Running Rigging

With today's new high-tech synthetic fibers and advanced rope construction, you can buy rope that's 10 times stronger than steel with extremely low stretch. Many racers and cruisers have switched from wire to all-rope halyards; others have also opted for high-strength, low-stretch, lightweight ropes for their running rigging.

All-rope halyards have several advantages over wire. Hand-over-hand hoisting is much faster than cranking an all-wire winch; it's safer, too. Wire is hard on both your hands and gear. Rope is easier to splice, it won’t scrape paint or anodizing from your mast, and you don't have to decide whether or not to rely on a worrisome rope-to-wire splice. The primary disadvantages are that rope is thicker, so it has more windage aloft, and even the ultra-low-stretch fibers will elongate more than wire. Quality rope costs more than wire, but it’s easier to install, lasts longer, and can be recycled in a less demanding capacity.

What's the Difference?

The Yale cordage BoatUS carries for running rigging is the most technologically advanced rope in today's market. Each specialty cordage described below was developed to deliver the highest performance for specific yachting applications.

Portland Yacht Braid is made of long-wearing polyester that is easy to splice. It features a braided outer sheath as well as a braided inner core for extra strength and abrasion resistance. Portland is extremely flexible with minimal stretch, and runs more smoothly through fairleads than spun braid.

Spectrum is a "fuzzy" textured Dacron sleeve over a braided polyester core. It's easy on the hands and gives a good grip on winch drums, especially when wet. Spectrum also tends to be slightly larger in diameter when not under load. Be sure to select a diameter that will fit through blocks, eyes, and leads when the load is light. Spectrum is ideal for cruising boat sheets, guys, and control lines, where ease of handling and longevity are important.

Ultra Low Stretch (ULS) was designed specifically for all-rope halyards, eliminating the expense and hazards associated with wire. It's the lowest-stretch, highest-strength polyester braid available. The nubby surface texture designed for chafe protection, combined with the long-helix core yarn, makes this line perform exceptionally well in line stoppers. It's also ideal for sheets, guys, and control lines.

Vizzion is for halyards, sheets, guys, and control lines where you need higher strength and lower stretch than all-polyester lines. Its core is a blend of Hoechst Celanese Vectran liquid crystal polymer and Olefin, the same fibers found in ropes used in the 1995 America's Cups races in San Diego. The sleeve is a tri-strand abrasion-resistant polyester filament. This combination results in a stronger line that provides real holding power on winches and in stoppers. Vizzion™ has very low stretch, is comfortable at high loads, eliminates creep, and won't pick up water.

Yale Light is ideal for the full complement of sheet, guys, and control lines aboard dinghies, one-designs, and boats to 26', and for light sheets on larger boats. It has an above-average power-to-weight ratio, and it won’t gain weight because it won't absorb water. It's used by Olympic and championship sailors worldwide because it gives the highest strength and lowest stretch of any doubled-braided floating rope.

Aracom is the highest performance all-Kevlar® core double braid on the market. It's made for high-performance sail control under big loads where strength is critical and stretch can't be tolerated. Aracom is available through our Special Order Center at 800-568-0319.

Maxibraid Plus is a unique double- braided rope that is pound-for-pound 10 times stronger than steel, and has extremely low stretch for better control. It's core is 100% Spectra fiber, impregnated with a molecular-adhesion coating to enhance durability and to increase bending fatigue life. The sleeve is smooth filament polyester braid. Because Maxibraid combines very low weight with top-of-the-line performance, it’s used by more racing sailors than any other competitive brand.

Day Sailors and Weekend Cruisers

You need lines that are reliable, easy to handle, and have long life. We recommend Ultra Low Stretch for all-rope halyards, spinnaker sheets and guys, and control lines. Use Ultra Low Stretch or Spectrum for main and jib sheets.

Blue Water Cruisers

Require gear that stands up to the rigors of long passages with little or no repair. Ultra Low Stretch is recommended for control lines, halyards, and spinnaker sheets and guys. Spectrum is the choice for main and jib sheets.

Cruiser/Racers

You need lines that deliver extreme high strength and low stretch performance, but also have handling ability and long life. The choice here is Vizzion or Ultra Low Stretch for halyards, and a combination of Vizzion, Ultra Low Stretch and Yale Light for sheets, guys, and control lines.

One-Design Racers

Yale Light is made for situations where minimum weight is critical to performance. It has almost zero water retention. Use Maxibraid and Vizzion where very high strength and zero stretch are called for - in halyards, sheets, guys, and control lines.

Offshore Racers

The ultimate challenge for high performance cordage is the offshore racer's high loads, regular pounding, and constant trimming in a harsh environment. Maxibraid and Vizzion are the best high-strength, very low-stretch choices for sheets, guys, and halyards, and Aramid 85 for control lines.

How Much Line Do I Need?

Halyards
Add the height of the mast, plus the length of the headstay, plus the distance to the winch, plus about 10' for tail.

Jib and Genoa Sheets
For the working jib only, you need just slightly more than the length of your boat for each sheet. For genoas, figure 1 1/2 times boat length.

If you have a staysail, add in some extra length to accommodate the staysail stay.

Mainsheets
Your best bet is to remove the existing sheet and measure it for a replacement, since there is so much variation in purchase ratios and attachment points along the boom. If you can't get to the old sheet to measure, our Special Order Center can help you figure how much you need. Call 800-568-0319 for assistance.

Spinnaker Sheets
should be two times the length of the boat, plus about 4' for both eye splices. If you use separate afterguys, they should be about 1 1/4 times boat length.

Tip: Don't be tempted to grab a sheet and press it into some other dockside duty or jury-rig for which it was not intended just because it's handy. Use another less expensive nylon or Dacron all-purpose utility line like braid-on-braid or nylon three-strand twist. Your sheets will last much longer.