Life is Like Sailing - How to Coil a Line (with no twists)

[@richardwiley5933]

Excellent demonstration! That makes a pita task almost pleasurable. Very well presented!

[@lifeislikesailing]

Thank you and glad you enjoyed it!

[@barnieboyd7959]

Im late coming to this blog but all I can say is WOW. I will never coil my lines the old way again. Thank you for your great informative videos.

[@lifeislikesailing]

So glad you found the channel and I hope you enjoy many more videos! Yes, once I learned this way of coiling lines I have never gone back! :)

[@andrewballantine]

Excellent video. I learned the figure of eight method many years ago from an old sailor. It still surprises me how few yachtsmen know about this today, so full marks for spreading the word.

[@lifeislikesailing]

+Andrew C. Ballantine Thanks! Nice to know that others out there use the same method! :)

[@randalltom9750]

Alfi... I don't think I've seen this video before... Good stuff. I often coil extension cords and this method should great as well. Thanks!

[@lifeislikesailing]

So glad you found this old video and it really is a great way to coil ropes, hoses, lines, and extension cords too I bet! :)

[@normofthenorth]

Excellent video, excellent technique. But I'd add one point that isn't in the vid and I didn't see it in the Comments either: Many of the long lines we gather (My mouth gets stuck when I use the word "coil" to describe figure-8s!) are halyards or sheets that stay attached to the "boat" at one end. And many of those lines naturally gather a few twists whenever we turn our backs. So I consider it VITAL(!) always to gather those lines starting at the "boat" or "captive" end! That way any twists present can escape by spinning the end, instead of being preserved deeper into the line. Add that, and the video will be PERFECT! ;-)

[@HawkeyeFlyer]

Wow. I've been coiling lines and cursing jams for 40+ years. Can't wait to get down to the boat and give the figure 8 method a try. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks. Thanks for sharing . . .

[@lifeislikesailing]

Great! I hope you will like it, once I learned this method I have never done it any other way! :)

[@stephenclarke9468]

Nice visual demonstration 5 minutes in of the twist and tangle caused by the traditional sailor's coil.

[@wadedaw]

Learned about line twist the hard way in the middle of the Newport to Ensenada race this year. Because of twist we couldn't get the code zero down to switch to the ASO. The halyard was knotted up at the block at the top of mast. We had to hoist a crew member up the mast at 2am with 15 kts of wind. Took 1.5 hours to rectify and lost us us the race in our class. Good vid. Thanks for sharing.

[@lifeislikesailing]

That is learning the hard way and I am glad it all got sorted. I have been coiling line like this for many years and never gives me an issue so I hope you will like it as well. :)

[@johnmoore3859]

Watched lots of video's on how to coil ropes but this one did it for me. Well done and thanks for sharing the knowledge!!

[@lifeislikesailing]

So glad you enjoyed this one and glad it helped! :)

[@boatingscandinavia9120]

Nice, 5 years of sailing and this I have not thought of. Thanks

[@lifeislikesailing]

Definitely give it a try, once you have the technique down I think you will be really happy with how well it works. :)

[@jeremyfranken9953]

Fantastic vid - perfect for double purchase halyards, which all ways "coil up" when don't need them too!

[@blueskyredkite]

I usually coil my dock lines and sheets with the figure 8 method, but I'd never thought of it for the in-mast furling/out-haul, but I will from now on, that'll make 'em run better. Thanks!

[@trisailor3318]

To get people started with the correct coiling technique, I often suggest that they imagine that the rope is a ribbon, and that they need to keep the same side up as they place each coil in their hand. Also, I remind folks that this technique is useful at home for long extension cords and garden hoses.

[@lifeislikesailing]

trisailor33 Good way to help someone understand! :)

[@w8stral]

Other than being SLOW, you are right. Use a mountaineers coil method instead. 5X Faster and no twists introduced.

[@kismetadventures]

Yep, this is exactly how we also do it and it works perfectly. Especially useful for high diameter lines like the genoa sheet, usually going through the lead car and a turn block. Thanks for sharing! :-)

[@lifeislikesailing]

Glad to see others out there coiling lines this way. I had been sailing for years before I was shown this method and I've been coiling all my lines this way ever since. :)

[@sambac2053]

Very clear explanation and demonstration!

[@lifeislikesailing]

Thank you and glad you enjoyed it!

[@MattHarmerAU]

Thanks, I had a skipper show me this method recently, but I didn't get understand the benefit until I saw your video :) Very helpful! I edited my comment to say I just noticed someone playing COD Black Ops in the background! So there is room for gaming on a boat!

