Fiddle blocks twisting the lines

[steve77]

I have several fiddle blocks onboard, and am having trouble with twisting.

The first two photos are of the blocks for the dinghy davits. Both are reeved identically. The line for the bow of the dinghy does not twist at all, but the line for the stern does. It will be nice and straight for the first few times I use it, and then will start exhibiting the twist you see here. I believe it is because I often leave the outboard on the dinghy when I hoist it, therefore this line is under greater tension. I just recently started using the davits so this is a new problem for me.

The last photo is of a portion of the mainsheet. Only the portion of the mainsheet to the left is twisted in this photo, but the center portion commonly twists, also. I have had twisting of the mainsheet for years but have never found a solution.

Anyone have thoughts on why this is occurring?

Steve

[mikereed100]

If you have the bitter end on a winch then that could be introducing twist into the line.

[thinwater]

One end has a swivel. Lock it (most have a mechanism to do this), no more problem.

[steve77]

Originally Posted by mikereed100

If you have the bitter end on a winch then that could be introducing twist into the line.

The mainsheet has a winch, of course, but not the dinghy hoist. That's just done by me hauling on the line by hand. The winch theory doesn't help explain my problem with the dinghy hoist. Thanks, though!

Cheers!

Steve

[steve77]

Originally Posted by thinwater

One end has a swivel. Lock it (most have a mechanism to do this), no more problem.

Thanks for the suggestion, but it doesn't help me. The fiddle blocks for the dinghy lift do not have a means to lock the swivel.

The boom block for the mainsheet does have a means to lock the block. I tried this four or five years ago and it turned out to not be a permanent solution, although I forget why. In any event, locking the block does nothing to prevent the line from twisting, it just keeps the block from rotating. You still wind up with twists in the line that can cause problems as the twists build up.

Since only one of the dinghy hoist lines is having this problem, I can't help but think it is due to load on the line.

Cheers!

Steve

[Richard Harper]

A few years ago I switched from a 4 part to 6 part tackle when I got a larger dingy engine. It worked fine but recently the line started twisting and rolling out of the sheeve. I think it was the line getting old and less flexible after a few years in the sun and rain. I just switched from 29mm to 57mm blocks and from double braid to single braid dyneema and the dingy almost floats up. I will let you know if this is a permanent fix in a few years.

[steve77]

Originally Posted by Richard Harper

A few years ago I switched from a 4 part to 6 part tackle when I got a larger dingy engine. It worked fine but recently the line started twisting and rolling out of the sheeve. I think it was the line getting old and less flexible after a few years in the sun and rain. I just switched from 29mm to 57mm blocks and from double braid to single braid dyneema and the dingy almost floats up. I will let you know if this is a permanent fix in a few years.

Thanks, Richard. I will say that the lines for my dinghy hoist are about five years old and mainsheet perhaps seven years. Both are double braid.

Steve

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by steve77

Thanks for the suggestion, but it doesn't help me. The fiddle blocks for the dinghy lift do not have a means to lock the swivel.

The boom block for the mainsheet does have a means to lock the block. I tried this four or five years ago and it turned out to not be a permanent solution, although I forget why. In any event, locking the block does nothing to prevent the line from twisting, it just keeps the block from rotating. You still wind up with twists in the line that can cause problems as the twists build up.

Since only one of the dinghy hoist lines is having this problem, I can't help but think it is due to load on the line.

Cheers!


Steve

I'm suspect you can lock it with some rigging wire.



And yes, you do need to figure out where the twist is coming from. Line construction can contribute, but only with relatively new line. It may be something in how you handle the line. (Yes, I've had fiddle blocks to hoist a dinghy with fiddle blocks.


FWIW, I switched mine to 6X blocks with a cam cleat. Much easier.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by steve77

Thanks for the suggestion, but it doesn't help me. The fiddle blocks for the dinghy lift do not have a means to lock the swivel.

Steve,


thinwater is right. Just because only one is giving you a problem doesn't mean that it won't in future if it isn't locked. Think glass half empty or half full....



I had the same problem on a fiddle block in 1998. My PO had tied thin cord around the swivel to stop it from turning. The cord wore out. I replaced the cord, then later got the right block.


Secure the block, it is not the line nor the load.



Good luck.


PS - Heck, try securing the block from swiveling with something temporary and see if that does the trick. What do you have to lose?

[Wallaby]

Might it be how you are coiling the line is inducing twist? See here:

https://youtu.be/vX4Zr0vdGHE

depending on the rope type and line length, I will use different methods.

[jooa]

This May seem unconventional but unreeve the problem block and re-reeve it but starting the line from the opposite end. If the line is running against its normal construction it is possible it is inducing extra twist into the line. I know this can help with thread, might help with rope.

[singlespeed]

Before you invest in new lines or blocks, take the line off and soak it in warm water overnight to remove any salt. Rinse, then put the line in a pillowcase and into a washing machine. Add only fabric softener and wash on a heavily soiled setting. Take the line out of the pillowcase and stretch it out to air dry, in as straight a line as possible. If space doesn't permit this, coil it in the largest loops possible to let it air dry. The line should now be softer and guessing it through the shelves should not induce any further twists.

[val99]

It's how you coil the line. That video is terrible.

1st coil

1 line in lft hnd, line to coil hangs down in front of you.

2 put rt hnd out flat, palm down, tilt hand, rt side down, thumb is up.

3 reach down on RIGHT side of hanging line and grab line, thumb is up

4 bring line up twisting hand to left thumb toward you and lay line in left hand

2nd coil

1same

2 put rt hand out flat palm down, tilt hand to left, thumb down

3 reach down on LEFT side of hanging line and grab line, thumb is down

4 bring line up, hand will twist to right, thumb away from you and lay line in left hand

Repeat alternating each coil.
No more twisted line. (if you start out with untwisted line)

[qwert]

Retired my old mainsheet and replaced it with a brand new line. After two yrs of frequent removal and untwisting of new line I threw it out and replaced it with a different brand. Problem solved. All were double braid.
I think that sometimes someone in the rope factory has set the tension wrongly in one of the threads and this induces a permanent twisting tension in the rope. The rope still has plenty of strength so chop it into dock lines or something similar.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by val99

It's how you coil the line. That video is terrible.

1st coil

1 line in lft hnd, line to coil hangs down in front of you.

2 put rt hnd out flat, palm down, tilt hand, rt side down, thumb is up.

3 reach down on RIGHT side of hanging line and grab line, thumb is up

4 bring line up twisting hand to left thumb toward you and lay line in left hand

2nd coil

1same

2 put rt hand out flat palm down, tilt hand to left, thumb down

3 reach down on LEFT side of hanging line and grab line, thumb is down

4 bring line up, hand will twist to right, thumb away from you and lay line in left hand

Repeat alternating each coil.
No more twisted line. (if you start out with untwisted line)

That could also be it. I learned as a rock climbing, 40 years ago, repeatedly coiling 160-foot lines on a mountainside, to NEVER make a "store" coil. I also use and electric mower and work with hoses. The are even more prone to kinks and twist than rope. Either figure 8 or do as described above. Looks don't matter, only how it plays out. Common coiling methods can really twist lines.