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Line can be described in terms of the fibers used in its construction,
the manner in which it's put together (double braid, parallel core, single braid, 3-strand), and the qualities that result
from the combination. When choosing line for your boat, it's important to consider strength, stretch, handling, and
abrasion resistance.
For instance, stretch is good in docking lines and anchor rode, and a little
stretch is nice in sheets, but not so in halyards. Strength can be achieved by increasing line size or by choosing a higher
strength fiber. Racers will favor the high strength fiber for less windage; cruisers may want the
larger line size for ease of handling. Standard working loads should be no more than 20% of the rope's rated breaking
strength. Owners should pay attention to hardware like blocks, deck organizers, and rope clutches - they will limit
the maximum line diameter. One of the best, free, sources for starting to learn about running rigging is the West Marine
catalog. Each line they sell has a description of its fiber content, construction, uses, and breaking strength.
The West Advisor section often has useful, easy-to-understand information.
In general, running rigging should be replaced whenever it shows visible
signs of damage - core hemorrhaged through the cover, several broken strands close together, "rot" from UV exposure, or green
and stiff from disuse. Your sheets, control lines, and other systems should operate easily, with low friction.
We discourage practices like saving old halyards to use as docking lines - a low stretch halyard used as a docking
line can shock-load a cleat and cause damage to the cleat and your boat.
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