Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

[Mark42]

I was looking at some nylon rope in 1/2" size for tying up to docks. It is a braided rope and it is much more flexable than the twisted rope. <br /><br />Any down side to the braided over twisted?

 

[all thumbs]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

I know I can splice an eye in braided but not in twisted. Can't see any other issues.Make sure your comparing nylon to nylon.

 

[bayman]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

My preference is for braided. Doesn't braided usually cost more?

 

[paulravenn]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

twisted or "laid" line has more stretch than braided, nylon is best choice for anchor and dock line because of the stretch and shock absorbing ability, so my choice is laid/twisted nylon for these purposes and braided dacron for non-stretch applications. Nylon can be affected by fuel spills and other solvents, avoid polyprophelene lines for constant use in sun.

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

There are two main categories of braided rope – static and dynamic. The static type has low stretch, whereas the dynamic type is purposely made with high stretch (up to 50% of its unstretched length – climbers use this type a lot). You can get it in nylon, polyester or polypropylene. Polypropylene is cheapest, wears poorly, and floats. You can also get braided ropes with or without a centre core. One advantage of braided ropes is that they don’t have a ‘set’ or ‘lay’, so you can coil them in a figure of eight, either way, and they stay flat. <br /><br />Laid rope, usually three strand, needs coiling with the lay or it kinks. Coil with the sun was the old expression – which means that right hand laid rope should be coiled clockwise to lay flat without kinking.

 

[txswinner]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

I was trying to be a seaman and call it lines.

 

[jim dozier]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

Theres 2 issues here, the line construction -, braided vs twisted 3-strand and the material - nylon vs something else. Braided line is usually required for running tackle like on a sailboat or if your lines run around pulleys because it runs smoothly around the pulleys and has less stretch. Most people use twisted 3-strand line which has more stretch for anchors and docking lines. It should be made of nylon which has more stretch. Polyester (Dacron) and polypropylene have less stretch and shouldn't generally be used for docking. Polyester is usually used for the running rigging and sheets on sail boats. Don't bother with exotics for docking lines, nylon is the best choice. Ski ropes are made of polypropylene because it has low stretch, is braided and doesn't tangle as much, and floats so it stays out of the prop better. Exotics such as spectra or Kevlar are specialty lines. They are used for specific purposes like on sailboat to reduce weight aloft (spectra) or for ultra low stretch.

 

[rwidman]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

Originally posted by paulravenn:<br /> twisted or "laid" line has more stretch than braided, nylon is best choice for anchor and dock line because of the stretch and shock absorbing ability, so my choice is laid/twisted nylon for these purposes and braided dacron for non-stretch applications. Nylon can be affected by fuel spills and other solvents, avoid polyprophelene lines for constant use in sun.

Agreed.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

Lots of good info posted so far. Something that hasn’t been mentioned yet is that braided lines are frequently used for docking because they are easier on the hands...a whole lot easier.<br /><br />Whatever type of line you choose, when it comes time to clean it, toss it into the washing machine with detergent, and then hang to dry. This also does wonders to loosen/soften twisted line.

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

18rabbit:This also does wonders to loosen/soften twisted line.

Made a big mistake several years ago in buying a job lot of three strand by mail. Intended to use it for dropping boat into water and hauling it out.<br /><br />The line came very stiff, so I thought it would loosen up with time and plenty of dips in the sea. Didn't happen. Then I spliced an eye in both ends, to make it easy to slip over the ball hitch and the trailer, and realised why. The factory had twisted the strands too tight and nothing was gonna loosen them.<br /><br />Moral: Never buy any line sight unseen.

 

[BillP]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

Braid is soft and flexible but hockles much easier than 3 strand. Braid is more expensive and the politically correct line to use around yacht clubs [grin]. I don't use braid anymore because it hockles way more than 3 strand.<br /><br />3 strand rope comes in "hard lay" or "soft lay". Hard is the stiff one and more abrasion resistant. It hockles even less than soft lay.

 

[malagaoth]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

hockles? please explain.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

Well, per a Google search, hockle means “humping” in Bulgaria. Unfortunately (or fortunately) they don’t explain Bulgarian “humping” … and I’m not going Google it, either.<br />

 

[BillP]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

I'm ROTFL. Maybe I spelled it wrong. A "hockle" is like a kink that won't let the rope run though a block or won't let it run smoothly through chocks, etc. Usually it's just a tight loop that happens from coiling and uncoiling. <br /><br />I wonder what people would think if I said my ropes hump a lot!

 

[steelespike]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

You can splice an eye into both but easier with the braided.

 

[KilroyJC]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

Easier to splice in braid than twisted strand? What am I doing wrong, then? I find I can splice twisted strand in most cases without tools - I've stayed away from attempting braided (other than hollow poly braid for ski & tube lines) because of extra tools, and measuring fid lengths, and pushing this here & that there and all that other stuff. <br /><br />Three tucks under three strands and do it again - how much easier is it than that?

 

[Solittle]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

What an education we get here - - hockles and humping - - I like that.

 

[BillP]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

Originally posted by KilroyJC:<br /> Easier to splice in braid than twisted strand? What am I doing wrong, then? I find I can splice twisted strand in most cases without tools - I've stayed away from attempting braided (other than hollow poly braid for ski & tube lines) because of extra tools, and measuring fid lengths, and pushing this here & that there and all that other stuff. <br /><br />Three tucks under three strands and do it again - how much easier is it than that?

You are right...3 strand is easier to splice than braid.<br /><br />Also, not mentioned yet is some braids have a core with a braid sleeve around it. If these are used for dock and anchor lines the two can rub against each other and cause chafe when stretched...they stretch differently and the problem happens.

 

[Mike Robinson]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

Braided line is very difficult if not impossible to splice once it has weathered a bit!

 

[Mike Robinson]

Re: Braided vs twisted nylon rope.

Actually now that I think about it twisted nylon can be quite difficult to splice once it has weathered also. In my experience nylon becomes rock hard and it is difficult to work once it has been exposed to the elements. The strands have to be carefully taped of whipped before attempting to splice them.