[@lifeislikesailing]

Hey Matt! So glad you learned this method of coiling line and that you now can see the reason for doing it this way! :) Yes, when I have my kids over there is online gaming going on for part of the time at least! haha

[@jimfromri]

I always use a figure 8 for lines around winches, but hadn't considered it for loose coil lines. Makes sense, I'll give it a try next season. Thanks for the tip!

[@lifeislikesailing]

You are welcome! I really hope you like the figure 8 method for coiling lines as well! I'll never go back now that I have used this method! :)

[@tspinnh]

Great video. Thanks for posting

[@lifeislikesailing]

Thank you and glad you enjoyed it. :)

[@kentfletcher8539]

So glad i watched this video, just what I needed, especially for the jib furling line! Thanks!

[@lifeislikesailing]

+Kent Fletcher Glad you found the video and I hope you like this technique! :)

[@kentfletcher8539]

Indeed! Used it yesterday with a monster electrical extension cord (10 ga, 100 ft.) that's a handful.

[@lifeislikesailing]

Kent Fletcher Glad you were able to get that extension cord under control! :)

[@charlesxix]

This is the second video on this method of coiling rope and I am convinced its better than the old style when you put a little twist with the finger and thumb. Convincing other "old-timers" like me is going to be near on imposable.

[@lifeislikesailing]

A great method that I didn't learn until quite some time into sailing as well, but I sure like it. :)

[@stevec-b6214]

the people not willing to learn and change are probably armchair sailors anyway

[@KustomSigns]

I never considered this as a good option til now, great technique and video!

[@lifeislikesailing]

Glad you found the video and I hope you like trying this technique!

[@phillip1115]

Nice explanation and demonstration. Thanks.

[@Izzyandus]

Really good demonstration, well done

[@lifeislikesailing]

Thank you and glad you found it informative, :)

[@javacup912]

As usual, great video I had to watch a second time. Thanks!

[@lifeislikesailing]

+javacup912 Glad you enjoyed it enough to watch it twice! :)

[@lifeislikesailing]

You're welcome Mads! Great you are going to try it and I hope you like it!

[@Matthew24.4]

I'll be using this method this weekend. Thanks.

[@lifeislikesailing]

I hope you like it! :)

[@lifeislikesailing]

I can't reply directly to your comment +Justin C, due to your Google+ settings. Glad you will use that method for the other lines as well now. :)

[@gerardmollema]

Nice vid. I'll try this method next season. Thanks.

[@lifeislikesailing]

Thanks! I hope you like this method! :)

[@stevec-b6214]

Spot on, just illustrates how wrong a method so widely used can be. This is the reason I subscribed btw.

[@lifeislikesailing]

So glad you enjoyed this one and thanks for subscribing! :)

[@sdjnwhyNZ]

Thanks, man. Just did what you taught on my power leads. :D

[@lifeislikesailing]

Great to hear and I hope you liked how it worked! :)

[@w8stral]

USe mountaineers coil instead. 5X faster and no kinks. Run over shoulder around neck. Bottom of coil is held in place with your palm DOWN. Cheers.

[@subarokec]

Great video and great advice! Thank you.

[@lifeislikesailing]

Glad you enjoyed the video! I hope you have fun trying it out!

[@andyjarman4958]

Works for garden hoses too!

[@jayp.1455]

Excellent, thank you!

[@lifeislikesailing]

Glad you liked it!

[@Rocstoneau]

What a good video.

[@lifeislikesailing]

Thank you!

[@traveltoonsbymp]

thank you, very helpful!

[@lifeislikesailing]

Glad it was helpful!

[@julianmerrouni7671]

good job.

[@mikeyboy2154]

Marvellous thx

[@grendle81]

genius my friend! genius!

[@lifeislikesailing]

+Len R. Thanks!!

[@lifeislikesailing]

+Len R. Glad you liked it!!

[@wilfdarr]

In the video it's said that each coil makes half a twist. I don't understand this: I've always thought it was a full twist for every coil. Is it simply that the rope can absorb half a twist without jumbling up but a full twist is too much, or is there another mechanic at play that I'm missing here?

[@lifeislikesailing]

Wilfred Darr Well it seems to e that for every loop I am making a half twist in the line from what I can tell. I guess the bottom line is that the line is getting twisted by coiling if not using the figure 8 method.

