Yacht Rope

What is yacht rope?

Broadly speaking, yacht rope is any rope that is used on large sailing boats. However, there are several different types of yacht rope, each of which has its own particular purpose.

Access Ropes stock a range of lines to meet your sailing needs. We are available to answer any queries you may have on the type of rope you need and can provide bespoke yacht rope if required. All our products also ship with certification (and free delivery in the UK), so you can rest assured that your rope will meet all the necessary quality standards.

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What are the different categories of yacht rope?

There are many variances of yacht ropes; however, the most common categories you will come across are rigging lines and mooring lines.

Rigging lines

Running rigging ropes are those which are used to adjust and control the yacht sails. They determine the shape and position of your sail, and comprise of halyards, downhauls and sheets. Halyards pull up the mainsail, and downhauls lower it, while sheets control the individual sails when you are sailing. Most commonly, you will hear the terms mainsheet, which is the line that controls the mainsail, and jib sheet, which controls the jib sail.

Standing rigging rope is the rope that offers stability to stationary objects such as the mast. These are referred to as stays. Either the forestay or the backstay, depending on whether the rope runs from the mast to the front or back of the boat.

We now stock the SuperBraid Yachting Rope, which is the latest performance rope from Southern Ropes and can be used for sheet lines, halyards, control lines, downhauls and numerous other applications. This product gives you the strength of UHMWPE rope in its core, with a Polyester cover, making it soft and light to handle, yet incredibly strong. It is not pre-stretched and heat set.

If you need a line with a little more stretch, but with all the performance of the SuperBraid, then the SuperSpeed Yachting rope is a great alternative which is pre-stretched and heat set. Both ropes are easy to splice and come in diameters from 6mm – 16mm.

For the non-professional sailor, the Polyester Yacht Braid is ideal for leisure marine yachts. It is easy to handle, easy to splice and low stretch. This is a relatively multi-purpose polyester rope that works for general sheets and control lines.

If you are considering buying new boat ropes, then spend time checking the compatibility with your deck gear as some jaws and clutches are designed to suit only specific lines.

Mooring lines

Mooring lines or anchor lines are, as the name suggests, ropes used to moor your yacht. They will tie your boat to a pontoon and may also be referred to as dock lines. Fender lines are also used during mooring; they prevent a boat from continuously moving and hitting the dock, which could result in damage to your vessel.

Instead of the traditional hemp rope, most mooring rope is now made of nylon, polyester or UHMWPE. Some rope has a combination of these fibres to bring you the best properties.

Our 3 Strand Nylon Rope and 3 Strand Polyester Rope are both ideal choices for fender lines when docking. These ropes are very resilient and abrasion-resistant while being flexible and easy to splice. Both these rope options come in a variety of diameters, each giving you a different break load, and can be custom cut accordingly.

For more product information on these lines, please take a look at our detailed mooring ropes guide.

For more information about yacht ropes and our range of items, call or email one of our rope experts. They will be more than happy to discuss your rope requirements and the products most suitable for you.