Rope bag on the boom.

[GILow]

Hi all,

I passed a leopard cat the other day and I noticed it had one of those open weave rope bags hanging from the boom, up next to the goose neck.

Seemed like a good idea to me. Whenever I reef the main I end up with a spaghetti monster at the mast if I’m not super careful.

Has anyone tried something similar? Any pitfalls?

Matt

[TrentePieds]

Hm.. Wouldn't it be just as quick and easy to coil the fall(s) and hang 'em neatly as sailors have always done.

Stuffing the falls in a bag - net or not - seems to me to be much more difficult and time consuming.

I just timed myself, in easy circumstances admittedly, but 10 fathoms in 15 seconds seems to be my pace. To hang securely on a horn cleat takes no time at all, nor, if you are talking about ten or fifteen fathoms of rope in employment other than reefing, does hanging the coil in a "lamb's ear".

TrentePieds

[JPA Cate]

One lays the tail in one hand, and lays parallels with the line, no crossing over, then fold in half, take two turns around the hanks, with the tail coming through the eye you just made, then, affix to cleat with cleat hitch. Is pretty fast, comes loose ready to run, and usually dry, if no spray on deck. No need for rope bag. The best part is you can do it in the dark, once you've learned to trust it, so no loss of visual acuity on watch from using a headlight or deck lights.

Save your night vision.

Ann

[shadows]

I have a mesh rope bag on the boom of my Swanson 42 for the reefing lines, I find it works really well, much easier to stuff the three reefing lines into a bag with one hand, while winching with the other.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by shadows

I have a mesh rope bag on the boom of my Swanson 42 for the reefing lines, I find it works really well, much easier to stuff the three reefing lines into a bag with one hand, while winching with the other.

Well, a fellow S42 owner’s vote caries a lot of weight in my view.

Darn these purists and their tidy ropes fetish.

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by GILow

Hi all,

I passed a leopard cat the other day and I noticed it had one of those open weave rope bags hanging from the boom, up next to the goose neck.

Seemed like a good idea to me. Whenever I reef the main I end up with a spaghetti monster at the mast if I’m not super careful.

Has anyone tried something similar? Any pitfalls?

Matt

If you reef from the mast (as opposed to the cockpit) it seems a good and tidy idea.
I wouldn't hesitate.

[Hudson Force]

I suppose that much of these opinions relate to the configuration of the view from the helm. Personally, I could not abide the lump hanging under my boom. Even close to the gooseneck, it would be limiting my view ahead; however, people are different. I've never understood how people here in the US drive their cars about with all the stuff hanging from their rear-view mirror!

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by GILow

Well, a fellow S42 owner’s vote caries a lot of weight in my view.

Darn these purists and their tidy ropes fetish.

Haha

After years and years of coiling and hanging lines, I find it's easier to just coil and hang as Ann and Trente have said above. Also less chance of getting a knot or twist in a situation at the other end when you need to drop a sail quickly or deploy an anchor rode (another example of a line that should always be properly coiled).

It stood me in good stead just this Summer, in fact, when I was on a weekend delivery and the engine cut out just as we were coming up to a Fuel Dock behind a million-dollar cabin cruiser. Turned away from the dock, avoiding a collision with the M/Y, not enough inertia to come around and approach again and raising the sails with the one other (VERY inexperienced) crew wasn't an option, so once we were away from the dock far enough, I immediately deployed the anchor. Fortunately, before we'd left on the delivery, I had re-coiled the anchor rode and had it ready and tied on deck. (No anchor locker.) Thank GOD for RYA training!

Anyway, sorry for the long story, but you see what I mean. Proper coiling and storage of that anchor rode meant that it could be deployed quickly, without twists or tangles, giving me the time to hang on the anchor for about an hour while I sorted out the problem (ended up getting a tow to the dock).

So my perspective would be: Learn to coil and hang lines properly - and acquire a new fetish!

Very Happy New Year, Matt and the Gang
LittleWing77

P.S. Just invoked your name in Post #47 on this thread (below). Are you anywhere near Hobart? Lucky Luke just finished shadowing the Sydney-Hobart... sorry I don't know the name of his boat.

