Heavily Fouled Rope Rode - Tips and Tricks?

[thinwater]

Dasiy chain the rope. You can't use a bag with just one rope because of the balance problem.


Make sure the ends are well-whipped. The rope can unravel, and the bits or line that come up can do a number on the machine if they getting in something, like around a pump shaft (been there, done that). Put a sock over any thimbles etc.


Obviously, soak and hand scrub the rope first. That rope has enough to choke everything. A hot water soak in laundry detergent will really help. Nothing mild--it's just clothing textile and the spinning lubes are long gone. Skip the bleach.


Gentle cycle. The steady milking motion of the agitation cycle is sort of like what you do when splicing and can work the rope apart. New double braids are most vulnerable.


Or just hot water/detergent soak then and gently power wash. That is what I would do. Machines can be rough on ropes that are not bagged.



Do NOT let the rope dry first. That will just make it harder. Better off to let it hang in the water for a few days.



--


I did a bunch of rope laundry trials in cooperation with NER. Screwed up a LOT of ropes. The agitation motion can do a lot of damamge. In general, hand washing is a lot safer.

[Pete7]

You need a vehicle and a long sandy beach. Tie one end to the back of the car and go for a drive. Will clean the chain nicely as well as the rope.

Pete

[AKA-None]

I normally use downy fabric softener and warm water
Takes a lot off of lines
Pressure washer with a wide spread and distance so it’s firm but not breaking fibers

[Scubaseas]

Originally Posted by Chotu

So, I’ve always been a chain guy.

This is actually my first time using a rope rode where it remains submerged for a long period of time.

Any tips and tricks for this mess?

I’m thinking coil it in a bucket, pour gasoline on and light on fire? Lol

Shurhold 273 rope brush $11 at Home Depot. Leave it out in the sun for a few days and most of it will fall off by beating or smacking the rope on the dock or gunwale.

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by Jammer

Front loading washing machine. If you have a nylon mesh bag, put it in that then throw in the whole thing, it will result in the rode being less tangled when you're done. I use the delicate cycle (to minimize tangling) with hot water and the highest-speed spin. Usually regular (front-loading HE-rated) laundry detergent will take that kind of stuff right off.

This works, though it can be a problem with a really long rode. Works great with dock lines, too. I flake then on a handrail or lifeline, or Flemish coil on deck and turn them over after a few days, so they dry good, then give them a soak in bleach and Tide, before washing. They will get tangled, but no biggie. They come out snowy white and picky marinas with rope nazi harbormasters who insist on renewing mooring lines annually are often fooled. Anyway for less than a couple hundred feet of rope rode, it's pretty do-able at smaller diameters.

You can also flemish down on the dock, sun dry, and power wash or scrub with a brush, then turn over and hit it again.

Muriatic acid doesn't seem to harm nylon though I am sure it would if you left it to soak in a strong solution of it. Just spraying it down good will help to remove the toughest ecosystem. YMMV. Sounds scary but I have seen it done with no detectable harm to the rope. I don't know how well this would work with other than nylon, though..

No, don't toss it! If anything, cut off the end bit or swap ends, if it has any chafe from the bottom. It could be 10 fathoms. It could be 2 fathoms. Depends a lot on your anchoring ground and how long and how heavy of chain you have. Also if you stay on the hook a REALLY long time and get barnies growing on it, you may have to cut and discard the part near the surface.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by GrowleyMonster

... I flake then on a handrail or lifeline, or Flemish coil on deck and turn them over after a few days, so they dry good, then give them a soak in bleach and Tide, before washing...

... You can also flemish down on the dock, sun dry, and power wash or scrub with a brush, then turn over and hit it again...

... Muriatic acid doesn't seem to harm nylon though I am sure it would if you left it to soak in a strong solution of it..

“Tide”® is a [P&G] laundry detergent brand.
Most rope manufacturers recommend washing with a freshwater rinse; or [in extremis] with only a very mild [‘delicates’] detergent [“Woolite”®], or regular, at ½ strength - on a “gentle” cycle.
None, of which I am aware, recommend bleach.
Power washing is generally not recommended.
They all recommend avoiding contact with acids, bases, and solvents. [pH value below 7 or above 9].

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Scubaseas

Shurhold 273 rope brush $11 at Home Depot. Leave it out in the sun for a few days and most of it will fall off by beating or smacking the rope on the dock or gunwale.

I ended up leaving some of it out for about 24 hours during my failed mast step.

What is actually pretty easy to get off when it was dry. You could shake it off. And just kind of mechanically knocking around until most all of it was gone. Easier than I thought.

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by GordMay

“Tide”® is a [P&G] laundry detergent brand.
Most rope manufacturers recommend washing with a freshwater rinse; or [in extremis] with only a very mild [‘delicates’] detergent [“Woolite”®], or regular, at ½ strength - on a “gentle” cycle.
None, of which I am aware, recommend bleach.
Power washing is generally not recommended.
They all recommend avoiding contact with acids, bases, and solvents. [pH value below 7 or above 9].

Those same rope manufacturers would probably also disapprove of anchoring with their rope for extended periods, long enough to become heavily fouled, too.

