⛵️ Fast Dispatch - Getting You Back on the Water ⛵️
⛵️ Fast Dispatch - Getting You Back on the Water ⛵️
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March 17, 2017 3 min read
With the sailing season about to start we thought we would give you some tips on how to look after your sailing ropes. Every boat has plenty of rope onboard and the start of the season is a good time to check your boat over including your rope and rigging systems.
The first thing we’d advise you to do is to check each and every dinghy rope very carefully, run through from one end to the other looking for any issues, fraying areas and inspect where the rope goes through cleats or sharp turns. It’s also important to check your rope work, if you’ve got splices, joins, tapers or whips check them over.
Secondly, check the ends of the ropes, if they’re not sealed then finish them off properly with a heat knife or rope hot gun. Some people prefer to cut the rope and seal with a lighter, if you’re going to take this approach then put some electrical tape round the rope before making the cut – then you can heat the end. We would recommend a rope seal hot knife, a great little tool and very handy for the dinghy park.
If the sailing ropes do come off the boat without too much hassle then why not put them into the washing machine. It might sound a bit weird but it’s the best way to get them clean. Just make sure you don’t use soap with a beaching agent.
Once the ropes are washed make sure you dry them thoroughly, it’s best to put them in a dark but warm room where the sunlight isn’t going to get to them. Sunlight is one of the biggest killers of sailing and dinghy ropes, especially those which do poke out of the boat cover.
When you go to put your sailing ropes back onto your boat check your pulleys, cleats and boat for abrasion points. If your rope is running around a sharp item or pulley that doesn’t work then it’s not going to last as long. At that point it’s probably time to replace the hardware on the boat, or add some protective tape to reduce friction.
Caring for your ropes is important, we see lots of people pulling their boat from the water to their boat parking space with a mainsheet trailing across the concrete. This is a very fast way to reduce the ropes lifetime and create weak areas.
Another important factor is to use the right rope for the job. Yes, we all love a bit of cheap string but sometimes a cheap bit of rope won’t last as long, costing you more money over time. Check what sort of load each line is going to be taking, obviously control systems, sheets and halyards are going to take the biggest loads. You’ll be fine with a bargain bit of floatline for your boats painter though!
If you use a rope which isn’t suitable you’ll see your sails start to have problems. For example if a rope can’t act correctly as a halyard you’ll see it stretching and your sail starting to drop from where it should be, no matter how much you try and tighten the halyard it won’t work. If you’re unsure of which rope you need then please just give us a call, or drop us an email – we are always more than happy to help.
If you’ve got any questions about which boat rope is going to be best for you, or if you just want to talk through the options then feel free to give us a call.
Nearly 40 years on from my first "Laser" I have just taken delivery of my second - a Devoti Ilca 7. Buying this new ILCA has been a 5 star experience, and dealing with Andrew, Jason and Steve at Sailing Chandlery have all been great - candid advice, all the help and assistance I could have wished for. And to cap it all Steve delivered the new Devoti to my home address - 5 hours away, and up in the hills, not easy to get to - and what's more Steve then stayed to help me sort out the rigging - all very different from what I remember. When I last sailed a Laser you had to lean on the boom to put on more kicker. I'm very happy to give the team at Sailing Chandlery a fulsome recommendation.
quick and easy to deal with prompt delivery on order will use again
We ordered a 100m reel of sheet rope for our sailing club's training fleet of Toppers and Fevas. It runs through the blocks very easily and is great to hold. The children on the courses love it!
Great little piece of kit, use it for giving me an idea of wind direction in the marina on my narrowboat!!
Great harness, really comfortable, looks to be good quality and well made.
Great service from Sailing Chandlery.
Delivery was super quick after bank holiday, and product is just as described. Super convenient pockets inside a comfy backpack kitbag so great and practical for walking to/from dinghy parks
Just a small item, a bung! The super quick delivery got me back on the water. Thank you.
Good rope for low load jobs - easy to splice, smooth and flexible.
Perfectly layed out numbers
WIP have really pulled out all the stops on this impact vest to suit all forms of hi-performance watersports. Feels great on, good snug fit - no restrictions to movement and doesn't impact on trapezing like a lot of buoyancy aids. A very well made, high quality vest that has everything you need to keep you safe on the water.
Purchased for my old Albacore sailing dinghy. This is a well made quality cover with straps and clips that look like they’ll last many years. I no longer have to bail out the boat before sailing!
Found the staff at Sailing Chandlery most helpful to a no-yachtsman with flags to fly to cheer the day.
It may seem strange but my husband purchased this item as he was making me some wooden bunting for our outside space. The range of colours was fab and the rope is ideal for our needs.
Easy to order and arrived quickly….great service
Made with good quality material and sizing is accurate. Comfortable to wear with plenty of secure pocket space. Buoyancy aid arrived promptly and securely wrapped.
Waterproof, spacious and different ways to carry it
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