Advice on choosing keel lifting rope

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CaseyJohn2001

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Mar 11, 2021
8
Merit Merit 22 Lake Tillery
I have a merit 22 that has a liftable 600 pound lead keel. The current rope used to lift the keel is the original from 1984! Needless to say I need to replace it but I’m not sure what to choose because I’ve never had to buy rope for this purpose.
Does anyone have a suggestion on where I can find and what really strong rope that I won’t have to be scared of snapping under the weight of the keel.
Thank you.
 

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kloudie1

kloudie1

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Nov 6, 2006
9,903
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Looks like a 7 part tackle so the rope load is around 100 pounds.. so a good polyester double braid with a 500 pound (or greater) "safe working load" would be fine. A 10mm double braid like Samson XLS 3 Samson Samson XLS3 Double Braid (sailboatowners.com)
may be a bit of overkill but 10 mm is probably about the miinimum size for "hand feel" ; much smaller than that and it is really tough on hands.
 
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jssailem

jssailem

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Oct 22, 2014
21,149
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
What you have there is polyester (Dacron) and it looks to have worked.
:plus: On Kloudie1’s analysis.

This is an either or setup.
  • Keel down by weight, the line rests stagnate.
  • Keel hauled up to beach or put on the trailer keel rests on the trailer support. Line is again at rest. Likely why the line has served the previous owner for so long.
Dyneema would be an overkill. It would work but polyester double braid would be easier to handle, a better and more economical solution
 
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stickinthemud57

stickinthemud57

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Apr 11, 2020
720
MacGregor 26s Scott's Landing, Grapevine TX
jssailem said:
Dyneema would be an overkill. It would work but polyester double braid would be easier to handle, a better and more economical solution
Click to expand
I agree. Dyneema is wicked strong, but slick. Hauling on it would not be as easy as other types of rope.

Frankly, the rope that is there does not appear to be compromised. Keep in mind that that pulley arrangement is reducing the actual load on the rope tremendously.
 
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Project_Mayhem

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Sep 24, 2018
2,631
O'Day 25 Chicago
Pay attention to how it's attached to the keel and try to duplicate it as closely as possible. I had the tip of a centerboard snap and was unable to get the line to work without chafing or jamming. I even reduced the size of the line
 
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Benny17441

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May 24, 2004
7,131
CC 30 South Florida
If you have a spring loaded weight scale, measure in pounds the force you have to apply to the bitter end of the line to lift the keel. The keel is attached by the lifting cable at a distance from the keel pivot bolt. This distance serves to distribute the weight of the keel along its length. Together with the rope purchase mechanism i would doubt if your lifting load on that rope exceeds 35-40 lbs. Nevertheless the rope is just as strong as its weakest point so inspect it for fraying especially at the points of rest at the sheaves.
 
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