If a rope bends more than 10 degrees around bitts or chocks, the diameter of the surface should be at least how many times the diameter of the rope?

If a rope bends more than 10 degrees around bitts or chocks, the diameter of the surface should be at least how many times the diameter of the rope?

• A. 2 times
• B. 3 times
• C. 4 times
• D. 5 times

Answer: (B)

When a rope has to bend around a support like bitts or chocks, the bend needs to be smooth enough so the rope fibers aren’t pinched or worn excessively at the contact point. If the rope is looped around a surface with too small a diameter relative to the rope, the bend becomes sharp enough that wear and distortions can occur, especially as load increases. For bends greater than a shallow angle (more than about 10 degrees), the surface that the rope slides over should be large enough to give a gentle curve. The rule of thumb is that the diameter of that surface should be at least three times the rope’s diameter, which provides a safer, more gradual bend and reduces abrasion and risk of kinking. The other options describe tighter or more conservative bends, but three times the rope diameter is the standard minimum for this scenario.

When a rope has to bend around a support like bitts or chocks, the bend needs to be smooth enough so the rope fibers aren’t pinched or worn excessively at the contact point. If the rope is looped around a surface with too small a diameter relative to the rope, the bend becomes sharp enough that wear and distortions can occur, especially as load increases. For bends greater than a shallow angle (more than about 10 degrees), the surface that the rope slides over should be large enough to give a gentle curve. The rule of thumb is that the diameter of that surface should be at least three times the rope’s diameter, which provides a safer, more gradual bend and reduces abrasion and risk of kinking. The other options describe tighter or more conservative bends, but three times the rope diameter is the standard minimum for this scenario.