Storing ropes in bags

[Bruce]

I grew tired of untangling once coiled ropes and decided to try other options. My anchor rope never tangles and it is the same type of rope as the coiled ropes that were tangling after being stored in the boat. So I decided to try storing the ropes in bags. I am happy to report that I have gone more than three months without a tangled rope!

I either simply shove the rope in the bag or coil some then shove the coil into the bag. I leave one end protruding from the bags with the mouth of the bag closed around it. When I need the rope I simply pull it out.

This is two 100' x 3/8" ropes stored in 11x16 mesh bags.

 

[MrMoose]

Great advice @Bruce!!! I bet that @Glen also knows a thing or two about this. His Bimini shipmate seemed to know lots about storing ropes so that they don't tangle.

 

[Speedling]

Huh... gonna need to try that!

 

[firecap797]

Similar to how we pack our water rescue ropes. As long as it's packed properly they pull easy. Best way that we have found is to lay the rope out, have one person hold the mouth of the bag open and the place the rope over your shoulder and feed it in hand over hand.

 

[swatski]

I needed this thread!

 

[Glen]

I am a bit of a traditionalist and still wrapping up my first season on this boat so nothing ground breaking here from me-

With the 150' of line on the standard Danforth in the bow locker, we've had no issue to date with just feeding it in. So no change there.

Taught at a very young age how to coil a rope clean (1/2 twist clockwise (rt hand) as bring coil to left hand). Wrap the coil into a figure 8, then the bight through the top and over to secure. If everyone who handles lines aboard knows this technique (both creation and re-deployment) this works great.
With our previous boat (big sailing catamaran), this worked as we would have guests just handle fenders.
This technique is not working great aboard today's boat as there are too many hands in the 'stew'.

To add to this, with the X, there are storage constraints.

Believe now that the season is within a few weeks of being completed (in VA), I will start to experiment with the utility upgrades, based on observations-

-Wet stuff, stern wet lockers
-Dry life-preservers (never used), in front of helm, on closet rod (get them out of the port 'cabin').
-Lines and fenders need to be in that port 'cabin'. Like them to be up high.
I like lines hanging on snaps as it helps them dry, very clear when one is missing and easy to retrieve and replace-
Currently, these are in the starboard rear bench which is a mess (particularly with the ballast in there).

Everything else is working OK, but still believing that I can create a frame around the center ballast so that skis (whatever) can get stored in there, without being on the bag.

.02.
Hope to have prototypes operating in the next few weeks-

 

[2nazt]

This is a way to do it when we spearfish with float lines. I think similar to what @Glen was saying.

 

[Zarrella]

@Bruce
What is with all the extra rope??? Are you tying people up???? lol

 

[Bruce]

@Bruce
What is with all the extra rope??? Are you tying people up???? lol

We have 100' of rope on the anchor which is sufficient for tossing the anchor in 20 to 30 feet of water. If it is deeper we attach another rope. The third 100' anchor rope is for tying to a tree or rock on shore or the stern anchor if needed.

A few weeks ago we were ferrying passengers to a house boat wedding party. We had unloaded our boat to make room for people and stuff. One of the brides family had bought a tube and wanted to take kids tubing. We had left our tubes and tube rope at home. A 100' 3/8" anchor rope worked very well as a tube rope. I may start using it all the time because it did a great job of getting the kmtuve back behind the spray.

 

[BigAbe75]

Everything else is working OK, but still believing that I can create a frame around the center ballast so that skis (whatever) can get stored in there, without being on the bag.

.02.
Hope to have prototypes operating in the next few weeks-

@Glen any luck with this? Considering an X and losing all that storage area is a concern.

 

[Bluewater272]

We went with the old shoe organizer trick for the head compartment. Mesh pockets are great for wet dock lines.

 

[BigAbe75]

We went with the old shoe organizer trick for the head compartment. Mesh pockets are great for wet dock lines.

@seanmclean (and others) do you have a link to your shoe organizer? How tall is it? I’m seeing some that are 5’ tall and that feels like too much.

Also, how did you mount the shelf? I have a lot of white metal shelving leftover from a closet project in the house. Safe to run screws into the sides of the compartment?

Tks!

