Association Forum

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

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.

Association Forum

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Curmudgeon on Terminology (a Vent)

Note: You must be registered in order to post a reply.
To register, click here. Registration is FREE!

Screensize:

UserName:

Password:

Format Mode:

Format:

Message:

* HTML is OFF
* Forum Code is ON

Smilies

[quote][i]Originally posted by Stinkpotter[/i]
[br]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:

[b][u]Rope[/u][/b] is a [u]material[/u] from which [u]lines[/u] (and other things) can be made.

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

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

[/quote]

Check here to include your profile signature.
Check here to subscribe to this topic.

T O P I C R E V I E W
Stinkpotter	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.)
1 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
OLarryR	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.

Association Forum

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.