Manila
With its dull brown coloration and hairy appearance,
manila rope is fairly easy to spot. A hard, natural
fiber, manila rope is strong, doesn’t stretch much,
and holds knots reasonably well. And as a natural
fiber, it won’t melt when subjected to heat or friction as
synthetic ropes sometimes will. It’s also surprisingly
resistant to sunlight.
The downside to manila — and it’s a huge one — is
that it doesn’t last long around water. Put it away wet,
and it will mildew overnight. Exposure to chemicals
like oil or gasoline will only accelerate that process.
“The reality is that today, pretty well all the
manila rope we sell is used for decoration,” says Leo
Reise, sales rep with Hamilton, Ontario-based marine equipment distributor
Brewers’ Marine Supplies. “In recreational boating, it’s been completely
replaced by synthetics. You still see it around, but most often because the
person buying it simply didn’t know any better.”Polyethylene
A staple of rural gas stations and suburban
discount stores, the familiar, bright yellow
polyethylene rope is the least expensive
synthetic cord sold in North America
today. Where boating is concerned, it’s most
frequently seen tied to anchors that someone
made by pouring cement into an old paint can.
The biggest knock against polyethylene line is that it’s
wiry, so the stuff tangles like crazy. And God help you if you
accidentally get a fishing lure snagged in it — even pliers won’t help.
“It works fine for toys in a swimming pool, but that’s about it,” says Reise.
“The other big problem with polyethylene is that it degrades very quickly with
exposure to sunlight. It’s not a good choice for dock lines, which obviously sit
out in full sun every day. I get nervous when I see boats tied up with that stuff.”Polypropylene
Among the most widely used type of rope on North American
waterways, polypropylene rope also is relatively inexpensive
and is available in a wide variety of sizes, in both three-strand
and full-braided versions. The fact polypropylene rope floats
like a cork makes it ideal for ski-tow ropes, or for heaving
lines. It’s also perfect for securing tenders or dinghies, since
any excess line that falls into the water isn’t likely to become
snarled in the boat’s propellers.
Polypropylene rope doesn’t absorb water, doesn’t shrink
when wet, holds knots securely, and remains flexible regardless
of temperature. And like all synthetic ropes, it comes in a rainbow
of colors, so you can match the boat’s décor.
The two big strikes against it are that it’s not terribly strong
compared to other synthetic materials, and it doesn’t have much
stretch. A polypropylene rope of a given diameter is only about half the
strength of a similar nylon or polyester line. Combined with its relativelyWith its dull brown coloration and hairy appearance,
manila rope is fairly easy to spot. A hard, natural
fiber, manila rope is strong, doesn’t stretch much,
and holds knots reasonably well. And as a natural
fiber, it won’t melt when subjected to heat or friction as
synthetic ropes sometimes will. It’s also surprisinglyThe downside to manila — and it’s a huge one — is
that it doesn’t last long around water. Put it away wet,
and it will mildew overnight. Exposure to chemicals
like oil or gasoline will only accelerate that process.
“The reality is that today, pretty well all thediscount stores, the familiar, bright yellow
polyethylene rope is the least expensive
synthetic cord sold in North America
today. Where boating is concerned, it’s most
frequently seen tied to anchors that someone
made by pouring cement into an old paint can.
The biggest knock against polyethylene line is that it’s
wiry, so the stuff tangles like crazy. And God help you if you
accidentally get a fishing lure snagged in it — even pliers won’t help.
“It works fine for toys in a swimming pool, but that’s about it,” says Reise.
“The other big problem with polyethylene is that it degrades very quickly with
exposure to sunlight. It’s not a good choice for dock lines, which obviously sit
out in full sun every day. I get nervous when I see boats tied up with that stuff.”out in full sun every day. I get nervous when I see boats tied up with that stuff.”Polypropylene
when wet, holds knots securely, and remains flexible regardless
of temperature. And like all synthetic ropes, it comes in a rainbow
of colors, so you can match the boat’s décor.
The two big strikes against it are that it’s not terribly strong
compared to other synthetic materials, and it doesn’t have much
stretch. A polypropylene rope of a given diameter is only about half the
strength of a similar nylon or polyester line. Combined with its relativelyLAKELANDBOATING.COM | APRIL 2015 4 5Feature_Ropes_APR15.indd 45 3/2/15 12:13 PM