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Curmudgeon on Terminology (a Vent)

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9047 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/21/2023 : 13:28:49

Looking out at the 35-degree northly breeze on this sunny day, trying to shed an annoying cold in time for holiday gatherings, and reading a Practical Sailor "Waypoints" article on "Preserving Ropes and Lines" (which could be meaningful to a $+!nkp*++er, too), I noticed something in the article: The author uses the terms "rope" and "line" precisely as I was taught many decades ago (in the marine context), which has been lost in many conversations and media (and even by West Marine). In the marine culture within which I long wished to have credibility:

Rope is a material from which lines (and other things) can be made.

A line is a functioning part of a boat that can be made out of rope and/or other things.

Examples: A halyard is a line that, on various sailboats can be made of rope, wire (cable), or a combination of the two. A rode is a line for the anchor, made of rope, chain, or combinations of the two. A sheet is a line. Hemp, twisted nylon, Dacron double-braid, Dyneema and Vectran are ropes or components of ropes.

To my ear, an "all-line halyard" is like an "all-cow wiener."

Leaving the marine context for a moment, "a rope" can be a thing--generally a piece of rope (material) not made for any particular purpose. But even here, when it's rigged to hold clothes out to dry, you call it a "clothes ________"--right? (I'm probably dating myself.) In this case, it's a thing that has a particular purpose.

There, I feel better now... (Snorf.) Carry on, and Happy Holidays!

Oh! And my ears hurt every time I hear a sentence start with "Me and..."

(But I digress... Yes, I'm old.)

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3411 Posts

Response Posted - 12/21/2023 : 18:20:54

Okay....we have definitely entered into that period (winter) when sailors/boaters have some time on their hands since most are not out sailing or at least not sailing as much as during the summer. I am in same "boat".

Rope versus line - Maybe consider that a "line" is going from one point to another (ie. between blocks, topping lift from mast to boom, going from a dock cleat to a boat cleat), whereas, a rope is just what is laying around, maybe curled up or whatever,

By the way, does everybody do this or maybe just some out there ? In regards to dock lines, some lines wear/chafe more than others depending on the abuse each takes during the seasons. So....as a line wears, it is usually at specific portions of the line, generally what rubs against a cleat. Rather than replace the lines frequently as this wear occurs, what I do is cleat the line but then wrap it several times around the dock cleat. Dock cleats are generally oversized and so this works out okay. Then when I start to see some wear on the line adjacent to either the dock cleat or the boat cleat, I will either take one turn off or put an additional turn on the line around the dock cleat, This then provides new line surfaces adjacent to both cleats and extends the use of the dock line. Are many of you doing same thing...or replacing the "line" changing it into a "rope" to use for other purposes or a throw-away.

Larry
'89 Robin's Nest#5820, Potomac River/Quantico, Va
http://catalina25.homestead.com/olarryr.html

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.