Running Rigging

[ddeaton]

I bought some of the imported 3 strand fake manila for rigging my small catboat and I dont like it at all. It is great looking rope, but too stiff for running rigging. What ropes do we use that looks decent on a old traditional boat? This rope looks great on the old gaff rig, but sucks to sail. I am also looking into rebuilding my blocks with some better sheaves, maybe bearings? All new to me, but learning everyday.
Thanks to all,
Danny

[Bob Cleek]

Well, manila isn't worth anything for running rigging anyway, so why bother trying to find something that looks like it? HEMP is the thing. I believe Toplicht has it. It doesn't last anywhere near dacron, though. Frankly, a decent dacron low stretch three strand laid line is fine. Once it gets dirty, you won't notice it.

[ddeaton]

Yes, that is what I am looking at. I just cant get past the colored stripes, and cannot find 3/8 in plain white.
Thanks,
Danny

[landlocked sailor]

Hamilton Marine has it:
http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/search.htm?step=2&viewfrom=1&numresults=10&searchterm=3+strand+dacron
The picture is misleading, it shows yellow & red specks; the real stuff is white and soft and nice. Todd Bradshaw has used minwax oil stain to color the stuff to look like hemp. I did it too for my Nimble.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid168/p160e0fe6e47ed00acec932d46727f668/f42ac9e1.jpg
You can see it in the backgroud. Rick

[martin schulz]

Splitex (manilla colored):
http://www.toplicht.de/shop/420-abb/1060004.jpg

Liros Classic (manilla colored)
http://www.toplicht.de/shop/420-abb/1006108.jpg

Roblon (manilla colored)
http://www.toplicht.de/shop/420-abb/1003006.jpg

...all to get at Toplicht:

Toplicht (http://www.toplicht.de/)

[tidmarsh]

Originally posted by landlocked sailor:
Hamilton Marine has it:
Like Rick, I used 3-strand Dacron from Hamilton Marine on my 12' catboat:
http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/147/147689/folders/202941/1544415port.JPG
http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/147/147689/folders/202941/1544413fore.JPG

[Gary Bergman]

I have miles of Rolon(Spunflex), and after the 'newness' wears off, it's a very good traditional looking line for running rigging. Most all of my sheets, topping lifts, and some standing rigging are of same, we absolutely swear by it. If your pockets are deep, try Vectran with the cover stripped off.

[ddeaton]

The Roblon in the pics above looks exactly like what I used. It looks great, but is too stiff for the small cat. Does the 3 strand spun dacron stretch? I think I have some of it and it seemed like it stretched a foot from the top block on the mast when I pulled on it. I may have some different stuff.
Thanks to all for the input so far,
Danny

[Todd Bradshaw]

Yes, it stretches. New England Rope's "Spun Classic" stretches 5% @ 15% of breaking strength (2500 lbs. for 3/8" dia.). It has no colored tracer. Their "Classic Filament" version stretches less (4.2% @ 15%) but the 3/8" breaking strength is higher (4400 lbs.) so the difference in overall stretch is substantially less for rope of the same diameter compared to the spun rope. Filament is harder and a little stiffer. It's fine for halyards and things that get set and left alone for the remainder of the afternoon, but not so great for frequently adjusted control lines, like sheets.

The very nature of three-strand construction creates a fair amount of stretch. If you unwind a 12" chunk of it, all the way down to individual fibers, you'll find that they are substantially longer than 12". Even if you used Kevlar, Technora, Vectran or similar miracle fibers to make 3-strand, it would still be fairly stretchy just due to the construction. The hardness and stiffness of some of the less stretchy 3-strand varieties often has more to do with why they are less stretchy than the fiber itself. The fibers in these tightly wound, hard lines can't move on each other and compress each other as much when the rope is loaded. Soft, fuzzy, spun stuff doesn't resist being deformed under a load as well and as a result, the rope stretches more - and well before being loaded enough to actually start stretching the individual fibers.