ROPE & CORDAGE

Rope & Cordage

Fibre, construction and how a line behaves under load.

High-stretch synthetic with excellent shock absorption — the default for anchor rodes and dock lines.

Low stretch, strong ultraviolet resistance — the working line for sheets, halyards and general rigging.

The traditional natural-fibre line — good grip and a classic look, but it rots, and it is far weaker wet.

Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene — the strongest line by weight, with almost no stretch at all.

Elastic bungee cord for holding, tensioning and absorbing small movements — never for load-bearing duty.

Light nylon kernmantle cord — 550 lb rated, seven removable inner strands, endlessly useful ashore.

∞ KEEP READING

Other categories

The joinery of seamanship — what holds, and what costs strength.

Shackles, thimbles, blocks and the metal that carries the load.

Halyards, sheets, dock lines and anchor rodes in service.

Inspection, protection and knowing when to retire a line.