Lines over Winter

[Yealm]

Should I mouse all my lines now, to avoid the ropes getting mouldy and wearing ?
Or leave ropes on, and just remove and launder them before launch, to avoid the mousing lines chafing through over Winter ?

 

[Tiderace]

The reason to take the lines off is a) to recue UV degregation, b) reduce chafing and c) allow them to be inspected and serviced as required.

The cost of the mousing lines is inconsequential compared to what you are taking off. Pence per metre as compared to £ per metre.

 

[mainsail1]

What is a mousing line???

 

[Rappey]

Mousing line is a bit of string used to pull cables and ropes through a mast.

 

[westhinder]

Should I mouse all my lines now, to avoid the ropes getting mouldy and wearing ?
Or leave ropes on, and just remove and launder them before launch, to avoid the mousing lines chafing through over Winter ?

I have been removing all my running rigging for over ten years now and have never had a mousing line chafe through. In fact I re-use most of my mousing lines. They are either 3 or 4 mm polyester or 5 mm polypropylene, depending on what they are used for. The polyprop is not so nice to handle, I would not choose it again, but it does not seem to deteriorate, so I keep re-using it.

 

[Yealm]

I have been removing all my running rigging for over ten years now and have never had a mousing line chafe through. In fact I re-use most of my mousing lines. They are either 3 or 4 mm polyester or 5 mm polypropylene, depending on what they are used for. The polyprop is not so nice to handle, I would not choose it again, but it does not seem to deteriorate, so I keep re-using it.

many thnsks!

 

[RupertW]

I don’t mouse my lines but am mostly in a much dryer climate than the UK, and don’t really mind if a halyard lasts only 15 years in the UV rather than 25. But from changing lines in the past I never use thin mousing lines as I have had two hop onto the gap between masthead pulley and mast so now I sew the old rope to the new rope using sail repair twine.

 

[westhinder]

I don’t mouse my lines but am mostly in a much dryer climate than the UK, and don’t really mind if a halyard lasts only 15 years in the UV rather than 25. But from changing lines in the past I never use thin mousing lines as I have had two hop onto the gap between masthead pulley and mast so now I sew the old rope to the new rope using sail repair twine.

In order to avoid this problem you have to keep tension on the mousing line. Guess how I know this ?

 

[RupertW]

In order to avoid this problem you have to keep tension on the mousing line. Guess how I know this ?

Oh I know that too but a high wind was blowing the line well away from the mast and I’m guessing that must have done it.

 

[dansaskip]

I always use mousing lines to remove all the running rigging over winter. As Tiderace says it prevent UV degradation and wear and tear over winter. You can also launder them and inspect them in good time and replace if necessary at leisure not in a rush at fitting out time.