Next Step?
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...-247825-4.html

[Hartleyg]

As an olde-tyme mountaineer, high-angle rescue leader and wilderness search person, I came to appreciate rope bags (as opposed to coiling) in a big way. I don't think the Mountain Rescue Team I was a part of has coiled a rope since the 1980's. Easy to stuff, easy to deploy without worrying if the end had accidentally passed thru the coil, etc.
My wife made a nifty bag (Sunbrella sides, mesh bottom) for the jib halyard at the mast base, we've had bagged MOB throw lines since the 90's, the main halyard lives in a mesh bag in the cockpit and I use both the WM rode bag and an Aqualung dive duffle for the standby anchor rodes.

Consider me 100% in favor of rope bagging vs. coiling for active lines. The only place coiling makes sense to me is for storage where you want to be able to inspect the line.


Hartley
S/V Atsa

[Tetepare]

We are all cockpit now, but prior to that it was coiling. I’m interested to hear more bagging experience.

[Montanan]

Multiple approaches to handling the lines.

First, do you have your reefing lines lead back to the cockpit or are they handled at the base of the mast.

Traditional coil and hang on a horn

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c0/fa...fcb1a06df0.jpg

https://www.sailboat-cruising.com/im...ail-in-bag.jpg

https://l450v.alamy.com/450v/c10jkf/...hip-c10jkf.jpg


Bag It.

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/5e/c3/84/5...ag-storage.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7d/d3...cf7000be70.jpg


Spool It.

https://c8.alamy.com/comp/E9Y52A/cab...hip-E9Y52A.jpg

And then there is always this alternative for those that really like handling lines:

https://media.istockphoto.com/photos...re-id173892761

[bailsout]

I use a bag on the aft face of my mizzen sheet and a wicker basket on the fore face of the mizzen for the main sheet.

[Djarraluda]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

One lays the tail in one hand, and lays parallels with the line, no crossing over, then fold in half, take two turns around the hanks, with the tail coming through the eye you just made, then, affix to cleat with cleat hitch. Is pretty fast, comes loose ready to run, and usually dry, if no spray on deck. No need for rope bag. The best part is you can do it in the dark, once you've learned to trust it, so no loss of visual acuity on watch from using a headlight or deck lights.

Save your night vision.

Ann

Hi Ann, Old sail training trick - Try leaving a length before the first coil, then use that for the wrap and pull a bight through, hook that over the cleat. No knot to untie, just lift and drop the coil.
Roger

[GILow]

Hmm… quite a balanced set of views here.

From what I’ve read here I think it is worth a try.

I do understand the need for care and tidiness with ropes, but this approach appeals to me for the reefing lines. Duly noted the risk of getting tangled, but I’m less worried about needing to urgently shake out a reef than urgently put a reef in, so I can’t see a tangle being a major problem in this application.

I already find my mast a bit busy, especially since I removed the evil finger-munching cotton-reel winches. Once I hang on the reefing lines it starts to feel a bit chaotic.

Thank you to all that have contributed, and the rope compiling purists can be reassured I still coil my main halyard very neatly when under way. That’s one line I really need to trust to run freely in an emergency.

(Incidentally, it turns out that mast steps make very nice hooks for rope coils.)

[The Way]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

One lays the tail in one hand, and lays parallels with the line, no crossing over, then fold in half, take two turns around the hanks, with the tail coming through the eye you just made, then, affix to cleat with cleat hitch. Is pretty fast, comes loose ready to run, and usually dry, if no spray on deck. No need for rope bag. The best part is you can do it in the dark, once you've learned to trust it, so no loss of visual acuity on watch from using a headlight or deck lights.

Save your night vision.

Ann

Thanks, Ann. Folding the coil is a great idea; I do it for rodes, but never thought of it for halyards. But as I visualize this, the tail must be loose. What if you keep the tail through the cleat with a figure-8 knot, to avoid the tail escaping your grip? Then the tail isn't loose to secure the coils with.

Or am I missing something?

Best regards,
Jack