Rope Ratchet
I wanted to rig a single line of rope across the ceiling of my garage for a storage solution, but was concerned about getting the line tight enough to keep from sagging. Rather than tie up a come-along winch -- which requires a lot more hook up room and has a tendency to release quite hard -- I saw the Rope Ratchet and decided to give it a try; I'm glad I did. The contraption is basically a rope that's fed into and around a ratcheting wheel and bracket that holds the line and prevents backspin; you can release the line with a lever. It's quite simple, but I haven't seen anything quite like it. I'm using one to hold up a 70-lbs. tackle bag 6 feet off the floor of my garage and another holding about 80 lbs. of plastic lures on a rope stretched across hooks against the ceiling of my garage. I'm using the 1/4-inch Rope Ratchet that's rated for a working load of 150 lbs., but there are different sizes for different needs: the 1/8-inch will hold 75 lbs. up, while the 1/2-inch will hold 500 lbs. After a number of months, mine are holding strong with no sign of failure.
-- Doug Mainor
Rope Ratchet
$9
(1/4-inch, w/rope, pic above)
Available from Carolina North Mfg.
Or $12 from Amazon
Other sizes available for $5 - $20 from Carolina North Mfg.
Favorite (15)
Robert
Whatever you do DO NOT google a truckers hitch. If you have half a brain it will totally ruin this and every other light duty load tightening device. You know those 10 cheap nylon straps you have for putting the kayak on your roof? Waste of money. Get some spectra and learn the truckers hitch. Do keep this in mind though: A 100% taught line with a load placed in the middle will very likely rip its mounting points off wherever they're mounted or snap the line. So allow for some sag.
Daniel Howard
Yup. I have a weak latch on the back of my station wagon and have used a ratchet rope as a backup device for years:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dannyman/2866404593/
Cheers,
-danny
Richard
I've used these for years, both this small size and the larger size. They're great. Just remember to use rope that holds its shape. If the rope gets too fuzzed it makes it hard to move it in the ratchet.
chrisrosa
My thoughts exactly... Trucker's Hitch. Arguably the most useful knot you can know. And it's easy too!
http://www.animatedknots.com/truckers/index.php
Spike Lightfoot
Amen, brother, on the trucker's hitch comments. That's the first thing I thought of when I saw this device. ("Hey, wouldn't a trucker's hitch do this for free?")
Kurt
A disadvantage of the trucker's hitch is that it needs twice as much rope as this rope ratchet. With the hitch, the rope needs to extend down to the hooked object, and then back up through the loop, spanning the distance twice. With the ratchet, the rope only spans the distance once.
David
I use these to tie down the bowlines to my kayaks when car-topping them. They never fail, and are very inexpensive. If you buy the Yakima-branded "kayak bow lines", you essentially get these for $30-$50 a pair. Best to go to the local hardware store and get them for a fraction of the price.
Karsten
#6 Kurt,
It may seem like a serious disadvantageous to need more rope for a trucker's hitch (or lorry hitch) but it isn't for two simple reasons. First, the trucker's hitch doesn't need anywhere near twice as much rope as a rope ratchet, maybe only three feet more than the span between your mounting points if you tie an efficient hitch. Secondly, although it does use more rope than the rope ratchet for a given span between two mounting points, the rope ratchet may only function with the rope that comes included or a similar exact replacement. The trucker's hitch works with any bit of rope you find on the side of the road/ in your trunk.
This isn't an indictment of the rope ratchet at all, I formerly carried several in my trunk emergency kit for random securing of things, and it works well, making it a VERY cool tool. It is just that with a bit of effort, a bit of rope can do the same thing, and give you 3 to 1 purchase.
Dave
I'll be buying one for My Pontoon Float tube. I need an anchor system, an anchor tied to a 1/8 rope going through a pully then to the ratchet. I could pull the anchor up with just one hand because of the ratchet.. Then push the lever to lower the anchor. I've used one on another Pontoon I had borrowed once and it's works very well!!
Larry
I have 10-12 of these. I use them to secure antique furniture inside of my cargo trailer. I have had some of these long enough to replace some of the ropes, but still doing a very secure job. I just did a 3300 mile round trip over some very rough roads and no movement to my cargo. In a word 'outstanding'.san