Sailing Line

Kevlar and pre-stretched polyester sailing line have allowed owners to change to rope halyards, replacing the wire halyard/ rope tail. Kevlar-based polyester braids have minimal stretch, but Kevlar does not hold up to repeated kicking in the same spot, such as over a halyard sheave. Kevlar sailing line is used primarily in dinghies, keelboats and cruiser racers of up to 15 metres.

Conventionally laid, 3-strand, super-stretched polyester sailing line is popular with cruiser racer owners because there is minimal sheave abrasion and can be spliced easily. Sixteen-plait multibraid over a 3-strand core is the ideal combination for spinnaker and genoa halyards. Although you can splice it yourself, it is often better to get a rigging specialist to splice multiplait, especially if it is joined to Kevlar or wire tails.

One of the prime requirements of sailing line when used as sheets, is a high resistance to the abrasion caused by running through blocks and around winches and being dragged around shrouds. In use, sheets develop a slightly 'furry' finish, which helps them to resist abrasion and improves their grip on winches and rope jamming devices.

It is important that sheets have a sufficient diameter to enable the crew member to have a comfortable grip when taken under load.

This is one of the reasons why dinghy rigs use a thin Kevlar sheet to run through the blocks then splice it on a 10 to 12mm diameter braided tail leading back to the helmsman or crew.

Cruising boats are at sea for longer periods than racers, which adds up to considerably more wear on all marine ropes. For these boats' sheets, 16-plait matt finish polyester over a 3-strand core provides the required strength and longevity. Dayboats and dinghies use 8-plait polyester and lightweight multifilament polypropylene for most running lines. Rope and Rigging

Using Boat Ropes

Yachts have many different types of marine ropes onboard, from light line up to heavy mooring and anchor warps. Marine ropes on yachts are larger and heavier than those used on dinghies and are more complicated to handle because of their extra weight and length. Each boat rope requires handling in a way determined by its size and purpose.

Become skilled at tying essential boat knots as well as coiling, cleating, stowing, and heaving these larger boat ropes as these skills are critical when mooring. Practice to complete these tasks swiftly and efficiently in all sailing conditions, especially in the dark.

Practice tying basic knots and rope-handling skills so that they become second nature. Ensure boat ropes are coiled and stowed to avoid snarling, and on no account leave mooring ropes scattered around the deck or pontoon where they could become a tripping hazard. Once a year wash all boat ropes to remove salt, sand and grease. Sand cuts the fibres and salt hardens them making the rope more difficult to handle

Tidiness

The deckhand makes sure the decks are tidy. A mass of tangled ropes on the cockpit floor is dangerous, and ropes must never trail over the side. Always coil the tail end of the rope immediately after making up a sheet or a halyard on a cleat. So that twists in the rope will roll out, start from the end that is made fast and work towards the free end. Starting from the falling end, puts twists into the rope. Never coil a rope around the hand and elbow, as this method causes twists in the rope. From one hand, hang even loops of rope, giving the rope a twist with each loop.

To distinguish how boat ropes are laid and how to coil them, hold the rope vertically and if the strands move upwards to the right they are said to be right-handed and are coiled clockwise; left-handed are coiled anti-clockwise.

When the sailing line is a sheet or a warp, lay the completed coil flat on the deck so that the tail is underneath with the uppermost coils free to run out when the rope is released. A coiled halyard is held fast by hanging the coil on the cleat by twisting one of the coils and making a loop. A halyard when coiled this way is re-coiled before it is let go, ensuring it runs out smoothly.

Bulky boat ropes such as a warp should be coiled on deck and as each coil is made, twist the rope clockwise. The complete coil is `stopped' using thin twine before stowed.

A common method of securing a coil is the `sea gasket' coil. After making the coil, four or five turns are wrapped with the standing part about the upper part of the coil. A bight of the standing part is pulled through the coil above the turns and looped back over the head of the coil holding it together.

Lowering sails

To prevent disorder occurring, avoid leaving halyards hanging loose and sails in a mess on deck. To ease tension on the halyard, first check it away by keeping a turn on the cleat, or ease it around the winch with the flat of the hand. After some rope length as the tension lessens let it go more quickly. When able, throw the turns off the winch and pay out the halyard hand over hand.

The tail of the halyard should be permanently made fast which stops it vanishing up the mast, or blowing out in the wind. Avoid letting the rope slide quickly through hands as the rope can cause a painful burn. When a rope jerks free, stand clear and if possible find the tail end, turning it around a cleat holding it in check.

Boat Knots

The four primary boat knots are a clove hitch, a bowline, a sheet bend (single and double) and a reef knot. Practise each one, tying it a dozen times, until it can be done by `feel' with eyes closed. Other simple boat knots, are the Figure Eight, Round turn and two half-hitches, and its variant the Fisherman's or Anchor Bend, and the Rolling Hitch. The Fisherman's Bend and the Rolling Hitch, are often used when mooring, and should be practiced as part of the rope-handling skills.

