Polypropylene Rope

[Andrew_Butchart]

I'm starting to browse around for rope to use for the running rigging on my Weekender.  I've found what appears to be some nice polypropylene braided rope in various colours.  Most of the nylon braided rope I can find is all white.

Is there any disadvantage to using polypropylene for halliards etc?  I'm figuring on using nylon for the mainsheet.

AndrewB

[Frank Hagan]

It has three disadvantages in my mind ... it stretches a LOT, it degrades quickly in the sunlight, and it feels stiff in the hand (although some of it is softer than the least expensive kind). 

There's a cost/benefit ratio in there somewhere.  Most of the time, the Weekender is easy to sail, but occasionally you're faced with holding on to the main sheet quite hard.  You might try taking a length of the poly rope and pulling on it.  Tie it to a post and grab it, then lean back putting your weight on it.  Now do that for as long as you plan to sail.  While you won't handle the halyards as much, the main sheet will be in your hand all the time (to be fair, most of the time it is slight pressure, but you are always hoping for it to tug at you hard!)

There are some nice, soft three-strand and braided poly blends out now that are cheap enough, and may be suitable for the main sheet.  Otherwise, I'd consider a nice yacht braid for the main sheet and then try the less expensive poly line for the halyards (you may see enough stretch in them that you have to tighten them up occasionally, but that will be intermittent and not continuous).

[Hirilonde]

It has three disadvantages in my mind ... it stretches a LOT, it degrades quickly in the sunlight, and it feels stiff in the hand (although some of it is softer than the least expensive kind). 

Those and it stretches a lot.  Oh, Frank said that already.  Well he didn't say it loud enough. 

The only things I would use it for is a ski tow rope or trawl lines for lobster pots.

[Barry Pyeatt]

Amen, Amen and AMEN!

If you wear gloves all the time while sailing, you maybe won't know much of a difference, but otherwise make your mainsheet a nice to the hand braid.  Your hands will be forever grateful.  Personally, I've been there, even with some of the more expensive poly and I won't go back, yes the difference in how long it lasts is significant as is the difference in how well it works thru the blocks and particularly when it gets wet.  Not so bad for crab pots though. :

[Andrew_Butchart]

Thank you all for the input.  I was planning on nylon for the mainsheet, but the price "looked too good" on the polypropylene which is why I thought of it for halliards.  Given that it has a stretching problem and might seize up in the blocks (both bad things for halliards) I'll look further.

I'm still trying to figure out where to run my lines and what sort of cleats/where to place them for the halliards and the jib sheet (going with the jib boom to start).  Since I'm "larger than the average bear" I'll want to stay in the cockpit whenever possible so want them to be convenient to there but still not in the way.  Perhaps an oxymoron in a small boat like a Weekender.

[Frank Hagan]

I'm still trying to figure out where to run my lines and what sort of cleats/where to place them for the halliards and the jib sheet (going with the jib boom to start).  Since I'm "larger than the average bear" I'll want to stay in the cockpit whenever possible so want them to be convenient to there but still not in the way.  Perhaps an oxymoron in a small boat like a Weekender.

I started with the jib boom and then graduated to two jib sheets, which I liked better.  But for the jib boom, I installed a block with a becket on the centerline behind the forward hatch:

Then I attached a single "micro block" to the starboard shroud for routing the sheet back to the cockpit:

I installed a cleat on the side deck back within easy reach when I am sitting in the most aft position on the starboard side.  Later I changed the jib to use two sheets, and also corrected a "skinned knuckles" problem ... my cam cleat was installed very close to the rough anti-skid I put on the side deck.  So I raised the cam cleats up with a block underneath:

For the throat and peak halyards, I put blocks on the top of the cabin and led the halyards back to the cockpit with cleats on the starboard side of the cabin roof:

 

For the main sheet, are you using the wheel or a tiller?

[Andrew_Butchart]

Thanks Frank - that's very helpful.

I'm going to be using a wheel, but have installed a transom hatch.  I'm hoping to be able to put the pulley for the mainsheet on the taffrail.

[Frank Hagan]

Thanks Frank - that's very helpful.

I'm going to be using a wheel, but have installed a transom hatch.  I'm hoping to be able to put the pulley for the mainsheet on the taffrail.

You have to ensure it won't pull the rail off, so it has to be sturdy.  You could also do a three-part main sheet.  You start at one rear quarter deck (port in the shot below), reeve the sheet up through a block on the end of the boom, down to another block on the other quarter deck, then back up to the boom and forward so it drops at a convenient location in the cockpit (the plans have the dimension):

[jaxsailr]

There are some good polypropylene lines for sailing.  They are mostly used on cats a small boats for sheets since they do not absorb water and will float.  I have one on my Holder 12 and it works well.  For the most part you wants to use low stretch on the halyards and make sure you use the right size for the block.  Otherwise it can make getting the sail down difficult.  My Peep hen had 3/8 and should of been 5/16 max.  I lucked out West marine was closing out the Marlow 1/4 line and the sail comes down easy now.  Check out michael Storers article on rigging the Goat island skiff.

Fair Leads,

Niels

[Greg Miller]

Just curious Andrew, would that be the inexpensive rope that CT sells? It seemed like a bargain at $15 a roll. I had problems with jamming, and twisting in the pulleys on my gaff. It is best suited for mooring ropes, camping and other not so critical uses, best go the extra $ for quality

[Andrew_Butchart]

Greg - no this is at Home Hardware.  It's pre-packaged in lengths of 100ft.  It "looks" like it would work but .....