QUESTION:
Hey Ricky, need some advise on what type of line to use for the houseboat. I currently use 5/8 but I guess I bought the wrong stuff as it stretches (a lot). Do I need 3/4 to tie up? If so, what type should I look for and where to buy? Thanks, John (J3)

ANSWER:
I currently use 5/8 for tie ups when beached. The type I have is braided and there is a trade off in that. The plus is that it is easy to manage and store away. The minus is that it does tend to stretch a bit. I feel it to be fine for normal use but do find it not to work well in high wind situations. I'm considering switching to the same style rope but in 3/4 myself to help with the stretching issue. The 3/4 is certainly better but a bit more difficult to deal with and store away. Some people use the twisted style rope in 3/4 and it will hold a freight train but is quite heavy and difficult to handle. A helpful hint is to ad a hook to the end of each tie rope to make it easy and fast to wrap around a tree or rock and not have to tie up.

Uncle Ricky