Tape

[jamottep]

Hello,
I'm interested in user recommendations for:

1. Rigging tape: the stuff you use where you shouldn't use it. For example at the end of a rope (instead of whipping) or to secure the shroud caps. I've used electrical tapes but find that it quickly comes undone. Anything else anyone has used that proved solid?

2. Anti-chafe tape: something you can slap on a sail (say where the mainsail is going to chafe against the spreaders) or under the boom (say where the spin sheet is going to chafe) or on a sheet itself (say where it'd chafe against the shrouds).

I've done some research but would welcome your opinion as these items seem pricey ...

 

[Daydreamer]

I use electrical tape for most wrapping jobs. I figure when it is coming undone it is time to inspect what is underneath.
Better quality tape lasts a little longer.

For sails, Marchal sailmakers has good dacron sail repair tape. Good to have some along in your kit too.

I use gorilla tape for holding things together, temporarily patching small holes, whatever.

I plan to get some Millionaires tape for some of those chafe areas where lines cross.

 

[mike cunningham]

Despite the stupid name, I believe this stuff is absolutely the best tape for general use around the boat where self amalgamation is desired. It is fantastic stuff.

It sticks to itself very well but has absolutely no adhesive so it comes off after days, weeks, years, with no residue. It also does not leak residue as many adhesive tapes do.

It has superb UV/ sunlight performance in my experience.

I have use it for the following purposes, it is really really versatile although you must have an application where the tape wraps back on itself.

Wrapping forward lifeline turnbuckles to prevent sail chafe on hardware
Wrapping snap shackles closed where you don't want risk of unintended opening but do want to get the tape off fast if necessary
Strapping my cockpit knife and sheath to the steering pedestal - the wrapped tape becomes a big rubber band which holds things nice and tight
Strapping my bilge pump handle and lanyard to the pedestal guard
Stopping excessive shaft seal leakage - shaft was locked in place, wrapped tape tightly around shaft while tape stack butted up against face of seal. Amazingly this worked great.
Created a rubber cushion around the base of my favorite ceramic coffee mug when I lost the rubber bottom on the way to Hawaii. This prevented ceramic base from scratching surfaces and survives to this day after I don't know how many cycles through the dishwasher.
Securely wrapping external RF cable to the pushpit railing. This stuff is superb for cable wrap where you need to attach to a rail, or you want additional cable protection.
Securing my Iridium go external antenna to the railing base when the antenna mount broke. Worked great all the way through the 16 SHTP and is in place to this day. Looks almost new.

And on and on.

You have to try some of this stuff. I have a bunch. I'll be happy to turn you on to a roll at the next seminar if you plan to attend. I order all white tape but there are many colors if you want to get fancy.

http://www.pocketrubber.com/

 

[jamottep]

You have to try some of this stuff. I have a bunch. I'll be happy to turn you on to a roll at the next seminar if you plan to attend.
http://www.pocketrubber.com/

Wow, thank you. I plan to be at the next seminar. I need incentives to cross the Bay

 

[tiger beetle]

For rigging tape, as in covering turnbuckle cotter pins, I use rubbaweld rubber tape - it lasts a year or two, is self-adhesive (the rubber has no adhesive and instead bonds to itself, not the metal), and does the job. They also make a 4" wide tape I use to seal the mast to the deck collar, as Beetle is keel-stepped and it's nice to not have it raining downstairs as the boat pounds through a wave.

To protect sailcloth from wear against the spreaders, normally the sailmaker will install a layer of 4 oz dacron sticky tape (e.g, "sticky-back") - this should also be in your sail repair kit! Use it everywhere, the glue is tenacious and will not come off the sail. If you want something heavier, then you're looking at sewing down a tougher, heavier layer of dacron (or spectra, which is nice and slippery) for the wear-patch.

If you're looking to reduce friction during tacks, it does help to place teflon tape (e.g., million-dollar tape) on the leading edges of the spreaders. That really only helps in buoy races where you tack a lot, I don't see that being much of an issue for a distance singlehanded ocean race - if you're tacking every five minutes then you have a problem!

If you're really worried about friction, you can soak your headsails and kites in McLube - that makes them super slippery and really hard to hold on to, but they sure hoist and douse in a jiffy.

Using a vinyl tape(e.g., electrical tape) on deck is not good - the vinyl cooks in the sun, the glue goes gooey, and you're using the wrong material. Vinyl is great for electrical insulation, but not for chafe protection as it hardens with UV exposure and age. Vinyl is a great dieletric, but that's not useful for chafe protection.

- rob/beetle

 

[mike cunningham]

Wow, thank you. I plan to be at the next seminar. I need incentives to cross the Bay

OK, I'll bring a couple of rolls.

 

[Christian]

For example at the end of a rope (instead of whipping)

Whipping with waxed line takes 1.5 minutes to do, per end, and gives a most satisfactory personal feeling of accomplishment, wisdom and superiority. Also, it impresses visitors, who will immediately see you as more than a melted blob, and very much more than a piece of limp plastic peeling in the breeze.

Nobody uses black electrical tape for anything on deck, even temporarily, because when you take it off acetone is required to remove the awful stain and you feel bad about yourself, and lazy, and not attuned to detail, which once offshore makes for growing doubt about all your preparations, and it becomes more and more clear that, having checked the keel bolts with the same haste you electrical-taped the line end, the keel is sure to fall off any moment.

It's the little things that keep us psychologically afloat on our solitary ship-in-a-bottle.

 

[mike cunningham]

For example at the end of a rope (instead of whipping)

Whipping with waxed line takes 1.5 minutes to do, per end, and gives a most satisfactory personal feeling of accomplishment, wisdom and superiority. Also, it impresses visitors, who will immediately see you as more than a melted blob, and very much more than a piece of limp plastic peeling in the breeze.

Nobody uses black electrical tape for anything on deck, even temporarily, because when you take it off acetone is required to remove the awful stain and you feel bad about yourself, and lazy, and not attuned to detail, which once offshore makes for growing doubt about all your preparations, and it becomes more and more clear that, having checked the keel bolts with the same haste you electrical-taped the line end, the keel is sure to fall off any moment.

It's the little things that keep us psychologically afloat on our solitary ship-in-a-bottle.

+1 and if you are creative you can personalize the whipping so people know exactly who did it. That is, people who carefully study whippings for the signature of the artiste. Admittedly, not many have such inclination.