Jon3586 Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 Hi all. I can remember when I was at training school, and during my probation that a rope was a certain length (80 Fathoms?) And that anything cut off that standard length was a line. Can anyone confirm the length of a rope and if anyone can reference it even better! As you might guess this is to settle a mess table argument! Thanks all Link to comment
Messyshaw Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 The word 'r**e' was banned from LFB's training school when I was there as it was impressed upon you that "We use "LINES'. All these years later and I am too traumatised to even type the word Anyone using 'the word' was going to be in deep do do and probably will have to run up and down the tower a few times at the very least As a result we only learned about lines! So for that reason I can't join in the debate and am out! 1 1 Link to comment
Healdav Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 (edited) I had to do lines when I was at school. Not the same thing, surely? Imagine sitting on a window sill on a blazing building writing, "I must not call a rope a rope. I must not call a rope a rope. Edited May 19, 2021 by Carl Quote removed as its a direct quote of the previous post. Please see FAQ 1 Link to comment
Dyson Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 5 hours ago, Messyshaw said: The word 'r**e' was banned from LFB's training school when I was there as it was impressed upon you that "We use "LINES'. All these years later and I am too traumatised to even type the word Anyone using 'the word' was going to be in deep do do and probably will have to run up and down the tower a few times at the very least As a result we only learned about lines! So for that reason I can't join in the debate and am out! Me too. And 15 30 70 💥❤️ Link to comment
Paul LFB Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 As far as i remember a rope is 220 feet long Link to comment
Jon3586 Posted May 19, 2021 Author Share Posted May 19, 2021 (edited) Yes Paul thats it! Now i just need to reference it! Edited May 19, 2021 by Carl Quote removed as its a direct quote of the previous post. Please see FAQ Link to comment
Jet Posted May 20, 2021 Share Posted May 20, 2021 I've got a feeling this is another one of those terms where the true story of the original meaning has been lost in translation over the years. I was taught that a 'line' was a piece of rope that was cut to a specific length. I've also been told that a length of rope becomes a line when it is being used for a specific purpose, which would make sense from a naval point of view when we consider the origin of a lot of our terms. But figuring out why we had a 'long weight' was the trickiest. That bloke in stores never did get back to me about it... 2 Link to comment
Dyson Posted May 20, 2021 Share Posted May 20, 2021 Haha yes ! When I was a recruit I got sent next door to an east end police station to ask for a long weight for the volley ball court ...... Link to comment
Kinmel Posted May 20, 2021 Share Posted May 20, 2021 R.N. ropewalks produced a standard length of 10chains (220yards or 201metres). A "chain" was the standard length of an anchor chain. So whilst it is a rope it is 10 chains long, cut in half it is two 5chain lines. It is easy to identify a line, it is described by it's length. Link to comment
Messyshaw Posted May 20, 2021 Share Posted May 20, 2021 Talking of RN rope, if you ever get a chance to visit Chatham Historic Dockyard, part of it includes the most amazing rope making 'factory'(?) dating from the 1700s The rope making part is a great day out on its own, let alone the rest of it Link to comment
Jon3586 Posted May 20, 2021 Author Share Posted May 20, 2021 9 hours ago, Kinmel said: R.N. ropewalks produced a standard length of 10chains (220yards or 201metres). A "chain" was the standard length of an anchor chain. So whilst it is a rope it is 10 chains long, cut in half it is two 5chain lines. It is easy to identify a line, it is described by it's length. This is exactly what I was thinking of, Thank you!! Link to comment
Highlander Posted May 25, 2021 Share Posted May 25, 2021 In the ScotishFRS we have lines, unless it's in the SWAH bag, then its a rope..... Link to comment
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