why dry your throwbags?

pmp · Post by **pmp** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 5:48 pm

I admit, I don't remove my boat's airbags and i don't empty my throwbag to dry it at the end of the trip.
But lots of paddlers do empty their throwbags to dry the rope. My question is, the rope is synthetic...why worry about drying it promptly?
I hang the bag up and it probably dries in a few days.
Anyone have a good reason to need to dry the rope?
paul
ps. saying it will get smelly/moldy doesn't count... who cares if it smells...

Hans Vidkjer · Post by **Hans Vidkjer** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 5:52 pm

I think I read somewhere that mold will actually weaken the rope. I know that happens with webbing straps, also synthetic. I figure it's safety gear, why take a chance?

marclamenace · Post by **marclamenace** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 6:10 pm

Hans Vidkjer wrote:I think I read somewhere that mold will actually weaken the rope. I know that happens with webbing straps, also synthetic. I figure it's safety gear, why take a chance?

That's absolutely right. Besides, I probly do smell much more myself then the rope at the end of the day so it shouldn't be that.

My beluga throwbag has a mesh as part of the bag so I don't remove it from the bag though.

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 6:38 pm

only if we're turning it into a clothesline to dry our other gear...

Sickboyuk · Post by **Sickboyuk** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:04 pm

It's a good way of checking the rope properly, when you stuff it back in , take your time and feel for any cuts or damage.

canoemid · Post by **canoemid** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:14 pm

You're right, great way to check it out...and get in a practice toss down the driveway.

ncdavid · Post by **ncdavid** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 11:08 pm

When I put my boat away at the end of a trip, I always get little particles of sand in my hair. I'm sure that those little particles of sand are also in the throw bag. I don't do it after every trip, but I wash the rope and line dry it every few outings.

TonyB · Post by **TonyB** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:07 am

OMG I spilled mustard on my drytop, should I wash it off or let a sponsered boater get a free meal when he borrows it next time???

Its a peace of safety gear! check it out once in a while! OMg maybe even clean it!

I have a small pile of stuff that maybe I should have cared for but (oh well) but if its something that maybe you want to work properly when you need it, check it out!

I'm speaking from experience, there is nothing worse that going into action to help out a friend with a piece of equipement that you spent money on a year ago and....it got tangled up and frozen in the bag???? what, river gear got moldy??

markzak · Post by **markzak** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 3:06 am

Ok, while I really appreciate the comments about safety and gear, etc...I'm with PMP on this one. With a spectra rope or even poly, mold isn't an issue, or maybe I use my boat often enough that I've ever never had a mold issue on my rope or with any of my boating gear.

I use my throwbag for some purpose or another very frequently, dozens of time a year and I always pack it well afterwards. I believe this is really fine to do and give your rope a quick little inspection when you re-pack it. Since I use it so often I always replace my rope every few years at most.

If you used it and you think it was really abused or got sand/rocks ground into it by stepping on it, or something else, then it makes sense to take it out, clean it out and dry it out. But if you use your rope to grab a swimmer for example from the current, and inspect it just very quickly as you re-pack it, and of course you replace it when needed every couple of years or whatever, I think that's fine.

Smurfwarrior · Post by **Smurfwarrior** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:06 am

+2 on what Mark said

pmp · Post by **pmp** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 10:37 am

so i've only been hanging up the stuffed bag for years. no smell, no mold.
I imagine i'd notice cuts, when i'm re-stuffing after a throw.
someone did suggest that synthetic rope is organic on a molecular level and therefore could be "eaten" by mold. I can't argue against that as i have no idea.
I would want to suggest a practice that compromises safety... but on the other hand, why do what the other sheep are doing

paul

Sickboyuk · Post by **Sickboyuk** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 9:38 pm

There is a problem (although a small one to paddlers) with drying rope, if you have a spectra line they do degrade badly (compared to plain nylon) under uv , but I doubt it would effect us as badly as climbers.
I used to use a simple rule when abseiling off tat, clip the cheap faded nylon tape rather than the newer looking spectra slings, but you still took your chances

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why dry your throwbags?

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