Soft durable floating paracord?

Advice
#1

Hi, Trying to find a source for bulk soft durable floating line 1/8-1/4". Like floating paracord. Have the yellow poly single braid but stiff, chafes, and not easiest to handle/pack for painters, throw lines, ect. Thanks, Rick

#2

small

– Last Updated: Mar-27-11 1:57 PM EST –

1/4" water rescue rope(braided polypro) is fairly easy to find, and you can get versions with a high-strength core. NRS lists 3/16" as well.

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product_list.asp?deptid=1039

Why so small? From my experience in moving water, anything smaller than 1/4" is hard to grab, and even 1/4" is marginal in cold water.

#3

rope…

– Last Updated: Mar-27-11 6:38 PM EST –

..........try the following ........
http://www.bluewaterropes.com/
http://www.westmarine.com/1/3/floating-rope
http://www.ropeinc.com/reflective-composite-rope.html
http://www.us-rope-cable.com/

Google will yield more sites to browse..good luck

#4

Home Depot
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202048183/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053



if the link does not work, just google Home Depot and search for rope



this is a “kernmantle” type of poly rope, with a smoothe core and a braided poly sheath - I use the 3/8 on my boats for painter lines. It floats, it has a nice knotablility and good hand - i.e. it holds knots well and gives you a good grip. its also reasonably cheap $7.77 for a hundred foot hank), and plenty strong enough for painter lines, but not for rescue rope

the link I posted is to 1/4" od - it comes in 3/8ths and I saw a 5/32" line that may be similar or not - for painters, you don’t want to go too small a diameter, as its hard to get a good grip, which is why I choose the 3/8"

#5

Thanks for all the sources & ideas
Have good commercial throw bags for swiftwater rescue but looking for easy working floating line in small to medium sizes for a variety of other small craft applications. Will go web hunting. Rick

#6

Not kernmantle
That Home Depot rope is not a proper kernmantle rope.



The outer poly layer is all there is for both strength and wear resistance. The stuff inside is just fluff to increase the diameter.



A real kernmantle rope has a core or “kern” of proper rope stuff, where the strength comes from, and a cover or “mantle” for abrasion resistance.

#7

Can’t go wrong with NRS
rescue rope. High quality, variety of sizes, and reliable.



When one is talking about painters, is the cost per foot really the deciding factor? I prefer to have quality line onmy hulls.



Jim

#8

Menards
It’s not “paracord” per se, but Menard’s has heavy duty 3/16" multi strand braided rope, it says it floats and has a 300# working load. I just got a couple 150’ skeins of it for 4 bucks each! I worked with it on something and it seems like good stuff.