Page 128 - Peter Randall - The Craft of the Knot

Appendix A

COILING ROPE

Everything you do with rope—from selection and coiling to using it and deciding when
to retire it—falls under the category of rope management.

The most important rope management skill is simple: using ropes properly. Tying
knots that jam can damage the fibers of rope, and even more damage will result from
having to pry a jammed knot apart. Tying hitches that are adjustable can aid in keeping
slack out of the rope and can help prevent stress damage from shock loading. And, of

course, ropes fare much better when they are properly matched to the application.
Many activities that use specific knots and ropes also have their own methods of rope

care and management. For example, those who use ropes for climbing or rescue usually
take great care not to step on them. Because the rope structure consists of a central core
surrounded by a stiff outer layer, this core can take damage from a boot heel that will
not be noticeable. Also, fishermen store fishing line away from direct sunlight to protect

it from ultraviolet radiation, which might result in premature line weakness.
Much of the rope work methodology we use today was perfected on sailing ships. For

centuries, operating a square-rigged sailing vessel required an army of men plying their
craft with rope. Because their principal tool for working with rope was the
marlinespike, this craft became known as “marlinespike seamanship,” and this term is

still used today.
Sometimes it is more challenging to store rope than to use it. The best way to store
rope is by wrapping the entire length into a coil and tying a part of itself around the

coil to keep it secure. When rope turns into a tangle, it’s annoying, but what’s worse is
that it will get twisted, with very sharp turns or kinks. These can damage rope fibers,
making it much weaker. Coiling rope is also helpful because rope can be dangerous

under foot when loose, especially on boats.
You can coil the rope by reaching for each new length with the right hand and adding

it to the coil held in the left hand. Stiffer or more tightly laid rope will have more of a
tendency to twist into a figure-eight shape than looser rope will. To counteract this
tendency, try giving the rope a right-hand twist with each turn of the coil. As you reach
out your right hand and grip the rope with your palm away from you, twist your hand

and the rope as if you were turning a screwdriver to tighten a screw. Even if you’re left-
handed, you should still coil them in a clockwise direction because most three-stranded