You are right of course, Gord. But doing this once or twice in the life of a piece of rope that has grown its own ecosystem, is not going to make it fail. Or it hasn't happened to me, anyway. Sometimes a freshwater rinse or a weak solution of woolite just won't do the trick. It's not good to drink enough alcohol to get drunk, and I know it, but once or twice a year hasn't messed with my liver according to tests. Last doc I asked, said he couldn't tell by my blood work that I used alcohol at all, but that I should not drink alcohol anyway. The standard, overabundance of caution, recommendation. Scientifically valid, sensible precaution. like the freshwater rinse to remove moss and barnacles and creepy crawlies from an anchor rode. Strong medicine is sometimes required and user discretion and all that. A rare excess that actually isn't all that excessive, is pretty small potatoes. You would never want to do this once every week or month, no. That would be like me getting drunk every day. I am sure if I worked at it hard enough, I could make that liver cry for mercy. And I am sure I could destroy rope with harsh chemicals, even nylon, if I really worked at it. So, I don't work at either one.

My dock lines get that treatment every couple of years. Mold on the lines can be a real problem, at least cosmetically, here in New Orleans. I have never parted one even in the occasional hurricane. When I lose a line it is due to inadequate chafing gear or failure to renew chafing gear in a timely manner. Nylon is a lot tougher than most people realize.

A lot rides on rope anchor rode, especially if it is under size for the boat and anticipated conditions. In such a case, tiny incremental compromises to the recommended treatment might well be avoided by the cautious. The cautious who should have not used an undersize rode. But once isn't enough to ring my alarm bells. <says the guy who now uses all chain!> The OP has a heavily fouled rode and asked for tips and tricks. Sun, bleach, detergent, are my favorites and they don't let me down. Muriatic acid solution, and I am talking about weak enough that it causes no harm when it gets all over me, left on for a few minutes and blasted off with the hose. isn't a deal breaker. Talking about the strength of common vinegar, but cheaper. Stuff like that as a matter of course is used only when necessary.

Almost everything about this thing of ours is an exercise in compromise. Like anything, YMMV.

[Montanan]

Hi Chotu:

If the rode looks that biofouled, it makes me wonder what your hull might look like:

Imagining . . .

A +1 on the suggestion to take your rode to a car wash and power scrub and wash the rope, simple and effective and inexpensive fix and no mess as the muck just goes down their drain like cleaning the mud off a vehicle.

Hope your anchorages will remain uneventful. Bon voyages.

All the best to you.

[BlueH2Obound]

That looks like some of the boats in our last marina!

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by GrowleyMonster

Those same rope manufacturers would probably also disapprove of anchoring with their rope for extended periods, long enough to become heavily fouled, too.

You are right of course, Gord. But doing this once or twice in the life of a piece of rope that has grown its own ecosystem, is not going to make it fail. Or it hasn't happened to me, anyway...

You may be [sort of] right, he says somewhat facetiously.

Soaking wet [nylon] ropes can have up to a 30% static strength loss; and, as much as a 70% reduction in dynamic performance.

A wet rope has more elongation, and is more susceptible to abrasion, than dry.
NE Rope’s storage instructions:
“ Always keep the ropes in a clean and dry place.
Avoid exposing them to direct sunlight and extreme temperatures.
Do not drag ropes over rough surfaces or dirty grounds, as dirt can penetrate between the fibers and cause abrasion damage.
Always keep ropes away from chemicals. If you plan to keep the ropes in storage for extended periods of time, wash them first in fresh water. Salt and dirt will reduce a rope's life span. “


Sometimes, I think books can teach me about transcendental idealism.
Other times, I think a manual can't.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Hi Chotu:

If the rode looks that biofouled, it makes me wonder what your hull might look like:

Imagining . . .

A +1 on the suggestion to take your rode to a car wash and power scrub and wash the rope, simple and effective and inexpensive fix and no mess as the muck just goes down their drain like cleaning the mud off a vehicle.

Hope your anchorages will remain uneventful. Bon voyages.

All the best to you.

Scraped clean about a week ago in preparation for winter. Got me almost 2 kn extra boat speed under power.

Rope was in the water for almost 1 month.

The growth mostly just shook off as dust after 24 hours drying time. That surprised me

Hauling out for bottom paint and to fix hurricane damage in the spring

[rwidman]

Don't use bleach on ropes that you need to be full strength. Don't use a pressure washer on your ropes/lines.

The "rope cleaning brush" someone posted a photo of is the best tool for the job. Aside from that, a dirty rope is better than a rope that has been damaged by improper cleaning.

[Kettlewell]

The "rope cleaning brush" someone posted a photo of is the best tool for the job. Aside from that, a dirty rope is better than a rope that has been damaged by improper cleaning.

I've hauled in some pretty fouled rodes before and I usually just use brushes to clean off the major crud using saltwater, and then just use them. Eventually, most of the crud dies and wears off. I've never used any harsh cleaners on rope. Sure, if you have a place to do it you could leave it out in the sun for a few days to just dry out, then give it an additional scrubbing.

[pbmaise]

When on the hook or a mooring a long time, removing the bio-foul becomes normal maintenance.

Wait for a windless day and bring the length of chain/rope up not the deck and wash in fresh water. Then allow to air dry in the sun. Will will kill bio-foul without any chemicals.
A few hours in the sun out of the water kills any saltwater living bio-foul.

The procedure needs to be done about every two weeks or you will have to deal with a big mess.