PREPARING THE ROPES

    In principle, the lines are already installed at sea and slip knots have been tied onto them from which the ropes will then be hung. The distance between each slip knot is 400 mm, although this can be increased as required. The first step is to prepare the ropes on land. Obviously, we will have to prepare as many ropes as lines already prepared at sea.

    We should start by fastening iron rods measuring approximately 10 mm in diameter onto each of the ropes. These rods are the same length as the distance between the slip knots previously tied onto the lines, in this case 400 mm. This is also the distance between the plastic pegs used.

    Photograph shows the system of seed collector tapes, to which the iron rods are fixed, currently used in Norway.

    The iron rods are fixed onto the ropes using plastic brackets. Figure 1.

    Each rope is 4 m in length. This is the distance between the slip knot on the surface and the iron rod under the sea. The length of an iron rod is the same as the distance between 2 slip knots and as the distance between 2 pegs, i.e. 400 mm. So, we must place 10 pegs, plus one extra for hanging the rope from the line, on each length of rope -a total of 11 pegs per length. Since there are 2 lengths of rope between each 2 iron rods we must use a total of 22 pegs, 2 of which are for hanging the rope from the line. In this way, there will always be the same length of rope on either side of the iron rod. This will ensure that the rods remain horizontal. See figure 2.

    Cables which will support the weight of the ropes are required to fasten them to the line. The cables are tied in a slip knot passed over the peg from which it will be hung. For example, the distance between each iron bar should be twice the height of the rope (4m) plus the length between two slip knots (400 mm). That is to say, 8.4 m.

    In order to calculate the spacing between each length of rope to be hung, count the number of pegs after the iron bar or use a differently coloured peg to indicate which ones are to be used for hanging the rope. See figure 4

    In the previous figure we can see a section of rope prepared on land in detail. It shows a length of rope between two iron rods. We start with the pegs which are fixed on either side of the iron rod (1) and which are of a different colour (usually red). Next, 9 black pegs are attached (2) and then, another red one (3). This peg (3) is the one which will fasten the rope to the line. The next section starts with another red peg for attaching.