Too much rope will kill you. Not in this game.. What to choose..

[Fire99]

Hi all,

What an utterly cryptic title Anyway, My Trader (around 50ft LOA) is around 20 tonnes and the ropes that came with the boat look like nylon multiplait. (Easy on the hands and quite soft, with a close weave). I bought some polyester braid on braid which are ok but to be honest they're not really stretchy enough in my opinion for mooring lines. With all the windage my boat has when moored I want a bit of stretch in the lines..
So my current thinking is either, 3 strand nylon, 8 strand nylon or multiplait nylon. I 'think' I've been using 16 or 18mm rope but I don't want to go too huge since the cleats at the marina aren't that big but for bow n stern lines I don't mind going fairly chunky as per the previous owner..

So any words of wonder...... or even just an opinion on the matter?

Or I could become a fishing boat and just use polyprop. (Budget boater ) - not a serious consideration.

cheers,

Nick

 

[LittleSister]

Nylon rope can be very strong indeed. I am surprised that, even with a 50 footer, you might need 16mm or 18mm. (Note, though, my experience is mainly with much smaller boats.)

A quick Google search suggest breaking (not safe working) loads of over 5.3 tonnes for 16 mm, and 6.7 tonnes for 18mm.

How strong are your (or the marinas') cleats?

 

[Fire99]

Nylon rope can be very strong indeed. I am surprised that, even with a 50 footer, you might need 16mm or 18mm. (Note, though, my experience is mainly with much smaller boats.)

A quick Google search suggest breaking (not safe working) loads of over 5.3 tonnes for 16 mm, and 6.7 tonnes for 18mm.

How strong are your (or the marinas') cleats?

They're a mixed bag. Some are bolted through and others screwed in. One did give way in a storm but has been bolted through. Tough enough I'd say.


When I looked on the Jimmy Green website, for boats of 20 tonnes the choices came up as 18mm and 20mm ropes

 

[Greg2]

Stretch is, as you have identified, important and it surprise me how many people use braided with very little stretch,

I would go for a decent size - min 16mm but probably 18mm and use rubber snubbers to ease any snatching in a blow.

 

[Fire99]

Stretch is, as you have identified, important and it surprise me how many people use braided with very little stretch,

I would go for a decent size - min 16mm but probably 18mm and use rubber snubbers to ease any snatching in a blow.

Thanks.... So what would be your rope of choice, 3 strand, 8 strand, the delux choice - multiplait?

 

[Bandit]

My boat 48ft 18.5 tonnes on an a berth exposed to wind and swell. I use 18mm 3 strand polyester.

it is not only breaking load you also have to consider wear in bad weather.

Nylon stretches too much and goes hard with time in the sun.

Nylon multiplait stretches up to 20% and the shrinks again in the locker.

Braid on braid when the outer casing wears the inner fibres are very soft and it fails easily.

Polyester 3 strand wears well, it does not go hard, it has enough stretch to give a bit in a surge loading but recovers well, it is the best all round for pontoon mooring line and warps, also easy to splice.

rope like dynema has no stretch and is like using chain.

 

[Fire99]

My boat 48ft 18.5 tonnes on an a berth exposed to wind and swell. I use 18mm 3 strand polyester.

it is not only breaking load you also have to consider wear in bad weather.

Nylon stretches too much and goes hard with time in the sun.

Nylon multiplait stretches up to 20% and the shrinks again in the locker.

Braid on braid when the outer casing wears the inner fibres are very soft and it fails easily.

Polyester 3 strand wears well, it does not go hard, it has enough stretch to give a bit in a surge loading but recovers well, it is the best all round for pontoon mooring line and warps, also easy to splice.

rope like dynema has no stretch and is like using chain.

Many thanks for that. I remember dyneema from my sailing boat sheets. Very strong but deliberately no stretchy..

I think I had some old 3 strand nylon rope on the boat which had gone like cardboard. Near impossible to do anything with it. I've probably got it stashed somewhere for a 'rainy day'.
I'll have a look at some 3 strand poly. I want the rope to be reasonably manageable and not like trying to coil a wire coat hanger..
As I say the braid on braid poly has held together well but I've not been overjoyed with how it's worked as a mooring line.

 

[Greg2]

Thanks.... So what would be your rope of choice, 3 strand, 8 strand, the delux choice - multiplait?

I think three strand would be my choice.

 

[Fire99]

I think three strand would be my choice.

Thanks Greg...