Jeanneau issue when the boat was new, or added by the first owner who had a chandlery business. The boat is pretty loaded, but maybe with offcuts and end of line gear! An overall length of 22m for a chain + rope rode seems pretty stingy even by Jeanneau standards (lucky I am not in the Channel Islands or Brittany).


I suppose the better question would have been what size of multiplait is likely to work around a chain gypsy intended for 8 mm chain. I know I could use 3 strand but I worry about snarl ups.

Thanks to all

 

[PaulGooch]

An 805 should be fitted with a Lofrans Airon windlass with a low profile gypsy. The gypsy should take 8mm chain and 14mm rope. I use 3 strand nylon and don't have a problem with it, but did find it best to fix the chain to the anchor shank with a swivel. You still need to be at the bow to retrieve rope, or it will jam in the gypsy.