Messed-Up Rode

[SVMorningStar]

We stored our boat in the ICW for 2 months while we looked for dock space. When we finally were ready to move it, the 5/8" double braid nylon rode was a 2" mass of barnacles, growth and general slime. After an hour of scraping it with a paint scraper and gloves to get the lion's share of the nastiness off, we finally got it in and the boat to the dock. Now we are faced with the prospect of cleaning the rode. It looks like I'll be able to get the remaining stuff off even though it smells to high heaven. I figured I'd soak it in Oxiclean after that. My question is would all of that growth and yuck have compromised its strength? I don't want to toss 200' of rode, but I don't want to have my line break while we're at anchor either. Any thoughts? We've had the rode about a year but we bought it used in excellent condition.

[redmirage]

Boat US just had a write up about anchor rodes and there life. It is in the Aug Sept issue. Age and use where a major factor in breaking strenght.

[Pblais]

remaining stuff off even though it smells to high heaven. I figured I'd soak it in Oxiclean after that. My question is would all of that growth and yuck have compromised its strength?

Only in a small sense. The cleaning process would be worse wear and tear. You may fit that much rope in a commercial laundry machine (not your own). Double braid can look pretty bad and look good after you wash it.

A used rode is still used and a year old in the water is getting up there too. You have no idea how stressed it is or was and that isn't easy to tell by just looking. They don't need to look bad to fail. You only see the cover. I can assure you no one here knows more about what shape it is in than you.

Personally, I think chain is better than rope in times that matter or when it has to last a long time.

[svcambria]

Pblais has the right of it - chain for durability and when it matters. What is the depth you anchored in - actually how much scope did you have out? You could end-for-end the rope and use the un-encrusted end in the future, and leave the whole mass out in the sun for a couple of weeks to kill the smell. But 40 or 50 feet of chain sounds like a better idea. Check the chain distributors - not the chandleries...

Michael

[zeehag]

never toss out rope/line--if it is done doing what you hired it for, there is a dinghy painter to some such fender line or something to use it for. why throw out any rope/line.?? and for a hobby, ashleys book of knots shows how to make fenders out of old rope/lines...
i like 3 strand for anchor line, if i have to use rope rode--is easier to see stressors and easier to visually assess--stretches a tad more--doesnt look yottie, but works realllly well. for years, even.

laundromat. front loader. soap . no bleach
shouldnt use oxyclean--can harm fabric integrity. have fun. tide soap or cheap laundry soap is easiest and all work. not hot water, warm.

[Pblais]

why throw out any rope/line.??

Sell it as used rope. It's what the last owner did.

Zeehag, I normally would agree but there just isn't any practical use for 5/8 in double braid other than dock lines. I suppose you could cut out some good looking sections for dock line though. 3/8 is great for fenders and assorted things or an extra rope in times when you just need a rope for something. 5/8 is usually too bulky and certainly on a 35 ft boat.

[zeehag]

wow--i am grossly oversized in my running rigging--but both boats are such. i think , in my case is ok, as the larger diameter the line, to a point, the better i can handle it.. i was lucky both boats were/are over rigged--i use 3/4 " 3 strand for my rope rode and 5/15 chain on my ericson. i was just recently advised i might want to go to 3/8 chain on my formosa instead of 5/16--but my lines for docklines and moorings and everything to handle boat and secure her--- formosa-1 inch, although i prefer the 1 1/4 on her..
ericson 35mII--3/4 in. mooring and anchor. 5/8 3 strand for docklines. we have incredible winds in winter and the extra is a mental relaxant.

[SVMorningStar]

Sounds like I need to get myself to a laundrimat. Actually, it's only the first 20' of line that's nasty. I anchor with 38' of chain so in the 9' of water that we were in, we only had that much of the nylon down. As a last resort, I can always lop off that chunk of line and resplice the thimble onto it. It never occured to me to put it in a washing machine. I'll bet laundrimats see almost everything!

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by SVMorningStar

Sounds like I need to get myself to a laundrimat. Actually, it's only the first 20' of line that's nasty. I anchor with 38' of chain so in the 9' of water that we were in, we only had that much of the nylon down. As a last resort, I can always lop off that chunk of line and resplice the thimble onto it. It never occured to me to put it in a washing machine. I'll bet laundrimats see almost everything!

Good idea.

Untended in the ICW for 2 months?

[zeehag]

even a pail and plunger and tide soap--for so short a length--i would use a 5 gal bucket and go for it!!! i thought more was fouled with undergrowth....

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by SVMorningStar

Sounds like I need to get myself to a laundrimat. Actually, it's only the first 20' of line that's nasty. I anchor with 38' of chain so in the 9' of water that we were in, we only had that much of the nylon down. As a last resort, I can always lop off that chunk of line and resplice the thimble onto it. It never occured to me to put it in a washing machine. I'll bet laundrimats see almost everything!

That's a no-brainer -- cut off the 9' that's ruined and re-splice. As someone else wrote, this might also be a good time to end-for-end it.

One other thought -- I have found a power washer to be the ultimate rope marine growth remover.

[SVMorningStar]

I know, we didn't want to put the boat out in the river, but when you start having to choose between marina fees or mantenance, you have to make choices. We all know the definition of BOAT. We had the boat where we could see it easily and keep tabs on it on a regular basis. Pain in the fanny trying to do anything on it as we had to haul the dingy down every time we wanted work on it. Don't recommend it. Finally found a private dock for half the price of the marina we were in. Think it's going to work out.

[Healer52]

Originally Posted by zeehag

never toss out rope/line--if it is done doing what you hired it for, there is a dinghy painter to some such fender line or something to use it for. why throw out any rope/line.?? and for a hobby, ashleys book of knots shows how to make fenders out of old rope/lines...
i like 3 strand for anchor line, if i have to use rope rode--is easier to see stressors and easier to visually assess--stretches a tad more--doesnt look yottie, but works realllly well. for years, even.

laundromat. front loader. soap . no bleach
shouldnt use oxyclean--can harm fabric integrity. have fun. tide soap or cheap laundry soap is easiest and all work. not hot water, warm.

Pull the rope into very loose daisy-chains before you wash it, even in a front-loading washer...or spend a few weeknights untangling it. Chain sinnet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia