Heavily Fouled Rope Rode - Tips and Tricks?

[JPA Cate]

It looks like normal biofouling to me. Don't sweat the small stuff, can be washed in big bucket, too, soak in cold water fresh water (it will kill the life forms) + detergent. If it doesn't come out clean enough for you that way, you can add the bleach, but if that is nylon rode, use oxygen bleach, not chlorine. Probably doesn't matter if it is polypropylene.

Ann

[Madehn]

A bit of fabric softener in the laundry will give you a nice pliable rope

[NorthCoastJoe]

I have washed many types of lines in my at home front loader with no tangles. If you go that route just run it empty with detergent and bleach after your messy load should clean the machine. Some have a self clean cycle too, mine does.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by BlueH2Obound

Don't stay in one place for too long! That's the solution. Another "solution" is bleach, dish soap, and water, soak, then scrub.

On the washing machine suggestion, go for it, but please use your own personal washing machine. Otherwise, you are screwing the next user of the machine.

That's another reason we like having our own, onboard washer/dryer . . . .

Chotu's rode is too large for a Splendide.


I run lines in my front loader at home all the time. It doesn't leave any residue in the machine, and the lines come out clean.


Clothes worn while mining iron ore are however unwelcome at laundromats. I've seen signs.

[Tupaia]

Pressure washer - works fine.


If you are going to stay that long in one place why not lay a mooring. Engine block, gear rings, second hand oversized chain. Sell it on when you leave.

[GordMay]

Bleach is not recommended, by any rope manufacturer, in any quantity.

Every manufacturer has faced claims of rope failure or splice failure caused by a bleach overdose. Extended soaking in bleach solutions must be avoided.

Rope Washing Advice from the Pros
➥ https://www.practical-sailor.com/blo...-from-the-pros

What’s the Best Way to Clean Marine Rope?
➥ https://www.practical-sailor.com/boa...an-marine-rope







Rope Cleaning Brush(es)
➥ https://www.mec.ca/en/product/4015-247/rope-brush

➥ https://www.rescuetech1.com/dobiropebrush.aspx

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Tupaia

Pressure washer - works fine.


If you are going to stay that long in one place why not lay a mooring. Engine block, gear rings, second hand oversized chain. Sell it on when you leave.

Because it’s a 25 year wait for local residents to get permission to drop one and it’s highly illegal to circumvent the law and do it anyway. Harbormaster would probably execute you on the spot and you’d make it bad for every other visiting boater and maybe get anchoring banned. A really, really bad idea, I’m afraid.

I’m only here working on the mast. That’s it. Then moving on.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Bleach is not recommended, by any rope manufacturer, in any quantity.

Every manufacturer has faced claims of rope failure or splice failure caused by a bleach overdose. Extended soaking in bleach solutions must be avoided.

Rope Washing Advice from the Pros
➥ https://www.practical-sailor.com/blo...-from-the-pros

What’s the Best Way to Clean Marine Rope?
➥ https://www.practical-sailor.com/boa...an-marine-rope







Rope Cleaning Brush(es)
➥ https://www.mec.ca/en/product/4015-247/rope-brush

➥ https://www.rescuetech1.com/dobiropebrush.aspx

Excellent post, Gord and thank you for steering me away from really, REALLY bad advice I got on this thread. Wow. I’m shocked that people actually suggested bleach which may have resulted in a loss of my boat. Must be more careful here and not just rely on popular opinion. I really didn’t think to stop and carefully check what seemed to be harmless information on bleaching my anchor rode. I’ll just scrub it.

It’s not like I can remove it from the boat or fit it in a washing machine anyway. It’s spliced to 100ft of chain and is 200ft of 3/4” rope. Probably can’t fit 200ft of 3/4” rope into a washing machine anyway, unless commercial oversize even if I did destroy my splice just to clean it.

But destroying my splice, then handling a nasty fouled rode to coil it, then carrying it all the way to a laundromat (it’s REALLY heavy), then sitting there through the wash cycle, then carrying it all the way back, then doing a new splice sure sounds a lot more difficult than scrubbing it on deck as it comes in and washing the deck down after.

I guess there are no magical shortcuts on this one after reading the articles.

[GordMay]

While some people use dedicated products like "Beal Rope Cleaner", or "Sterling Wicked Good Rope Wash", I use only warm soapy [not detergent] water, and a rope cleaning brush, similar to those previously pictured.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by GordMay

While some people use dedicated products like "Beal Rope Cleaner", or "Sterling Wicked Good Rope Wash", I use only warm soapy [not detergent] water, and a rope cleaning brush, similar to those previously pictured.

After reading, I agree completely.

Must be very gentle with the rope to preserve it.

It has never seen the water before this year, so I have to treat it well. In fact, the part all fouled has only been in the water a couple times. It’s a particularly deep anchorage.

While I don’t currently have the rope cleaning brush and will probably just suffer through with a standard one this time, it’s on my list.

Thanks for the depth of knowledge on this one. It was a far more nuanced subject than I had ever imagined.

[Simi 60]

Gets out the gerni and 5 minutes later looks like new.

Does the bottom of the tender whilst hanging in davits as well.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Gets out the gerni and 5 minutes later looks like new.
Does the bottom of the tender whilst hanging in davits as well.

“Gerni” is an Australian brand of (household) pressure washers, available through Bunnings Warehouse stores.
Exercise care, when using a pressure washer.

[BlueH2Obound]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Wait…. So you put things like that in your own onboard washer and dryer? And you don’t see a problem after that? Why would the other machines have a problem? Just trying to follow the reasoning. Not criticizing.

To date, we've not seen the need to put 350' of 1/2" chain rode into any washing machine, ours, or others. . . . It would probably make a horrible racket on the spin cycle!

BUT, if you have rope rode, and desire to use a washing machine to remove this "disgusting growth", as you describe it, please be considerate of both the owners of the machine (if public) and the people who will use that machine after you to wash their clothing . . . .

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by BlueH2Obound

BUT, if you have rope rode, and desire to use a washing machine to remove this "disgusting growth", as you describe it, please be considerate of both the owners of the machine (if public) and the people who will use that machine after you to wash their clothing . . . .

It doesn't make a mess of the machine. I do it all the time on my machine at home.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by BlueH2Obound

To date, we've not seen the need to put 350' of 1/2" chain rode into any washing machine, ours, or others. . . . It would probably make a horrible racket on the spin cycle!

BUT, if you have rope rode, and desire to use a washing machine to remove this "disgusting growth", as you describe it, please be considerate of both the owners of the machine (if public) and the people who will use that machine after you to wash their clothing . . . .

Also, am I your child?

I’m not sure why you feel the need to try to educate me on laundry etiquette.

Make sure to say thank you when someone gives you something.

Remember to return your dock cart to the proper place when you are done. Please be considerate of other boaters.

I was the first person to make note of this by posting a comedy video immediately after the suggestion about the washing machine.

Why are you speaking this way to me?