Page 27 - Frank Rosenow "Seagoing Knots"

Three-strand plain rope is unequalled for versatility in knotting and
splicing. It has held its own mainly in mooring and anchoring use while the
sheets and halyards of most yachts consist of a braided cover enclosing a
plaited core. In the case of minimum stretch Kevlar or the rubber inside a
stretchy shock cord, the core is usually straight. The braided configuration
provides uniform roundness, kink resistance and pliability; splicing braided
line requires special tools and a trained eye and is seldom attempted out¬

side professional rigging lofts.
Knots may be tied equally well in both of these configurations, but the
pleasure of handling them as well as the safety of the knot will be enhanced
by a slightly matt rather than shiny surface finish. In quality polyester and
nylon line I look for at least a partial infusion of short, woolly fibers among
the endless, nominally stronger, shiny ones.
Ken Green, of Marlow Ropes at Hailsham in East Sussex, agrees that
the matt Marlow ropes knot the most successfully and also untie more eas¬
ily. On the subject of polypropylene, another synthetic fiber, usually seen
in metallic blue or green color designed to offset its poor resistance to sun¬
light, he says: “Most knots will work with this material although slippage is

a problem sometimes. Our most successful polypropylene has a hairy finish
and seems to grip extremely well.’’
Hairy rope or not, the Lee High Cordage Co. of Allentown, Pennsylva¬
nia, only blesses a polypropylene knot when tied as a bowline or double
sheet bend.
My advice is to stick to polyester and nylon and avoid the dead, plasticky
feel of propylene and polysplit, both of which splice better than they knot.
The best practicing ground for knotting remains the working lines of the
boat in use. Much is made of rope load tables but often a deck line can be
selected on the basis of what is comfortable to handle. Of course, a main

anchor warp needs to be substantial in any displacement boat, but if it is so
big you can’t handle it well it may not come up quick enough from the
locker to give you a chance to use it.
In forty years of sailing I haven’t had a line let go, except for a boat
yard’s worn-to-the-bone mast lifting strap which I was careless not to
inspect before using.
As a rule, use nylon for mooring and anchor line, polyester for sheets
and halyard tails and Kevlar for all-rope halyards. Kevlar, incidentally, must
be palm-and-needle whipped most carefully to keep cover and core
balanced.
To keep them supple and strong, you have to treat your lines well. Any
line needs to be rested and rinsed in fresh water occasionally. At the end of

the season, use a tub to rinse out damaging grit and salt crystals.
Avoid shock loads on a line—such as picking up a tow with a great jerk
—and be equally wary of kinks and sharp angles. Keep what lines you can

LINES AND LASHINGS