Hurricane Anti-Chafing Gear. What's Best?

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Another one that uses plastic clear hose although I always use the one with reinforcing laced thru the hose, it's much tougher. I use a heated awl to put a hole near one end and put a small line through the hose and tie it off in an appropriate location. Never had one go on me but while I have used this method for many years without failure in a variety of conditions, they don't include hurricanes.

I've done the above, but then I've never been out in anything north of 60kts either. Hence my original request. And the idea of adding holes to pvc tubing or fire hose has occured to me also, though again, I'd prefer techniques which have been tried & proven.

Hmmm. Who all wants to get in on splitting up a spool of Spectra anti-chafe sleeve? "Flavored Ice" perhaps? That stuff ain't cheap, even when someone else is paying for it!

Now I'm thinking that maybe I should go & do an in depth search on the Drogue Device Data Base, & or contact them directly on this. As well as any other folks who may have reliable accounts of ropes loaded up in extreme conditions.
Any thoughts on who else to contact?

PS: I too am a Maxi Jacket fan. And the coatings descendent from it just keep getting better.

[chuckr]

We have been through a bunch of hurricanes in Miami and we used fire hose - but now in the Med/Black Sea we still are using it -- but I hear it is getting harder to find
A friend of ours went to Salvation Army bought a used leather jacket I think and cut it up, sewed it into shelves and said it worked great -
we love our fire hose

[Chuck Hawley]

I think you'll find this interesting:

https://pdos.csail.mit.edu/~decouto/...s/seagrant.pdf

To summarize:

• Heat is the enemy
• Stretch generates heat
• Joining different lines needs a reliable technique
• Best place is on land.

Chuck Hawley

[ingrid75]

It is hard to beat firehouse. It gets plenty of water inside. Overheating nylon rope has never been a problem. You can punch a hole in it and tie it in place so it dosen't move when the boat pitches. I have used it in half a dozen hurricane force wind situations, including on direct hit (eye passing over us) by a cat five. Trust fire hose.

[AJ_n_Audrey]

Chafe-Pro gear is expensive but very effective. Easily removable, and I add them to my Mantis bridle to prevent chafe on the bridle from the chain.

[Keel Scraper]

Find remnant carpet or carpet store that's throwing away left over peaces. Sew the carpet side toward the line. The carpet will soak up rain or sea water to keep the line cool. Always worked for me. You can usually find a carpet store that will give you all that you can use. Leather will also do a good job but more expensive. If at the dock make sure your dock lines will have good angles at the highest point of the tide and lowest point.


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[wrwakefield]

Hi Uncivilized,

On the last 3 boats I always used oversized firehose and never had a problem in blows. [e.g., 40-60 kts. in boats displacing 15-22k lbs]

On our current boat, I switched to Chafe Pro [Yacht Series] and it has been great for the [almost] 3 years I have used it. I like it better than firehose because it can be applied after the line is in place, and it 'breathes' well.

I think it is relatively cheap for what it does. [~US$20 for 2 - 18" pieces that will wrap around our 1" 3-strand dock lines.]

How has the Chafe Pro held up so far?

Our current ketch displaces 44k lbs cruising weight. I always fore and aft tie spring lines originating from the midship cleat, and when away from the boat or expecting a blow, double-up bow and stern lines. [I also tie a loose breast line to the midship cleat as back-up to the springs if they should chafe...]

Last fall [of course when we were away from the boat] we had a 90 kt sustained wind storm pass by in the Gulf of Alaska. The marina saw 60 kts sustained, with 70+ knot gusts. No problem, and no chafe- even on the chafe gear. There have been ~3 other wind events [45 kt sustained; ~60kt gusts] storms pass through when the boat is rigged this way, and no issues those times either.

I also use Chafe Pro on our anchor bridle, but haven't had that tested in anything above 40 kts yet...

In many years past on other vessels I have gotten by with legs from cut-off denim jeans, towels, etc. It just requires more attention to move the chafe gear as it chafes...

Ideas to be proofed: I would think tubular Hi-Mod webbing [sleeves- as you mentioned] would be ideal... Or perhaps just Hi-mod dock lines with several inline rubber snubbers...

The downside to hi-mod dock lines is they would be small diameter and therefore difficult to take a strain by hand...

I hope you never have to put your anti-chafe gear to the test.

Cheers! Bill