 

[Bluewater272]

@seanmclean (and others) do you have a link to your shoe organizer? How tall is it? I’m seeing some that are 5’ tall and that feels like too much.

Also, how did you mount the shelf? I have a lot of white metal shelving leftover from a closet project in the house. Safe to run screws into the sides of the compartment?

Tks!

It's a full length shoe organizer, I cut the bottom few rows off. And yes, I used short screws to hold the closet into the sides of the compartment (but not against the hull).

This is the specific organizer: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N2JICUM/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[BigAbe75]

It's a full length shoe organizer, I cut the bottom few rows off. And yes, I used short screws to hold the closet into the sides of the compartment (but not against the hull).

This is the specific organizer: Amazon.com: MISSLO Over The Door Shoe Organizer 24 Large Mesh Pockets, White: Home & Kitchen

How long of screws? 1/4, 3/8 ?

The back side of the glove box seems a lot thinner than opposite side.

I mentioned to the dealer at pickup that I planned on adding a shelf, and he told me to make sure I didn’t put anything to solid as the boat needs to be allowed to flex. He cautioned me that I can cause myself problems later on, if the boat flexes against the shelf and punctures something.

I’m considering using white wire closet shelving from a house project and hanging with a loop of plumbers strap screwed into the sides. This way, I can be a little short on the shelf and allow it room to move. Any thoughts?

 

[Bluewater272]

How long of screws? 1/4, 3/8 ?

The back side of the glove box seems a lot thinner than opposite side.

I mentioned to the dealer at pickup that I planned on adding a shelf, and he told me to make sure I didn’t put anything to solid as the boat needs to be allowed to flex. He cautioned me that I can cause myself problems later on, if the boat flexes against the shelf and punctures something.

I’m considering using white wire closet shelving from a house project and hanging with a loop of plumbers strap screwed into the sides. This way, I can be a little short on the shelf and allow it room to move. Any thoughts?

3/8 if I can remember correctly, just enough to get a little bite. The fabric lining the head plus the shoe organizer take up a little depth. I have the wire rack installed in mine too, but I went for an exact fit and used those little u-shaped brackets to hold it onto the forward/aft walls. Hanging doesn't seem like a bad idea unless you get into some rough chop and it gets bouncy.

 

[Dean P]

I have always stored my ropes like in the picture. Never did it any other way. Takes 5-10 seconds. Is there a better way?

 

[BigAbe75]

3/8 if I can remember correctly, just enough to get a little bite. The fabric lining the head plus the shoe organizer take up a little depth. I have the wire rack installed in mine too, but I went for an exact fit and used those little u-shaped brackets to hold it onto the forward/aft walls. Hanging doesn't seem like a bad idea unless you get into some rough chop and it gets bouncy.

I’m hoping 1/2” isn’t too long. My local store didn’t have 3/8. I got #8 x 1/2” screws. I also got some smallish S hooks that I saw some used to hang the shoe rack. So, I may experiment with those today too.

 

[BigAbe75]

I’m hoping 1/2” isn’t too long. My local store didn’t have 3/8. I got #8 x 1/2” screws. I also got some smallish S hooks that I saw some used to hang the shoe rack. So, I may experiment with those today too.

The back of that glove box is just too thin. If I keep going on this, I’m going to use bolts and just drill through the back of the glove box. Yamaha already has 4 bolts through there holding on the interior upholstery. Maybe I can attach to existing bolts or add more that aren’t too ugly.

I still haven’t got a vision on this shelf.

I’ve moved things around since this was taken, but here’s how my 6yr old son organized as we were loading stuff from the old boat.

 

[Speedling]

I’m hoping 1/2” isn’t too long. My local store didn’t have 3/8. I got #8 x 1/2” screws. I also got some smallish S hooks that I saw some used to hang the shoe rack. So, I may experiment with those today too.

You could use a washer or two to space out if needed

 

[Jgorm]

I found a method to tie off a coil a few decades ago and haven't had a problem with tangled ropes since. Coil it properly and consistently, grab the top loop tightly, tightly wrap the coil just above your hand, one coil up, one coil low, then 2 coils up (locks it in), then slip a blight through the loop, flip it up and over the top of the coil, then pull it tight. No more tangles.