How long is a rope?

[Jon3586]

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

[Messyshaw]

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!

[Healdav]

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

[Dyson]

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 💥❤️

[Paul LFB]

As far as i remember a rope is 220 feet long

 

[Jon3586]

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

[Jet]

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...

[Dyson]

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 ...... 

[Kinmel]

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.

[Messyshaw]

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 

[Jon3586]

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!!

[Highlander]

In the ScotishFRS we have lines, unless it's in the SWAH bag, then its a rope.....