
Why is rope called “line”?
“Rope” is called “line”, the reasons go back into naval terminology and as an Airedale I had enough stuff to worry about, so never looked it up. They do have something they call rope, but to me it’s a steel cable. Whatever…
What is the rope that runs up the mast called?
The rope that runs up the mast to pull up the mainsail is called the halyard and to bring the sail down the line is called the downhaul. The lines that are used when sailing are called sheets and each sheet will refer to the sail that it controls.
What is the rope called that runs under a yacht?
The rope used for these tasks is often made from steel cable and will be called either ‘shrouds’ or ‘stays’. The cable that runs from the mast to the bow of your yacht is called the ‘forestay’, and the lines that run to the stern of the yacht are often known as ‘backstays’
What is the difference between rope and yachting?
Yachting has a very colourful and extensive vocabulary that has evolved over many many years of marine history. Rope is the general term used for the actual raw material that is used to make the ‘lines’ that we use on board a sailing yacht. Once a piece of rope has a specific use on board a yacht it becomes a ‘line’.

What are the ropes on a sailing ship called?
The rope that runs up the mast to pull up the mainsail is called the halyard and to bring the sail down the line is called the downhaul. The lines that are used when sailing are called sheets and each sheet will refer to the sail that it controls.
What is a mooring rope called?
Mooring is often accomplished using thick ropes called mooring lines or hawsers. The lines are fixed to deck fittings on the vessel at one end and to fittings such as bollards, rings, and cleats on the other end.
What is a rope Fibre called?
Common natural fibres for rope are Manila hemp, hemp, linen, cotton, coir, jute, straw, and sisal. Synthetic fibres in use for rope-making include polypropylene, nylon, polyesters (e.g. PET, LCP, Vectran), polyethylene (e.g. Dyneema and Spectra), Aramids (e.g. Twaron, Technora and Kevlar) and acrylics (e.g. Dralon).
Why is a rope on a yacht called a sheet?
Sheet – A rope used to control the setting of a sail in relation to the direction of the wind. Not a lot of help there. Sea-traders and navies have always relied on ropes to control large sheets of sail. May be a clue why they became known as sheets.
What are the 6 types of ropes?
Rope Selection GuideNylon Rope.Polypropylene.Manila Rope.Kevlar™ Rope.Bungee Shock Cord.3 Strand Combo.Rope Cargo Net.Cable Pulling Tape.More items...
What are the 6 types of mooring ropes?
The Different Types of Mooring LinesNylon. Nylon rope offers better strength than polyester and it stretches, which means it is better at handling shock loads in rough conditions. ... Polyester. ... Sisal (and other synthetic fibres) ... Steel wire. ... Polypropylene. ... Contact us.
How many types of ropes are there?
There are also two basic types of rope construction: braided and twisted. Braided rope is more durable and stronger than an equivalent size of a twisted laid rope.
What is ship rope made of?
Finding the Right Rope Now most marine ropes are made of synthetic fibers like polyester, nylon, and polypropylene for both land and underwater purposes.
Which name also means rope or cord?
A lariat; a lasso. A cable, rope, string, cord, or wire.
What is the only rope on a boat?
It is a tradition to say that on a boat there is only one rope: the bell rope. On a boat every rope has its name. Thus we speak of a mooring line, a sheet, a halyard, a downhaul, a topping lift... All these precise names are used to clarify a manoeuvre to avoid any ambiguity.
What is a halyard rope?
Halyard rope, or flagpole rope, is used to raise and lower your flag on most external halyard flagpoles. Ideal for all-weather displays. Made of sturdy polyester braided rope featuring multi-strand weaving.
What is yacht rope?
Yacht rope generally refers to rope that has double braid construction. It can be made with any type of fiber - nylon, polyester, polypropylene - but not all fibers are equal in quality. So just because it is touted as "yacht rope" doesn't mean it's high quality rope.
Which rope is best for mooring lines?
polyesterThe best mooring ropes are typically made from lightweight yet robust synthetic fibres, such as polyester. Strong, flexible and resistant to abrasion, UV rays and chemicals. They do the job well and – despite being exposed to harsh sea conditions – are guaranteed to last a long time.
How many types of mooring ropes are there?
threeThere are three main types of mooring lines; chain mooring lines, wire mooring lines and synthetic fibre ropes. They are designed to be incredibly durable and strong to keep even the heaviest of vessels securely in place. The chain mooring line is the most common type in shallow water.
What are the three 3 basic mooring line types?
There are basically three main mooring line types. A mooring line system can consist of chain mooring lines, wire mooring lines or synthetic fiber ropes or a combination of the three.
What is a mooring cable?
A mooring system is made up of a mooring line, anchor and connectors, and is used for station keeping of a ship or floating platform in all water depths. A mooring line connects an anchor on the seafloor to a floating structure.
What is a line on a ship?
A line tends to be a rope securing the ship at the bow and stern to a dock and prevents the ship moving outwards from the dockside.
What is a sheet in sailing?
