windlass rope type...3 strand vs 8 plait nylon.....

[CliffA]

i am going through my anchoring equipment to insure it is in good operating condition and also taking this opportunity to clean things up since they tend to get pretty dirty over time anchoring in waters with muddy bottoms....

one thing i have noticed is that my rope anchor rode tends to twist up over time which causes knots that will not pass through the gypsy.....i currently have 200' of 5/8" 3 strand nylon rope attached to 25' feet of 5/16" chain....i have read that using 8 plait nylon rope will eliminate the twisting problem....

my questions are:
1. is it true that 8 plait nylon rope will not twist when used with a windlass?
2. will an 8 plait nylon rope work well with my windlass which is a Lofrans Progress 1 model?

i understand that switching to all chain will eliminate the rope twisting issue but at this point i don't want to switch to all chain....

thanks...
cliff

 

[Little Ducky]

Interesting notes found when I was educating myself on what 8-Plait meant.

• 8-Plaited nylon rope eliminates some of the service problems associated with the 3-strand ropes. 8-Plait uses 8-individual braided strands woven together that allow the rope to be relaxed. But, when under load, it tightens up to a firm lay. The higher the load the harder the lay becomes.
• 8-Plait carries the same tensile strength as 3-Strand.
• 8-Plait does not coil or create a "birds nest" in the locker like 3-Strand will. 8-Plait flakes and falls upon itself.
• 8-Plait will not twist and knot up.
• 8-Plait will not loop over onto itself.
• 8-Plait has less stretch so it will not bury itself deep into the gypsy's grip when overloaded, which means less damage to the stripper when the windlass is abused or overloaded.
• 8-Plait pays off of the windlass into the locker much like chain, allowing for better use of smaller locker designs.
• 8-Plait is 80% less prone to becoming stiff when used in salt water than 3-Strand.
• 8-Plait nylon rope is 1/3 more absorbent than 3-Strand rope. More absorbent means more weight; more weight means better fall into the anchor locker.
• 8-Plait should be soaked in water (salt or fresh - it does not matter) to pre-lubricate the rope so it can be used in the windlass initially. When rope is used dry and new, we have seen either slippage or sticking in the rope pocket of the gypsy. Once the rope is wet and used, it out performs the 3-Strand. The longer it is used the better it gets.

 

[Gofirstclass]

LittleDucky, that's great information you supplied. It's info like that and guys like you that make CSR such a great place to hang out.

 

[swaterhouse]

When I looked into it my windlass was not compatible. The rope MFG has compatibility notes on their website.

 

[b_arrington]

I always thought some stretch (3-strand) was desirable for anchor lines, as it would provide a gentler ride at anchor. Less stretch = hard yanks in choppy conditions.

 

[JCSAM]

When I was replacing mine it was recommend not to use the 8 Plait because it was not compatible with my windless.

 

[trflgrl]

We switched from 3 strand (vintage, specifically) to 8 plait and life has been MUCH easier. Our Lewmar windlass specs defined chain/rope size and nothing more, but I called before ordering to be sure there would be no compatibility issue.

 

[keokie]

I have used 8 plait on my 310 for 8-10 years. I anchor a lot. I bought it with trepidation, but it works famously. It has no issues through the windlass, lays wonderfully, stretches enough under load to be comfortable in waves, and has never tangled a single time. I swapped the end on it a couple years ago as the splice was beginning to show wear. I will not go back to 3-strand.

I have a Progress 1 as well. I am in freshwater.

 

[CliffA]

thanks for all the input.....

cliff