Fabric softener on lines and halyards

[wind dancer]

I've heard of adding fabric softener to the laundry when washing lines and halyards.  Does anyone do this with the lines still on the boat?  For example, on halyards when you don't have time to remove them, take them home, and launder them?

[Rick Johnson]

  We are supposed to launder our lines and halyards???  I never heard this before.

[Stu Jackson]

Rick, when they can stand up and walk away from you because they are so stiff, it's a good way to avoid having to pay to replace them.  Some of us live in industrial polluted areas (i.e., called cities).

wind dancer:  I've been thinking about doing this for years, just putting some fabric softener in a bucket and letting the lines sit, so I can remember how they've been reeved through the blocks, but haven't done it yet.  I actuallsome on board.  Don't see why it wouldn't work.  There have been lots of threads at www.catalinaowners.com about this, and ideas about how to keep the lines from untangling in the washing machine, and keeping your household from going up on the rocks!

[Rick Johnson]

Well, I'd have to say that I consider Austin, Texas a city and a damn nice one at that, but I do believe we have less pollution so maybe you're right.  Then again, the lake is less salty then the Pacific...

[Ron Hill]

Guys : I done this many times over the years dock and anchor lines - mentioned it in Mainsteet Tech Note articles.  This is especially true for nylon anchor rodes, as the dirt, silt and shell fragments tend microscopical cut the fibers and weaken the lines.

If you use your own washer to clean the lines, I recommend that you use the washing machine when the "lady of the house" in out shopping!!

AS I said in the Mainsheet article, you can go to a Laundromat.  When I did my 200ft anchor rode the ladies in there  looked at the machine and said "Spagettee?"

[jmnpe]

Rick, Austin is squeaky clean pollution wise compared to Houston or the entire DFW metroplex..... Enjoy it.

Many of my boat buddies in the Houston area ( the petro-chemical capitol of the world where you can see and smell the pollution...) regularly soak their lines of all flavors for about 24 hours in a Woolite/water solution in a big container. Then, in the final "rinse" cycle, they add a little fabric softener and let them sit for several hours. Clean and soft!

At some point, most people I know stopped using the washing machine after they tore up the transmission when the lines got terminally jammed under the agitator.

John

[Footloose]

Guys

Put your lines in one of the bags that the admiral washes her lingerie in.  It keeps it from getting jambed under the agitator.  Again, do this when she is out shopping.

[Stu Jackson]

OK, I forgot about saltwater.

However, are you guys kidding about doing the lines in the laundry?  Who the heck knows how to work one of those complicated contraptions?   

[rirvine]

Guys:

Pack up all the lines from your boat and take them to a Laundromat – use the heavy-duty commercial washer. You will be amazed how it makes them softer and easier to handle.  I just washed all the line of Crew's Nest.

Ray