This Taffrail Log Spinner was owned by my late father, who was a chief engineer in the 1950s for various shipping companies. It needs a new rope and wondered if anyone could suggest somewhere able to replace/mend it…
I would suggest that a good starting point would be a ships chandlers .
DG…
I realise that, just wondering if anyone living near the coast could recommend one. Most only seem to offer nylon rope or dinghy ropes.
Presumably it will be non synthetic, sisal fits the bill as it’s natural.
It’s braided, so maybe braided sisal is what you need.
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There’s a ships’ chandler at Brighton Marina, a couple of miles from where I live, called Nicky’s Chandlery, telephone 01273 690696 - if that’s any use to you.
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That’s useful, thanks.
Great, can get there fairly easily from my sister’s. I’m in Mid Beds and there’s not much call for ships chandlers around here. Will check them out. 
Or, braided hemp.
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Isn’t Bedford the place in the UK furthest from any coastline? If so, not much call for shipping tackle!
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I may need to pay them a visit soon (to re-tie the anglers’ nylon thread on my ARO bias weight), so do let me know if there’s anything that I can do while I’m there.
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Apparently, the village that is further from the sea than any other human settlement in the UK is Coton in the Elms, Derbyshire at 70 miles. Our nearest in the Essex coast!
Very kind of you, I’ll phone them first and see what they say.
If you are Bedfordshire, you are very close to the Grand Union Canal. UK waterways guide, suggests there are three or four chandlers along the canal, within easy reach. UK waterways guide has a list on their website. Long time since I did my naval training, but you likely know, it may be a replacement line, rather than a rope that will suit.
edit - my counting is poor, the list has six iiuc!
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Would prefer rope for a more authentic look. It will be a display piece along with an original brass ship’s clock.
Nautical term - also sheets!
Excuse the thread drift, but last walk with the hound pictured, was along the Grand Union canal - happy memories!
@fotobrooks if you have any idea if it is the original, is it in too poor a condition to retain?
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The rope is original, but where it joins the brass parts at each end is fraying and the binding (or is splicing?) has come away. It may just need the ends redone by someone who knows how to do it.
There are plenty of chandlers around Bedfordshire, www search will give you the list, pick one and phone them explaining the problem and they will give you the best help in finding who locally can do this.
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Isn’t there a canal boat marina with a chandlers near you. After all the Grand Union canal runs near you
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A search on the big online store we love to hate for “braided hemp rope” turns up a lot of options. In terms of getting it spliced, that might be a bit harder. The ships’ chandler near me now doesn’t do any terminations of wire or rope at all, due to liability/insurance concerns. You might need to find an actual rigger.
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