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mooring line sizes


jddevel

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I`ve a 57 foot semi-trad narrowboat due in the water soon (sailaway) so advice please on sizes/diameter of mooring lines please. I`m leaning towards the "floating" type as being human mistakes happen but contributors help appreciated. 

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2 minutes ago, jddevel said:

I`ve a 57 foot semi-trad narrowboat due in the water soon (sailaway) so advice please on sizes/diameter of mooring lines please. I`m leaning towards the "floating" type as being human mistakes happen but contributors help appreciated. 

It is not so much 'what size / strength' is needed, it is more to do with what size feels comfortable in your hands.

6mm polypropylene will be strong enough to 'do the job' but if you are trying to hold / haul the boat it will feel like cheese-wire in your hands.

I would suggest 12mm minimum, even better is 15mm and go for Nylon as it feels 'softer' than Polylpropylene.

All ropes will start to stiffen as they get water, muck and sunlight affecting them. With Nylon (as it is hydroscopic) it is easily hand / machine washed and will restore is flexibilty

The 'bestest' would be 15mm 'braid on braid' (expensive) very strong and gentle on your hands.

 

Typical mooring line lengths are either 10m or 15m.

If it is too long you can always coil it up - if it is too short then it will not reach.

Some of the River locks are very deep and you may need to pass a line to the lock keeper.

 

(Learn how to splice - it is a very useful skill and unlike a knot does not reduce the rope strength by 30+%)

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A good idea is to make the centre line long enough to reach to the tiller position, that way you can step off holding the end of the centre line, BUT it should not be long enough to reach the prop should/when it falls in.  As this is often the rope used to pull the boat in to the bank when mooring the crew will appreciate using a comfortable rope to hold and pull, as per advice above.

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I wouldn't go for nylon personally. It may feel softer then polypropylene when it's new but it stiffens on prolonged exposure to UV light and is never the same again. I would always go for polyester which doesn't suffer from the same issue.

Edited by blackrose
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