Traditional rope

[Louis Michaud]

I have always found that the bright shinny white nylon rope I used on the sailing rig for a w/c canoe looked out of place. Then I found this source for traditional 3 strands hemp coloured polyester rope, even real hemp if that's what you want.

http://www.rwrope.com/traditional_rigging/rope_for_Running_Rigging.htm

The Buff brand is described as having a firmer hand than the Posh. This is an understatement. The Posh is a lot softer and limp. When cut it will unravel like well cooked spaghetti. It will not keep it's twist or shape. The Buff is stiffer and has a tighter twist. The individual strands will keep their twist and shape when you unlay them from the whole rope. I don't have a lot of experience doing rope work but I prefer the Buff rope. It maybe harder on the hands but I find it's easier to splice and you can make decent grommets with it. Maybe an old tar can tell me if I'm missing something...

Canadian customers should specify the US Postal Service for shipping. -DO NOT- use UPS. UPS charges a $53 "custom's brokerage" fee for doing absolutely NOTHING !!!!

Went to pick-up a small trapper canoe (12'9" x 35" x 12") yesterday. The snow banks on both sides of the road were cut 12' high... and they tell me Spring has started....

Best,

Louis Michaud
Rimouski, Quebec

 

[Todd Bradshaw]

Spun rope, like the Posh will usually stay together OK if you hot cut the ends and then whip them. Depending upon how complex your mainsheet routing is, be advised that three-strand ropes often tend to kink badly enough to jam in blocks as you're trimming or easing the sail. You don't want to be in a situation where a big gust hits, you go to ease the sail and suddenly can't because the sheet is jammed. The yacht braids like the double braid and twelve-strand braids like New England Ropes "Regatta Braid" are much less prone to kinking on lines that need frequent adjustment. For any kind of standing rigging or halyards (which you generally set and forget and aren't constantly adjusting) or for line being used for grommets or other hand-crafted rope work, something a bit stiffer may be easier to deal with.

 

[Andre Cloutier]

brokerage fees

Louis,
had a similar experience with FedEx and "brokerage fees", they claim to act as your brokerage agent and try to invoice you a large amount, in some cases up to 1/3 of parcel value. They dropped a $400 shipment on my doorstep, did not get a signature, and a month later i got an invoice for $90.00. Never paid it, never heard back.
In fact they are not entitled to charge this and have no legal basis to collect it, hence the several class action suits, one of which is here:
http://www.bc4x4.com/inthenews/default.cfm?ID=173
and here
http://www.poynerbaxter.com/UPS.htm
Ignore it and try to avoid cross border business with them, several suits against them have been successful hence the class action.
http://www.photoprice.ca/article/tax-duty-brokerage-demystified
If push came to shove they couldnt have proven I even received my goods.

 

[Max Peterson]

Does anyone in the U.S. have experience and advice on this? I just received a bill from Purolator Trade Solutions for a total of $63.16 U.S. on an $816.00 order from Canada. $8.16 is "Customs Duty", $2.00 is "Custom Merchandise Processing Fee", $18.00 "Brokerage Fee", $30.00 is "Surety Bond Fee", and $5.00 is "Disbursement/Advancing of Funds". Out of all of that, it would seem to me that the $8.16 Duty might be justifiable. I hate rip-offs, and I never authorized Purolator to act as my brokerage nor was I ever given the opportunity to choose someone else or no one at all. What gives?

 

[Andre Cloutier]

apparent rip offs

Max, my own experience was the same, as i never authorized anyone to act on my behalf, which is what they claim to do to "keep delays to minimum and ensure you get your delivery on time". The duty and taxes are collected by the proper authorities, the rest is pure gravy for the shipper. In my case the retailer called me and encouraged me to pay it or they "would have to", so i suggested they choose their shipping partner more carefully as a customer service initiative. This valuable insight also showed that Fedex ( in my case) had no legal standing as they never sent it to collections nor even threatened it, i suppose choosing instead to hassle the company that chose them as shipper.
Blogs are full of these stories, however the class suits are displaying that this is unjustified and without legal standing.

 

[ahimsakid]

I ordered some 3/8 hemp line from them--as an alternative to that "bright shiny white nylon" stuff that's so pervasive. So far I like it a lot and find it cooperates with me in crafting grommets . . . I'll let you know how it works for my rig if I ever get to that stage.

 

[Pernicious Atavist]

Todd solved a lot of the 'bright shiny white" thing by recommending wood stain for the rope. I've used it on one of my boats and it's not bad at all...

 

[Todd Bradshaw]

1/8" braided leech line (left) and both 5/16" and 3/16" New England Ropes "3-strand Filament Dacron". Stained out in my garage. I use it for roping sails. My wife also has some out in the garden holding stuff up and it's been outside 24/7 for three or four years and has faded a little, but still looks pretty good.