More enjoyment of your ship, more comfort and safer sailing.
You can wash halyards, sheets and other lines on deck.
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Remove all knots from the lines.
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Fill a large container with clean water and a little Bio-Tex.
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Let the lines soak in plenty of water for (half) a day.
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Remove stains with a soft brush.
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Halyards that are in the mast can also be washed on deck. First wash one end of the halyard and then the other end.
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You can also remove a halyard from the mast and than wash it.
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First, attach a pilot line (thinner line than the halyard, thick enough so it doesn't derail from a sheave) to the end of the halyard. A good halyard has a Flemish eye or a loop of whipping twine. You can also use thread and a needle to secure the pilot line to the halyard.
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Then pull the halyard out of the mast.
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When you pull the halyard out of the mast, the pilot line will automatically retract into the mast, replacing the halyard.
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Secure both ends of the pilot line securely to the mast.
You can wash halyards, sheets and other lines in a regular washing machine.
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Remove all knots from the lines.
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Wrap the fasteners in an (old) thick sock to prevent damage to the washing machine drum.
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Place the lines in a laundry bag or a pillowcase and close the pillowcase with a line.
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Add a small amount of Bio-Tex.
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Select a wash cycle with a low temperature (30 degrees C or less) and a low spin speed (800 rpm or less) and start the cycle.
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After washing, let the lines dry in home or outside in the wind.
​Always coil up dry lines, before storing them.
This video (Man in blue shirt - APS) shows the correct way* to coil lines:​​​​​
(* = The 'correct way' to coil a line depends on its intended use. This method is sufficient for halyards, sheets, and other lines in the mast. For a 'throwing line', for example, a different method is appropriate.)
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Store coiled lines in a dark, dry, and ventilated area. If necessary, label the lines so they can easily be returned to their correct destination on the ship.
While you're at it...
When the mainsheet line is out of the blocks, there's no tension on the fasteners between the sheet and boom blocks and the attachment points on the boat. This is a good time to check and clean these fasteners, for example, by removing flash rust.