There has been mention of using dacron line for tying down a cartopped boat. Good 3 strand twisted nylon works better for me. It may not be quite as strong or UV tolerant but, like a bungie cord, it has a certain amount of stretchiness that permits it to be more easily tied tightly. If the twisted rope has a firm lay (i.e., is tightly twisted) it holds a knot well and can be more easily untied than braided line. When wet it tends to stretch even more and so can loosen a bit when rained upon. I've personally never felt the need for anything bigger than 1/4" diameter rope. Several tight wraps around a cartop bar provide enough friction so that attachment point won't slide with cross winds. The several loops also places the loose end at some distance (3-4 rope diameters) from the start so the half hitches, if pulled upon, actually tighten the line even more by pulling it laterally. Make sense? Larry Koenig *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Many years ago I was warned not to use nylon and especially small diameter nylon because it can cut through gel coat. Truth or fiction? Since I prefer to cut my gel coat on rocks, I've used poly and never tested nylon. -----Original Message----- From: Larry Koenig <paddlin_at_home.com> To: Paddlewise <PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net> Date: Wednesday, September 08, 1999 8:48 AM Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Fwd: bungies >There has been mention of using dacron line for tying down a cartopped boat. >Good 3 strand twisted nylon works better for me. It may not be quite as >strong or UV tolerant but, like a bungie cord, it has a certain amount of >stretchiness that permits it to be more easily tied tightly. If the twisted >rope has a firm lay (i.e., is tightly twisted) it holds a knot well and can >be more easily untied than braided line. When wet it tends to stretch even >more and so can loosen a bit when rained upon. I've personally never felt >the need for anything bigger than 1/4" diameter rope. Several tight wraps >around a cartop bar provide enough friction so that attachment point won't >slide with cross winds. The several loops also places the loose end at some >distance (3-4 rope diameters) from the start so the half hitches, if pulled >upon, actually tighten the line even more by pulling it laterally. >Make sense? > >Larry Koenig > >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List >Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net >Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net >Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ >*************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Whiterabbit wrote: > > Many years ago I was warned not to use nylon and especially small diameter > nylon because it can cut through gel coat. Truth or fiction? Since I > prefer to cut my gel coat on rocks, I've used poly and never tested nylon. FWIW, the straps Yakima sells for their TLC cradles, after many thousands of miles of contact, are beginning to wear off gel coat on my FG yaks. However, I suspect this is due more to entrapment of grit and dirt under the straps rather than the straps themselves. I believe the straps are nylon, although they do not stretch when wet like other nylon straps. They could be Dacron, but are definitely not polypro ... In contrast, the (definitely) nylon straps which go across the hatches on my FG yaks do not cause gel coat abrasion, except where sand has been trapped underneath them. Finally, the (definitely) polypro lines an outfitter used to lash my FG yaks to padded frames on a Zodiac definitely caused gel coat abrasion, and that with just a 6-hour Zode ride! Probably should mention that the polypro definitely was gritty, and the lashing was mother-tight. YMMV. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Re abrasion of boat by tie-down lines, how about using nylon rope sheathed by 1 inch tubular nylon webbing over the parts contacting the boat (e.g., over all but the ends of the rope used to tie the knots). Seems like then any longitudinal tightening movements or vibrations would be between the sheath and the rope inside, rather than between the sheath and the boat(?) e Elaine Harmon - eilidh_at_dc.seflin.org - eharmon_at_cs.miami.edu *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Elaine wrote: >Re abrasion of boat by tie-down lines, how about using nylon rope >sheathed by 1 inch tubular nylon webbing over the parts contacting the >boat (e.g., over all but the ends of the rope used to tie the knots). >Seems like then any longitudinal tightening movements or vibrations >would be between the sheath and the rope inside, rather than between >the sheath and the boat(?) e Sort of like wearing socks inside your shoes to prevent blisters, huh? :) We always used a bit of 1" tubing on a climbing rope to pad it where it went over a sharp rock edge. The rope slides inside the tubing and prevents blisters just like socks. er..prevents abrasion... Shawn *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Elaine Harmon wrote: > Ohh-- another caver? or just one a'them guys in the fancy colored tights? > e Well, I guess I'm not "man enough" for the tights, but I climb where the "sun can see me"! I was eying some Polartec 100 tights (black) the other day for climbing and paddling on cooler days. Elaine, just how do you get a kayak down to those underground rivers? Is that the REAL reason folding kayaks were created? Shawn 0 ____©/______ ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^\ ,/ /~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ 0 *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Thu, 9 Sep 1999, Shawn W. Baker wrote: > Elaine, just how do you get a kayak down to those underground rivers? > Is that the REAL reason folding kayaks were created? Hmmm...never thought about a foldable in a cave.... Actually, I did take a ww kayak into a smallish river cave in southern Va. once. The passage soon got too narrow for the boat, though. The place I'd like to have one is Grady's, in Ky., which is a substantial river, but it doesn't have an entrance you could get a boat through. We carry in tubes or small rafts, and inflate them inside. Use ping-pong paddles, sometimes strapped to the ends of the walking sticks which we also carry in for wading on the rocky bottom. I don't think there's any cave water in Scotland big enough to paddle in. :-( e Elaine Harmon - eilidh_at_dc.seflin.org - eharmon_at_cs.miami.edu *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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