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Solutions for the commercial fishing industry Fisherman have their own special set of circumstances to consider. Lines for hauling nets can be kilometres long: good rope systems must be lightweight and easy to inspect. While mooring systems for fishing vessels don't need the tremendous strength and durability of those for an offshore oil rig, intelligent design can create lightweight, easy to transport mechanisms that can hold up to the strongest forces that nature can gather.  Example mooring for an 18m vessel Replacing Wire Rope  Large nets create enormous drag on fishing lines, and trawler skippers are accustomed to using wire rope for their warps, for maximum strength.New technologies, however, allow for the replacement of wire lines with fibres that exhibit many direct and indirect advantages: Wire rope can be replaced by a similar sized Plasma rope that is both stronger and lighter: a typical 16mm steel cored fishing wire has a breaking load of 16.4 tonnes, and weighs in at 102kg per 100m of line. A replacement 16mm Plasma rope exhibits breaking strain of 23.3 tonnes, and weighs in at 15.8 kg per 100m length - clearly superior performance. This reduced line weight in turn creates several indirect advantages. Significant weight savings mean that a trawler can carry more fuel and more catch. There is no need to lubricate fibre rope, and there is no risk of corrosion. Fibre is softer on hydraulics and power, and softer on hands - no broken wires to cut hands reduces lost time injury and worker's compensation payouts. Due to reduced D/d factors smaller winches can be used which can can in turn save money and deck space. In addition, Plasma has been shown in the United States to outlast wire. |
