Chafe guards: Protecting the investment

Cordagesb

Marine environments are notoriously rough on cordage. That reality has led to the development of a number of specialized products and materials designed to protect cordage against abrasion and other hazards.

Chuck Gilchrest, marketing and business development manager in the U.S. for Nova Scotia-based Novabraid, said notable innovations in that regard have come from companies such as Chafe-Pro, which his company represents in the Maritimes. 

“They have done a great job of addressing those concerns for both the inland and offshore towing market,” he said. Chafe-Pro guards can be removed easily and fitted on various parts of the rope to help extend life. “You don’t have to sew it in place, which is much easier,” he explained.

Chafe-Pro’s proprietary nylon weave is positioned on the rope by the manufacturer. Capt. Ed Ratigan, master mariner and director of research and development at Chafe-Pro, said the units also are coated with a two-part epoxy “for extra chafe resistance.”

By Professional Mariner Staff