Back in my sailmaking days, we used to wash just about everything after a race or sail, including sails. The cloth in the sails would stay stiffer and not fray on the surface as much as without doing this. There was a definite difference between the sails that were looked after (eg. Washed), and the sails that weren’t. Also, the salt will keep moisture inside the rope, since salt attracts it. So the rope will never be entirely dry, and thus reduce the overall strength. Just like newspaper, hard to tear when dry, easy when wet. |