Dirty Knotwork

[djakunda]

The original owner of our boat had some beautiful knotwork done on the wheel and around the cockpit. Over the years it has become a bit dirty and I was wondering what was best to clean & preserve knotwork with?

[knothead]

It really depends on what kind of material was used for the ropework, and whether or not it was varnished and painted as is often done with cotton.

[fer@fer]

You can either

i)brush it, (soap and water) dry it, and then varnish it, or

ii) they way to go: learn those fancy knotwork, and redo it as it get a bit dirty.

regards

[pirateofcapeann]

Traditionally, ropework was painted over with white paint. I think that even modern synthetic lines will hold paint almost as well as old cotton marline did. The paint will soak into the fibers and get a grip. If your line is synthetic and it''s starting to get a bit fuzzy, try going at it carefully with a Bic lighter before you paint it. Don''t put the flame right on the line, just get it close enough to melt the fuzz back. For that matter, a heat gun, the kind used to remove paint may work too but I''ve never tried that. Of course, as with any job, experimentation is the key to success. Good luck and I''d love to see some pics.