questions re; three strand nylon anchor line

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May 18, 2004
259
J-boat 42 conn. river
I am in need of replacing my anchor line. i currently have 1/2" three strand and like it. I recently came across some 5/8" three strand that has a safe working load of 985# for only $.20/ft i checked wm and they have it for approx $1.30/ft. does any one know of a specific difference between them. or is this just another marine label so it costs more. looking for facts and not speculation.
 
J

jviss

What's "some?"

Do you know the material and manufacturer of the $0.20/ft 5/8" three strand? I would only use a brand-name, marine-specific line for anchoring, New England Ropes (West Marine), Samson, or some other recognized brand.
 
C

Clark

line comparisons can be misleading but as a point of reference,

The Samson Pro-Set 5/8 nylon 3-strand anchor line is $.71/ft from Defender and has a minimum (breaking) strength of 9000 lbs; not sure what their Safe Working Load rating would be. I've messed around with inexpensive Walmart/Academy/HD/Lowe's nylon and they don't hold up as well due probably to the UV treatments and quality of construction.
 
D

Dave from Mi.

Anchor rode

Hi capt. Jim;

New England Ropes 1/2 inch 3 strand nylon has a breaking strength of #7500, and West Marine sells it for .95 cents. It is an excellent choice for anchoring and I have used it for years. It is treated to resist rot and internal chafe with a coating on the individual strands. I would not trust my boat to a "no name" .20 cent line. My current rodes are over 8 years old and are like new. used extensively every year on a 30 Catalina.

fair winds
Dave
PS. Anchor rode is THE LAST PLACE you want to go on the cheap!
 
S

sailortonyb Allied Mistress 39

Big difference between manufacturers.

Compare breaking strengths between Samson, New England, Bucaneer and several other brands and you will be surprised about the differences in breaking strengths. When looking at breaking strengths, note whether the figures given are for minimum, average or maximum breaking strength. That way you will be comparing apples against apples. If only one figure is given, the minimum breaking strength is approx. 80% of the average breaking strength. Just make the conversion. Also, make sure that you are looking at nylon and not polypropalene.
In the past, Walmart and Home Depot "anchor line" was a complete joke.
Also note that most manufacturers make 3 strand twisted nylon in 3 grades. there id a soft lay, medium lay and a hard lay. OK, so we can get a few jokes out of this.
Anyway, the soft lay is obviously the cheapest. There are less strands and slightly undersized but still in the same size category. Most boaters would want the medium lay if they knew there was a difference. The hard lay is more like a lariet and kinda stiff. More jokes, LOL.
If you go to hardware stores that carry 'anchor line' it is usually the soft lay (the cheapest cost to them) and unknown brand. Ask about the breaking strength and you will usually get a weird stare.

Tony B
 
C

capn jim

did a little bit of further research

defender sells 9/16" pro-set anchor line by samson for $.61/ft. breaking strength 5500#. the line i looked at had a breaking strength of 9850#. Uv isn't a factor since my anchor line is stored in a locker. uv at night when I'm at anchor is pretty low. I think there is a certain amount of hype about marine quote grade stuff. if the stuff is so great then all lifting lines should be speced to be marine grade. i mean if I'm going to lift a 1000# ac unit with a crane why wouldn't i want marine grade for that if its so much better.
 
R

Ross

Some years ago Practical Sailor did a chafe

test on all of the popular brands of rope. NE ropes scored best because of their coating treatment. that test was at least 10 years ago because I let my subscription run out after I launched my boat.
 
N

Nice N Easy

Listen to the others

I don't think that the marine label is all the big a deal, particularly on rope. But the quality of the rope is a big deal. Much better to spend twice the money and not end up on the beach. New England and Samson are known products. Go with the good stuff. Cheapo rope is not a bargain.
 
D

Dave from Mi.

Rot?

Hi capt. Jim;

Thanks for the response, and you are correct, nylon does not "rot". I was using the term as shorthand for normal deterioration from the UV exposure. I figured you would understand.

Fair winds
Dave
 
S

sailortonyb Allied Mistress 39

Some manufacturers dont

make a rope specifically labeled as "Marine Grade".
Sometimes the rope is grouped into multiple categories such as for use as anchor lines, safety lines in construction and use by arborists, or something along those lines. The nature of nylon makes it marine grade.
Also note that the weakest link in a rode system is typically the shackle, followed by the chain and finally, the rope is usually the strongest.

Tony B
 
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