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Maintenance

Becauseofitsstructure,ropeisquitea sturdyproductand

doesnotneedanyspecialattention.Itisimportanttokeepit

dry to avoid the formation of mildew and to clean off

thoroughlyanygreaseortardeposits.Theonlydangerisheat

whichcancauseirreparabledamage,especiallytosynthetic

fiberswithlowmeltingpoints.Soropesmustbekeptaway

fromdirectheatsourcesandshouldnotbeusedonsmall-

diameterpulleys(lessthan5 or6 timesthediameterofthe

ropeundertension). Heatgenerated byfrictioncan cause

damagesimilartofire.Anotherpointtowatchoutforisthe

frayingoftheendsduetotheslipperinessofthefibers:if the

endisnotbacksplicedproperly,itwillsoonfray,eatingup

yardsandyardsofrope.

Ropeusedinsailingshouldbewashedattheendofthe

seasonwitha standarddetergentfordelicateclothing.Drying

isveryimportant,andcareshouldbetakentodrytherope

rightthrough.Anytaroroilstainscanbebleachedawaywith

carefuluseofgasolineortrichloroethylene.

Usefulpointstoremember

• Aknotunitingtworopesreducesthestrengthoftheunit
  toabouthalfthatoftheweakerrope.


• Aropethatistwicethediameterofanotherhasfourtimes
  itsstrength.


• Neverusetworopesofdifferentmaterialstogether,asonly
  themorerigidropewillworkunderthestrain.


• Itis notalwaystrue thata strongerrope is better, as
  elasticityalsohastobetakenintoconsideration,andif the
  ropehastotakeshockloads,polyesterpolyamidesarethe
  best.


• Donotuseropesthatfloatforanchorageinports,asthey
  wouldimmediatelybeseveredbythepropellarsofmotor
  boats.