You CAN put ropes in water. It is usually ok - if you are careful.
We were ok in water with many of my models! We shot on the beach, in the pool, in a cenote, in the bathtubs, and no models were hurt. Plus, I haven't ruined even one rope!
You just need to know some things before doing it! Here are my tips about using shibari ropes in and around water.
As soon as your ropes get wet, they get tighter. So, don’t make your harness very tight if you are going to put your model in water.
As I said, the rope gets tighter, but let’s look a little deeper.
Putting tied-up models in water is even more dangerous, than ropes in general. You need SAFETY scissors at all times, but especially when ropes are wet. What if you made a little mistake and rope affects nerve or breathing? well, things can happen to anyone, so make sure you're prepared!
Some ropes can start losing color. You can not prevent it, just be ready for it. Although it can be especially awkward if your ropes are red!
If we are talking about natural fibre rope, water impacts the fibre, and it can lead to weak and damaged rope.
NOTE that rope that got wet should never be used for suspension in the future, as the fibres expand and loosen from their original weave.
It is going to be extremely difficult to untie. I untie mine in water or the shower. (I know you think it’s a very sexy process, but not really, it’s mostly just tiring).
We had a situation with red rope in the pool and when Model got out of the pool, it looked like she was bleeding from every possible place on her body. Yes, that was really leaky red rope. So, another piece of advice here: before tying someone underwater, please make a little piece of your rope wet and check if that tiny piece leaks out color! So you know what to expect!
To make the untying process easier don’t tie a lot of actual knots on your model. Try to make flat knots or just twists and twirls, it will make your life easier.
Even munter hitches sometimes are hard to untie with wet rope, so plan your knots/twists ahead.
Wash your rope afterward and dry it properly (not under the sun!)
I take a bucket of water and put my ropes in it for about 2 minutes, washing them all together. Then, I change the water, and do it again. Then, I change the water and add a few drops of oils to it, so rope gets a some oil on them when I pull it out.
I slowly pull ropes out of the water and then stretch them to get ready for drying. I put them under the sun for about 30 min, but then put them inside and wait ... I`d say about 2 days for it to fully dry. I live in Mexico at the moment, so with this humidity...maybe 3 days.
Experimenting is great, but make sure to keep your scissors close by and be careful!
If you need to wash your ropes, here is a video with advice!
