Warp protectors on gel coat

[Nautical]

Subject to the previous thread got me thinking.

I am having real problems trying to stop the warps (springs mostly) scuffing the gel coat when the boat moves about on high tides especially when the Sea Cat comes into harbour ( causes a big swell to run up the inner harbour). I have tried cut up fenders placed over the cleat and dropped over the gel coat and warps on top, stickey low contact plastic sheet (wears through), clear plastic water pipe (flexible stuff) with the warps running through even terry towelling wrapped around the warp where it touches the gel. Nothing works, anything placed on top of the gel coat seems to get grit under it, anything soft last about a week before is wears through and anything tough enough is just the same as leaving the warps on the gel.

Anyone figured out a way to protect the gel?, or is this one of the problems that us fussy owners have to live with, nature of the beast and all that.

 

[tcm]

You need to get pieces of stainless steel made and polished up and screwed to the outboard side of the cleat actually on the gelcoat, on a flat bit or only moderatley curvy bit, so the warps rub and polish that instead of rub and go thru the gelcoat.

PSM are stainles metal worker specialists at Hamble Point marina and will make something nice up if you have a drawing, even ahem a rubbish skanky drawing drawn by an nitwit.

Keep the plastic hose tho: this is used for protecting the *warps* themselves when otherwise rubbing themselves away over stone quayside or similar: slice the hose lengthways so it can go over the warp, makes holes each end of the hose, cut a shock cord and thread it thru for each end, then retie a knot for the bobble thing so a shock cord is fixed to each end of the hose. Slap these over the warps where needed and tie them in position with the shock cords.

 

[bethany]

I am on a piled mooring backing onto the pontoon. Because the angle of my stern ropes is not that great i.e. the pitch between the cleats on the pontoon is just slightly larger then the boats I get a lot of sideways movement. To reduce the movement I run out two extra stern rope 'springs' that cross over the swim platform but because of the position on the boat cleats the ropes have to run around the corner of the boat against the gelcoat. To protect the gelcoat I run the rope through a short length of domestic pipe insulation (15mm) covered with some left over fender sock material. I used this set-up last year with no damage to the gelcoat. Secured the insulation to the lines with a cable tie each end. It works for me.

 

[Nautical]

Thanks for that, good ideas. I like the idea of shiney/polished stainless (love sparkley things) wonder whether it would be possible to get them made up to fit the radius and curves on my boat though. Some quite tricky forming I would imagine. You can see from the pics below where the ropes rub especially the springs.

 

[tcm]

Bucket option

jeez, not worth spending loads of money on a boat you're obviously just letting go to rack and ruin, hm? heehee!

The s/s pieces (about thicknees of between little and large finger) wil almost certainly need to bend in one plane only. Use a coathangar to show how much to bend it. Tho bet it it fairly flat.

Meanwhile, get a cheap plastic (not rubber) circular bucket and a saw and a drill. Rip the handle off Saw the bottom off the bucket, and saw the bucket in half. Then sort of rip around with a drilland sizeable drillbit in a determined, blokish and haphazard sort of way to make a hole (use a cast off bit of wood, not the pontoon) such that you can stick the sawn-in-half bottomless bucket piece over the cleat and it vaguley stays there , with the rest of the bucket providing gelcoat protection over the sides.

Even before that, leave some smeary polish on the upward-facing blue grp to protect it against going chalkified next season, otherwise it'll look crap and you'll be cheesed off. Also, get black mooring lines which look newer for longer instead of white ones that go grey.

 

[stelican]

Re: Bucket option

TCM
Do you work for the marine dept of the Blue Peter programme

 

[tcm]

Re: Bucket option

I can tell you're really impressed!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

You could try lengthening your lines to reduce the movement and fitting rope snubbers - sorry cant find a url but they're in most chandlers

 

[DepSol]

Easiest fix is to buy a roll of 3M pressure sensative tape, cut it to size and then stick it on the areas most effective.

The tape will eventually wear out, it is see through and hardly noticeable when on and will need replacing every so often.

They use this stuff on the blade tips of helicopters to avoid wear I am told on the tips.

Easy to use and sorts the problem out.

 

[Nautical]

Thanks everyone, where could I get that 3M tape to hold me over till I get some stainless made up?.

Thanks