Sailing ropes are the most crucial sailing equipment as they can perform a number of functions on a sailboat while sailing. However, the main function of sailing ropes is to firmly hold, hoist, and control the sails while sailing so that the sailboats can smoothly keep running on the surface of the water without any type of interruption.
Every time when the sailors enjoy sailing, they use sailing ropes for constant and smooth functions of sailboats. That means sailing ropes are the busiest sailing equipment that continues to provide their services for the better functionality of sailboats.
Due to this much workload, sailing ropes may get dirty and dusty. They also can get rubbed off during performing different abrasive functions on the sailboats and this may reduce the original lifespan of sailing ropes. Therefore, it is important to look after your sailing ropes so that they can keep performing for a long time.
In this blog, we have compiled a few very useful sailing ropes’ cleaning and caring tips. By following these tips and instructions, you can incredibly improve the performance of your sailing ropes and add more years to their original lifespan. Let’s take a look at those tips.
Useful Tips to Look After Your Sailing Ropes
Clean Sailing Ropes With Fresh Water- Due to performing a number of functions without taking any break, sailing ropes may get dirty and dusty. And this can bring negative differences in their performance. As a sailor, of course, you will never want this to happen as this can increase your expenses. Therefore, regularly cleaning your sailing ropes is crucial.
Some sailors wash and clean their sailing ropes using either marine water or chemical-containing cleaning solutions. Both are not healthy for sailing ropes as the marine water can leave salt on the ropes while chemical-containing cleaning solutions can weaken the fibers of the rope. And this can obviously bring a negative difference in the strength of the sailing ropes. So, you should always prefer to wash and clean your ropes with fresh water. If the ropes are too dirty, you can use cleaning solutions with ph values between 8-9. You can also use normal laundry detergent. And yes, don’t forget to nicely dry out your ropes.
Check Sailing Ropes From One End To Another- Every time after cleaning sailing ropes, you should properly check them from one end to another to find out the flaws. It might be possible that they may get damaged in many places. So, find the flaws and repair them by providing the most suitable repairing solution.
Keep Both Ends of The Ropes Sealed- Check whether or not both ends of your sailing ropes are sealed. If they are not sealed properly, it can be a cause of damaging your ropes as the fibers of ropes will continue to untie. It will also reduce the length of the ropes. So, make sure you properly seal both ends of your sailing ropes. You use either place a knot on both ends or seal them with a lighter, whichever you prefer.
These are the most useful tips to look after your sailing ropes. You must follow these tips for keeping your ropes healthy for a longer time.