Running rigging comes clean without tangles
Issue 82 : Jan/Feb 2012
October heralds the end of the sailing season for northern latitude sailors. Once my boat has been hauled from the water and safely secured on shore, it’s time to begin that annual autumnal ceremony we call winterization. In addition to the normal routine of removing foodstuffs and gear, servicing the engine, and draining and charging the water system with antifreeze, I direct my attention to the running rigging.
Winter months are a perfect time to inspect, repair, and clean my running rigging. Since I’m not under any time constraints, I can accomplish these tasks at my leisure. Also, if I need to replace any lines, I can save some money by taking advantage of off-season sales.
Often, the lines require nothing more than a good cleaning. Many years ago, I dumped several docklines into our agitator-type washer along with detergent and fabric softener. The result was a very clean and soft rat’s nest of tangled line. I never did that again! The next time, I tried washing a single line at a time. This still resulted in a tangle, but not quite as bad as before. Since then, I’ve heard from several fellow sailors that a front-loading washer doesn’t tangle the line; however, they must still be washed one at a time. I don’t have a front-loader, so I had to find a better way. (Note: Tim Nye tested the pros and cons of washing ropes and using fabric softener. For the full report, see the July 2009 issue. –Eds.)
I recently purchased a good old boat that had previously been in salt water. While a few of the lines needed to be replaced, more than a dozen halyards, sheets, and control lines were dirty and impregnated with salt. They were in need of washing. As several of them were close to 100 feet long, I could visualize the rat’s nest!
Necessity is the mother of invention. While helping with the weekly laundry, I noticed that my wife had several mesh bags into which she placed delicate items before putting them in the washing machine. She said that these “lingerie bags” kept small items from being lost and also from becoming tangled. I figured that if it works for panty hose, why not jibsheets? I tossed four bags, each containing one line, into the washer, along with detergent and fabric softener. It worked! After only four loads, all of my previously dirty and salty running rigging was clean, soft, and tangle-free.
Gregg Nestor, a contributing editor with Good Old Boat, has had a lifelong interest in all things aquatic. He and his wife, Joyce, are currently refitting, upgrading, and sailing a 1994 Caliber 35. It’s the one with the bright, clean, salt-and tangle-free running rigging.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