The essence in selecting the right rope knot for the job is that the knot must be capable of being untied. This is demonstrated by throwing another turn in the simple overhand rope knot making it a figure eight at the end of a sheet. This knot can be undone while the overhand knot can tightly jam requiring a spike or knife to undo it.

A Round-turn and two half-hitches is more suitable to tie up a boat than a clove-hitch because it can be undone, while the clove-hitch will jam under load. When mooring to a bollard, use a line with the bowline knot as it never slips and can be undone after strain. When joining two pieces of line of unequal thickness the Reef Knot is not used as it will slip so use the Sheet Bend in this application.

Clove hitch

Quick and easy knot for making a line or warp fast to a post or spar.

Bowline Knot

One general-purpose rope knot that all sailors need to be able to tie in any situation is the bowline and this is the most common knot used in attaching a sheet to a sail. It is a secure non-slip knot for making a loop in the end of a line or warp. No matter how tightly it is pulled the bowline can always be undone. Two bowlines can be used for joining mooring lines.

Sheet bend

For joining together two ropes of unequal thickness, or bending a sheet to the clew of a sail. The two short ends of rope must be on the same side of the finished 'bend' and can be doubled for extra security or slipped if a getaway is required.

Double sheet bend

Should be used instead of the sheet bend if the two ropes being joined are of considerably different thickness.

Reef knot

For joining together two ropes of the same thickness and commonly used when reefing the sail. Not as suitable for springy new synthetic ropes unless a triple knot is made and the ends tucked under.

Figure-of-eight Knot

A bulky rope knot for preventing the end of the sheet from running out through a block, but can be easily untied.

Round turn and two half hitches

A locking rope knot for making a rope fast to a post or ring-bolt on a jetty.

Fisherman’s Bend

A secure locking knot similar to a round turn and two half hitches. It is used for making a warp fast to an anchor or a piece of line to a bucket handle a mooring warp to a ring: the greater the pull the harder it locks.

Rolling Hitch

The rolling hitch works by tightening its grip as the pull increases, but it should be tied so that it strains the rope in the required direction.

The rolling hitch is used as an emergency hitch when a sheet fouls and jams on a winch. A sheet jammed under load can be freed by attaching a spare rope or sheet to it with a rolling hitch then taking the tail of that rope to a spare winch. Using that winch, it relieves the load on the jammed rope and allows it to be freed off the riding turn.

Whipping a Line

Whipping a line prevents the end of the rope from unravelling. Preventing synthetic ropes unraveling is done by by heat-sealing the ends, but whipping using twine is a neater solution

• Form a loop in the end of the twine and lay it along the rope with the loop towards the end of the rope.
• Wrap the long end of the twine around the rope, moving towards the rope end.
• Pull each turn tight.
• When the turns approach the end of the rope, pass the end of the twine through the loop.
• Bury the tail under turns.
• Pull hard on the short tail of the loop to bury it under the turns.
• Trim both twine ends close to the whipping.

Heaving a Mooring Line

There may be a requirement at sometime to heave or throw a mooring line to someone on another boat or at the quayside. If the mooring line tangles, the throw will fall short. Do not rely on a previously coiled rope, but re-coil it prior to throwing it, making sure that there is a sufficient length of rope to make the distance.

On some boats a dedicated heaving line of light rope may have a weight spliced into one end, which helps it travel. When caught it is utilized to pull over a heavier mooring line.

When heaving a mooring line, coil the rope neatly and then split into two coils, half in the throwing hand and the rest in the other hand. Stand with the non-throwing shoulder towards the target. Heave the line underarm aiming above the target while allowing the line to uncoil from other hand while maintaining a hold on the end.

Mooring Ropes or Warps

Mooring ropes used to tie a boat to a pontoon, quayside, mooring buoy, piles, or other boat are called warps and a knowledge of how to use warps is part of yacht handling. The mooring rope or warp size depends on the size and importantly, the weight of the boat.

Warps should have enough strength to hold the boat and long enough allowing the boat to rise and fall in tidal waters. Nylon

mooring ropes or warps are common as they are strong along with being able to stretch to absorb shock and reduce loads on fairleads and cleats. When not in use, warps should be coiled, and stored hanging up, in a locker.

When mooring alongside, a number of mooring ropes are required to hold the boat safely by preventing the boat from ranging back and forth causing damage. The mooring arrangement depends on whether the boat is tied to a quayside where there is some allowance for tide, or to other boats or a floating pontoon that moves in unison to changes in tidal height.

Each mooring rope or warp is different and it is important understand how each warp functions. If the boat is left alongside in tidal waters, there should be sufficient slack in the warps to allow for the lowest level of tide, otherwise the boat hangs from its mooring ropes and could be damaged.

