Rode Loads

[Brion Toss]

Originally Posted by benz

Does the construction of Yale's Brait differ from Regatta braid? It seems they're both 8-strand braided--not sure how many different ways there are to braid 8-strand. And if they're similar, can you splice them the same way?
Also, I thought the anchoring discussion neglected to take enough account for current/wind at opposition. My pilot cutter is far more affected by current than wind, having a huge wetted surface, so that even a moderate tidal current will hold her sideways to a moderate breeze, and a six-knot current held her broadside to a gale-force squall one time. I'd like to know how much force my boat exerts on a rode when the current is roaring past at near hull-speed.

Hi there,
Oh, there are so many ways to do braided rope. For starters, Regatta (and Mega Braid, the nylon equivalent) are 12-strand. But even if they were both 8-strand, there are lots of combinations of twist and helix angle, and these differences can translate, not just to different rope behavior under load, but different chafe-resistance, "picking"-resistance, and how they are spliced. Follow the instructions for the specific rope.
As for the effect of current and wind, I am far from being qualified to discuss aero/hydro-dynamics, but it would seem that the upper limit from either, or both, would be similar. The best data I have is from vessels sailing on their moorings. They accelerated as they yawed, and this would generate hull resistance in the water, as they began to tack, as well as wind resistance. And these were accelerated loads, which would have pushed things even higher.
One of Josh's points was that his boat is quite massive, and the vessel's inertia should be a big factor in the selection of rode type and size.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss