Photo courtesy of Adam Cove
Whether offshore on the same course for days at a time or short-tacking through a new inlet, I’m always finding new ways to torture my jib sheets. Most days they live coated in salt spray, baking in the sun, and getting dragged across lifelines, shrouds, and nonskid. I never strayed from conventional cordage options until a couple years ago, and I’ll now never look back.
Ocean Line from Lanex Yachting USA, based in Jamestown, Rhode Island, is now my go-to. It is a double-braid polyester line with Cordura infused into the cover. If you are trying to figure out where you have heard of Cordura before, it was probably from that backpack or pair of boots that lasted forever and is still in your closet. It is an exceptionally durable material known for its rugged capabilities. You know how we talk about good equipment being bulletproof? Well, this type of fiber is actually used to make bulletproof vests.
While not opting to leave it sawing away on a shroud, it has proven to be far more durable as jib sheets and preventers than anything I’ve previously used. It’s easy to splice (while underway), grips my older winches well, and still runs soft in my hand. So, I can continue to skip the gloves! Lanex Yachting USA also carries HMPE-cored line (think Dyneema) with a tight 32-plait cover that has worked exceptionally well for my halyards. lanexyachtingusa.com.
