Did you know how to garden hose or hose 50% more expensive life can add to your marine rope? Or that a simple change in angle can prevent delicate fiber ropes breaking apart? These five tips will help marine knots increasing the life of your sails and ropes and save the cost of replacement.

Before boat anchoring, docking your boat, or the result of a headsail sheet through a block, you will want your line to protect against abrasion (wear) and fiber damage. Put these five tips when playing on board your little cruising or racing sailboat today:

1. Lead Line on a Narrow Angle

Bottom line if you wear led to a line from one point to another at a small angle. Watch your mooring lines lead from the boat dock cleat to the cleat on the bow. Keep the line as straight as possible and you’ll cut down on wear. If you have lines leading into a sharp corner, make sure they pass the assembly – as arch Chocks – smooth to prevent wear.

2. Match Block Diameter of Rope Diameter

Are you sure the disk (wheel) in your blocks corresponding to the braided nylon or dacron line running over them? For small disk causes excessive wear and rubbing ropes sails back and forth. Excessive disk could jump the line from the disk and jam. America’s most respected master rigger – Brion Toss – recommends that you agree rope diameter disc diameter

* Dacron and braided rope three fronts – Sheave diameter should be 4X 6X the rope diameter

* Sheave diameter Kevlar rope, the rope diameter should be 12X.

* Wire rope – Sheave diameter should be 20X the cable diameter.

3. Make an Extra Turn to prevent Slip

Tie a sheet piling or mooring line and your ring to rub and wear as it glides up and down. Before you tie a knot marine, a full round turn. That extra return, the line in place with a lot less friction and wear.

4. Add Chafing Gear

Split open a two or three foot section of old garden hose or a. Lash it to your anchor line or mooring lines where they go over the bow Chocks. In a pinch, you can use pieces of canvas lashed with rope or tape. Protect your valuable dock and they will reward you with longer life and less replacement.

5. End-to-End Once a year

Take an inventory of every piece of land down, anchor lines, vang and mainsheet tackles and passenger lines. Use a super cool technique from the time of the square riggers. Change bitter end. For example, the anchor rode from the ring loose bolt in the anchor locker. Splice an eye with a new cap and attach the end to the old eye-bolt.

Use this same method with a block and tackle gear (trapping, big shot, or passenger). Your line will save up to 50% more life with this simple preventive maintenance technique!