Tuesday, November 27, 2012
This Article briefly describes Ropes used Aboard on Merchant vessels. We have covered ropes which are widely used. There will be 3 posts in this series, This is Part 1 and it will be covering vegetable fiber ropes only.
There are Three Major kinds of ropes used on board Merchant vessels and they are:
There are Three Major kinds of ropes used on board Merchant vessels and they are:
- Vegetable Fiber Rope.
- Steel Wire Rope.
- Synthetic Fiber Rope.
Vegetable Fiber Ropes:
Vegetable fiber ropes are made from the following materials;
1) Manila: The fiber is extracted from leaves of the ABACA Plant and is golden color. Manila ropes are strong and reliable used for mooring, slings, derricks etc.
2) Sisal: Sisal is a Pale Yellow in color like straw obtained from the leaves of Cactus. It is somewhat similar to manila rope.
3) Hemp: This fiber is obtained from Hemp plant, It is grey in color. It is used for signal, halyards, boat lashing and hand lead line.
4) Coir: This fiber is obtained from coconut. It is Husk brown in color. This rope has got lot of elasticity. Sometimes it is used as a part of towing spring.
5) Cotton: Cotton ropes are weak.
Care and Maintenance of Vegetable Fiber Ropes:
1) Vegetable fiber ropes get easily damaged by acid and alkaline substances.
2) A rope stretches under strain but regains its normal length when strain is off, Strain should be within limits.
3) Vegetable fiber ropes absorb moisture when wet and lose strength by around 25%
4) Wet Rope swells and shrinks in length during rain, fog, dew, slackening tight ropes and halyards.
5) If Vegetable fiber ropes are stored wet, It will soon mildew and rot.
6) Check diameter of rope before using.
