About Us

Aberdeen born Pete served in the Merchant Navy for 10 years until 1987 as a deck-hand on deep sea cargo ships where his duties included splicing mooring lines, rigging and re-rigging, for which he appeared to have a natural ability. Back in England, Pete chose to live in a narrowboat on the inland waterways but missed working with rope and soon found himself splicing rope for his own mooring lines and trying to build new fenders.

'I managed to blend my skills as a sailor with the needs of a canal boatman to design a range of traditional rope products.'

Tradline Rope and Fenders evolved when Pete manufactured, sold and fitted fenders from his workboat home on Braunston “Puddle Banks” during the early 1990’s. Using the experience of 10 years deep sea in the merchant service, Pete developed the tricks of his trade calling on the advice of the retired boatmen residing in Braunston and the surrounding “narrow boat country”.

Moving boat and business into Braunston Marina during the winter of 1993 the business rapidly expanded  and took over “The Old Blacksmiths Forge” (formally Frank Nurser’s workshop) from where it flourishes today.