The Importance of Clean Lines
What do all types of aquaculture have in common? Well, they all use rope for one thing or another. For oyster farmers, ropes hold the growing gear in place by connecting cages or bags to moorings. Mussel and scallop farmers often grow their product directly on a dropper line. Kelp farms grow the kelp on longlines stretched horizontally through the water. Regardless of how it’s used, being able to clean line when necessary – either due to biofouling buildup or to strip product off after harvesting – is crucial to every farm operation.
The corkscrew line stripper is designed to remove marine life buildup from lines. The device was developed by Ken Sparta of Spartan Sea Farms to strip kelp holdfasts (the name for kelp root systems) off the longlines after harvesting. The device is also useful for cleaning fouled mooring lines while diving, and cleaning gear before putting it in storage.
How Does the Line Stripper Work?
The line stripper is made of a piece of stainless steel with one side twisted into a corkscrew shape and the other fashioned into a handle. To clean a line, the twisted end is wrapped around a rope and pulled along with the handle. The corkscrew shape scrapes off anything growing on the line. Especially when compared to the alternative of cleaning lines by hand, the line stripper is faster and prevents cuts caused by barnacles, mussels, or other sharp growth that can easily slice through gloves.
Using the Line Stripper
After harvesting kelp, Spartan Sea Farms uses the line stripper for removing holdfasts from their lines. The device has better results than removing the holdfasts by hand and helps to extend the lifespan of the ropes by guaranteeing that lines are clean before they’re put away in storage until the next year.
Beyond its uses in kelp harvesting, the line stripper has applications with other aquaculture species as well. Especially in oyster aquaculture, lines are crucial for holding bags and other gear in place. Preventative care for lines is often cheaper and less labor intensive than repairing something after it breaks. Using the line stripper to periodically clean lines of biofouling could extend the ropes’ lifetime and help growers spot frayed lines that might be hiding beneath marine growth.
How to Make Your Own Line Stripper
The line stripper at Spartan Sea Farms is made from a 1/4 inch stainless steel rod. Making your own line stripper only requires a few minutes and can be modified as needed to fit the specific needs of each farm. These instructions are for constructing a line stripper that works on 3/4” and 7/8” line.
- Cut a 14” (355 mm) and 11.5” (292 mm) piece of 1/4” (6.4 mm) diameter stainless steel rod.
- Using a vice and pliers, twist the shorter piece into an ellipse shape. Make sure that the joint is where it should be, as seen the image below.
- Find a 7/8” (22.2 mm) pipe or rod and wrap the longer piece of steel into a helical shape around the pipe. Wrap around the pipe about two and a half times, or until the corkscrew shape is about 3” (76 mm) long. The straight part should be about 5” (127 mm).
- Tack weld the ellipse handle and straight part of the corkscrew together as seen in the picture.
While it’s not a particularly flashy invention, the corkscrew line stripper is excellent at the job that it’s designed for. Plus, it’s made from a cheap and easily available material. Cleaning lines isn’t the most romanticized aspect of sea farming, but it sure is a necessary one. The line stripper is one of those innovations that once you try, you probably won’t be able to do without!
Innovations articles highlight creative devices or methods on aquaculture farms. They are informed by farm visits and interviews with experienced growers. See our About page for more information.