ROPE & CORDAGE

Manila Rope

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

INSPECT BEFORE LOAD · NEVER EXCEED WLL

Rope, splices and hardware are only as good as their condition. Inspect before every use and retire on evidence.

Manila Rope — nautical chart line drawing

Specification

Fibre	Abaca (Musa textilis)
Construction	3-strand or 4-strand twist
Specific gravity	1.4 wet — sinks
Elongation at break	10–15%
Wet strength loss	≈ 20%
UV resistance	Moderate
Rot resistance	Poor — rots when damp
Typical use	Traditional rigging, decorative, fenders

Technical parameters

Diameter 10 mm	MBL ≈ 650 kg dry
Diameter 12 mm	MBL ≈ 900 kg dry
Diameter 16 mm	MBL ≈ 1,600 kg dry
Diameter 20 mm	MBL ≈ 2,500 kg dry
Safe working load	MBL ÷ 6 (natural fibre)
Wet derate	Apply a further ÷1.25

SelectMaintain

Overview

Manila is made from the leaf stalks of the abaca plant and was the standard working line of the age of sail. It has an excellent grip, it does not glaze or melt, and it looks right on a traditional boat. It is also the weakest and shortest-lived of the lines on this site.

The defining problem is water. Manila absorbs it, swells, and loses on the order of twenty per cent of its strength while wet. It then stays damp in the core and rots from the inside, where you cannot see it. A manila line that looks sound on the outside can be hollow within.

Where it still earns its place is low-load traditional work: fenders, decorative work, ladder rungs, and any application where a natural fibre is wanted for its appearance or its grip. It should not be carrying a critical load.

Safety notes

Never trust manila for a life-safety or overhead load. Rot is invisible from the outside and strength varies enormously between batches.
Store dry and off the deck. A manila line left coiled in a damp locker will rot through in a season.
Wet manila is roughly twenty per cent weaker — re-rate any line that has been soaked.

Using it well

Smell the core near the middle of the line; a musty smell is early rot.
Whip the ends with natural twine rather than melting them — manila will not fuse.
Loosen the coil before storing so air can move through the fibres.

Suited to

Fender linesDecorative workTraditional riggingLight duty

Typical applications

Traditional riggingDecorativeLight duty

Figures are typical catalogue values for new equipment, quoted for comparison and planning. They are not a guarantee for any specific product or any specific load. Always work to the manufacturer’s stated working load limit and to the regulations that apply where you sail.

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