MONEY FOR OLD ROPE
The monthly Zoom forum for my online sailing club always throws up some interesting questions. Our little outfit is not specifically for traditional sailors, but, like the best yarns spun over a few pints in a cosy bar, the cream of the questions often turn out to be of the traditional persuasion. Take things carrying away, for instance; cordage in particular.
The initial point raised was about using Dyneema for standing rigging on a small gaff cutter. I’ve been consulting on a new blue-water cruiser where the same issue cropped up. The design team were all for it but the owner didn’t want to know. I agreed with him by reason of wire’s chafe resistance, low maintenance, and longevity, and there the matter rested.
Stepping aside from controversy about standing rigging, even low-tech modern rope is
