This ain’t rocket science, but the result was so pleasing to me, that I’m posting this tidbit of advice.
My old paddling mentor used to get upset about dirty rope–something about the crystals in the soil abraid the fiber and weaken the rope. I don’t know about that, but if you use the painters to help secure the boat to the car, where the rope is in contact with the car, dirty rope does a sanding job on the finish.
So I removed the dirty painters, put them inside one of those mesh bags used to hold delicate items in the washer, and tossed them into the washing machines with the other soiled items from yesterday’s outing. When they came out, they were so clean and pretty I’m reluctant to put them back on the boat.
Give it a try, and maybe we can form a sit-around, lookin’ at our pretty, clean painter club.
~~Chip
My only question Chip
is “Why do you have a bag for washing ‘delicates’?”
Jim
Whadda you mean?
The answer is kind of obvious, Jim, which makes me wonder…How the heck are you wash’n your delicates?
~~Chip
p.s. it was actually my first time using that bag. Not sure what it was supposed to be used for, but I’m pretty sure that whoever left it in the laundry room never imagined it would be use to wash painters.
If I ever get to the point that my ropes
… don’t get enough washing while still attached to the boat, I might be tempted to figure I don’t really need them anyway!
Had a bunch o’ dirty painters once
Took a pressure washer ta dem. Boy, dem varmints hightailed it like a bunch o' honey covered Mingos chased by a grizz baar.
Never did come back to finish de ceilin'....
FE
Back when I was a caver
and was able to fit through squeezes, we would “daisy-chain” our muddy ropes and sneak into a 24-hr laundromat to run 'em through a commercial washer (no detergent). You could do the same with your painters and forestall wise-ass comments from persons such as I.
Jim
Good for you, too?
Keep ‘em comin’ fellas, yer cracking me up!
This is the most entertaining topic I ever posted. Hope it was good for you, too.
And Jim, about that squeeze-through and the daisy-chaining… nah, nevermind.
~~Chip
I’ve washed rope like that for years.
Halyards, sheets, topping lifts, painters, docklines and the lot. Toss some fabric softener in with the wash. Your cordage will thank you.
I Once put the
Sail for my Hobie 17 in the washer . . . “Mylar don’t spin”
Very funny, fatelmo.
Had you already paid them?