Is there such a thing as a rope lock device?

[Mike k]

When leaving the mooring I bring my bow line down the side and tie on to a handle in the cockpit ( see pic- for identification the handle has a rope on it )to make it easy to pick up both stern and bow lines on the return BUT- as the bow line is much longer than the distance to the handle I always try to tie it off but it never looks/feels as secure as i would like ideal- I wondered if there was a device that could fit on to the handle and could also grip the line securely so i can be sure it aint going to come loose fall in the water and foul the prop. Any sugestions for such a device or even a knot that would be bomb proof?

 

[Searush]

Fit a jamming cleat to the cabin side near the grab handle. Dinghies use them to hold sheets firmly when sailing yet still allow them to be released quickly & easily if necessary.

 

[ari]

Do those not work by tension though? Ie the pull of the sails keeping them jammed?

 

[PaulGooch]

Why would you run the bow line back to that point and leave the line flapping up the side of the boat on the gel coat ?

 

[Pump-Out]

Overkill, but very secure.

Use a yacht clutch; http://www.marinescene.co.uk/category/544/lewmar-rope-clutches/

Otherwise learn the skill of making up a line, either into a "bunch" or by chain-linking - looks very cleaver, but easy to do.

Pump-Out

 

[Searush]

Do those not work by tension though? Ie the pull of the sails keeping them jammed?

Not entirely, especially the jamming cleat, wrap round & pull hard into the wedged side & it will stay there until you pull it out to release it. Similarly, you can get dinghy cam cleats without the SS bridge over the cams, simply pul the rope between the cams & it will stay there until pulled out forwards.

Don't even think about a rope clutch, you have to have the rope fed thro them before it can be locked, but you cannot feed a bowline thro a hole just the size of the rope.

A nylon jamming cleat will only cost a quid or two, cam cleats might be a tenner, but the rope clutch (which will not do what you want) is about 30-40 squid! Otherwise, have a carabiner clip on your line to clip over the hand rail, or even a trailer hook to loop the bowline over.

One other cheap idea is a bungee strap fastened down the side of the cabin & slip the bowline under it. You could even pull the line free from the bow if you wanted then, none of the other solutions would permit that.

 

[prv]

Put the bight of the line through the handle, then use it to make a couple of half-hitches round the standing part. Job done.

Pete

 

[PaulGooch]

Sorry, but i still don't get why you need to run the bow line back to the cockpit and tie it to the handrail.

Also, not wanting to sound rude, but the lines in that picture look a bit of a mess. I most certainly would not want those big hanks of rope rubbing my gelcoat.

I must be missing something.

 

[PaulGooch]

Looking at the picture again, i'd tie the lines differently. I'd have the forward spring and the stern line tied as slips, with the bow line and the aft spring line tied to the pontoon. When leaving the pontoon, the bow line and aft spring would be untied first, the other two lines could then be easily slipped from the cockpit.

I'd make a line up for the forward spring, so that it was just the right length, so there wasn't a load of warp rubbing the gel coat. Any lines left on the pontoon can be neatly coiled up.

 

[Malabar]

How about a "Line Tamer"

 

[Mike k]

many thanks

Hi all

thanks to all that replied I really like some of the ideas and will be following up particularly the cleats, rope management and knot ideas.By the way Searush i have now got the day skipper book you recommended on another thread- great reading too!

I have had no internet for over 2 weeks hence my lack of response but today back up and running- sorry if it may have appeared ignorant in any way.

thanks again all and its great to be reading some of the threads too -missed em!

Cheers

Mike