Whenever you beach a boat and put out a line to secure it from drifting, the line should be rinsed carefully before further use. Otherwise, grit, dirt or sand may work between the strands and cut the line’s fibers.
Care should be taken not to store lines near storage batteries, for acid from the electrolyte or acid fumes can damage the fibers.
Chaffing gear ( sections of old sheeting, 2anvas, burlap or any acid- or alkaline’ree rags) should be wrapped around lines where they pass over the sheer rail or through chocks. Sections of split garden or ire hose make excellent chaffing gear.
Pulley sheaves and chocks that are too small for the diameter of lines increase wear and friction. When in doubt, it is better to use oversize rather than undersize sheaves and chocks.
Knots and kinks tend to shear rope fibers when lines are under strain. Remember that when using rope as a sling, for lash-mg or turning sharp corners, an excessively heavy strain is placed on the outer fibers of the rope and you should never ex::eed working loads of more than one fifth the breaking strength of line, giving additional safety allowance for rope that is worn or weakened.
Whenever possible, always use a splice instead of a knot, for the shearing tendency of knots may weaken a rope by as much as 50 per cent, while splices will often offer as much as 90 per cent of the breaking strength of the rope.
Manufacturers always coil rope in the same manner. Right-laid rope is always uncoiled in a counterclockwise direction. In uncoiling rope, lay the coil flat with the inside end at the bottom. Then draw the inside end up through the coil. New lines often are difficult to handle as they have a tendency to kink. I recommend securing the end of a new line to the stern of your boat (once under way so the line won’t tangle in your prop) and allow the line to trail behind your boat for 10 or 15 minutes. Stop your engine before pulling in the rope, again to prevent prop snagging. You’ll find that the permanent wave set into the line when it was coiled will be freed and the line will be pliable for use.
Care in mooring will save you embarrassment and may often prevent extensive damage. I learned how not to moor a boat by goofing badly.