A sheet refers to sailing ships/yachts and is a rope involved in the control of a sail.
What are modern turrets?
First let’s make sure everyone understands what modern “turrets” are, starting with the fact that they are not descendants of the original turret-ships like U.S.S. Monitor and her descendants and HMS Captain. They are descendants of a gun system first developed by the French to replace turrets, called barbettes. The reason why was illustrated by both, it was that turrets were very heavy for the day and had to be placed low in the ship, and even then you have metacentric height issues where they still had very little stability. In a ship with strong st
Where do sailors live?
When not deployed, or on a short underway cycle prepping for deployment, aviation sailors live somewhere on their home air station or off base, out in town.
Where are surface fleet sailors stationed?
In general, surface fleet sailors will be stationed at a Naval Station-NS. The land based installations where the ships are.
Do naval bases have airfields?
The fact that there are naval stations that have an airfield with aircraft squadrons, and air stations located near a body of water that have ships that call it home adds further variation to the general rules.
Do aircraft squadrons send birds out to the boat?
So with that, since naval aircraft squadrons are permanently located on land based installations, not ships, and squadrons only send their birds out to the boat for specific period s of time, the only time an aviation sailor will see a ship is when his squadron, or a small detachment thereof, is sent to the boat.
What is chafe protection?
Chafe Protection / Covered Eye Use Leather, Nylon Cordura Tubing, or Dipping to increase the life span of your lines as they rub against cleats, chocks, and your moorings. Chafe protection is most often used on eye splices, but can be used to protect other sections of the line below the throat of the eye splice (fairlead areas for example). Covered Eyes are a must for long term mooring applications. Is your boat moored in a slip? Then cover those eyes.
What is a mooring line?
Mooring Line is a general term to include both Anchor and Dock Lines and mostly used in heavy marine, commercial, and industrial applications to describe a large vessel’s dock lines. Hawser is a similar nautical term used to describe a length of rope (i.e. a line) used to moor (connect / fasten / make fast) a marine vessel to dock, pile, wharf, ...
How to measure eye splice length?
The eye splice size / length is measured this way as to equal the one way length measured from the splice to the tip / far end / crease. The total length of rope required to make the eye splice would be 2 x L + bury of the splice, where the bury is often equal to 18 x the diameter of the line.
What is a travel line?
Traveling Lines are an extra set of mooring lines used to provide flexibility for docking conditions when traveling from port to port as your normal dock lines might well be too customized for your slip arrangement back home.
What is a towing hwser?
Similarly, a Towing Hawser is a line used for towing purposes mostly used in heavy marine, commercial, and industrial applications. Shore Lines are used to temporarily Moor (connect / fasten) or Make Fast a boat to the shoreline. These mooring lines can be long dock lines and or anchor lines often applied in house boating applications.
What is a wire rope?
Wire Rope is a rope constructed of wire strands instead of fibers. Line is a nautical term used to describe a length of rope used for marine and boating purposes. Mooring Line is a nautical term used to describe a length of rope (i.e. a line) used to moor (connect / fasten / make fast) a marine vessel to dock, pile, wharf, buoy field, ...
How does a rope thimble work?
The rope makes a tight bend around the thimble’s outside grooved channel and is spliced back into itself. The hardware will rub not on the rope, but on the inside smooth surface of the thimble. Anchor and Tow Lines most often have at least one thimble splice.
What is the rope that runs up the mast called?
The rope that runs up the mast to pull up the mainsail is called the halyard and to bring the sail down the line is called the downhaul. The lines that are used when sailing are called sheets and each sheet will refer to the sail that it controls.
What is standing rigging on a yacht?
The Standing rigging refers to all the lines that support the stationary objects on a sailing yacht, such as the mast. These are generally steel cables and are called either ‘shrouds’ or ‘stays’. For example, the line (cable) that runs from the mast to the bow ...
What is the line that runs from the mast to the bow of a boat called?
For example, the line (cable) that runs from the mast to the bow of the boat is called the ‘forestay’, for lines that run to the stern of the boat are often called ‘backstays’.
What is rope used for?
Rope is generally the term used for the raw material used to make the ‘lines’ that we use on board a sailing yacht. For rope terminology wherever a rope has a purpose or use, it is called a ‘line’ and every single line that has a job to do will have it’s own name! Running Rigging Standing Rigging Mooring up.
A-hull
Lashing the helm to the leeward side to ride out bad weather without the sails set.
Apparent Wind
The speed and direction of the wind combined with the boat’s movement and the true wind speed and direction.
Azimuth
The act of measuring the angular distance on the horizon circle in a clockwise method, typically between a heavenly body and an observer.
Back a sail
Sheeting the sail to the windward direction, so the wind fills the sail on the leeward side.
Backstay
The stay supports the aft from the mast, preventing its forward movement.
Baggywrinkle
The teased-out plaited rope wound around the stays or shrouds preventing chaffing.
Ballasts
Iron or lead weights are fixed in a low-access area of the vessel or on the keel to stabilize the boat.
