Basics ยท 4 of 6
Coiling and storing
Coil it so it runs free next time, and store it where it will last.
A good coil comes out of the bag, off the hook or out of the locker without a tangle. A bad one costs you time just when you need the rope.
Coils
- Laid rope: coil with the lay. For right-hand laid rope, coil clockwise. Give each loop a small twist with your fingers so it lies flat.
- Braided rope: figure-eight coil. Lay the loops alternately to one side and the other, like an 8. The twists cancel out, so the rope will not kink.
- Butterfly coil. Drape the rope back and forth across your shoulders or hand in long bights. Quick, kink-free, and easy to carry as a pack. Common for climbing rope.
- Finishing a coil. Wrap the last part of the rope several times round the middle of the coil, pass a bight through the top, and pull the end through that bight.
- Flaking. To have rope ready to run, lay it on the ground or deck in a loose pile, end to end, so it pays out without snagging.
Storage
- Clean and dry first. Natural fibres rot if stored damp; synthetics grow mildew on dirt.
- Somewhere cool, dark and airy. Sunlight slowly weakens most fibres.
- Hang coils or keep them in a bag, off the floor and away from chemicals.
- Seal or whip the ends so they cannot unravel.