Fire Hose Chafing Gear

[capngeo]

Fire Hose is excellent chafing gear!

Every year our department throws away THOUSANDS of feet of failed fire hose. I can have about all I want. Testing is usually Jan or Feb, so none is available in any quantity until then, but post up your requests and when it's avail I'll let y'all know.

FREE just pay shipping!

[Pblais]

Perhaps we can just start a discussion in this about how much to use and how to actually use it for those that might have questions and then when you get hose available you can send a PM to one of the staff so things can get a bit organized making it easier for you and anyone that would like some. It can then be posted in a classified ad with complete details. Then members can just PM you with details on ordering and you can handle the payments some way that works out well for both sides.

In the mean time finding a reasonable quatity and shipping cost might make it a more standard thing so you can be sure it does cover cost and people can know up front. A reasonable length of hose should yield a lot of chafe protection. It's a very good chafe material.

[capngeo]

I would think the "reasonable quantity" is whatever will fit into a USPS Flat Rate Box (Apologies to those outside the US).

I bring several hundred feet to Key West every year for the friends in Garrison Bight. I'll drop a roll or two off at the head of each pier.... Amazingly people only cut off what they need; usually 5-10 feet, that would fit in the medium FR box.

[ActiveCaptain]

I used discarded fire hose as chaffing gear on my mooring lines for 5 years. It seemed like a great idea. Then during a bad storm I noticed that heat can build up and stay within the line quite easily. Perhaps it was the length or way I was using it but the rain associated with bad storms wouldn't cool the actual line underneath. And the line was getting hot.

Since that experience, I switched to leather. Leather is tighter to the line (I hand stitch it so it is tight) and cools well in any type of precipitation or wave splash.

It's just something to keep in mind about fire hose. It's a very water tight material - make sure you've thought about heat dissipation.

[craigsmith]

A good solution is fabric reinforced rubber hoses, such as exhaust hose. Even wire reinforced variations work well.

I agree re the heat retention issues. I'm not an expert on hosing but it would be interesting to see figures on the insulation properties.

Chafe protection (Rocna Knowledge Base)

[zeehag]

i use firehise on my lines for my mooring--have had no problem in 6 yrs never noticed heat-never heard of heat build up in our lines. our water is 58 degrees andwe have many storms in winter with winds over 50 mph.

[amytom]

The trick is to remove the inner lining of the fire hose. Without the liner rainwater can soak through and cool off the line under strain.

[capngeo]

Originally Posted by amytom

The trick is to remove the inner lining of the fire hose. Without the liner rainwater can soak through and cool off the line under strain.

Good Luck!

[amytom]

Not easy but I did it.

Older hoses delaminate easier (one of the reasons for replacing them).

[Ram]

I found some at our fire house and the lining just peeled off outer frabric like a banana, so i suppose its the age and make of the hose, heating is never an issuue as the rain goes right through

[capngeo]

Well... I suppose if you have some OLD double braid firehose you can separate the three components.... Modern hose has the liner fairly impregnated into the braid. You might even find some old cotton jacket stuff if I look hard enough!

[Healer52]

Originally Posted by capngeo

Well... I suppose if you have some OLD double braid firehose you can separate the three components.... Modern hose has the liner fairly impregnated into the braid. You might even find some old cotton jacket stuff if I look hard enough!

Yeah, good luck. Even house line (the hose in fire cabinets in some high-rises) is synthetic these days... But newer house line is lined, with a synthetic jacket, I think - not double jacket and bonded. It might peel out, and I suppose you could involute an 18" or so section and carefully peel the liner off

[capngeo]

OK... I guess I didn't make myself clear..... the type of hose AVAILABLE TO ME cannot be separated!

[Thorin]

The only thing THAT hose has in comon with a banana is the colour! (color for our US friends). I have to ask though... Why not just punch a few small holes in it to let the water in and out?

[capngeo]

Honestly, I (as well as a BUNCH of my friends) have been using it for years. Never had a heat problem! I have some that has protected docklines for at least 5 hurricanes in KW. The only issue I've found is the sun eventually eats it.