[@wilfdarr]

Life is Like Sailing No for sure. I was just wondering if I was missing something about the mechanics of braided line. I've always used an over under coil because it stacks tighter (the turns don't cross over eachother in the middle), but I'm going to try the figure 8 next time out: with the over under each twist is reversed in the next coil so you'd think it would provide the same result, but if it draws too quickly (main sheet block) it has on occasion drawn in the twist from the current coil before drawing in the next coil, so even though there is no net twist, there is still immediate twist.... Excellent video

[@lifeislikesailing]

Wilfred Darr Glad you enjoyed the video and I'm always excited to learn new ways of doing these things. I will look into the over under method. :)

[@andyjarman4958]

Imagine that block being being the pulley shrieve at the mast head.

[@jjiacobucci]

Thank you !

[@lifeislikesailing]

You're welcome!

[@AlecSpence]

Better still, lean how to coil "over under" and you'll end up with a much neater coil (looking like your twisted example) but which uncoils as perfectly as your figure of eight coil. This comes from a lifetime of stage management and audio cable handling, but is every bit as applicable to lines on board.

[@i1uvpreppyxo887]

Over/under is the method that camera crew cable runners use on the sidelines of football matches.. so that's the method I have always copied!

[@dvnstone]

brilliant,,,,, really appreciate that!

[@justinrice8509]

Thank you

[@lifeislikesailing]

Justin Rice Glad you liked it!

[@dandixon4034]

Good.thanks

[@richardlycett6862]

You’ll appreciate this when you want to drop your main when a squall hits and it jams part way down and the twist has pulled tight in the fairlead or the jammer. Halyards are the most important sheet for this technique. Other sheets you can often get away with. Good demo with the coil going through the block. Couldn’t quite see the technique you were using when standing up coiling it with the twist. This needs explaining more as it wasn’t obvious as to how you were avoiding putting a twist in.

[@lifeislikesailing]

I really like this method and it has worked well for sure. :)

[@markrickel1632]

Just don’t twist the line and it will naturally give you the figure 8. Doesn’t look as sip shape as a twisted coil but runs better.

[@sticksbass]

excellence

[@oskiter]

good

[@leventpesteli3829]

👍👍👍

[@tWoforgamenot1]

cool ! :)

[@motorbiking18650]

You didn't mention why you coil clock-wise, the weave of the rope makes it naturally coil better this way.

[@TheStingyRay]

Why was I taught to not have figure of eight? Crazy man

[@WillN2Go1]

Sorry. This is wrong. This quarter twist is what I learned on movie productions for electrical cords (not sure if this is actually best). I applied it to rope, but it's ONLY good for twisted three strand rope. For braided or covered rope you want to do the figure-8 (I've yet to find a video that properly teaches this. This is about my 7th. Not surprising. Why is it that so many people seem so bad at so many things? ) It usually looks messier, but it actually isn't. The proof that you're doing it wrong are all those little loops you're having to remove from your line as you coil it. The test for a properly coiled braided line is to pull it through a pulley block. If little loops ride up the line, the rope's been coiled wrong. These can jam. As I'm learning this after I form a coil I drop the coil on the floor and then pull it through my left hand making a 'loop' with my thumb and forefinger. When I get loops, even only one or two, I've done it wrong. No loops it's correct.

[@w8stral]

Both methods shown are SLOW. Yes, they get the job done(one obviously better than the other). Use Mountaineers method. Use your body. Around your shoulder/neck with palm face down. Zero twists introduced. Coils the rope 5X as fast as is perfect coil every time. Or, butterfly it, and it is even faster. Then you can THROW the line without it tangling. Either method you can then finish your coil as shown in this video for ease of storage and ease of running through tackle. Cheers.

[@lifeislikesailing]

Yes that is a good method as well. :)

[@andyjarman4958]

Just watched three videos coiling ropes around a belay pin - everyone did it wrong!

[@bhough2790]

It's a damn line, just coil it efficiently enough and get to sailing

[@richardlycett6862]

B hough you’ll appreciate this when you want to drop your main when a squall hits and it jams part way down and the twist has pulled tight in the fairlead or the jammer. Halyards are the most important sheet for this technique. Other sheets you can often get away with. Good demo with the coil going through the block.

[@lifeislikesailing]

I can't reply directly to your comment +Justin C, due to your Google+ settings. Glad you will use that method for the other lines as well now. :)

[@dvnstone]

brilliant,,,,, really appreciate that!

[@lifeislikesailing]

+Devin Stone Glad you enjoyed the video! :)

[@dvnstone]

brilliant,,,,, really appreciate that!