Weather resistant bungees?

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HeadedToTexas

HeadedToTexas

Guru
Joined
Jul 3, 2016
Messages
1,747
Location
Sandusky Bay
Vessel Name
Escape
Vessel Make
Mariner 37
The bungees I modified to secure our bridge cover did not last two short Ohio seasons. They only receive a couple hours of relatively low angle sunlight per day and are then in shade. No salt, of course. What is the right bungee cord for longer life in the outdoors life of the boat world?

IMG_4242.jpeg
 
There is a bungee cord sold here as a "fat strap" bungee cord. I recently bought solid rubber ones from the same seller to replace others where the hooks were rusted but the rubber was still good, after many years of sun exposure. Tried but cannot copy the item from Whitworths catalogue, but if you search for it, www.whitworths.com.au, and search for "bungee", you`ll find it. Now the problem is, is it sold in USA? Probably, I`m guessing it`s a Chinese import.
 
I see the Fat Strap for sale here at the usual variety of outlets. Interesting option. I also see a wide range of feedback on UV and weather resistance even on bungee cord touted as “UV treated” or “weather resistant.” Do all bungees last only one year when used outdoors?
 
Sailrite.com sells UV treated / weather resistant bungee cord. Easy enough to make custom sizes and replace every few years.

www.sailrite.com

SuperShok™ Bungee Cord Black With Gold Marker

SuperShok Bungee Cord features a solid rubber core with a UV-treated polyester covering. Use for marine and outdoor applications.
www.sailrite.com www.sailrite.com
 
I have gotten mine from marine chandleries and some of them live outside and are now approx. 8 to 10 yrs old. I usually purchase white or a light colour so they don't get as hot when the sun gets to them.
 
IMO, bungees are a consumable. On my charter boat, the scuba tanks were held in place at the top with 1/2" bungee. They were white and rarely lasted more than 2 years. Mine were 26" long, required 2 overhand knots, and threaded through a stainless steel eye. Kept a dozen on board and replaced them as needed.

My recommendation is to buy bulk rolls, make them in your spare time, and replace them as necessary. It's hard to tell from your picture, but I designed mine so they could be pre-made and easily inserted when they needed to be replaced. Kind of like having spare pre-made dock lines.

Ted
 
I use 2 bungies on the boat that get UV exposure. 1 to hold the power lines up so they don't rub on the deck and 1 to secure the oars in the dinghy. The cheap bungies reliably seem to last about a year before they fall apart, so I just keep spares on hand and expect to replace annually.
 
The bungees in question are crimped through eyes in our bridge cover, so they stay with the cover and replacing them means new crimps. No big deal, but it lends itself to using bulk material.
 
In general use, I like to think of the flat black rubber type "bungie" material as indestructible which the actual bungie cord seldom last well in outdoor use. Note that I don't go looking for the Gucci versions. The issue with the black rubber or whatever material it is is that they have a limited range of stretch when sometimes you need a stretchier product.
 
HeadedToTexas said:
The bungees in question are crimped through eyes in our bridge cover, so they stay with the cover and replacing them means new crimps. No big deal, but it lends itself to using bulk material.
Click to expand...
Maybe try a slightly smaller size, put an over hand knot and pass it through the eyelet.

Ted
 
Not always, but most of the time, it is more effective and longer lasting to use a static strap or line of some sort than a stretchy tie down like a bungee. By its nature, any material that stretches is not going to be very durable, and this is compounded by over stressing it to get it tight enough to actually do the job you need it to do.

Stretch cords have very few uses on a boat and can be easily replaced by something better (like a strap with a ladder lock buckle) in MOST cases.
 
Last edited:
O C Diver said:
Maybe try a slightly smaller size, put an over hand knot and pass it through the eyelet.

Ted
Click to expand...
Very practical solution, Ted. I felt good about my crimp, but I figured the bungee cord would last much longer; long enough to justify going to the trouble of making the crimp. If it’s an annual thing, a simple knot makes far more sense.
 
Dougcole said:
Not always, but most of the time, it is more effective and longer lasting to use a static strap or line of some sort than a stretchy tie down like a bungee. By its nature, any material that stretches is not going to be very durable, and this is compounded by over stressing it to get it tight enough to actually do the job you need it to do.

Stretch cords have very few uses on a boat and can be easily replaced by something better (like a strap with a ladder lock buckle) in MOST cases.
Click to expand...
I tend to agree. I don't like bungees for most things and prefer a line or strap. However, at times they are the best solution but that is generally for items that are secured temporarily or removed and attached frequently.

In the OPs application, I would use a small line to secure it.
 
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