Mariposa
regular
Reged: 27/04/2003
Posts: 1674
Loc: Clyde & Tunisia
|
|
I'm looking for new halyards & topping lift in traditional hemp looking 8mm 3-strand. I've come across both polyester and polypropylene.
Anyone got any strong views on which I should go for? (Or something else entirely)
--------------------
The cure for most of life's ills is salt water.
Sweat, tears and the sea.
http://myfamilyandotherthings.blogspot.com/
|
KenMcCulloch
regular
Reged: 22/04/2007
Posts: 860
Loc: Edinburgh, Scotland
|
|
Go for the polyester. Polyprop is fine for tieing down tarpaulins and that kind of thing but not suitable as running rigging.
--------------------
Ken McCulloch
Border Maid
|
Chrusty1
regular
Reged: 27/02/2008
Posts: 847
|
|
This polyester is what I use, or Hardy Hemp, from Marinestore......
http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/prodtype.asp?prodtype=76&ph=cat
|
bodfish
regular
Reged: 28/04/2006
Posts: 100
Loc: Lancashire
|
|
John at Traditional Boat Supplies sent me some samples of his Polyhemp rope which I liked the look of:
tradboats.com
and I've also had good service from Pete Flockhart at Tradline Ropes and Fenders:
tradline.co.uk
who stocks both polyester and polypropyene 'hemp effect' ropes, both 3 strand and also braided which is ideal for sheets etc.
Probably the best thing is to request some samples and compare prices. I do know that the original polypropylene 'hemp' ropes didn't always wear well, so my inclination would be towards polyester. But the price difference may well be an issue.
I'll be re-rigging my own boat this year, so I'm interested to see what other recommendations are made.
|
dylan
regular
Reged: 29/02/2004
Posts: 1379
Loc: Voliba et Aquae Sulis.
|
|
I replaced all of my lookalike polyester hemp rigging with Marlowbraid. I found that 3 strand twisted around itself and was very hard on the hands. The final straw was when the Throat Halyard parted---due to wear around a cleat and I'm sure that exposure to sunlight didnt help either.
My very traditional boat still looks nice with modern braided line and I cant imagine any of the lines letting me down.
|
Mariposa
regular
Reged: 27/04/2003
Posts: 1674
Loc: Clyde & Tunisia
|
|
Thanks for both these links; neither came up in my Google searches. Looks like you pays your money and get what you pay for. Polyester looks to be stronger, less stretchy, more durable, and hence more expensive than polypropylene.
--------------------
The cure for most of life's ills is salt water.
Sweat, tears and the sea.
http://myfamilyandotherthings.blogspot.com/
|
Peterduck
regular
Reged: 10/04/2002
Posts: 1009
Loc: Melbourne, Australia
|
|
Yes, I'm afraid that you're right. When I bought my old ketch the previous owner had rigged it with hemp-looking polyprop. Five years of Sydney sunshine had reduced it to powder whenever I tried to handle one of the ropes. I re-rigged with 3-strand polyester had had no further trouble.
Peter
|
Mariposa
regular
Reged: 27/04/2003
Posts: 1674
Loc: Clyde & Tunisia
|
|
Quote:
Five years of Sydney sunshine had reduced it to powder
That'll equate to around 50 years of sunshine up here in Scotland 
--------------------
The cure for most of life's ills is salt water.
Sweat, tears and the sea.
http://myfamilyandotherthings.blogspot.com/
|
johnchampion
regular
Reged: 28/03/2005
Posts: 73
Loc: Bristol UK
|
|
It might take 50 years to get as much sunshine as Oz but polyprop will be falling apart anyway within the year. It can't take UV at all. It's purpose does not include rigging of any sort. It's a cheap floating line where degradation and performance is not important.
I've tried hardy hemp but it will also fall to UV much more quickly than poyester and I've tried 3 strand buff polyester but found it too soft to work all that well with longevity of splices and I'm now using buff coloured braided polyester which looks the part, performs and lasts well but of course is more fiddly to splice than 3 strand.
|
Mariposa
regular
Reged: 27/04/2003
Posts: 1674
Loc: Clyde & Tunisia
|
|
"Longevity of splices" ??? What goes wrong?
I know polyester is more "slippery" than traditional rope so an extra couple of tucks is recommended to prevent things from coming apart.
BTW. I'll be buying polyester. To hell with the cost, just don't tell SWMBO!
--------------------
The cure for most of life's ills is salt water.
Sweat, tears and the sea.
http://myfamilyandotherthings.blogspot.com/
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