Bow and Stern Mooring Lines

The bow line and stern mooring lines function is to position the boat on the berth. They must have the strength to take the main load as well a long enough compensate for the tide’s rise and fall. The further away the bow and stern mooring lines are secured to the mooring from the boat, the less adjustment is required when the tide rises or falls.

Bow and Stern Springs

Bow and Stern Springs prevent the boat from moving ahead or

astern. They are not usually as long as the bow and stern mooring lines and need adjusting as the tidal height changes. Both springs work against each other stopping the boat moving backwards and forwards.

Fore and Aft Breast Ropes

Fore and aft breast ropes are used in addition to the four main mooring ropes or warps to hold the boat close alongside. Breasts and springs may be used alone when lying alongside a pontoon.

Rope Cleats

All mooring rope cleats and fairleads should be adequate for the purpose and securely bolted to the deck having smooth, rounded edges to prevent warp chafe. The larger the cleat, the less it will wear the rope along with being easier to make up a rope with sufficient turns. A typical set up is a central bollard on the foredeck together with a pair of cleats, one on either side of the bow, and a pair at the stern. If a central bollard is not present, there should be at least three cleats on the foredeck. When mooring alongside, it is useful to have a pair of midship cleats on the sidedecks.

Securing a sheet or halyard to a cleat is `to belay' and a line made fast to a cleat must be capable of being quickly freed. The first turn about a cleat is a complete round-turn, before crossing over with the several 'S' turns. When the 'S' turns are cast off, the first turn is left which provides friction for snubbing the rope or easing it smoothly.

Lead the line around the cleat from the side where the turn does not jam back on itself. Angle cleats so that they are about 10 degrees off line from the direction of the lead which prevents the turns jamming on the standing part of the rope.

Making fast the rope is done by adding a single hitch over the belaying turns. There are some sailors that think the hitch may jam under load, especially when wet, making it difficult to free quickly. Making fast with a slipped hitch allows the hitch to be slipped off quickly. After belaying, the line is coiled, by starting the turns from the standing end. Cleats

Halyards

Coiled halyards can be stowed by hooking them on to a cleat on the mast. Holding the coil in the left hand and pulling the bight of the standing part through the coil. Twist it to the left, or against the lay, and slip it over the upper horn of the cleat. Sheet coils are never secured as they at all times must be free to run.

Fairleads

Fairleads are fitted either side of the bow and stern and alongside each midship cleat. Fairleads are either open or closed with the open variety being more versatile, whereas the closed type being more secure. So that warps do not chafe on the deck edge they should be led through fairleads.

Warps are susceptible to chafing at the point of leading through fairleads or across the edges of quay walls. Some protection can be gained by feeding the warp through short lengths of plastic tubing and then positioned at likely chafing points..

Avoiding Problems

To avoid problems when mooring with warps, have one rope for each function and belay each one up on its separate cleat. Make up the end to a cleat on a pontoon or neighbouring boat, bringing the rest of the warp back onboard where it is cleated and stowed. This means there is no loose rope left ashore and makes it easy for warp adjustment on board when necessary.

Slip Lines

A mooring rope or warp led through a ring or around a cleat or

bollard ashore, with both ends made fast on board is called a slip line. It allows the release of the warp from on board and is useful when berthed alongside a quay wall. It is only suitable for temporary stops, as the warp is liable to chafe where it passes through the ring or cleat. When a slip line is rigged through a ring ashore, it should be lead through the ring in the correct way.

Lead the end of the warp that will be released:

• Up through the ring if it is lying on top of the quay;
• or down through the ring if it is hanging on the quay wall.

When pulled, the warp lifts the ring away from the quay preventing the warp from jamming. If there are knots or splices in the warp it may snag so use a warp that has none of these obstructions.

Boat Turning Using Mooring Ropes

It would be much easier at time to leave a berth with the boat was facing the other way, particularly if leaving under sail. The way to turn a boat is to use mooring ropes or warps, making use of the tide or wind to help the manoeuvre. To protect the boat when it turns, place fenders on the far side of the boat and at the bow and stern. If the boat is lying stern-to-tide, the stern will be moved away from the pontoon to turn the boat and conversely if the boat was lying the other way round, the bow would be turned first.

• Rig a stern line outside all rigging on the far side.
• Move the bow spring to a cleat on the far side.
• Move the shore end to a cleat aft of the boat.
• Release the bow line and stern spring.
• Release the stern line and push stern out, or pull on the bow spring.
• The tide will start to swing the boat out.
• Take up the slack on the new stern line.
• The turn will slow down as the boat lines up with the tide.
• Make fast the new bow and stern lines and rig new springs.

For short stays, you need only rig a bow line and a stern spring.