| Did you know how garden hose or fire hose can | | | | * Wire rope - Sheave diameter should be 20X the |
| add 50% more life to your expensive marine | | | | wire rope diameter. |
| rope? Or that a simple change in angle can | | | | 3. Make an Extra Turn to Prevent Slip |
| prevent delicate rope fibers from breaking apart? | | | | Tie up to a piling or mooring ring and your line |
| These five marine knots tips will help you increase | | | | could chafe and wear as it slides up and down. |
| your sailing rope's life and save you big money in | | | | Before you tie a marine knot, make a full round |
| replacement costs. | | | | turn. That extra turn will keep the line in place |
| Before boat anchoring, docking your boat, or | | | | with a lot less friction and wear and tear. |
| leading a headsail sheet through a block, you will | | | | 4. Add Chafing Gear |
| want to protect your line from chafe (wear) and | | | | Split open a two or three foot section of old |
| fiber damage. Put these five tips in play aboard | | | | garden or fire hose. Lash it to your anchor line or |
| your small cruising or racing sailboat today: | | | | mooring lines where they pass over the bow |
| 1. Lead Line at a Narrow Angle | | | | chocks. In a pinch, you can use rags lashed with |
| Lower line wear when you lead a line from one | | | | sail twine, or even duct tape. Protect your |
| point to another at a small angle. Look at how | | | | expensive mooring lines and they will reward you |
| your mooring lines lead from the dock cleat to | | | | with longer life and less replacement costs. |
| the boat cleat at the bow. Keep the line as | | | | 5. End-for-End Once a Season |
| straight as possible and you will cut down on wear | | | | Take an inventory of every piece of mooring line, |
| and tear. If you have to lead lines at an acute | | | | anchor line, boom vang and mainsheet tackles, |
| angle, make sure the fitting they pass over--such | | | | and traveler lines. Use a super cool technique from |
| as bow chocks--are smooth to prevent wear. | | | | the days of the square riggers. Change bitter |
| 2. Match Rope Diameter to Block Diameter | | | | ends. For example, Untie the anchor rode from |
| Are you sure the sheave (wheel) inside your | | | | the ring bolt inside the anchor locker. Splice an eye |
| blocks matches the braided nylon or dacron line | | | | with a new thimble and attach the old end to the |
| that passes over them? Too small a sheave | | | | eye-bolt. |
| causes excessive wear as the sailing rope rubs | | | | Use this same method with any block and tackle |
| back and forth. Too large a sheave could cause | | | | gear (vangs, mainsheet, or traveler). Your line will |
| the line to jump off the sheave and jam. | | | | give you up to 50% more life with this simple |
| America's most respected master rigger--Brion | | | | preventative maintenance technique! |
| Toss--recommends that you match rope | | | | Use the five marine knots tips to save $$$s in |
| diameter to sheave diameter | | | | expensive replacement costs of your mooring |
| * Dacron rope three-strand and braided - Sheave | | | | and anchor line, and running rigging. Your marine |
| diameter should be 4X to 6X the rope diameter | | | | rope will reward you with longer life, better |
| * Kevlar rope -Sheave diameter should be 12X | | | | performance, and more reliability for many years |
| the rope diameter. | | | | to come. |