Peter, Yes Knight's military surplus store in Mutton Cove is still there.  It is always known locally and vulgarly as Bogey Knight's - so it might be a good place to find Snotters!  They stock all sorts and sizes of rope except polyethelyne.  The orange polyethelyne rope is very distinct from the usual agricultural polypopelyne, usually blue.  The polyethelyne is strange, stiff, slippery stuff.  Robin Blain has been a fan of  it for years for luff parrels because it is so slippery.  I know that some others hate it.  It is certainly odd to handle and difficult to knot securely.  The polypropelyne rope surface abraids ands fluffs up; the polyethelyne resists abrasion and stays smooth and slippery.  However, I understand that it is only available in one size, but fortunately that happens to be a reasonable size for the luff parrels on Lexia. 

Gary, Thank you for the introduction to the wonderful world of coloured plastic beads in all shapes and sizes.  As I understand it, the layman's word plastic covers a multitude of different materials.  I presume, however, that the plastic beads you have spotted would be fine. 

Jonathan Snodgrass wrote:

I did suggest to Robin that I might try initially to make Agar Loops using the slippery orange polyethelyne without the balls and rely on the slipperyness of  the rope.  Robin doubted that this would work. 

However, is the polyethelyne slippery rope avaible in bigger diameters?  I understand from Robin that it is not.  Someone else may know differently. 

Jonathan

You might try you nearest military surplus warehouse...  I know that the Navy surplus in Mutton Cove, Plymouth, used to have yards of the stuff in a range of diameters, but it has been, probably, three years since I last paid a visit.  

With regard to the tapered mast, that is something of a challenge..... my immediate thought is to use some bungee chord in addition to the rope... so as the mast tapers the bungee chord tightens the snotter..... maybe this would work in light airs, but of course in a blow it might not be so effective.

Peter